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Tag: Chief Edem Duke

  • Concerns in Cross River over zoning

    In Cross River State, the adoption of direct primary option in the All Progressives Congress has raised the political tempo even as zoning remains a major issue, reports Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

    With the Cross River State All Progressives Congress (APC) adopting the direct primaries for emergence of its candidates, the political tempo has stepped up with governorship aspirants who have picked the nomination form of the party crisscrossing the state to canvass for support.

    The aspirants so far include High Chief Edem Duke, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong, Pastor Usani Usani, Mr. John Owan-Enoh and John Upan Odey.

    Despite the initial setback, the party in the state had an issue over its leadership. However, some insiders said the matter may have been resolved with Dr. Mathew Achigbe as the state chairman. All appears set as members work towards the governorship primary elections which is expected to hold on September 29.

    However, there appears to be another problem, which, it seems, may plunge the party into another round of crisis if not properly managed. This is the argument over the zoning of the governorship position of the state.

    For some members of the party, the governorship position has been zoned to the northern senatorial district of the state, while for others it is an open contest for anyone who is qualified and willing to run from any part of the state.

    Proponents of the zoning arrangement in the APC argue that Donald Duke from the southern district served for eight years from 1999 to 2007, while Liyel Imoke from the central district took over until 2015. Present Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, who took over in 2015, is from the northern district and is still on his first term.

    Though the three governors mentioned here ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), the APC members in support of this arrangement, feel power still has to be retained in the north for equity.

    Those against this argument however insist there was never such agreement at any time. They argued that Duke and Imoke never had power handed over to them based on any zoning arrangement, as people from other districts contested against them, but that they fought for it.

    This situation has created a sharp division within the party. In fact, some stakeholders of the APC have reportedly threatened to vote massively for the ruling PDP in next year’s election if someone from the northern district does not emerge as the candidate of the party at the primaries.

    This presents a rather awkward situation as one of the five aspirants, John Upan Odey, is from the north. Duke and Nyong are from the south, while Usani and Owan-Enoh are from the central.

    The APC stakeholders, who spoke through a group, the Cross River North Solidarity Forum (CRNSF), said they would vote against their party if someone from the north does not get the ticket.

    In a statement issued in Calabar by the group’s spokesman, Joseph Ogah, they said President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has not been fair to members of the party from the zone in terms of appointment and will resist any move by “corrupt people who just defected to the party to hijack the ticket from the north.”

    The group said if the APC does not want people from the northern senatorial district of the state in the party, they would not hesitate to seek their political fortune elsewhere where every zone will be treated equally.

    The statement read in part, “The message we have to pass in this press statement is simple; we will vote the PDP massively if the governorship ticket is given to another senatorial district. If APC is ready to win Cross River State, aspirants from other zones must jettison their selfish interest to allow the north field a candidate. Failure to do this will mark doom for APC as the PDP will have 100% supports in the north in all positions.”

    But the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Bassey Ita, said all was set for a successful governorship primary elections.

    “At the level of the state we are prepared for the primary elections, even though we still wait for the national. Everything comes from the national. The NWC will have to meet to take certain decisions. They just fixed the timetable for the primaries. We also have to look up to them for other activities that the state would be involved in. When once that is done, the NWC would meet and take a decision and NEC would have to meet again to ratify those decisions. We are actually attuned to the national echelon.

    “After adopting the direct primary arrangement, preparations are in high gear, especially the aspirants. It can be felt in the air that the APC is everywhere; people are busy campaigning for votes especially with the direct primaries option. Every aspirant desires to meet the people one on one to talk to them and I think that adds up to the level at which the party’s impact is being felt in the local

    “APC is everywhere as the aspirants are everywhere campaigning. The joy is that at the end of the day, it is the party’s logo that would represent every candidate. So, whoever is going to vote is going to vote for the APC,” Ita said.

  • 2019: Duke declares for Cross River governorship

    The immediate past Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke, has declared his intention to run for the governorship of Cross River State in 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Duke who declared in his hometown in Ikot Edem Odo Ward in Akpabuyo local government area of the state on Monday, regretted that the state has lost its status as “a jewel in the crown of Nigeria” under the present administration.

    He said that before now, the state was a reference point which former President Olusegun Obasanjo used to show other governors how a state should look like, but unfortunately is no longer the case.

    “It is therefore important for us to put in place an agenda for the restoration of our paradise. We must restore this paradise. Cross River used to be the tourism destination of Nigeria. That is why it is important for men and women of good will to stand together when we have seen that unless we salvage our today, there is no guarantee of a tomorrow for us.

    “I have pledged myself to be a steward for the people of Cross River State. And I want to assure Cross Riverians that this is a major assignment that we must achieve. If the state progresses, that progress trickles down to everyone.

    “The most important thing is to restore the love, the bonding and the unity and harmony that used to be the hallmark of Cross River State. The agenda for me as an aspirant is the restoration of what the world used to know as the paradise of Nigeria. It is the restoration of what used to be the jewel in the crown of Nigeria. It is to restore what God has endowed us with, our tourism sites and natural endowments.

    “When you talk of Cross River State, the first thing that resonates in your mind is the beauty and blessing of God that nature has endowed us with. It is our hills, it is our riverside, it is our vegetation, it is our people, it is our history, it is our culture, it is our heritage. It is the love that binds us together. It is the critical dynamism of our youths who commit themselves in the search for livelihood. It is our elders who often times are never given attention in political calculations.

    “As a foremost business leader in the state, I have been a participant and a pioneer in orchestrating what used to be the Cross River tourism that the world spoke about. There is so much to do in the state. I have a wand. It is not a magical wand because you can only be a leader if you are a team player. No leader can arrogate to himself the monopoly of wisdom and knowledge.

    “But I would like to build a team across every socio-political strata. I would like to promote a Cross River United agenda for the promotion of the peace, security and goodwill and fortune. We need to restore our common health in order for us to regain our common wealth.”

    Duke also lauded other governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC, who he said have enriched the field of aspirants so that the people will have the opportunity of choice.

    He said if a party does not provide the opportunity for choice, such is not a democratic political party.

  • Minister condemns recent Kano blast

    Minister condemns recent Kano blast

    The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke has condemned the recent bomb blast in Kano, saying the act is against the culture of peace which our culture preaches about.

    Chief Duke a made the statement at a gathering of who-is-who in the creative industry hosted by the president at the prestigious Eko Hotel Suites, Lagos, recently.

    Speaking at the event tagged:”An Evening with the President”, the Minister said security and insurgency are two challenges upper most in the president’s heart.

    He said: “Tonight  the peace of our nation was shattered. People went out to Kano to pray but so many of them never returned home. Let us observe a minute silence to the life that was shattered.”

    He called on members of the creative industry to use their works to advocate peace, saying they possess the tool to influence minds.

  • Police foil attempt to bomb Cross River PDP’s secretariat 

    Police foil attempt to bomb Cross River PDP’s secretariat 

    •Duke, Idagbo hail delegates’ election

    The Cross River State Police Command said yesterday some hoodlums threw an explosive device into the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the Murtala Muhammed Highway.

    A statement by police spokesman, Hogan Bassey, said nobody died in the incident, which occurred early yesterday.

    The statement reads: “Early today, November 24, 2014, at 05.35 hours, hoodlums who were unable to penetrate the heavily fortified secretariat by officers and men of the command, threw an explosive device from behind the premises into the building. The explosion only shattered some louvers on the ground floor. No life was lost; nobody sustained injury.”

    The police said normalcy was restored at the secretariat with the distribution of materials for the congresses.

    Some prominent indigenes of the state, including the Minister for Culture and Tourism, Chief Edem Duke, and a leading governorship aspirant, Lego Idagbo, have hailed the peaceful conduct of the rescheduled delegates’ election.

    But they condemned the attack on the party’s secretariat.

    Duke described the congresses as peaceful, free and fair.

    He urged PDP members to maintain the peace and shun acts that were at variance with the people.

    Idagbo hailed the conduct of the congresses, saying: “It was transparent, rancour-free, free and fair.”

    He said the attack on the party’s secretariat was the handiwork of desperate politicians who planned to capture power at all cost.

    He added: “Only politicians who do not have the support of the people resort to clandestine activities such as this.”

    Also, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed yesterday a suit filed by Jones Tangban on the November 1 delegates’ election for lack of jurisdiction.

     

  • Culture Ministry to strengthen partnership with Britain

    The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, has said the ministry will strengthen its partnership with Britain to boost creativity in the country.

    He spoke when the Chief Executive Officer of British Council Martin Davidson visited him in Abuja.

    He stressed the need for both countries to establish a platform for exchange of talents as way of harnessing the potential in the countries’ creative industry.

    Duke said: “The young Nigerians coming out of school will need such a platform to express their creative talents.”

    The minister sought the assistance of Britain in the areas of expertise for the skills acquisition centre under construction in Calabar and in restoring Nigeria’s theatres and monuments.

    He stressed the need for a partnership that would assist in creating job opportunities for youths, as well as transform the creative industry into a major income earner for the country.

    “We must begin to think of an economy beyond oil; help us to reposition this sector. We are looking for opportunities for our youths,’’ the minister requested.

    Earlier, Davidson said Britain was determined to look into the importance of culture as a means of building economic development for both countries.

    He said the synergy would encourage Nigerian artistes to work together with artistes in the United Kingdom. “It will create an opportunity for us to learn and develop new techniques with colleagues from Nigeria. We are conscious of the benefits of the exchange of ideas and views with Nigerian artistes and are greatly interested in the skills acquisition academy in Calabar,” he added.

  • Fed Govt extols Sango’s heroic attributes

    Fed Govt extols Sango’s heroic attributes

    The ancient city of Oyo town was in festive mood as sons and daughters of Oduduwa converged on the city to mark this year’s Sango Festival hosted by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi (111).

    The week-long celebration of the rich Yoruba culture and tradition began last Thursday will end on Saturday.

    Minister of Tourism, Culture, and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, who was represented by Professor Akin Alao of the Obafemi Awolowo University, [OAU], Ile-Ife, Osun State, said the celebration of Sango, one of the founding fathers of the ancient Oyo Kingdom, has left behind ‘an enduring legacy of constitutional government, a model of which is yet to be surpassed by any modern contraption.’

    “Pre-colonial system of government in Oyo was constructed on an elaborate system of checks and balances, which made adequate provisions for and accommodated the culture and sensibilities of the people that produced it. In essence, it was a people’s original design to meet the wishes and aspirations of the people and their definition of development,’’ he said.

    According to the Minister, ‘we are at a momentous and critical stage in the historical development of our country, when we are looking back, trying to re-define the system of government in order to establish a responsible and responsive government. I have no doubt that a thorough study of the knowledge system and society that produced the archetypal African system here in Oyo will [provide that direction we missed in the past.’

    The celebration of Sango, Duke added, provides everyone with a rare opportunity to define his or her attitude to culture by identifying with the virtues of Sango, and in so doing equip ourselves with an understanding of these virtues that transformed Sango from being just the fourth ruler of the kingdom of Oyo to global brand that he has become today..

    “In this era of African cultural re-0awakening, the life, leadership, administration and government under Sango as Alaafin here in Oyo should be explored in the strictest academic tradition and the ennobling values intellectualized. The life of Alaafin Sango would definitely be an excellent example in leadership, considering the fact that his rule of Oyo was for less than a decade.”

    He submitted that the festival gives another opportunity to examine and conceptualize the entire building qualities of Sango and use that as a possibly template for efforts in nation-building.

    Said he: ’’Yoruba cultural studies should go beyond a study of the performing traditions, but should now begin to emphasise scholarship in the intellectual foundation of this universal culture. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation under my watch and leadership will support your genuine efforts to promote the study of

    Sango, the celebration of the festival in his honour and the appropriation of the virtues of leadership demonstrated by Sango. The Yoruba Diaspora is an ever-expanding world, next only to the J in terms of relevance and number. Sango indeed is at the heart of this expanding world of the Yoruba and competing favourably with other religions to explain spiritual and physical mysteries.’’

    The Ministry, Minister also disclosed will provide substantial support for efforts to expand the celebration of Sango Festival as part of a grand agenda in cultural tourism and the study of Sango’s leadership and heroic attributes as basis for national orientation.

    While describing the Alaafin as one of Africa’s most celebrated and cerebral traditional rulers, Duke pointed out that the ancient city of Oyo, remains the home of tradition and the spot at which the most celebrated African political system was designed, implemented and perfected to excellence. The Minister however enjoined Yoruba in Diaspora to immerse themselves in their religious and traditions for spiritual strengthening, personal fulfillment in life, global understanding and harmony.

    “You should look beyond the challenges of nation-building we are currently facing in Nigeria and concentrate attention on the spiritual significance of your home coming to rebuild your cultural identity and spiritual self-rediscovery.’’

    Explaining the essence of the festival, the Alaafin noted that considering the happenings around the world in contemporary times, there is the need for Yoruba as a people to retain our traditional and cultural identity in the face of the global village, which the world has become as a result of fast-improving technology.

    The paramount ruler stressed that while great countries celebrate their glorious past, Africans do not give much reverence to theirs due to super-imposition of the two main religions of Islam and Christianity.

    “Unfortunately, preachers of these two religions are known for etching their sermons and creed into the consciousness of Africans’ psyche, which have conditioned our sense of appreciation and thinking.

    “The colonial mentality has blindfolded us and made us to perceive erroneously our invaluable culture and tradition as fetish. This has also resulted in the way we picture our past heroes and great men of valour and virtues, who should be immortalised, venerated and celebrated. Not only that, their deeds, acts and wise sayings were worthy of compiled, documented, reserved and preserved for generation yet unborn,’’ he added.

    Oba Adeyemi urged the Yorubas to give necessary supports to tradition and culture so that the race can stand out in the world.

    He also advised parents to always teach their wards Yoruba language saying that ‘research had shown that children that learn Yoruba easily understand other languages’.

    He however admonished parents to teach their children on how to dress well especially in the Yoruba attires, saying ‘you don’t need to dress naked before you are appreciated’.

  • 109 Ife bronze for Swedish museum

    109 Ife bronze for Swedish museum

    After a successful outing at the Royal Academy in London last August, some of Nigeria’s priceless bronze objects from the ancient city of Ife in Osun State will next month return to Sweden for an eight-month exhibition, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

    No fewer than 109 priceless bronze objects will soon leave the shores of Nigeria for an international exhibition opening on September 6 at the Swedish Museums for World Culture, Stockholm, Sweden.

    Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister, Chief Edem Duke said in Lagos that the collection is an assemblage of several extraordinary works of art largely from Ile-Ife, which started as a small cluster of settlements and today has turned into a centre of trade and technological development.

    The exhibition titled: Dynasty and Divinity: Ife art in ancient Nigeria, he said would be educating to the global audience adding that it would further strengthen Nigeria’s partnership and collaboration with other cultural institutions and countries in ‘our efforts to promote our rich cultural heritage.’

    “The successes recorded during past exhibitions in Spain, Great Britain, and the United States are evidences of how much the world appreciate our high level of development in the world of art. It is this appreciation that has now further led Dynasty and Divinity: Ife art in ancient Nigeria to travel to the Swedish Museum for World Culture,” the minister said.

    Duke disclosed that Nigeria has been elected into the subsidiary committee of the meeting of State Parties to the 1970 Convention on the means of prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property at the first session of the committee held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France between July 2 and 3.

    He, therefore, urged the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) to see Nigeria’s election to this body as an opportunity to elevate the nation’s culture and art to the zenith. “In addition, I charge them to use the medium of the subsidiary committee to identify and repatriate our cultural properties that have left the shores of this country through illegal means, as this act threatens our socio-cultural developmental initiative. As a society that possesses artifacts of great import and rich culture, some of these countries will be counting on your support in achieving the goals of this committee. On this note, I assure you of my support in actualising their proposed objectives,” he noted.

    Director-General of the commission, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman described the travelling exhibition as the first outing that focuses largely on the Ife art. He said the relevance of the exhibition is to build a workable bilateral partnership with these institutions in areas of exchange of ideas, artifacts and capacity building for our museum professionals.

    He assured that the objects would be returned at the expiration of the exhibition, adding that the condition reports of the objects have been carried out and that adequate security measures put in place to ensure their safety. He said the works would be accompanied by two professionals from the commission who would be in Sweden for the duration of the exhibition.

    The chief registrar and director of exhibition, Museum for African Art, New York, US, said these objects are beyond doubt national treasure and prove Nigeria to be one of the world’s greatest art centres of all time. She noted that Museum for African Art works towards the opening of its new facility in New York City, ‘we look forward to many more rich collaborations with the commission.’

    The exhibition is supported by the Museum of African Art, New York, Fundacion Marcellino Botin, Spain and Swedish

  • How to treat widows, orphans, by Minister

    The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, has said only uncivilised nations treat widows without respect. He praised the founder of the Rose of Sharon Foundation for alleviating the plight of widows and orphans.

    Duke spoke at the launch of The Cry of Widows and Orphans in Lagos on Friday.

    Duke, who recommended the book for women organisations, government agencies, ministries and everyone, said it is an expression of great courage, commitment and passion by the author and is also an extent of sacrifice because the author has transformed lives and has impacted on social economic development in the country.

    The founder of the Foundation and the author of the book Mrs. Folorunso Alakija, said the book will serve as a resource material for policy makers and legislators, and as information manual for widows and orphans that will enable them to know their rights and seek help.

    “Since inception, the foundation has empowered 970 widows and awarded scholarships to 1,366 widow’s children and 72 orphans. We have also provided accommodation for residential/business purposes for 82 widows,” she added.

    The wife of Lagos state Governor, Dame Abimbola Fashola observed that the world has turned its back on the widows as if ‘they were a menace to society, a burden, a nuisance and outcasts. Their land, possessions, and sometimes even their children are taken away from them by in-laws.’

    According to her, women should make their husbands prepare a good plan, written down as a will for their children and loved ones. She urged Nigerians to emulate the Rose of Sharon Foundation initiative, but asked a question “Are the men going to live the earth and allow their loved ones to suffer?”

    She said everyone prays to live long, but death is natural, adding that if good policies are laid down by the husbands, even after death, they would be remembered in their loved ones.

    The Rose of Sharon foundation, which started on May 23, 2008 is anon overnmental organisation (NGO) which focused on alleviating the plight of widows and orphans.

  • Nigeria to site culture centre in South Africa – Minister

    Nigeria to site culture centre in South Africa – Minister

    The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, on Monday said plans were underway to establish a Nigerian Culture and Information Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    A statement signed by Dr Taiwo Oladokun, Special Assistant (Media) to the minister said the centre would be established by the end of the year.

    Explaining why Nigeria decided to site her first culture house in Africa in Johannesburg, the Minister said the decision followed the successful opening and operations of Nigerian Cultural Centres in Brazil and China in 2008 and 2012 respectively.

    “It would also be used to strengthen cultural relations not only with the government and people of South Africa but also with other countries in the southern part of the continent.

    “This choice is also in recognition of the role Nigeria played and continues to play in the history of Southern African countries.

    ‘’ We recall the very elaborate and robust relations between Nigeria and South Africa, especially in the years of struggle against apartheid as well as the leadership role the two countries are playing in the advancement of the cause of Africa globally.’’

    The statement also quoted the minister as saying that the centre would serve the purpose of promoting Nigerian culture while also providing general information about the country.

  • ‘Why we treasure human capital’

    ‘Why we treasure human capital’

    Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Minister, Chief Edem Duke has reiterated the present administration’s commitment to human capital development, which he said, is strategic to the socio-economic development of the nation. Chief Duke, who was represented by the director of tourism in the ministry, Mr Johnson Odekina, said human capital development is targeted at ensuring that the nation’s human resources are knowledgeable, skilled and productive. He spoke at the National Institute for Cultural Orientation’s matriculation ceremony for 70 diploma and post graduate diploma students at the weekend in Lagos.

    “It is gratifying that our sector, culture, tourism and national orientation has been identified as one of the key sectors with great potentials to realise the growth and development aspirations of the nation. It is, therefore, imperative that human capacity, which is critical in fostering the desired transformation, are trained and retrained continuously to cope with the rapid changing global environment,” he added.

    Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma said NICO Training School programme is affiliated to the Nasarawa State University and hoped that the subsequent matriculation ceremonies would be with the full participation of the university, as all issues relating to the affiliation would have been consummated. The NICO Training School has since inception trained 234 cultural officers from the federal, states and local government levels.

    He disclosed that the permanent site of the training school in Kuje Area Council, FCT, is near completion, adding that the school would witness increased participation of candidates, especially cultural workers from the Northern part of the country.

    Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Shamsudeen Amali described the ceremony as a historic moment because the world today is being ruled by art and culture. “For the first time we have an institute dedicated to training of young ones in culture. Not that universities and Polytechnics are not teaching arts and culture, but this institute is carrying out orientation of the workers…Matriculation ceremonies are vital aspects of the academic culture. And being the only institute charged with the important role of training of public officers on the rich Nigerian arts and culture, the institution is comparable to none of its kind in the country,” he said.

    Prof. Amali stated that the university has begun the process of affiliating the training school to the university as it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NICO in 2012.