The Nation Newspaper

Tag: COMMUNITY

  • ‘Obaretin community needs help’

    Obaretin village is one of the hundreds of villages located in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State. It is a community that is need of government attention as some of the few projects in the community were done through self-help. Basic amenities such as school, health center and market are lacking in the community.

    Chairman of Youth Association in the community, Osabouhien Uhunmagho, in a chat with Niger Delta Report said the community has written severally to local authorities on the need to provide them with a market and a health centre.

    Osabouhien said a large expanse of land has been made available where the above amenities could be sited if the local or state government were ready to fund the projects.

    He said the community resorted to self help by grading access roads, streets and lanes to enhance the rapid development of Obaretin.

    According to him “We have tried our best to develop this community and it has not been easy. We need help here. There were no good structures as in mapping out roads, streets, lanes when I became chairman but we were been able to bring bulldozer to address the problems.

    “I have made sure we provided vast expanse of land were government can build police station, school and health center to cater for the needs of the people. I have just spent about six months in office and we are doing our best to attract government attention.”

    Osabouhien however said the community has tried to improved welfare of its residents through the provision of empowerment materials especially for the women and elders.

    In his words, “All the youths, elders and women were all given land to build their own houses. Six elders were given cars while ten youths and three women benefitted from the car gift. I have made so much impact that the elders, the youths and everybody are happy and proud of me.”

    “I strongly believe that by the time I would have spent three or four years, I would have completely transform my community. I am not after the money but what I am able to attract to my community in terms of development during my tenure.”

     

  • Cross River community smiles again

    Cross River community smiles again

    They waited on the government to provide them with this basic amenity to no avail. All appeals and complaints they made seemed to fall on deaf ears. The Ikpa-Omin and Bakoko community in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State, had been without electricity for the past three years.

    After futile attempts to get help from government, they had to resort to self-help provided by one of their own.

    Philanthropist and community leader Ebenezer Ika-Bassey Okene, following appeals by members of the community,  came to their rescue by providing a transformer to light up the community.

    Niger Delta Report spoke with Okene, a businessman, who trades on palm oil on why he decided a a project which normally would be considered a huge one for an individual. According to him, “I chose to do that because I have seen the suffering of my people. I have seen the government of the state are not helping the issue of my own people in this community. So for me to relieve government I decided to relieve a part of their load by handling my people with the little strength I have.

    “The community is now benefiting from the light they have been crying out for over the years now. We wrote to local government, house of assembly and other relevant agencies, no way. So I said let me see what I can do for my people.”

    Elated members of the community expressed relief at the development which they said would make life a whole lot easier for them.

    One the residents, Mr Eze Nnanna Ikoku, said: “I have been in this community for over 20 years. For the past three years we have been suffering because of no light and our businesses have been going down. The cost of running our business was so high because we had to be running strictly on petrol. And to run a business a day you have to buy petrol worth thousands of naira every day. At the end of the day you don’t get anything.

    “But since the cry of the people got to our leader Ebenezer, we made our position known to him and he promised us until last December he brought a new transformer to us and it was powered and the whole community rejoiced and our businesses are waxing stronger now so that we can make N1000 and run expense of N100. You can now have N900 as your saving for the day. From this we can pay our revenue at ease compared to when we were buying petrol all the time and at the end we end up borrowing to pay government revenue.

    “As things are now, people within Ikpa-Omin and Bakoko communities will run businesses and other services successfully if it has to do with light. So at this point I want to say our leader has tried for his communities.”

    A fashion designer in the community, Princess Nsa Victor Bassey, was also grateful that the development was going to improve her business.

    Bassey, a widow, said: “He is a brother to all of us. He has done so much about the well-being of this community. Concerning the light we were in darkness for years and with his help we now have steady power and secured it. May God continue to bless him.”

  • Community celebrates Army captain

    Community celebrates Army captain

    The newly promoted Major Chris Nwaogu and family wanted a quiet ceremony.

    That wish was not granted by the community residents who felt the decoration of their kinsman was too significant to be marked in whispers.

    That was why the Conference Room of 144 Battalion in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State was filled to capacity when Nwaogu was decorated with his new rank.

    Other junior officers and men of the Nigerian army serving under the command were also not left out in the celebration as they were on hand to cheer up their boss.

    Speaking after decorating Nwaogu with the new rank of Major, Lt. Col. Rasheed Omolori, the Commanding Officer (CO) 144 battalion congratulated him for being among five soldiers under him that got promoted since he was posted to Aba as the head of the battalion.

    Omolori who could not hide his joy on the progress the command have witnessed since he assumed office in 2014 disclosed that the former second in command of the battalion Abdulsalam was recently promoted and decorated with the rank of a Lt. Col and had since being decorated at the 14 Brigade, Ohafia by the brigade commander among others that were promoted.

    “Major Nwaogu is the fifth officer that is getting promotion since I arrived here five months ago. In other words, it is five months, five promotions; I am a lucky man. Generally, we are happy that all these are happening in our battalion.”

    He admonished the newly promoted officer to make hard work, loyalty and commitment his watch words, reminding him that as a senior army officer, much responsibility was expected from him.

    Omolori welcomed him into the fold of the senior officers and reminded him that the new rank was not for pleasure but a challenge to show more commitment to duty as there was strict competition in the army now and as such only very brave and committed officers would make career in it.

    A former member of the House of Representatives and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Abia Central Senatorial District, Hon. Iheanacho Obioma who were among friends and personalities that graced the event said he was at the event to rejoice with the family of Chris Nwaogu and expressed delight in Major Nwogu’s promotion which he said was as a result of his dedication, loyalty, commitment and hard work to his service to the nation.

    He said he was proud of the officer who he described as a friend and brother and thanked the commanding officer of the battalion for his quality leadership which he stated was responsible for the promotions that had come their way in such a short period.

    Another guest at the event and MD of Crunches Fries Mazi Jude Nwosu corroborated Hon. Ihenancho’s position and added that he wouldn’t have been there to see Nwaogu decorated if he (Nwaogu) weren’t committed to his work and prayed that God would take the officer he described as his friend to a greater height in life.

    Responding, Major Nwogu thanked all that came to rejoice with him and promised that he would not let anybody including the army authority down.

    According to the Ubakala, Umuahia South born military officer, “I want to say that I came from a military background, my father having served in the Nigerian Army and my elder brother is serving in the Nigerian Air Force. We have never disappointed and I will never disappoint this time around,” he assured.

     

  • Community dedicates cathedral

    Community dedicates cathedral

    Over 100 priests, including 30 Bishops and the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor were watching as the Anglican Primate, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh dedicated St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Umuchu in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State. The massive structure was built by Mr. Godwin Ezeemo.

    The retired Dean, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Maxwell Anikwenwa and the first female governor in Nigeria, Dame Virgy Etiaba were also there.

    However, Okoh in his sermon warned that the church should not be used for politics.

    “This house is no longer Ezeemo’s, but God’s place, it is the embassy of God; the Almighty has already taken possession of the place”

    ”He has given us a completed church which is phase I and it is time to build phase II which is the building of human beings and this takes a long time to accomplish.”

    “The human beings are the temple of God because God lives in us, we must do things that will please Him, so, we should be careful”

    “It is the duty of the Bishop to handle the worship place of God, you have done your work for building God’s place, but do not meddle in it, otherwise, there will be crisis,” Okoh warned.

    Speaking with The Nation, the organizing secretary of the building committee, Mr. Ken Iloh, said when the philanthropist proposed the project, that it was like thunder out of the blues.

    He said the entire members of the community were like, was it a dream? Adding that God sent Ezeemo to Umuchu community

    Also, Mrs. May Ononuju, former President, Umuchu Women Wing, Lagos branch, told The Nation that what the man did in the community could only be equated with what happens  abroad.

    The community had been in agony for lack of amenities including roads, but today, with Ezeemo’s presence, those things that were lacking in the area are now present.

    “We thank God for giving this remote community a person like Godwin Ezeemo, he is a blessing to not only the community but to the people in Anambra in general”.

    For Mr. Dona Agupusi, the pocket of the man who made it possible for the area to have such a massive church would never run dry.

    At the church service Ezeemo told the congregation that he did not do it for anybody to praise him, rather it was a kind of agreement with God.

    Furthermore, he said it was also a kind of alleviating the sufferings of the people and reducing their burdens, especially the widows and less privileged in the society who always donates for such projects in the rural areas.

    He said he was willing to donate some of his belongings to the church, for the purpose of evangelism, adding “we must be the change we wish to see in the world”

    Before now, Ezeemo had built a two-storey building for the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Anambra state which the state government or any other person had failed to do in the state.

    The last child in a family of seven, will soon celebrate his 61 years of existence on earth from a highly illustrious and devout Christian family.

  • Philantrophist donates electric poles to community

    RESIDENTS of of Olisaro community in Ijoka, a suburb of Akure, the Ondo State capital are to enjoy better electricity supply to their domain, courtesy of Pastor Oluwatoyin Ogunrinbido, the founder of God We Trust Academy.

    The philantrophist, who has donated 10 poles to boost electricity supply to the area, also gave some youths in the community scholarships.

    Explaining the gesture, Ogunrinbido said he was worried about the erratic poor power supply which he blamed on decaying of some electricity facilities.

    He noted that the donation became necessary after the old wooden electric poles in the area have been eaten up and destroyed by termite.

    The cleric explained that he went round the community only to discover that all the wooden poles were on the verge of falling down.

    Ogunrinbido said he was donating the poles and awarding the scholarships for no political gains but doing so as a social responsibility.

    The philanthropist promised to continue to assist the community with the provision of basic infrastructure.

    Responding, the representative of the landlord association the community, Elder Igbekele Ebiniyi, described Ogunribido as a God-fearing man, who put the people’s interest above own personal interest.

    According to him, the community has enjoyed low power supply due to lack of good electric poles in the area. He advised the cleric to continue his goodwill and contribution to development of human kind believing that his reward is with God.

    Also speaking, the vice chairman of Ileri Oluwa Street, Abimbola Akinsunmola, rated Ogunribido as a philanthropist who has contributed to the development of the state and the nation.

    He therefore called on other prominent  Nigerians to emulate the good gesture of the donor.

     

  • Community honours VC

    Community honours VC

    It was a great day for the professor. The expansive palace of the Emir of Kaltungo in Gombe State was filled with a motley crowd. In it were his family members, friends, associates and colleagues. Thrilling them were sundry cultural dancers. It was all for the Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi as he was honoured with the traditional title of Dan Rimin Kaltungo by His Royal Highness the Mai Kaltungo, Alhaji Sale Muhammad Umar.

    To those who know Njodi said his recognition by the traditional institution was well-deserved considering his contribution to the development of his community.

    Former Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri Prof Mala Dauara and some of his associates like Prof Saliba James, and Hajiya Saadatu Saad, Commissioner for Women Affairs all praised Prof. Njodi.

    Even though it was not a speechmaking event, the Mai Kaltungo, Alhaji Sale Muhammad Umar made his remarks, noting the service of the new Dan Rimin.

    The monarch said Prof Njodi was a worth holder of the title which means Ambassador Plenipotentiary. His contributions to the development and growth of education both within and outside Kaltungo chiefdom were enormous, Alhaji Muhammad said, adding that the Vice-Chancellor was an embodiment of excellence.

    He said: “The Dan Rimin has remained a beacon for the younger generations of this emirate and the outside world that he has come in contact with. Everything he sets his eyes on, he makes sure he achieves it. He has remained an epitome of excellence. For many that know him, his appointment as the vice chancellor of university did not come as a surprise at all because he has earned himself this exalted academic feat through  his hard-work and determination. This is a lesson for the upcoming generation to imbibe,” the Emir said. He charged the new title holder to continue to use his influence and wealth of experience in bringing about meaningful development to the people of the Chiefdom, the University of Maiduguri and the country at large.

    Speaker after speaker who spoke at the occasion extolled his qualities. The speeches over, Prof. Njodi submitted himself to the traditional kingmakers who transformed him from a university don to a traditional title holder with a red cap and a colourful headgear and a beautiful long dress confirming his status as the new Dan Rimin of Kaltungo.

    He expressed appreciation to the Mai Kaltungo,  people of the Chiefdom and the community for finding him worthy to be bestowed with the traditional title of Dan Rimin Kaltungo, while assuring of his commitment to discharge the responsibilities the title demands of him.mHe also pledged to work towards the development of the Chiefdom, State and the Nation at large. He also promised to work hand in hand with members of the Chiefdom and other traditional title holders in the state and other members of the community with a view to moving the Chiefdom and the state in general forward. He asked the people of the Chiefdom to unite and shy away from tribal, religious and political bickering that brings about differences among people. He announced the establishment and launching of an Educational Endowment Fund for the Chiefdom. Over five million naira was realised as donations and cash towards the Fund. He explained that  money raised would be used for the educational development of less privilege sons and daughters of the Chiefdom.  The Mai Kaltungo is the chairman of the Endowment Fund while members will be drawn from different segments of the Chiefdom.

    The occasion was witnessed by an unprecedented crowd including members of the University of Maiduguri community, traditional rulers, illustrious sons and daughters of Kaltungo Chiefdom as well as friends and well-wishers from within and outside Gombe State.

    It was a beautiful sight to behold as the new Dan Rimin mounted his royal horse to receive cheers and pleasantries from his admirers. Like the stars dim away at the break of dawn, so were the swam of Traditional dancers from various communities of Kaltungo Chiefdom treated the celebrant with assorted dignified dance steps as he retired to his house to receive friends and well-wishers.

    Born fifty years ago at Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State, Prof Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi  attended L.E.A Primary school Kaltungo from 1967-1973 and later ECWA Primary school Kaltungo from 1973-1975. He later proceeded to the Government Teachers College Jama’are in Bauchi State from 1975-1980. From 1981-1985 he was at the University of Maiduguri from where he obtained his B. Sc degree in Physical  & Health Education . He served in the National Youth Service Corps from 1985-1986.

    Prof Njodi joined the services of the University of Maiduguri as Graduate Assistant in 1987 and enrolled and completed his Masters degree from 1988-1991 at the University of Maiduguri and later proceeded to the prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka for his PhD in Public Health Education from 2000-2003. Prof Ibrahim Njodi has held various academic and administrative positions within and outside the country. As an erudite scholar he has published books, chapters in books and also contributed by publishing over fifty articles in academic journals. He is widely respected by his colleagues, students and members of the society.

     

  • Community rallies youths at feast

    Community rallies youths at feast

    It was much more than merrymaking at the end of the year. The most revered masquerades were about. The teeming crowd kicked up clouds of late December dust. Muscular, bare-chested cultural dancers thrilled with as much good music as breathtaking foot work. Local delicacies were also abundant. Yet, the Item Cultural Day was not just about eating and drinking. Nor of meeting dignitaries who, though, were not in short supply.

    At the Jane Oteh Mini-Stadium, Amaokwe Item, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, where the event held on December 30, Item community evaluated its progress over 12 months, addressed challenges and tired to peer into the future. Perhaps, the best part was the focus on youth development, on which the feast theme was based.

    Not only indigenous people turned up. Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio was honoured on the day, as was host state Deputy Governor Chief Emeka Ananaba.

    The day provided the opportunity not only to showcase a rich cultural heritage, but also for the people to take stock of their progress in the outgoing year, come to terms with their challenges, and, perhaps, proffer solutions.

    The people saw huge gaps in growing their youths, and moved to fill them. For instance, it was noted that the community was not leveraging on the potentials of youths due to their lack of skills. How to correct this? Apart from their academic qualifications, Item people made a case for helping youths to acquire skills and become entrepreneurs. This will enable them to feed themselves and their families, employ indigenous people and develop their land.

    Item natives who distinguished themselves were honoured. Apart from Dr. Alex Otti, former Managing Director, Diamond Bank, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Abia, Rear Adimral Emeraku Ijioma (rtd), Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, former Deputy General Manage,r Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) and Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa were equally decorated for outstanding service.

    The performance from various traditional dance groups, the entrance of Item masquerades into the venue of the event, shooting of fireworks at the event, made it even more interesting.

    One of the unique things about the event was that it provided visitors the opportunity to enjoy the hospitality of the community and as well serve as a boost to the economic life of the people of the area as volume of trade increased by over 50% per cent. For instance, the reporter visited one of the local delicacy outlets with a view to sampling one. Sorry, the attendants said, everything has been eaten up. The reporter left disappointed.

    The suya spot and bars were agog as connoisseurs inundated attendants with demands.

    Many indigenous Item people  especially those from the Diaspora who spoke with the reporter, said that the event offered them the opportunity to meet their loved ones and also appreciate their culture which they hoped to pass on to the next generation.

    Commending the organisers for organising the programme and  choosing the theme: Youth as Enduring Asset in Community Development, they expressed the hope that the programme would be sustained and youth activities incorporated to make it more colourful and attractive.

    In his address, the President General of Item Development Association (IDA), Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha said the programme, which holds every December 30 since its inception in 2007, serves as a unique platform for the community to celebrate God’s goodness in the affairs of Item people in the outgoing year. Equally important was the imperatives of taking stock and ascertain the progress the community made in the outgoing year as well as plan for the New Year.

    Onuoha thanking Governor Theodore Orji for getting contractors back to site to complete the Akanu and Okai Item roads. He also  lauded the efforts and contributions of their sons and daughters who used their positions to attract development to the community.

    The cleric described the community as one of the most peaceful in Abia State and promised that they will continue to work with the police and other security agencies to maintain peace in the community appealing to well spirited individuals to assist the officers and men of the police force in the area to work optimally by providing them with logistics.

    He also used the opportunity to appeal to Governor Orji to reconstruct the Alayi-Item-Nkporo roads as a parting gift to the community,  recalling that many parts of the road especially the Amukabi, Amaokwe Item and Iyechi-Ugwu School Amaeke sections have failed.

    The Methodist Bishop also called on the federal government to provide the community with potable water, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to ensure the speedy completion of the Amaokwe-Akanu-Okai and Okoko road projects.

    On the award to be given to some individuals the IDA president said “I must draw the attention of the awardees of today, that IDA as a cultural and non-political organisation; her awards are designed to recognize tangible and verifiable contributions of the recipients to social and economic progress of our community and Nigeria at large, the ultimate aim being to encourage them to do even more. Most of those honoured under this platform in the past seven years, have always vindicated us their further superlative performance in service to humanity. So we urge all our awardees of today to know that we are throwing them up for greater service to humanity and additional recognition and elevation in future”.

    A guest lecturer, Dr. Emole Oteh in a paper which discussed the youth as an enduring asset to community development, described them as the most vibrant segment of every population with vast potentials that need to be harnessed. He said that by getting them involved in developmental efforts in the community, they will contribute meaningfully towards attaining the goals and aspirations of the community.

    Oteh identified some of the challenges facing the participation of youths in community development efforts in Nigeria to include insufficient training, lack of encouragement by chiefs and elders of the community, intermittent change of government and selfishness among youth leaders opined “As a way forward, it is hereby suggested that adequate awareness programmes should be put in place to encourage youths participate more in community development projects.

    “Outside the formal educational system, the youths should be encouraged and assisted to acquire skills that will enable them to be self-reliant. This could take the form of sponsoring them to undergo training in various vocations, with the view to equipping them to become entrepreneurs. Their energy should be channeled into productive ventures. They should not be abused. Parents should under no circumstance allow their children to be used as thugs by politicians seeking elective posts”.

    In his remarks, former MD of Diamond Bank thanked the Item community for deeming it to recognize them, stressing that the recognition would spur him and others to do more in their different capacities.

    Otti however used the opportunity to urge youths in the state and the country at large to reject being used to cause breach of peace or political thugs, reminding them that as leaders of tomorrow and ambassadors of their various homes, they should be conscious of their actions and avoid anything that would tarnish the image of their families, communities and country at large.

    He also prayed that 2015 elections in the state and country would be fruitful.

  • Agency to build ICT community centres

    Agency to build ICT community centres

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will build Information Technology (IT) community centres nationwide to increase access to IT, its Director-General Mr Peter Jack, has said.

    The agency has concluded arrangement to kick off the project with about 48 community access centres, as pilot projects in the first quarter of this year.

    Jack spoke on the sideline during the public presentation of the Framework for Building a Knowledge-Based nation through Information Technology with focus on women and youths, developed by the Consultancy Support Services (CS2) Limited, in Abuja.

    He said the centre when fully in operation would assist in running other services such as voter’s registration, National ID Card registration as well as registration for various examinations such as the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), in addition to being a training centre on ICT.

    He said: “If those centres are in a community it can provide e-government services to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Identity Management (NIM), JAMB, WAEC and others.

    “It can also provide relevant information on health, agriculture, like e-wallet system. It can provide ICT market in the community.”

    He explained how it would be achieved,  saying that he would not rule out the possibility of adopting the existing cyber café in the community. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to creating a robust package.

    “We have already had 48 pilot projects in our budget last  year (2014), and it will be implemented by the end of the first quarter of this year (2015),” he added.

    Jack said the agency was exploring ways of taking advantage of the opportunity created by the recent launching of the N200billion Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to boost the realisation of the project.

    Presenting the framework, the NITDA chief called for inter-agency co-operation in an effort to build a knowledge-based nation through Information Technology (IT), adding that several initiatives of the agency had yielded the desired result due to lack of synergy.

  • Community leader, other sued over land trespass

    A piece of land measuring about 146 hectares at Ewu-Odofin Village, off Simawa road, Sagamu, Ogun state purportedly sold to the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG) has become a subject of dispute between the Ayodeji family and the Baale of Mowe.

    Alhaji Jamiu Adewale Ayodeji, on behalf of himself and Olowoto-Olisa chieftancy family, has sued his niece, Adunni Babatunde Shodiya-Ayodeji and the Baale of Mowe, Chief Babatunde Ojelade before an Ogun State High Court sitting in Sagamu contesting ownership of the land.

    In the suit before Justice J. Balogun through his counsel Yemi Omodele, the claimant is praying for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents or privies from selling , allienating and or leasing any portion of the land without the consent of the other members of the family.

    He is also praying for an order of the court that the defendants do not own any portion of the land covered by survey plan number OG/854/2011/02 (MISC) drawn by surveyor K.A. Lawal and dated February 23, 2011.

    He in addition prayed for an order of the court that nobody in the Olowoto-Olisa chieftaincy family has the right to sell, alienate, give out or lease any part of the land.

    The claimant prayed the court for a decalaration that the said land belong to the entire Olowoto-Olisa chieftancy family and not to an individual in the family and for a sum of N500,000 as cost of the action.

    In his 19 point statement of claim, the claimant averred that some time ago, RCCG invaded and tresspassed on his family land at Ewu-Odofin village.

    He claimed that consequent upon this, he filed a suit, number HCS/114/2010 against the church.

    The claimant claimed to have finance the trial up to Court of Appeal in Ibadan before the RCCG called for out-of- court settlement.

    He averred that it was when the RCCG opted for settlement that the first defendant wrote the church and claimed that 100 acres of the land belongs to his father called Shodiya.

    According to him, the second defendant who was part of the negotiating team of settlement with RCCG did not raise any objection.

    He claimed to have decided to prosecute the suit in order to preserve and protect the name of the family from embarrassment and that he has a stake in the land in dispute.

    In their nine paragraph statement of defence filed by their counsel, M.A. Akolade,  the second defendant, the Baale of Mowe, Ojelade averred that the claims of the claimants are frivolous, speculative, abuse of court process and that they be dismissed by the court.

    Baale Ojelade said that contrary to the claims of the claimant, the land in dispute belongs to various branches of  Odofin family who have been on same from time immemorial.

    He  stated that the situation on the land has since changed as various persons, corporate and individuals, including the Kings Court Estate now occupy various portions of the land having derived their title from different branches of Odofin family.

    He averred that the RCCG did not any time, trespassed on the disputed land and alleged that the first defendant wrote a letter to the church when she discovered that the suit instituted against the church by the claimant was intended to extort money.

    He also denied being part of the team that negotiated out-of-court settlement with the church and averred that the claimant was not prosecuting the suit protect the family”s name as he claimed.

    Claiming to be a principal member of the Odofin family, the first defendant maintained that 100 acres of the disputed land belongs to her father.

    The pre-trial conference on the suit was held on December 2, 2014 with the trial judge, Justice Balogun presiding while hearing was fixed for January 15.

  • Community gets borehole

    The Strong Tower Zone of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has sunk a water borehole in Buzukure community in Kuje area council to reduce the residents water challenges.

    In his remarks during the commissioning of the borehole, the Assistant Pastor of Province 7, Adebisi Kolawale, Pastor in Charge of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), said the donation was in line with the church General Overseer’s vision of helping host communities in meeting their physical.

    Kolawale said, “Our general overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, some years back, felt it is not good for the church to be preaching the gospel and winning souls when there are pressing needs in the community that are not met.

    “He noted that if the church can go a little bit further by providing physical needs to benefit the community, where the church is domiciled, it will be of tremendous benefit. That was what brought up the idea of CSR.

    “Our father in the Lord has made it mandatory that everywhere we go the people in our community, we must have something to benefit from the church and that is one of the goals we have pursued in FCT Province 7, under the supervision of Pastor Matthew Sule, who is the Provincial Pastor of the province.”

    In his remarks, the pastor in charge of Strong Tower Zone, Chucks Ojeifo, said the church decide to sink a borehole for the community because it identified a genuine need for borehole by residents.