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Tag: Delta State

  • Ine Aho Festival to become tourist attraction, says Delta monarch

    The traditional ruler of Issele-Uku Kingdom of Delta State, Agbogidi Obi Nduka, has pledged to work towards making the Ine Aho Festival, which kicks off on September 15, a tourist attraction.

    The monarch said this could be achieved through the promotion of the kingdom’s native Akwa Ocha, food, language, morals and hospitality.

    He spoke at the Oligbo Royal Palace in Delta to announce the traditional activities marking the annual event.

    The Obi said: “The glory of Issele-Uku lies in its unfettered adherence to its rich culture and traditions. One of the imperative cultures of Issele-Uku is the Ine Aho Festival, which is the most revered festival in the ancient town of Issele-Uku.

    “Ine Aho Festival, (now christened Ine Onyimi) has been celebrated over the years by our people yearly, mostly from the month of August through September to October. The significance of the Ine Aho Festival to the people of Issele-Uku is numerous”.

    According to him, there were a number of festivals in Issele-Uku that could be leveraged to attract investment to the town.

    He said the “Izu Afiachi” which is marked every year to honour Queen Omu, the progenitor of the Omu dynasty in Oligbo Kingdom, was one.

    Others included the practice of the monarch going into seclusion (Iba Nzu), five days to the “Ine Aho Festival”, which is a period of spiritual cleansing and purification of the town from evil.

    He added: “During the period of ‘Iba Nzu’, the people in the town would be refrained from noisemaking and all forms of noise are prohibited. Vigils are observed in this period at the palace. Our ancestors during this time are appeased by the prayers offered by the Obi, who remains isolated and abstains from movements. Friends, well-wishers as well as visitors are given Nzu (white chalk) to rob on their bodies. It is believed that by so doing it cleanses them of evil.”

  • Osinbajo presents 150 tricycles to women, youths in C/River

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday presented 150 tricycles to market women and youths in Cross River State as part of an empowerment programme of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    Osinbajo said the initiative is one of the laudable empowerment programmes for women and youths being implemented by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    He said the programme also consists of poultry production and its value chain, fisheries production and its value chain, snail production and its value chain, production of confectioneries, production of soap, detergent, and various fields of artisanship among others.

    The Vice President also flagged off Federal Government programmme tagged Trader-Moni at the popular Watt Market.

    The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Usani Uguru Usani said the event was a continuation in the series of empowerment through the provision of tricycles for women and youths in the region.

    Read Also: How Osinbajo has advanced restructuring, by GEPIn

    He said similar presentations has been carried out in Warri, Delta State, adding that with the implementation of the 2018 budget, other States of the region will soon be covered.

    ‘’May I emphasize here that this empowerment programme is aimed at achieving some cardinal objectives which include the improvement of transportation access, enhancement of economic activities in the state, haulage of imputes to and from the farm, and the fulfillment of other ancillary activities such as mechanics, vulcanizes, panel beaters and electricians.

    “It is my hope and desire that this initiative of government will translate in improving peace and development in the state, and indeed the region.”

     

  • 2019: Omo-Agege, Kokori call for massive support Buhari

    The senator representing Delta senatorial district on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ovie Omo-Agege and former National Secretary of NUPENG, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, on Tuesday charged Urhobo nation, Delta State to give massive supports to President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief Great Ogboru in the forthcoming party primaries.

    Speaking at a gathering of APC members in Eku, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta state, Omo-Agege said reelecting President Buhari and supporting Chief Great Ogboru as Delta state next governor will further enhance the development of the state.

    Omo-Agege said he is supporting Ogboru because of his believes that only him can win the governorship election, considering his track record on the elections he has contested and denied in the past years.

    He appealed to Delta Central people to support his re-election bid in the indirect primaries, saying that is the system that allows elected party executive members to be actively involved in the election of the candidates because of lack of credible register and security challenges.

    Read Also: Omo-Agege chides R-APC members, says Buhari unstoppable

    Omo-Agege said, “Today I speak as the Senator representing Delta senatorial district. I have come today to formerly inform you that I wish to serve Urhobo in the senate. Some Urhobo don’t want an Urhobo man for governor.

    “I support Great Ogboru for governor not because he is Urhobo but he has the most qualified, competent and popular person among those seeking the ticket of our party. We need Ogboru and Omo Agege to deliver President Buhari in our state “,

    Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, former National Secretary of NUPENG, who also drummed up support for the reelection of Sen. Omo-Agege, Ogboru and President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming primaries, adding that Ogboru should this time be given the privilege, while Omo-Agege, Buhari be re-elected to continue their good work.

    Kokori said, “Great Ogboru has been in the struggle for the governorship, this time he will win. Let us all give them all the support for their victory”, he added. On his part, Chief Ogboru assured the state of a better deal when elected.”

  • Gunmen kidnap Catholic Priest in Delta

    …demand N15m ransom

    The parish priest of Emmanuel Catholic Church, Oviri-Okpe in Okpe council area of Delta state, Rev Father Christopher Ogaga, has been kidnapped.

    The news of the kidnap of Father Ogaga broke few hours after the tragedy of the collapse of another Catholic parish within same Okpe council area, which claimed a live and left about 15 persons critically injured.

    Kidnappers of the clergy have, however, made a demand of N15 million ransom for his release.

    The Nation gathered that Ogaga, who is priest of two other parishes of the church; St Luke’s Catholic Church, Oviri Okpe and St Jude’s Catholic Church Aghalopke, is also the principal of St. Peters Clavers College, Aghalokpe.

    According to a source from one of his parishes, the Rev Father was kidnapped on Saturday night while traveling to Warri where he was to help the parish priest of Mother of Redeemer Catholic Church, Airport junction, Effurun for the three masses on Sunday morning.

    The source said Ogaga was driving alone along the Arava-Oviri-Orere-Okpe Road, the normal route to Warri, when he was kidnapped, although no one could identify the exact part of the road where he was taken from.

    Read Also: Court sentences Reuters reporters to seven years in jail

    “He left the house and he was heading to Warri through Arava-Oviri-Orere-Okpe Road. That is the route he used to take to Warri. We are suspecting that he might have been kidnapped along this route.

    “He was driving alone when the incident happened because he usually travels to Warri alone on Sundays. We were supposed to go with him that Saturday, but we did not go with him,” the source said.

    Confirming the development, the Delta state Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammad Mustafa, said his command had begun a search for the kidnapped priest.

    “Yes, we are already searching for the kidnappers. He was kidnapped two days ago”, adding that all would be done to ensure the priest’s speedy and safe rescue.

  • Church Collapse: Saraki condoles with Catholic Church

    The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Sunday, commiserated with the Delta State Government and the Catholic Church in Nigeria over the collapse of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Okpe Local Government Area.

    Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, promised to help ensure that survivors received necessary medical attention.

    “My prayers are with the worshippers, affected families, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the people of Delta State on this morning’s collapse of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Okpe LGA.

    “We will continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance to see that survivors are rescued and treated.

    “Right now, we must all come together as Muslims, Christians, people of faith and most importantly, Nigerians to provide all necessary relief for the affected families and community.

    “This tragedy affects us all and we join the Catholic community to mourn the deceased, even as rescue efforts are still under way,” he said.

  • ‘Lack of Committed, Idea-driven Leadership, bane of Delta’s development’

    Renowned Economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has identified lack of idea-driven and committed leadership as the bane of development in his home state of Delta.

    Professor Utomi, a front runner in the race to the Delta state governorship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the end of a consultative interaction with the leadership of the Ijaw elements within the party in Warri.

    The academic, who also noted that the crisis rocking the party in the state would not impede its chances of claiming the state from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it would only take two years to make development sustainable, noting the first step to be its public ownership.

    “The development process is such that if you get it right, you get ownership of it and people owned the process. Two years is enough to make it irreversible. If it belongs to the people, nobody will be able to take it and that is what is important.  That we create a sustainable process which can take place within two years. There are a number of cities that are famous in the world for unbelievable development.

    Read Also: Delta communities get transformers after years in darkness

    “When I first passed through Dubai several years ago, it was desert village, but today the progress happened so fast that it is not reversible. Singapore was just a fishing village that no where near Burutu and today is the highest per capital income in the world. It takes a committed leader that people realized that self-sacrificing to do this

    “My political life is about ideas, commitment towards serving the people with passion because anything we can dream, we can make up. It’s the absence of a clear dream and passionate commitment that has kept us back. People who are not as smart as us have made so much progress. So, what we need is smart political leaders and this kind of engagement provide us such opportunity for that”, he said.

    Speaking on his reason for consorting with the Ijaw elements in the party, Utomi said he is very much a part of the Ijaw movement, recalling his contributions to the Ijaw struggle over the years.

    “I have been at the center of the Ijaw struggle for about twenty years.  I don’t come to you as an outsider but as one of you. One of the things that brought me into the governorship race is the pain of the Ijaw. If we were a serious people Burutu would have been what Lagos is today, its location encourages global economy “, he said.

    Speaking on behalf of his group, the leader of Ijaw in APC, Delta state, Pastor Aginighan commended Utomi for the visit , saying the Ijaw nation would want him to meet with them again in the riverine village so he would be very acquainted with the challenges of their area.

  • Lack of committed leadership bane of Delta’s development – Utomi

    Renowned Economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has identified lack of idea-driven and committed leadership as the bane of development in his home state of Delta.

    Professor Utomi, a frontrunner in the race to the Delta state governorship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the end of a consultative interaction with the leadership of the Ijaw elements within the party in Warri.

    The academic, who also noted that the crisis rocking the party in the state would not impede its chances of claiming the state from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said it would only take two years to make development sustainable, noting the first step to be its public ownership.

    “The development process is such that if you get it right, you get ownership of it and people owned the process. Two years is enough to make it irreversible. If it belongs to the people, nobody will be able to take it and that is what is important.  That we create a sustainable process which can take place within two years. There are a number of cities that are famous in the world for unbelievable development.

    Read Also:Utomi urges Delta APC members to unite for progress

    “When I first passed through Dubai several years ago, it was desert village, but today the progress happened so fast that it is not reversible. Singapore was just a fishing village that nowhere near Burutu and today is the highest per capital income in the world. It takes a committed leader that people realised that self-sacrificing to do this

    “My political life is about ideas, commitment towards serving the people with passion because anything we can dream, we can make up. It’s the absence of a clear dream and passionate commitment that has kept us back. People who are not as smart as us have made so much progress. So, what we need is smart political leaders and this kind of engagement provide us such opportunity for that”, he said.

    Speaking on his reason for consorting with the Ijaw elements in the party, Utomi said he is very much a part of the Ijaw movement, recalling his contributions to the Ijaw struggle over the years.

    “I have been at the centre of the Ijaw struggle for about twenty years.  I don’t come to you as an outsider but as one of you. One of the things that brought me into the governorship race is the pain of the Ijaw. If we were a serious people Burutu would have been what Lagos is today, its location encourages global economy ,” he said.

    Speaking on behalf of his group, the leader of Ijaw in APC, Delta state, Pastor Aginighan commended Utomi for the visit, saying the Ijaw nation would want him to meet with them again in the riverine village so he would be very acquainted with the challenges of their area.

     

     

  • Two die in Warri fire accident

    … Community leader claims foul play by one victim’s mother 

    Two boys identified as Kesiena Lucky, four, and Wealth Enorke, 18 months old, early hours of Monday, died in a fire accident at Digbori Street near Hausa Quarters in Igbudu, Warri, Delta state.

    The fire which allegedly razed down properties running into millions of naira was said to have commenced at about 2am.

    Although the circumstances surrounding the start of the inferno are yet to be ascertained, reports say it was caused by candlelight left unattended by the grandmother of the victims.

    Narrating the incident, an eyewitness, name withheld, disclosed that the grandmother who deals in kerosene business may have bought adulterated kerosene products which quickly caught up with the flames of the candlelight left that night.

    The eyewitness said, “The fire enveloped the whole building resulting in the death of the two children who amongst four others, were sleeping at night.

    “The grandmother was able to rescue two of the children before she raised the alarm. But before then, the fire had spread to other parts of the compound.”

    The deceased were children of Elohor Lucky and her sister, whose name was simply given as Ufuoma. Both were not at home when the tragedy struck.

    Read Also: Police kill two robbery suspects in Warri

    Reacting to the development, chairman of Igbudu Community, Oyiboaga Ogheneovo claimed that Wealth’s mother, Ufuoma, purposely set the compound on fire to deprive her baby’s father, Harrison Enorke, from taking custody of the child.

    According to him, Mr. Enorke has been seeking custody of the child, but the mother had refused him.

    “I am suspecting that they turned fuel around and lit fire in that house. If you say it’s candle, I am suspecting something very different.

    “From all what the boy is saying, I understand that the girl is involved in the death of the young man. She intentionally set the fire for that young man to be burnt to death because she did not want to release that child to the young man (father),” he stated.

    Describing the incident as an “injury” to all members of the community, Ogheneovo called on security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter to ensure that there was no foul play. He also urged residents in the area to take extra care while using candlesticks at such times of the night.

    Meanwhile, Ufuoma, mother of the younger deceased child has been arrested by men of the Nigerian Police Force “A” Division, Warri, who had earlier removed the remains of the deceased children.

  • Esan APC leaders condemn attack on Obaseki

    Leaders of the All Progressive Congress in Edo Central Senatorial district have condemned last week’s attack on the convoy of Governor Godwin Obaseki by some youths believed to have been hired.

    Edo Central Senatorial district which is home to Esan speaking people of Edo State is made up of five local government areas.

    Governor Obaseki was at Irrua, headquarters of Esan Central local government to meet with APC leaders to discuss issues surrounding the nomination of candidates when some youth stormed the venue with placards.

    The youth wore t-shirts inscribed with the Esan Youth Movement and chanted invective words demanding ‘no imposition of candidates.

    As Obaseki made to leave venue of the meeting, the youths pelted his convoy with sachet waters and stones.

    The Esan APC leaders told newsmen yesterday that those responsible for the attack were not members of the APC.

    Speaking to newsmen on Saturday, leader of the APC in Esan South East local government, Mr. Victor Eboigbe, described the attack as barbaric and uncivilised.

    Eboigbe said Esan leaders and youth do not support such action against a performing Governor like Obaseki.

    Read Also: Obaseki pledges support for terrorism victims

    He stated that punitive actions would be taken against those behind the attack after investigations have been concluded.

    Eboigbe assured that Esan leaders were united ahead of the 2019 general elections adding that Governor Obaseki assured that no candidate would be imposed on the people.

    According to him, “I do not believe the people responsible for the attack are members of the APC. No APC youth will behave like that to our Governor. What they did was barbaric, uncivilised and we will get to the bottom of it.

    “I don’t care what they protest about. Esan leaders and youth do not support them. It is not correct that no leader tried to call the youth to order. I didn’t think that with the way they were going about it, if you listen to them, you will be giving them credibility. You will be encouraging them to do something like that.

    “I believe that the reason some of them join in the attack is because in the past, they did it and got that they wanted.”

    Another leader of the party and senatorial aspirant, Mr. Theophillus Okoh, said information available indicated that some of the youths arrested were from Delta state.

    “Those alleging that Esan Leaders masterminded the attack are just been mischievous. I know that investigation into the matter is going on and those behind it will be exposed.”

     

  • Okowa urge action to check youth’s restiveness, criminality

    Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has urged concerted efforts to get the youths engaged to check restiveness and criminality in the country.

    Governor Okowa made the call on Wednesday in Asaba when he received a team of World Bank, European Union and Federal Government officials who were in the state to assess the level of implementation of State Employment and Expenditure For Results (SEEFOR) projects.

    According to the governor, “We thank the World Bank for the efforts, but, there are still very big gaps in our country and we know that partnering with the private sector as a state, we would be able to find other means to attend to the gaps that are still existing in the area of youths unemployment because, once we are able to do that, we would be able to achieve and sustain the security and peace that we have in the state.”

    Okowa disclosed that getting the youths engaged was in line with his administration’s commitment to making the youth’s job creators through the different youth’s employment and wealth creation programmes of his administration.

    Read Also: Okowa decries high number of IDPs

    His words, “We are happy with the partnership between World Bank and the European Union, we are happy that the youth empowerment components is working in Delta State as over 700 youths have been trained and empowered through this partnership and they are on their own,” he said, adding, “we hope that this collaboration will continue to improve by the day.”

    While noting that his administration has spent a lot of money to ensure the empowerment of youths, Governor Okowa, stated that the youths are also working hard to achieve results as “the price of hard work is to continue to work harder.”

    The team leader, Mr. Brar Parminder lauded Governor Okowa’s administration for ensuring that the SEEFOR projects are succeeding in the state, disclosing that they were impressed with the success stories of the SEEFOR programmes in the state.