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Tag: Ekweremadu

  • Nasarawa killings: Ekweremadu urges Police, DSS not to be discouraged

    The Deputy President ofthe Senate,Chief Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday urged the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police Force not to be discouraged by the recent killing of their personnel in Nasarawa State.

    Ekweremadu spoke during separate condolence visits to the Director-General of the DSS, Mr. Ekpeyong Ita, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, in Abuja.

    He said the Senate was deeply saddened and condemned the development in totality.

    He added that the upper legislative chamber would give all necessary support to ensure that the culprits were brought to book.

    Ekweremadu’s Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu,in a statement yesterday, quoted him as saying: “It is sad indeed that these patriotic Nigerians lost their lives, more so, in their prime while on the line of duty to maintain law and order.

    “We stand by you as always and will employ all legislative resources, including improved appropriation, to assist the Nigerian Police to adequately tackle crimes and criminals in all their ramifications.”

    The Deputy President expressed shock and grief over the fast-deteriorating value for human lives among bad elements in the country.

    He said such developments were out of tune with civilization and the country’s religious and cultural values which placed high premium on human life.

    He added: “The world over, it is a monumental crime to kill an officer of the law and we, as a nation, must not be different , hence no matter what it takes, the perpetrators of this heinous crime against the state must be fished out and made to face the wrath of the law.”

    In their respective responses, Mr. Abubakar and Mr. Ita described Ekweremadu’s visit as reassuring and thanked the Senate for its support.

    They, however, said though the losses were heavy and unprecedented in the history of the DSS and the Police, they would nevertheless leave vengeance to God, while following the due process of law in addressing the matter.

     

  • Ekweremadu: On the path of destiny

    Ekweremadu: On the path of destiny

    In this piece, ALEX OGBONNIA reviews the political career of Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who clocks 51 this week.

     

    The grace of God is the most suitable vortex that underpins the life of the Senate President and Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ike Ekweremadu.

    Ekweremadu was born on May 12, 1962 into the royal family of His Royal Highness,Late Igwe Mathias Ekweremadu, the Okwaa Anekeoji 1 of Mpu, Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.

    The birth of every child is an epiphany of hope wrapped in a canvass of diverse possibilities. As hard as the parents may strive for an upward social mobility of the child, it requires the grace of God to twang the transcendental cord that excites the critical elements in the child for self awakening. Thus, while his peers at a very early age floundered, Ekweremadu flourished with a clear vision of his life mission. He pursued the vision with incandescent passion, valour, candour and honour.

    For instance, Ekweremadu attended and left primary school as the teachers delight. He proceeded to St. Dominic’s Secondary School, Ugiri, Imo State and Boys Secondary School, Umueze Awkunanaw. He obtained a Grade 1 in the West African School Certificate. He studied Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and earned LLB and LLM; and a BL from Nigerian Law School, Lagos. He also attended the Harvard, USA and the Oxford University for further trainings.

    Only the initiated will appreciate that to achieve a sustainable success and stability in politics requires a combination of vision, passion, courage, intellect, humility, sagacity, perseverance, godliness and character. It is the consistent application of the above set of variables that incubates grace, which is the summary of virtues.

    As a little known courageous young adult from a far less known community, Ekweremadu dedicated his life as a change agent that would transform his neglected area to national limelight.

    Equipped with a frontier spirit and intellectual power, he set out to restructure the psychology and consciousness of his people through the chairmanship of Mpu Town Union. And later, he was elected the Chairman of Aninri Local Government Council. His excellent performance earned him the ‘Best Council Chairman of the year’ in 1997.

    Based on his pedigree, he was appointed the Chief of Staff, Government House and subsequently, the Secretary to the Government of Enugu State. He ennobled the two offices with remarkable skill, exceptional diligence, elegance and panache. He demonstrated an extraordinary acumen in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. In 2003, Ekweremadu was elected a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to represent Enugu West Senatorial District on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. A peculiar Southeast enigma, each election recorded less resistance than the previous one.

    In the Senate, he was elected the Deputy President of the Senate in 2007 and also in 2011. He was also elected the First Deputy Speaker, ECOWAS Parliament in 2007 and Honourable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament in 2011.

    A prodigy in parliamentary practice, Ekweremadu has several motions and bills to his credit. He is the Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the 1999 Constitution Review. The widely acknowledged free and fair election of 2011 owes its credibility to the Electoral Reform facilitated by the Constitution Review Committees of the National Assembly.

    He is a detribalieed patriot whose love, dedication, sacrifice and passion for Nigeria are legendary. A man who canvasses the centrality of morals in the dynamics of power. A classic public speaker whose incisive contributions in the Senate engender responsibility, nation building and hope.

    At the ECOWAS Parliament, Ekweremadu savours with deep emotional attachment that he was unanimously elected as the Speaker, hence the unprecedented unity of purpose in the Parliament. He presides over the Parliament with finesse, statesmanlike verve, diplomatic élan and consummate consensus. He embodies the aspirations of the members. For instance, he has pursued the enhancement of the powers of the Community Parliament; rehabilitation of the Parliament building; provision of office accommodation to all members of the Parliament; institution of the ‘Award for Good Governance’; protocol for punishment of coup plotters in the sub-region even after office; capacity building for both the parliamentarians and staff etc. To the parliamentarians it is a major paradigm shift.

    Ekweremadu’s quality representation resonates resoundingly with his constituency. He has parlayed his cognate experience into monumental achievements in Enugu West Senatorial District and beyond. He has transformed his constituency beyond the rust and tarnish of even the least charitable. He has converted his Senatorial District into a huge construction site with road rehabilitation and construction, rural electrification, solar lights, water supply schemes, health care service delivery, libraries, computer centres, youth development centres etc.

    In human resource and capacity building, the Ikeoha Foundation which he founded in 1997 as a council chairman, complements his constituency outreach through scholarships to indigent students, micro-credit and widowhood support schemes, adult literacy centres, quiz and Ikeoha Football Cup competitions among others.

    As an ‘’Ambassador of Christ,’ he has strived to mainstream the youth in his community to God through the All Saints Anglican Covenant Church, Mpu. A church he built and donated to the Anglican Communion.

    To his constituents, Ike Ekweremadu is simply a colossus, purveyor of morals, the angel of history that has been so anxiously awaited, the peoples Prometheus, jinx-breaker, visionary, reflective scholar and a soldier of democracy. He is the exponent of the popular Enugu sentiment who has enlarged the Ikeoha Sanctuary to accommodate persons of diverse needs from all parts of the state.

    To any unbiased observer, Ikeoha’s trajectory is a tribute to courage, service, humility, loyalty, integrity, generosity, resilience, diligence and spirituality.

    Senator Ike Ekweremadu has to his credit several awards, honours and traditional titles. He was inducted as a Knight of the Order of the Good Shepherd, Diocese of Enugu (Anglican Communion); Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award; Doctor of Laws, LLD,(Honoris Causa), University of Uyo, etc. Traditionally, he has been conferred with the Ochiagha Ndigbo (Generalissimo of Igboland) by Eze Nri, the custodian of Igbo culture and tradition; and the Ikeoha Ndigbo (pride and strength of Ndigbo) by the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers. Ekweremadu holds the national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).

    He is happily married to Mrs. Nwanneka Ekweremadu and the marriage is blessed with four lovely children. Ekweremadu has demonstrated physical prowess, social renown, political mastery, friendly finesse, character comeliness, marital exemplariness, and dispositional humility.

    As we solemnly mark his 51th birthday, we join all men and women of goodwill to wish Ikeoha many more years of fruitful service to the nation.

     

    Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia Special Adviser (Public Affairs) to Deputy President of the Senate

     

     

  • Vintage Ekweremadu at 51

    Vintage Ekweremadu at 51

    If you should ask me what are the ways of God, I would tell you that the first is humility, the second is humility and the third is humility. Not that there are no other precepts to give, but if humility does not precede all that we do, our efforts are meaningless” – St. Augustine.

    On Tuesday, October 1, 2002 (Independence Day), I was involved in a festive rove as it is usual with two of my friends who visited from Owerri, Imo State. Our stop was at Quarter 12, Independence Layout, Enugu, the official abode of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, then Secretary to Enugu State Government under Dr. Chimaroke Ogbonnia Nnamani, the Executive Governor. The house is the first apartment as one veers off Bisalla Road towards Enugu State Government House.

    It was past noon and he was already on the dinning with other numerous guests as his house is usually a Mecca of sort in periods such as this. The reason is not unconnected with the amiable wife’s pathological passion for lavishing guests of her husband with sumptuous entertainment, even ordinarily. Soon after our arrival he ordered us straight to the dinning table to “help yourselves”. None of my friends knew him ab-initio even when one of them was sitting next to him, eating.

    When we finished eating and moved into wining, my friend that was sitting next to him whispered to me: “It’s like the host (Ekweremadu) is not in the house.” I paused, smiled and replied, “He is the man on your left”. His glass cup almost dropped from his hand as he adjusted himself, informed the other friend and continued his drinking rather in disbelief.

    Ekweremadu was elected into the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly in the 2003 General Election to represent the Enugu-West Senatorial District as a continuation of his tremendous performance, having served both as Chief of Staff to Enugu State Governor and Secretary to the State Government, respectively.

    Elected into the senate, he was soon confronted with myriad of development challenges that faced the senatorial district.

    For example, I recall that a constituent, soon after the election, sent a text message to the senator, drawing his attention to the deplorable and impassable state of the old Enugu – Port Harcourt road that passes through Enugu South, Nkanu West, Aninri and Awgu Local Governments in Enugu through Umunnochi in Abia State.

    That concerned constituent was of the opinion that Senator Ekweremadu is merely fulfilling his obligation saying helplessly that as usual his effort will be in futility. But against his wildest expectation, the next SMS message that hit his handset was from the distinguished Senator. He informed the constituent that the moment a dual carriageway passes through any area with old federal road, the maintenance of the later will automatically return to the State(s) it passes through. This constituent could not believe his Senator could be humble enough to reply him.

    Even as I was on my study putting this piece together, the Distinguished Senator did his usual by calling from an Airport in Singapore on his arrival from Seoul, South Korea to ask as usual, “Kedu maka ndi be gi, kedu ka obodo di” (How is your family, How is the town).

    That is His Excellency, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President of the Nigerian Senate, Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, et al for you. Testimonies abound from his constituents, who have encountered the uncommon humility of this accomplished, brilliant, diligent, dutiful and iconic parliamentarian.

    If he doesn’t pick your call, it might be for a strong genuine cause and one of his personal aides will do so and excuse his inability and to underscore his sincerity, the distinguished Senator will call back as soon as he is disposed to do so, notwithstanding who is concerned. His social and political stature implies that he will be inundated with both valuable and distracting calls and short message services (SMS) from high and low but he is never discouraged from “attempting all” even if it is by a few words like thanks. But the hard truth remains that he must reply your SMS.

    The humility that has characterised the formal and informal dispositions of Ekweremadu is eccentrically imbued. What really obtains among our high profile political office holders in our clime, and the small ones at that, is that they isolate themselves from their constituents and ultimately become unreachable. Even councillors will find it difficult to pick your call, let alone call you, except there is absolute need to do so and that is when they run into crisis or need you for a second term. Ekweremadu is grossly on the other side of this divide as his own brand of humility is rather congenital.

    The aforementioned postulation of St. Augustine connotes not only that humility begets other human traits but also manifestly multifaceted. The humility of this political connoisseur transcends what has been narrated so far.

    He is never an island when it comes to dealing with issues that concern a people. He abhors imposition of idea of any form by anybody. A strong believer in open dialogue in handling any challenge, he will prefer ideas to come from the bottom and will yield to it if it is canvassed with superior argument. All projects are thrown to delegations to initiate a framework which are discussed with him as often as it is possible until such a project is accomplished. And procrastinating over show of appreciation in the face of even minute success over a project is not part of his life. He will commend and appreciate to a baffling state and severally too, sometimes to a point of suffocation.

    This Distinguished Senator will not pretend about what he cannot do for you or equivocate when he can. He does not give a false hope. If your matter has merit, you will know, if otherwise, you will also be informed. If you are not sure of what you want to say about the next person, better keep it to yourself because he must call that person before you for substantiation or otherwise.

    Joining issues with anybody over anything that does not add value to his parliamentary responsibility or service to the people does not make sense. He will treat such issues with dignified silence. He is at his best when an issue is within the confines of the numerous developmental challenges of his primary constituency, Enugu State and Nigeria at large. It is only in a matter like that that you can experience his listening propensity even to the minutest detail.

    Your Excellency Sir, at this milestone of your golden jubilee plus one, you have really come a long way in making things happen through your boundless benefaction, yet you still have a long journey ahead. Your wealth of experience dexterity, candour and panache has not been imbibed enough by millions of us who not only depend on you but see you as a model to copy.

    You have unprecedentedly impacted positively on the life of all strata of people from our constituency and even beyond; families, communities, traditional institutions, youths, women, widows, less privileged, undergraduates and numerous other groups through your numerous poverty reduction strategies, women and youth empowerment initiatives, schools quiz competitions, Enugu West Zonal football competitions, regular widows empowerment schemes, annual Christmas largesse to families, women microcredit schemes, employment opportunities to our numerous school leavers, coming to the rescue of ever growing needies, undergraduate bursary/scholarship to mention but a few.

    At 51, we celebrate your wonderful representation, unprecedented developmental initiatives, administrative prowess, visionary inspiration, unparalleled philanthropy, exemplary and purposeful leadership, inestimable benevolence, excellence, doggedness, perseverance and patriotism.

    Persons like you are rare gift of God to a lucky generation and you are that gift of our own lucky generation. As a result of your uncommon humility not only to humanity but to God Almighty, His abundant grace has been your portion and will be multiplied severally.

    The much we can do in reciprocation is to continue to pray fervently to the Almighty to give you many more years in health to continue your good work to mankind. Happy birthday Ikeoha!

     

    – Hon. Orji is the Special Assistant to the Deputy President of the Senate (Admin)

     

  • Beautiful world of Lady Nwanneka Ekweremadu

    While the wife of the Deputy Senate President, Lady Nwanneka Ekweremadu, may not be your regular reveller, it would be safe to say that her not-so-frequent appearance at parties thrown by her rank has rubbed off positively on her personality. She is one woman who has a lot of things going for her in addition to her alluring looks. Splendid manner and decent choice apparel are traits that stand her out wherever she goes.

    The amiable mother of four, two girls and two boys, exudes a kind of beauty that is more than skin deep. The former teacher at Federal Government College, Enugu, now works in the Office of the Accountant-General of Federation, Abuja. Her love for the downtrodden is so much that she visits them regularly. She has done a lot to alleviate the suffering of those she has come across.

  • Ekweremadu’s guber ambition causes stir in Enugu

    Ekweremadu’s guber ambition causes stir in Enugu

    Will the alleged zoning formula in Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) be maintained in 2015? This is the root of anxiety over an alleged plot to jettison the agreement, Remi Adelowo reports

     

    About two weeks ago, Enugu residents noticed some posters announcing fresh electoral ambition of the Deputy Senate President,  Ike Ekweremadu.

    Curiously, the posters, located at strategic locations in the metropolis, did not specify the position Ekweremadu would be contesting for in 2015. The only message on it reads, “Ekweremadu, our dream for 2015.”

    This seemingly dumb poster has, however, caused a stir among the common people and political stakeholders.

    Swiftly, his media aide, Uche Anichukwu, dismissed the posters, describing the development “as the handiwork of opposition elements trying to cause confusion in the polity.” Speaking further, Anichukwu recalled the several attempts to drag his boss into a personality clash with the state governor, Sillivan Chime, in 2011.

    Unconfirmed reports had alleged then that Ekweremadu felt slighted over how his loyalists were removed from the state executive council shortly after Chime was re-elected in 2011.

    But in spite of this denial, the state polity in the last few weeks has been awash with stories of Ekweremadu’s alleged intention to contest the 2015 governorship election. Not a few people in the state readily point to his purported ownership of a popular radio station, which sources alleged the senator established to promote his governorship ambition.

    Mention is also being made of his numerous philanthropic gestures, including a scholarship programme and his political structures in almost every ward in the state.

    The Nation gathered that presently, fears have gripped some governorship aspirants in the PDP over Ekweremadu’s alleged ambition. The argument is that if Ekweremadu throws his hat into the ring, he will surely be the man to beat in the PDP primaries.

    By a combination of fortuitous circumstances and a well planned strategy, the Deputy Senate President is believed to be well prepared for the exalted seat. A trained lawyer from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ekweremadu was elected Chairman, Aninri Local Government in 1997. In 1999, he was appointed the Chief of Staff to the then newly-elected governor, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani.

    Two years later, he was appointed as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and in 2003 he was elected as senator to represent Enugu West at the National Assembly. In 2007, he became the Deputy Senate President, a position he holds till date.

    With many political stakeholders in the South East state still pondering over the rationale behind the senator’s alleged bid for the governorship seat, which they consider lesser in status, a fresh debate has ensued over an alleged plot to truncate the unwritten zoning formula in the state.

    The power rotation has seen Chimaroke Nnamani from Enugu East being elected as governor in 1999 and the election of the incumbent governor, who hails from Enugu West, in 2007. The expectation before now was that the Enugu North senatorial zone (Nsukka) will take its turn in 2015, but sources have alleged that this unwritten political pact may be breached for the next general elections.

    If Ekweremadu contests for the governorship as it is being speculated, the implication is that Enugu West, where he and the incumbent governor hail from, would have spent an uninterrupted 12years at the Lion Building Government House by 2019.

    For Chime, who has also been in government since 1999, The Nation gathered that like most second term governors, he will be moving to the senate in 2015 to represent Enugu West, the same seat Ekweremadu currently occupies.

    Prior to his election as governor, Chime first served as ex-Governor Nnamani’s Special Adviser on Legal Matters and thereafter appointed as the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General.

    Among leading political gladiators in the state, it is feared that there is an understanding between the governor and the senator, which may compel the former to renege on his alleged promise to help the Nsukka zone realise its governorship dream in 2015.

    Ekweremadu’s denial to contest the governorship election in 2015 notwithstanding, leaders of thought in Enugu North, sources disclosed, are not taking anything for granted.

    In a strongly worded press statement issued recently, the leaders, who include Chief Mike Ojike, Chief Maximus Ukuta, Major Gen. Godwin Ugwoke (rtd), Prof. Damian Opata, Dr. Chuka Ezema, Sir Albert Nnamani and Chief Emmanuel Alachi, frowned at the alleged surreptitious plan to ‘deny Enugu North of its rights.’

    Excerpts of the statement read, “May we, therefore, remind the faceless groups behind this devilry even at the risk of over flogging what is common knowledge in Enugu State politics, that the state is made up of old Enugu and Nsukka zones. The governorship seat has been in old Enugu zone since 1999 and by 2015, it would have been 16 years in that zone.

    “Nsukka cultural zone, which is 52 percent of the voting population in the state, has been held down for the two senatorial zones of old Enugu zone to have their turn of eight years each consecutively as governor of Enugu State.”

    Though the agitation from the Nsukka zone to produce the governor in 2015 has become vociferous in recent times, sources told The Nation that agreeing on a consensus candidate could be a major challenge for the zone, with many aspirants from the area alleged to be oiling their political machinery in their bid to succeed Chime in 2015.

    Touted as possible candidates from Nsukka include the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Eugene Odoh, who was quoted recently to have said it would be unfair to deny the zone of the governorship seat when Chime’s tenure lapses.

    Others being mentioned are Chief Ayogu Eze, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works; the state PDP chairman, Mr. Vita Abba and boss of the State Housing Corporation, Ikeji Asogwa.

    Until Ekweremadu’s alleged governorship became public knowledge, Eze was reported to be the leading aspirant, with the resources and the clout to prosecute a governorship campaign.

    Like most of the leading appointed and elected public officials at the state and federal levels, Eze also hit public limelight during the administration of Nnamani during which he served as a commissioner. He was elected as senator in 2007.

  • Hail Ekweremadu, the 13th Apostle

    SIR: Somewhere in Udi Local Government Area in Enugu State during the last Easter, the 13th Apostle was unveiled. Ladies and Gentlemen meet the 13th Apostle, His Excellency, Deputy Senate President Distinguished Senator (Apostle) Ike Ekweremadu.

    It is the stated calling of apostles to plant churches and last week, our man fulfilled that call by building a church in his state. This was an epoch event and to show its importance, the presiding bishop of the republic, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan was present. He had to come. Apostles have no purse, they depend on the provisions of the Lord to plant churches, they depend on the goodwill of the mission areas and to a large extent on the hospitality of the bishop of the province in which they plant the church, and to succeed they have to enlist in the good books of the bishop. Hence, Bishop Goodluck had to be present to bless the apostle’s work.

    In a nation without proper centres for skills acquisition for the youth, in a nation where health centres are death rooms, in a country where you shed tears at the penury of people living in slums, we have leaders who weekly pander to religious sentiments by going from one mosque or church to the other making donations for more and more churches and mosques. It shows they understand the effect religious sentiments have on people especially Nigerians. It is important that there is a change in the way religious issues are championed by political leaders. It is either one governor donates a mosque or the president is sourcing funds for a church or one senator is donating another church.

    Gentlemen, just for a reminder, we do not need more churches and mosques in Nigeria. We need hungry people to have access to food, youth need access to jobs, children need access to a decent life in their fatherland, pregnant women in the remotest villages from Yobe to Akwa Ibom to Osun to Ebonyi needs access to prompt and quality healthcare.

    Some have opined that there exists a conspiracy between the religious groups and the state. Politicians make reckless decisions as regards the future of the country and then call on their religious counterparts to help prepare the sick to die and meet the Lord, to offer hope where there is none; hope that paralyzes faith that numbs, to convince the helpless population that gather in multimillion naira mosques and churches that all will be well even when the hospital behind the church records several deaths per week.

    This is the calamity that has befallen us and indeed we need more apostles to show us the way to heaven. The problem is that we have apostles who bring the message of salvation and also apostles who prepare us to meet God faster by not providing security and healthcare to us but donating religious structures so that at least you can die in peace! Sincere congratulations to the 13th apostle.

    • Ojinnaka, Kelechi C.

    Port Harcourt.

  • Ekweremadu bemoans weak regulatory agencies

    The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday criticised regula-tory and enforcement agencies in the country for performing below expecta-tions.

    Ekweremadu, who spoke during a courtesy visit to the Director General (DG) of National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mr. Peter Igho, accused government of appointments of leaders of government agencies and parastatals.

    He said: “There are so many sectors in Nigeria with potentials which if you put the right people there, they will make a difference.

    “We need more of regulatory and enforcement agencies in order to get our people do the right thing.

    Ekweremadu said despite the media background of the DG, Igho brought significant development to the lottery sector, created employment and generated revenue for the government.

    According to him, the commission was able to sanitise the society through lottery and re-orientate the public on the misconception of lottery as gambling.

    He called for more enlightenment on the operations of the commission.

    Igho said since his assumption, the commission has saved over N3billion with additional over N20 billion won by beneficiaries.

    He added that staff strength also grew from 11 to over 1, 000.

     

  • Ekweremadu faults unitary policing system

    The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday described the unitary policing system in the country as inadequate to tackle its security challenges.

    Ekweremadu spoke in Abuja at the opening of the Sixth National Development Summit of Traditional Rulers.

    The lawmaker said the way out of the present high rate of crime, which he described as “unacceptable and regrettable”, was to find ways of engaging the youth and diverting their energies to national development.

    He said insecurity goes beyond unemployment and poverty.

    Said he: “The rise in crime has also brought home the real message in the saying that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Churning out graduates that roam the streets without jobs is like servicing a machine gun and handing it over to the devil for custody.

    “Insecurity is not all about unemployment and poverty as the unitary policing arrangement has proved deficient in manpower, training, motivation and equipment or infrastructure to deal with our security challenges.

    “We must rethink and decentralise the policing system so that our traditional institutions, working with various sub-national police, can play greater roles in mitigating crime and youth restiveness where they exist.”

    Ekweremadu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, congratulated the royal fathers for their willingness to key into the youth empowerment strategies of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and the national and international efforts at minimising the causes and harmful effects of climate change.

    He added: “As people who live among and relate with over 70 per cent of the Nigerian population, our traditional rulers are positioned to lead the campaign on climate change.

    “They have the better language to interpret the message to their subjects and the authority to lead the socio-cultural revolution that will arrest practices that are harmful to our ecosystem.”

    The event was attended by hundreds of traditional rulers across the country, including the Chairman of the event, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Emmanuel Sidso.

     

     

     

  • Mark, Ekweremadu, Ndoma-Egba, PDP call for vigilance

    Mark, Ekweremadu, Ndoma-Egba, PDP call for vigilance

    Senate President David Mark, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba yesterday condemned the suicide bombing in Kano.

    Mark, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja, frowned at the renewed violence at a time Nigerians were heaving a sigh of relief.

    He said: “This act is condemnable. It is inhuman and barbaric. This is certainly not part of our culture. This is alien. It is forbidden. We cannot live like this. Something serious has gone wrong in the land. We must do well by returning to the basics. No matter the level of anger in a man’s mind, taking the life of another cannot be a solution. All of us across the divide must join hands to end this carnage in our land.”

    He said there are channels for aggrieved people or groups to express their feelings without resort to killings and destruction of property.

    According to Mark, “the issue is beyond leaving the matter in the hands of security operatives, everybody must join in the vanguard of protecting our communities.”

    He sympathised with victims of the bomb blast.

    Ekweremadu described the incessant terrorist attacks as “callous, ungodly, atrocious, and incongruent with Nigerian cultures and religious faiths.”

    The Deputy Senate President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, said: “While calling on the security agencies to fish the culprits, it is my fervent prayer that those behind these wicked acts come to repentance, embrace dialogue, patriotism, and respect for human life as prescribed by our laws, cultures, and religious faiths.”

    Ndoma-Egba, in a statement in Abuja, noted that the situation “seems to transcend our security agencies,” adding that, “whoever is responsible , no matter how highly or lowly placed should know by now that there are available channels for complaints against the system without resort to killing of innocent Nigerians and wanton destruction of properties.”

    He sympathised with victims of the bomb blast and prayed the Almighty God to heal the land.

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned Monday’s bombing of a luxury bus in Kano, which led to the death of many Nigerians.

    The party also condemned the killing of five school teachers by gunmen in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on Monday.

    A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday described the attacks as cruel.

    Metuh said the party was shocked by the attacks and has been deeply saddened over the manner in which Nigerians were being killed for no just cause.

    Reminding the attackers of the sanctity of life, the PDP called on the perpetrators to have a rethink and urged them to learn to live in harmony and to eschew acts of violence.

    The party urged Nigerians to be more vigilant even as it charged security agencies to double their efforts.

     

  • Kano bombing: Hausa community flees Anambra

    Kano bombing: Hausa community flees Anambra

    … Mark, Ekweremadu condemn attack

    The Hausa community in Awka and Onitsha are leaving Anambra State for fear of reprisal attack following Monday’s suicide bombing in Kano.

    Apprehension among the Hausa community within the state has heightened in the last few hours and the state police command and soldiers are now trying to stop them from leaving

    Over 20 persons lost their lives during the bombing, while about five vehicles were destroyed.

    Speaking to The Nation on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Emeka Chukwuemeka, said they were pleading with members of the Hausa community not to leave the state, assuring them that nothing would happen.

    Many of them were seen on Tuesday moving their property to the 302 artillery regiment in Onitsha and the police station in Awka.

    However, Chukwuemeka said that anybody who insisted on going would not be prevented, adding that adequate security had been put in place to secure their safety

    One of the Hausa leaders who failed to disclose his name to The Nation said they were packing because the Igbo could retaliate what happened in Kano on Monday.

    Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, David Mark and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday condemned in “very strong terms” the Monday’s attack in the city.

    Mark in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, frowned at the renewed violence at a time Nigerians were heaving sigh of relief that the killings largely perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect seemed to be subsiding.

    He said: “This act is condemnable. It is inhuman and barbaric.

    “This is certainly not part of our culture. This is alien. It is forbidden. We cannot live like this.

    “Something serious has gone wrong in the land. We must do well by returning to the basics.

    “No matter the level of anger in a man’s mind, taking the life of another cannot be a solution.

    “All of us across the divide must join hands to end this carnage in our land.”

    He noted that there exist a number of channels for aggrieved people or groups to express their feelings without resort to killings and destruction of property.

    He further reminded Nigerians to “cultivate the time tested attributes of being our brothers’ keeper at all times.”

    He sympathized with victims of the bomb blast and prayed the Almighty God to heal the land.