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Tag: Nnewi

  • NFVCB takes training to Port Harcourt, Nnewi

    After opening its 2019 workshop series in Lagos, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has taken its roadshow to the South-South and South-East zones of the country, making stops in Port Harcourt and Nnewi last week.

    In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the programme, tagged ‘Media Literacy Capacity Building On Film Classification & Empowerment For Youth’ took place from January 15 to16, 2019 at the Algate Hotel, an exercise facilitated by Hon. Boma Goodhead in the Asari Toru/Akuku Toru Federal Constituency.

    Participants had a great time interacting with veteran actress and youth advocate, Hilda Dokubo, a daughter of the soil who helmed the talks on Film Classification.

    Dokubo spoke with the most familiar references, language, gags and slangs of Rivers people.

    “I’m going to make it as interactive as possible,” she began, as she threw a question that set the ball rolling. “When you buy a film, how many of you flip to the back jacket to see the Classification Symbol? She asked.

    None responded in the affirmative.

    “So, that’s a problem,” she declared.

    Enumerating some of the categories of classification, Dokubo explained that there was the need to adhere strictly to the rules.

    “If there is a breach of classification rule, there is a problem. The problem is however not for the filmmaker but for the person that allowed the breach, because classification plays the role of informing, plays the role of healing and places responsibility on everyone, including the producer and adults.”

    She advocated special class for movies that encourage good virtues in people as well as those that protect the gender.

    The actress who frowned at stereotype contents in Nollywood movies pointed out that as a way of changing the narrative, producers must desist from stories that portray the police as bribe collectors, soldier as civilian beaters, the girl-child doing the home chores while the boy-child plays football, as well as movies that portray career woman as endangering their home and marriage, while the full-time housewife is seen as the ideal women.

    In Nnewi, the industrial nerve of the South East geo- political zone, it was a gathering of notable stakeholders in the creative industry from Nnewi North/South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituencies.

    The event which held on Thursday, January 17, 2019, was an empowerment workshop for youths in the movie and entertainment industry from that area. They include actors, script writers, movie producers and directors, marketers, costumiers, editors and other crew members within the movie production chain.

    In his opening remarks, Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas urged participants to avail themselves of this rear opportunity to carve a niche for themselves within the creative industry. He noted that the essence of the training was; to develop participants’ interest and understanding of classification; make participants ambassadors of film classification by letting their children know what to watch and watch not to watch; and assist in lobbying policy makers on important classification recommendations.

    In a bid to create a solid foundation for the participants, NFVCB’s Zonal Coordinator, South-East, Mr. Hubert Odeh presented a talk on the Rudiments of Classification, giving brief background history and workings of the Board.

    Responding on behalf of participants, Chief Ossy Affason of Ossy Affason Distribution Company encouraged filmmakers to always take advantage of such golden opportunities to develop themselves, while urging those within the creative industry to close ranks in order to build a virile and formidable industry.

    High point of the workshop was the distribution of grants to participants by the Executive Director of NFVCB.

  • Chris Uba takes campaign to Ekwusigo, Nnewi

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial candidate for Anambra South, Chief Chris Uba, has told his constituents to keep their PVCs ready for next month’s elections.

    Uba spoke yesterday during his campaign at Ekwusigo and Nnewi North Local Government Areas of Anambra State.

    According to him, he organised the town hall meeting to tell the people to “close their doors against other contestants”. He added that he was ready and adequately prepared for the election irrespective of any opposition from any person or other political parties.

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    The lawmaker representing Ekwusigo constituency in the House of Aseembly, Onyebuchi Offor, who accompanied Uba, told the people the 12 wards in Ekwusigo and 10 wards in Nnewi North.

    The duo appealed to the people to vote for their party and vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

    According to them, Obi did well in Anambra as governor and would transfer that to the Federal if elected. They described him as best for Igbo.

     

  • Two feared dead as IPOB, Police clash in Anambra

    Two persons were feared dead on Friday when members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB) and officers of the Nigerian Police Force, Nnewi division clashed in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    The deceased, a police officer and a member of the pro-Biafran group, were reportedly killed during the fracas said to have triggered at the popular Nkwo Nnewi Market.

    The Nation gathered that members of the pro-Biafran group, numbering over 2000, had stormed the market to drive home their “no referendum, no 2019 election” agitation.

    The protesters, with each waving the Biafran flag, moved round, and asked people in the market not to participate in the elections unless the federal government were ready to heed to their demand of conducting referendum.

    Our correspondent gathered that problem ensured following the arrival of police operatives to the scene in three hilux vans who attempted to stop the protesters.

    “Members of the group pounced on the police officers and destroyed their vans, leaving two people dead in the process,” an eye witness said.

    The fracas was said to have led to the abrupt closure of the markets around 2:30pm as traders were seen scampering for safety.

    The IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, had earlier in a statement, said members of the group were in the industrial city of the state to express joy over the second coming of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu in Jerusalem.

    He said the reappearance of their leader was a clear testimony that the struggle for Biafra actualization was divine.

    Read Also: I won’t return to court for trial, says IPOB leader Kanu

    “IPOB volunteers marched along all major streets and roads of Biafraland today to register their happiness over the second coming and reappearance of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Jerusalem, the state of Israel last month.

    The statement read partly, “Our leader’s reappearance in Israel after the Nigerian government and her security forces including the Nigerian Army, Air force and Naval forces invaded his compound at Afaraukwu Ibeku Umuahia in Abia State last year September is clearly an indication to all and sundry that God Almighty is behind the struggle for Biafra liberation.

    “Biafrans are equally today showcasing to the world that we are ready to boycott every Nigerian elections come 2019 especially presidential election next year.

    “Our march today on the roads and streets across Biafraland must send signals to politicians and saboteurs among us that Biafrans are determined to leave the prison called Nigeria where British government experimented to lead black Africans and other black nations across the globe but failed to live up to the expectations for over 100 years because of the Hausa Fulani caliphate dominations.

    “IPOB rally and march today being 23rd November, 2018 is ongoing in all the states across Biafraland like Rivers, Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and other Biafra clans and tribes fraudulently caved into Kogi, Benue and Edo States, the unrelented efforts by IPOB family worldwide to restore Biafra sovereignty must continue unless Nigeria Government and it’s handlers give us date for Biafra referendum to ascertain whether our people wants to continue stay in Nigeria or not.

    “We are much aware that some unscrupulous individuals and groups including those Biafran stocks who work with Nigeria Government and those who prefer to be slaves in their own fathers land to the detriment of Biafra restoration project.

    “IPOB is divinely ordained restore Biafra sovereignty out of this enclave called Nigeria. We are coming to show Nigerians and its handlers including their security apparatus what is called civil disobedience because IPOB is more of intellectuals than daft.”

  • Cleric hands over baby abandoned in church to police

    A 7-month old baby boy abandoned in a church in Nnewi, Anambra State has been handed over to the police by the priest in charge of the church.

    The baby reportedly abandoned by an unknown person was brought to the police station in the area by Rev. Fr. Christopher Ezimo, of St. Martin Deporres Catholic Church Umudim, Nnewi.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, in a press release in Awka, said the sick baby was brought to the station on November 12, 2018.

    He said, “On the 12/11/2018 at about 4.50pm, one Rev. Father Christopher Ezimo, male of St. Martin Deporres Catholic Church Umudim, Nnewi brought to Nnewi division a seven months old sick baby boy alleged to have been abandoned inside the Church by unknown person.

    “The scene was visited by Police operatives attached to juvenile and welfare unit of the division and the baby was rushed to Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi where he is presently receiving treatment.”

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    Mohammed added that the case was being investigated to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.

    Assuring that efforts were on to trace the biological mother of the baby, the Police spokesperson implored the public to approach her with useful information that could help trace the parents of the child.

  • OJUKWU’S FIRST SON DEBE DIES AT 60

    — I am not in position to confirm my step son’s death – Bianca

    The President-General of Nnewi Town Union (Nzuko Ora Nnewi), Sir Ugochukwu Udemezue, says the death of Debe Ojukwu, the first son of the late Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, is a big loss to the community.

    He confirmed the death of Debe, the 60 year old first son of the late Ikemba Nnewi, from Umudim.

    When contacted however to confirm the death, Bianca,  the widow of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, said it was not her duty to make announcements on behalf of the Ojukwu family.

    The former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain was contacted on the phone to confirm the reported death of her late husband’s first son, Debe Ojukwu.

    Reminded that as a step mother of Debe, she probably must be one of the first persons to know about such things, she said Nnewi people have their customs and traditions.

    “According to our tradition, it is not my role to make such announcements. We have elders in the family who have such duties and functions,” she maintained.

    The rumoured death of the lawyer son of the Biafran leader, had come to many as a shock, as he was said that he did not complain of any serious sickness before now.

    But confirming the news yesterday to The Nation, Udemezue, said he spoke with some of his town’s men on Monday and Tuesday, where he complained of having ‘high sugar’ in his system .

    He said the community had been thrown into mourning since the news broke out about his death, while confirming he died on Friday.

    The President-General said the Improvement Union, Anaedo, Umudim, and indeed the entire Nnewi would miss him and would all be involved during his burial.

    According to him, “my heart is broken and the people of Nnewi too. Yes, he is dead, he died on Friday,” he said.

    “He spoke with some people on Monday and Tuesday where he complained of high sugar. When the time comes for his burial, everybody will be fully involved because he is our son,” he added.

    It would be recalled that when late Ikemba Nnewi died some years ago, some family members wanted to stop Debe from participating in the burial.

    As a result, he relocated to a nearby space from the family house to host his visitors, but the people of Nnewi, including the chiefs, were in his support.

    One of the High Chiefs in Nnewi, who pleaded anonymity yesterday, told The Nation that it was time for the Ojukwu family to put quarrels aside and come together to give their illustrious son a befitting burial when the time comes.

    Another family member of the Ojukwus’ who did not want her name mentioned, confirmed the death of Debe Ojukwu, but said it was the duty of the elders in Nnewi and family to talk on it.

     

  • N/Delta: Ex-agitators rule out creeks as 200 acquire auto skills

    A total of 200 ex-agitators of Niger Delta youths on Thursday, pledged not to go back to the creeks following their training in various trades in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    The youths underwent a 9-month training in automobile, auto-painting, welding, electronics, among others under the federal government Education for Employment programme in collaboration with Innoson Kiara Academy.

    Speaking during their graduation ceremony held at the Innoson premises in Nnewi, one of them, Abraham Peter, thanked the federal government for partly keeping to its promises of equipping them with skills.

    He however called for the completion of the promise by empowering them so they would not contemplate going back to the creeks.

    “Training someone with skills without a corresponding empowerment is like throwing a stone into a river.

    “The skills we’ve acquired will only be useful if the government empowers us financially so we will not be tempted to go back to the creeks,” he said.

    Another beneficiary, Gbalubi David, said the training would not only enable him start his own business, but train other unemployed youths.

    He however advocated for extension of the training period, saying the nine months duration was inadequate in view of the volume of the training packages.

    Earlier, the CEO, Innoson Kiara Academy, Mr. Endi Ezengwa, said the Innoson Kiara in partnership with the Presidential Amnesty Office, had trained over 600 ex-agitators since three years of its commencement.

    He said the trainees had undergone examination by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) to give the exercise national credibility.

    Describing Innoson factory as unique, Ezengwa said the peculiarity of the environment provides the trainees with both skills and entrepreneurial spirit to compete favorably with their contemporaries.

    He assured the graduants of federal government’s assistance towards their establishment, even as he canvassed for federal and state governments’ patronage to ensure the market’s steady relevance.

  • Widow laments son’s alleged gun-shot in Anambra

    A middle-aged woman has called for justice over the alleged shooting of his son, Mr Stephen Udogu in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    The victim, a 35-year-old graduate of Estate Management, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, was allegedly shot by security operatives suspected to be men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) who came from outside the area.

    The Nation gathered that the victim is undergoing severe pains at a private hospital in the commercial city, following the bullets injury he sustained on his hips.

    The mother of the victim, Mrs Peace Ifeoma Udogu, said her son was shot at Uru, Umudim, Nnewi while returning from plumbing work on his motorcycle together with a colleague.

    “When he saw where people gathered, he stopped to inquire what was happening only to be shot by one of the operatives at a close range to the surprise of everybody around there.

    The visibly devastated widow revealed that her son would undergo series of operations to dislodge pallets of bullets deposited in his hips.

    “From the X-ray result, bullets pierced his hips from his left side and located other regions to cause damage. He must have lost some quantum of blood as a result of the shooting.

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    According to her, “Stephen is one of my sons who fend for the family since after the death of my husband. What has he done to them? Up till now, I’m yet to come to terms why he was shot,” she lamented.

    The victim, who managed to utter some words from his hospital bed, said he was on his way from work when he was shot for inquiring about what was happening where people gathered.

    He said the bullets would have hit him on the stomach if not that he jumped up before he was shot.

    When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Haruna Muhammed (SP) said he would find out what happened.

  • Woman dies, six injured in Anambra auto crash

    A middle-aged woman on Thursday, lost her life while six others sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fatal accident along the Enugu-Onitsha expressway, Anambra State.

    The accident which occurred at about 5.30 pm, close to the Anambra State government house, involved a commercial bus with registration number AWK 166 XX and a Toyota Camry car with registration number, FGG 28 LN.

    An eye witness, who identified herself as Chiamaka Ugo, said the Toyota Camry somersaulted into a nearby drainage after ramming into the bus.

    She said the victims were rushed to hospital by men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who arrived the scene shortly after the accident took place.

    Confirming the incident, the Sector Commander of the FRSC in the State, Mr Sunday Ajayi, said three of the injured persons were taken to a nearby hospital in Awka.

    He however said three others in very critical condition were conveyed with an ambulance belonging FRSC to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi.

    Ajayi, who blamed the accident on wrongful overtaking and over speeding, appealed to motorists to exercise caution while plying the highway.

  • Ozubulu killings: Nnewi court relocates to Awka over death threats

    FOLLOWING threats from unknown persons over the celebrated Ozubulu Church killings in Anambra State, the court sitting has been relocated to Awka. During the sitting yesterday in Awka, a star witness to the case, Nkwado Onyeka, told the court that the perpetrators of the massacre demanded $1million from them to stop the attack.

    The Ozubulu massacre took place on August 6,2017 at Saint Phillips Catholic Church, Amakwa, where 13 persons were killed, with 29 others seriously injured.

    The star witness, was the former President General of Ozubulu Development Union (ODU), South Africa branch . He revealed to the Nnewi High Court 3, now sitting in Awka due to the death threats against the witnesses, that two persons, Gozila and Afam serving jail terms in South Africa and who claimed responsibility for the attack, gave them the condition for stopping further killings.

    The complaint of threat to witnesses was made by the prosecuting counsel, Jay Jay Ezeuko (SAN). Onyeka equally claimed that the same gang he alleged to be under the control of one of the suspects, Chinedu Akpunonu, killed his wife, Mrs. Onyeka, as well as other six prominent people from Ozubulu in South Africa. The presiding judge, Justice F. I Aniukwu, after listening to the counsels, adjourned the matter to May 4,11 and 25th.

  • OZUBULU killings: Nnewi court relocates to Awka over threats to life 

    …witness tells court how perpetrators demanded $1M to forestall attacks

     

    Following threats from unknown persons over the celebrated Ozubulu Church killings in Anambra state, the court sitting has been relocated to Awka.

    During the sitting Friday in Awka, a star witness to the case, Nkwado Onyeka, told the court that the perpetrators of the massacre demanded one million dollars from them to stop the attack.

    The Ozubulu massacre took place on the August 6, 2017 at Saint Phillips Catholic Church, Amakwa, where 13 persons were killed, while 29 others were seriously injured.

    The star witness was the former President General of Ozubulu Development Union (ODU), South Africa branch.

    He revealed to the Nnewi High court 3, now sitting due to the threat of life against the witnesses that two persons, Gozila and Afam serving jail terms in South Africa and who claimed responsibility for the attack, gave them the condition for stopping further killings.

    The complaint of threat to witnesses was made by the prosecuting counsel, Jay Jay Ezeuko (SAN).

    Onyeka equally claimed that the same gang he alleged to be under the control of one of the suspects, Chinedu Akpunonu killed his wife, Mrs. Onyeka as well as other six prominent people from Ozubulu in South Africa.

    He further claimed the gang alleged that they would continue the killings until the Ozubulu people release them from prison in South Africa.

    The witness was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Ezeuko (SAN).

    According to Onyeka the witness, “Within a short time, one man Obinna Obijeme who gave witness against Akpunonu at Igwe’s palace was shot dead in South Africa”

    “When we heard this we called meeting and invited Chinedu Akpunonu, Aloysius Ikegwuonu and 20 others”

    “In the meeting, I was pleading with Chinedu Akpunonu because his gang members in prison, Dozila and Afam have claimed that they killed Obinna”

    “We concluded that Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu, Emeka Obi, Chinedu Akpunonu, Fidelis Nwanya and our patron will go to prison to see Afam and Dozila to know how to stop the killing”

    “The next day, Fidelis Nwanya called me and said that Afam and Dozila said they do not want to see Chinedu Akpunonu and Aloysius Ikegwuonu, that it was only Fidelis Nwanya and I that they would want to see”

    “Fidelis Nwanya made me to understand that Afam and Dozila said they do would have visiting in November but only in December and already I had booked to travel to America to see our president who was present at my inauguration and later had an accident on December 1, 2015″

    “So in December I travelled to New York, my wife and son dropped me at the airport. On landing at America, at the airport I switched on my phone and the first call that I got was that my wife has been short dead in our office I which share with her. I joined the same flight back to South Africa”

    “All Ozubulu people were calling me to sympathize with me but Chinedu Akpunonu did not. Our people were worried and were asking what to do next and I said they should go ahead with our earlier plan to visit Afam and Dozila in prison but that I will not go with them”

    They went to the prison to see them and reported that Dozila and Afam swore that they would continue to kill Ozubulu people except they were given $1 million. That it was Ozubulu people that put them in prison.

    “The reason they are saying that Ozubulu people imprisoned them was because the then leader of Ozubulu, Oruche called Chinedu Akpunonu and asked him to stop using the killer gang”

    “Secondly, they said Ozubulu people should come and get them released from the prison and thirdly, that Ozubulu people should kill the head of killer gang, Chinedu Akpunonu uses, Tijani Usman”

    “After the burial of my wife another Ozubulu prominent son, Nnoso Ikedinobi was murdered, another person Udoamaka was murdered and by May 2016 Ozubulu people lost six persons in South Africa and Afam and Dozila claimed responsibility”

    All of them were respectively brought home and buried and funeral held for them but Chinedu Akpunonu did not attend any of the funerals though I saw him in Ozubulu in different functions”

    “After he killed my wife he called two persons, Onyedinanma and Emeka Obi and told them that he had dealt with.”

    “On 6th Agust, 2017 I received a telephone call from Aloysius Ikegwuonu that gunmen went to the church he built in Ozubulu and killed worshippers”

    “While we were trying to figure out what happened, chairman, Onyedinanma called me on phone and said that Dozila and Afam said they sent those that did the attack”

    “After the incident, Ozubulu people invited us, everybody for three times and I came the three times but Chinedu Akpunonu came only once the third one.”

    While being cross examined by counsel to Akpunonu, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN),the witness said he was not aware if any court both in Nigeria and South Africa had convicted Akpunonu for murder.

    He also said he had never written any petition to security agencies on the alleged murder cases he accused Akpunonu of.

    However, the presiding judge, Justice F. I Aniukwu, after listening to the counsels, adjourned the matter to May 4, 11 and 25th for continuation.

    Read Also: Ozubulu killings: How the plan was hatched, witness opens up in court