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Tag: Onitsha

  • Yuletide: Onitsha for AITEO sponsored ‘Golibe’ Festival

    Yuletide celebration in Onitsha is expected to be different as the ancient city gears up for the inaugural edition of Golibe Festival, the first of its kind in South East Nigeria and one of the biggest in West Africa.

    Sponsored by indigenous energy multinational, Aiteo Group, The Golibe Festival Onitsha is positioned as a family-friendly, fun-filled festival with high educational content to showcase the city’s rich cultural heritage.

    It promises to fill the gap in entertainment offering available to over 20 million residents and visitors to the South-East, especially from the diaspora, during the yuletide, the organiser said.

    The yuletide season is the time for enjoyment and ‘golibe,’ the Igbo word for rejoice.

    The festival is slated for a period of ten days, commencing with the Onitsha Choral Rendition, an event created to thrill all and sundry in the spirit of Christmas.

    The rendition will also feature a carol singing competition where the finest choral groups in South Eastern Nigeria will perform variety of Christmas songs as well as give their own interpretation of the Golibe theme song. The singing competition will have its grand finale on the 23rd and 24th of December, 2018, at the Ime Obi Onitsha, ushering in the grand festival.

    Specially put in place for the young and the young at heart is the Golibe Dreamland Fun Fair which will feature arcade games and entertainment (bouncy castles, train rides, video games booth), video documentaries about Onitsha people, history, culture and traditions, Cultural dances, arts and crafts exhibition among others. Techquest is also on board with a Robotics Masterclass for children. This will run from the 25 of December to the last day of the festival. Venue is also at the Ime Obi.

    For those who just want to relax in a comfy environment, the The Chill Zone, a hang-out arena for youths and adults which features a cozy lounge arrangement with music, games and gastronomy, is available.

    Besides entertainment, it provides avenue for promoting local talent and identifying new ones. The chill zone will open from Christmas day and run till the 30th of December at the Festival Arena, Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium.

    The festival will also feature the prestigious Ado League, a football competition among the 18 Onitsha villages. It started in the 1990s and has remained an annual event ever since.

    The highlight of the festival will be the Golibe Carnival, the largest street party in South Eastern Nigeria and one of the biggest in West Africa. The carnival will feature a pageant for the Golibe King and Queen, as well as the Golibe Homecoming King and Queen. This will be on the 27th of December.

    As part of the carnival is the Street Arts Festival which will involve Visual Artists and Musicians performing at various venues throughout the carnival route. This event slated for the 28th of December is for the purpose of the revival of Onitsha as the geographical-cultural cross section of what Omambala people used to be and what the town could become.

    The festival will flow into the grand carnival parade scheduled for the 29th of December. Start off for the parade will be at the DMGS roundabout, through the Oguta road/ Ugwunabampka intercession and then Awka road. The parade will end at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium.

    30th of December has been set aside specially for an event that will feature masquerades from all over Anambra, Bayelsa, Kogi and other States. Some of the Masquerades to feature at Golibe Festival 2018 include: Ayolugbe, Agbogo Mmuo, Ogolo, Agaba, Ijele, Nnekwu Ugo, Ogwo Tulu Mgbe, Wonder, Ada, Izaga and Enyi (Elephant).

    The masquerades will hold a procession along the Carnival Route and stopover at homes of selected eminent indigenes and residents of Onitsha.

    Capping off the festival will be the Crossover Night Concert on the 31st of December. The Cross Over Concert will be a celebration and thanksgiving concert that combines gospel and Afro-Pop music in a world class concert setting with lights, sound, stage effects and adrenaline, and musical performance by A, B & C -List Artists from across the country. The event will start at 8pm

    For a city hosting a major festival, Onitsha meets the full criteria for the Golibe Festival. Onitsha is one of Nigeria’s biggest cosmopolitan cities, strategically located in the east and serves as a gateway to the Igbo heartland as well as the rest of Nigeria.

    Over 100,000 guests are expected to flood the city of Onitsha for the festival.

  • Group empowers 200 youths, picks medical bills of 14 patients

    No fewer than 200 youths from Anambra State have been presented with cash sum and tools by the West African Youth Support and Development Forum (WAYSDF).

    The youth group also visited selected government hospitals in Onitsha and environs where they offset medical bills of 14 youths.

    Presenting cheques and other items to the beneficiaries in Ogidi on Saturday, the President of the group, Mr. Afam Akonanya, said the gesture was in line with the aims and objectives of the organization.

    He said the forum was formed to empower West African youths through education, engagement in community development and sports.

    He said, “West African Youth Support and Development Forum is an NGO established to support and empower youths as a way of affecting their lives positively.

    Read Also: 2019: Group advises Atiku

    “African youths travel overseas in search of greener pastures because of dearth of opportunities in Africa.

    “What we’re striving to achieve is to support the African youth, empower him and help him to love Africa, live Africa and contribute to the development of Africa.

    “The vision is to ensure that West African youths become empowered leaders with skills and confidence to actively develop themselves and their families.”

    One of the beneficiaries Abubakar Rashidi, who received a cheque of N150,000, promised to convert the gifts to tools that would transform his life and place him on the part of greatness.

  • Group urge Buhari to dismantle roadblocks in S/East

    President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to direct the Inspector-General of Police (IG) to dismantle road blocks mounted by his officers on the South Eastern roads.

    Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Foundation (HURIJE), which made the call in a release in Onitsha, on Friday, described the increasing number of checkpoints in the zone as haven for corruption.

    The statement signed by chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of HURIJE, Dede Uzor Uzor, revealed that there were over hundred road blocks mounted by the Police in different routes in South East.

    The group said there were not less than 25 road blocks from Onitsha to Owerri, 28 from Enugu-Port Hacourt, 16 from Enugu -Owerri, 24 from Onitsha-Enugu, 18 from Onitsha -Orlu, among others.

    “While the Police cited checkmating of criminals as reason for mounting these road blocks, it has become clear that the road blocks have become “oil well” for Police authority, their officers and men.

    Read Also: You can’t sway S/East with false promises, PDP tells Buhari

    “The roadblocks have outlived their usefulness. They don’t provide the expected security again. They have been grossly abused and therefore should be scrapped and dismantled immediately,” it decried.

    The group wondered why the larger chunk of the road blocks were prevalent in the South East, saying “You don’t see much of Police roadblocks in the North and West.”

    It however lauded President Buhari for dismantling the roadblocks mounted by the army in various parts of the South East, saying their removal had brought relief to the people of the zone, especially travellers.

  • 83-year old woman rescued as fire guts 12-bedroom flat in Onitsha

    An 83-year old woman was reportedly rescued from a twelve bedroom bungalow razed by fire in Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The apartment, located at No. 36 New Market road Onitsha, was said to have went up in flames following a kerosene explosion.

    The Nation learnt that documents of the occupants and property worth millions of naira were lost to the fire incident.

    A resident of the area, who simply identified himself as Ebuka, said the explosion occurred when an elderly occupant of the building ignited light on a stove he was about to cook with.

    “He had bought a kerosene suspected to be adulterated which he poured inside the stove and lit light when the stove suddenly exploded,” he said.

    Narrating his ordeal, one of the occupants of the bungalow, Mr Chukwudi Nwankwo, said he lost property worth over N6million to the fire.

    “I equally lost several documents including the certificates and NYSC discharge papers of three of my children,” Nwankwo said.

    Read Also: Widow arrested for biting house-help in Onitsha

    The visibly devastated victim wondered what would become of the family having lost all their belongings to the inferno.

    Another victim, Mr Obinna Ikah, thanked youths of the area who assisted in putting out the fire and rescuing the octogenarian said to be alone in the building when the incident happened.

    “The fire could have affected other buildings if not for their timely intervention. We thank God that no life was lost in the inferno,” he added.

  • 19 vehicles burnt as fire razes mechanic workshop in Anambra

    No fewer than nineteen vehicles were on Friday morning, destroyed by fire in a mechanic workshop in Awada, Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The inferno, which occurred around 2 am, at Amanator street of the area, left most of the vehicles burnt beyond repair.

    Read Also:Oil thieves cause of pipeline fire incident in Abia – NNPC

    The Nation gathered that although no life was lost in the incident, high tension wire which passed through the area was also affected.

    Eye witness account had it that the fire was put off by the residents of the area.

    The Police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident.

    He said, “Police Patrol team attached to Awada division rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the situation to loot.”

    He further disclosed that the Enugu Electricity Distribution company (EEDC) has been contacted to effect necessary repairs on the affected power line.

    “Case under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident,” Mohammed added.

  • Widow nabbed for biting house-help in Onitsha

    A middle aged woman has been arrested by the police for allegedly biting her 8-year old minor (names withheld), at Housing Estate, Fegge Onitsha, Anambra state.

    The suspect, a widow, has been severely accused of battering the minor, who hawked sachet water after school anytime she disobeyed her instructions.

    The Nation gathered that trouble started when the victim, a native of Osumogho, Ihiala Local Government Area, forgot to switch off the gas cooker after cooking.

    “She held her closely and bite deep into her body for wasting her gas.” a neighbor said.

    Read Also: Expectant mother, others in Onitsha accident

    Reacting, a Human Rights activist, Dede Uzor Uzor, said the minor has been undergoing series of human rights abuses, including biting from their findings.

    He said he reported the matter to the Fegge Police station which led to the suspect’s arrest.

    Efforts to contact the Fegge Divisional Police Officer, Mr Rabiu Garba were unsuccessful, but a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity said, “the woman is in our custody”.

  • Candle light burns baby to death in Onitsha

    A 4-month old baby, Chimmuanya Chukwu was on Saturday, burnt to death following a candle fire that gutted a room apartment at Okija Street, Awada in Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The Nation gathered that the mother of the baby had left the baby at home around 7pm to recharge her torch in the neighborhood when the incident happened.

    Narrating her ordeal, the mother of the baby, Mrs Oluchi Chukwu said her baby was fast asleep when the wax of the candle light she litted got exhausted and spread into the inflammable material she laid on.

    “I went out to charge my rechargeable torch because there was no electricity within my vicinity when the candle exhausted its wax and melted on an inflammable material leading to the fire which engulfed their room,” she said.

    The visibly devastated woman explained that those who assisted in putting out the fire could not rescue the baby as they were ignorant of her presence in the room.

    Read Also: Four bankers feared drowned in Onitsha flood

    “My baby couldn’t have died if those who came to our rescue were aware that she was inside. It was unfortunate that I lost my baby in such a manner,” she lamented.

    Chukwu said she took the baby to a private hospital where she was confirmed dead, adding that she had been buried.

    The caretaker of the building, who witnessed the incident, regretted that the baby had died before the inferno was brought under control by neighbors.

    A tenant, Innocent Chukwu said the fire could have escalated but for the quick intervention of neighbours.

  • Members of robbery gang from Onitsha shot dead in Ogun

    Two members of a robbery gang believed to have arrived from Onitsha, Anambra State, for planned series of attacks in Ogun State have been shot dead in Ijebu-Ode area of the State by Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad(F – SARS).

    The suspects were spotted at the Ijebu – Ode Government Reservation Area(GRA) by the F – SARS, following an intelligence passed to the Ogun State Police Command that the gang from Onitsha had entered Ijebu-Ode with a mission to terrorize residents and visitors.

    It was learnt that when the gang sighted the F- SARS Operatives, the robbers in bid to escape, engaged the Operatives in a gun battle and in the process, two of them were shot dead while two others escaped with bullet wounds.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed this in a release, stated that the suspects were shot dead on Monday in a gun duel encounter and listed an Ak47 riffle marked 804403, two pump action guns with defaced breach numbers, fifty seven rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, thirty two rounds of live cartridges, some assorted charms and unregistered Toyota Previa bus as items recovered from the gang.

    Abimbola added that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has given directive to the Operatives to hunt down the fleeing members of the gang while hospitals and traditional healers have also been advised to notify the Police if anybody with gunshot injury is brought to them.

  • Four bankers feared drowned in Onitsha flood

    Four bankers were feared drowned following a heavy down pour that wrecked havoc in Onitsha, Anambra state and its environs.

    The deceased, said to be staff of one of the commercial banks located along Obodoukwu road, Ogbaru local government area, were said to be on their way home when the incident happened.

    The Nation gathered that the deceased had boarded one of their official vehicles, having resolved to defy the rain which lasted till after close or work.

    The driver of the vehicle, said to be the bank’s accountant, struggled to beat the flood that had covered the entire road, but could not as the vehicle suddenly plunged into the drainage channeled to the River Niger.

    A trader along Obodoukwu road, who simply identified himself as Okechukwu, said all the occupants of the car got drowned in the drainage as the vehicle was completely covered in the flood.

    “The flood carried the vehicle to the Sakomori (drainage) which is about 15 feet deep and filled to capacity. The driver tried to resist the force of the flood but could not because of the size of the vehicle.

    “I saw about four of them with one little girl as they were panicking inside the vehicle. After the rain, the vehicle was recovered with three out of the four of them,” he said.

    According to him, the corpse of the Accountant was later recovered the next day, adding that it was not certain if the little girl was carried into the River Niger by the flood.

    Another witness who pleaded anonymity, said it was regrettable that the drainage constructed to control the high volume of flood in the area could wreck such havoc.

    “You can see that it is so deep that when the bankers’ vehicle plunged into it, nobody was ready to come to the occupants’ rescue.

    “We watched helplessly as they got drowned. There was nothing we could do considering the dept of the gutter,” he added.

    Efforts to reach the Okpoko Divisional Police Officer for confirmation proved abortive, but a Senior Police Officer who preferred anonymity said they were aware of the incident.

    He however revealed that the corpses had since been deposited in a nearby morgue.

  • Pupils, landlords protest citing of market in Onitsha

    •Lawyers petition Obiano, police, others

    Pupils of Berth-Roots Schools in Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday held a peaceful protest against the citing of a market near their school.

    They said their lives would be endangered, if the market was cited near their school.

    Also, the landlords’ association of Victory Estate 3-3 in the area said they would not allow their lives to be destroyed through the action of “a selfish man”.

    Lawyers to the school and the landlords’ association – Valentine Emeka Utulu and K. C. Ezeanyika – have petitioned Governor Willie Obiano and the police commissioner for their intervention.

    Copies of the petition sent to the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Presidency, the Minister of Education, the Commissioner for Education were given to reporters yesterday in Onitsha.

    The petition reads: “There is no provision made in the master plan to accommodate the huge traffic of vehicles the proposed market will attract and it will greatly and adversely affect the quality of life of residents, pupils and those merely driving through.

    “It is wrong to cite a market next to a school, any school, for that matter. It destroys the serenity of the academic environment painstakingly created for learning.

    “It will pose a serious security challenge to the safety of the children in the schools. Our client’s school is co-educational while Federal Government Girls’ College is a girls-only school.

    “If this market is allowed, the pupils will be exposed to the dangers of rape, physical attacks by louts, who are usually attracted to markets, and kidnapping, which is rife in Anambra State.”

    During the protest, the pupils, who carried placards with various inscriptions, noted that some people in the market smoked dangerous substances.

    One of them, who identified herself simply as Vivian, said the pupils feared to pass through the market road for fear of being harmed or harassed.

    Some of the placards read: “We are pride of our parents and the nation”; “Respect our rights to education”; “Save our souls”; “Live and let live”; “Our future is worth more than money” and “No market near our school.”

    But a manager at the market, Mr Ifeanyi Nwokwu, said shops and market have no connection with the school.

    He said children of traders in the market also attended the school.

    The businessman said those complaining were merely disturbing themselves because it was from the market the traders made the money to pay the children’s school fees.