The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Port Harcourt

  • I am the author of restructuring – Atiku

    The presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described himself as the author of restructuring, claiming that he will be Nigeria’s President from May 29 this year and that President Muhammadu Buhari must go.

    The former Vice-President spoke on Monday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, near Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, while campaigning, along with other leaders of PDP.

    President Buhari will also be at the same Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium on Tuesday, in continuation of his presidential campaigns.

    Atiku, who was accompanied by one of his wives, Jennifer, and other leaders of PDP, got to the stadium at 2:27 p.m., for campaign slated for 10 a.m., when many tired members of the party had left the venue, in view of stress, caused by the scorching sun, with one of the Masters of Ceremonies (MCs) continually announcing: “Close the back gate,” when the stadium almost became empty.

    When the vice-presidential candidate of PDP, Peter Obi, was asked to speak, he kept shouting in pidgin English: “Rivers people, make una wait now.”

    The rally was also attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was accompanied by his wife, Dame Patience; Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike; his counterpart of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal; the Director-General of PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President; the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, an indigene of Andoni LGA of Rivers state; and Rivers Chairman of PDP, Chief Felix Obuah; among other leaders of the party.

    Atiku said: “Let me use this opportunity to pay tribute to a Nigerian who is patriotic, who is fearless, who is courageous, who is hardworking and who believes in this country. That Nigerian is Governor Wike. Wike and I have a few things in common. We no dey fear ooo. Do you want somebody we dey fear to lead you. It means if he is afraid, you will all be finished. I want to commend him (Wike) for the hard work he has done in Rivers State. I have been part and parcel of this state (Rivers) since 1984. I have not seen one single governor who has transformed this state to such a level that you can compare it with any modernised state.

    “I have been to many parts of this state (Rivers). The places where I used to go with boats, now I can do by road and cars, sitting comfortably. Wike did all this. He deserves a second term. He deserves to be re-elected. I know you are going to re-elect him. Wike, carry go.

    “If you elect PDP, which I am sure you are going to elect, and if you elect Atiku, you know that I am the author of restructuring. I will give it (restructuring) to Niger Delta and I will give it to all parts of this country. We must restructure.

    Read Also: APC has bastardised economy, says Atiku

    “It is the Obasanjo/Atiku administration that started the East-West Road. Till today, it is not finished. It is not finished, because you did not vote for PDP in 2015 to continue. APC came and halted it. If you vote for PDP again, we are going to finish it.

    “Your ports (sea) that do not work to create jobs, the Port Harcourt Port and Onne Port, we will complete them, so that we can create thousands of jobs for young men and women in Rivers State.

    “You can see that APC has not done anything for you. They have not done anything for Niger Delta. They have not done anything for Southsouth. Every development that you have got in Rivers State, Southsouth or Niger Delta is PDP. So, continue to vote for PDP. I beg you.

    “I want to assure you that I will protect the constitution (of Nigeria). You know sey nobody go court reach me in Nigeria, to protect our constitution. I will protect separation of powers. I will not interfere with the National Assembly, because I believe in checks and balances. I will not interfere with the judiciary, because it is part and parcel of our checks and balances. I will uphold the rule of law. I will not allow rule of law to be trampled by anybody.”

    The presidential candidate of PDP also alleged that his counterpart of APC was preaching violence, claiming that it was not the first time that President Buhari would do so, stressing that Nigerians wanted peace, development, prosperity and jobs, while not being ready to fight one another again, declaring that: “Buhari must go.”

    Jonathan stated that Atiku would be Nigeria’s president from May 29, 2019, describing Rivers state as totally PDP, claiming that Nigeria had not made progress since he left office on May 29, 2015, after his humiliating defeat by President Buhari, the first of its kind in Nigeria’s history, for a sitting president to lose election.

    Wike said: “We have darkness and light (in Nigeria). APC is darkness. PDP is light. Do you want to vote for darkness? It is a war between dictatorship and freedom. Do you want dictatorship? Dictatorship is APC. Freedom is PDP. Are you Atikulated?”

    Secondus described Atiku as the next president of Nigeria, alleging that APC was in disarray, with its leaders desperate and confused, making them to allegedly be running from pillar to post, while insisting that the presidential candidate of PDP would be a winner on February 16, with Buhari to have no choice, but to leave the presidential villa on May 29 this year and return to his Daura hometown.

    National chairman of PDP maintained that Atiku had capacity, energy, being innovative, would be able to work for 24 hours daily and would be fully in charge as the Commander-in-Chief, claiming that the party’s presidential candidate would be the next helmsman of Nigeria this year.

    Saraki urged Nigerians to come out en masse on Saturday and vote for Atiku and other candidates of PDP, in order to move the nation forward, while claiming that his party’s presidential candidate would change Nigeria and put an end to the current poverty.

    Obi claimed that the only person who could make Nigeria to work again would be Atiku.

    Rivers chairman of PDP assured that people of the state would give Atiku 100 per cent votes, while presenting 58 governorship candidates of other political parties in the state, who decided to adopt Wike, thereby withdrawing their candidacy to back the PDP’s governorship candidate in Rivers.

    While also speaking, the Presidential Campaign Coordinator in Rivers state, Senator Olaka Worgu, noted that for better life, Nigerians must massively vote for Atiku on Saturday, stressing that Nigerians deserved better than they were currently getting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of President Buhari.

    The rally was rounded off at 3:36 p.m.

     

  • Christian votes will make the difference, says Wike

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has called on Christians to troop out and vote during the forthcoming elections because their votes will make the difference.

    Speaking during a special combined Sunday Worship Service at the Deeper Life Camp Ground, Rumudara, Port Harcourt, Wike said Christians can no longer stand aloof while the country slides into destruction.

    He said that Christians should not believe the false propaganda that they cannot influence the outcome of political contests in the country.

    “You must vote during the forthcoming elections.  If you don’t vote and a bad leader emerges, you are part of those that brought that bad leadership.

    “Your vote can make the difference.  So go ahead and vote to effect a positive change”, he said.

    He charged the church not to allow the children of God to be surrounded by those not supposed to be in charge of leadership.

    The governor said that all Christians have witnessed first-hand the failures of the last four years of the Federal Government which have destroyed the economy, engendered unemployment, insecurity and dictatorial  tendencies.

    He said this was the opportunity to chart a new direction.

    Wike said that all efforts of Christians to ensure the country makes progress would be crowned when they vote for their preferred choice.

    He appealed to Christians to continue to pray against those plotting electoral violence and bloodshed in Rivers State.

    He said: “Please pray for this state. Pray against those plotting electoral violence in this state. Pray for the state to have peaceful and credible polls.  Those plotting shall be disappointed.

    Read Also: Wike crying wolves where there is none – Presidency

    “None of my supporters should engage in political violence on my behalf.  Nobody should use violence to support me”.

    The governor stated that security agencies plotting bloodshed in Rivers State will be consumed by their plot and Rivers State will emerge victorious.

    He said Christians should pray that God enables Judges to act right despite the intimidation and false propaganda by the APC Federal Government.

    The Deeper Life Camp Ground Youth Choir Ministered to the congregation in a Special number where they declared that they are no longer slaves to  sin and fear, but children of God.

    State Head of Deeper Life Church, Pastor Chike Onwuasunya said truly Governor Wike is Mr. Project as his projects are visible.

    He declared that all those making prophecies and preaching violence against Rivers State will witness the peaceful elections.  He said all evil plans will fail.

    He urged Deeper Life members to vote to determine the positive  direction  of the country

  • Teenager, others remanded for alleged cultism, robbery

    A chief Magistrates Court in Port Harcourt have ordered the remand in prison custody of an 18-year-old teenager, Gift Emmanuel a female for alleged Cultism and armed robbery.

    Also remanaded with her are Saviour Augustine ’22’, Nnana Peter ’19’, Friday Daniel ’20’, Precious Ubani ’18’ and Kwame Atisa ’18’.

    The suspects are alleged to have belonged to and participated in the activities of a secret cult called ‘Degbam’.

    They allegedly terrorised members of Ojoto, Nanka and Iloabuchi streets of Mile one in Diobu, Port Harcourt.

    They are also alleged to have robbed the residents of their phones while armed with pistols.

    A document obtained from the court alleged that the suspects had in their possession one revolver pistol with two rounds of 9mm live ammunitions.

    Read Also: Robbery suspects held

    The six count charge of armed robbery, unlawful possession of arms and secret cult involvement and participation was not read to them hence they did not take any plea.

    They reportedly carried out their plots at Anozie waterside and Eagle Island, Port Harcourt at different times on January 9.

    Magistrate Sokari Andrew-Jaja said the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and ordered the parties to file written addresses on whether the court can grant bail to the suspects or not.

    He ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the matter till February 21, for adoption of written addresses.

  • Leadership crisis brews in Ogoni over KAGOTE

    Fresh crisis is brewing in the crude oil and gas- rich Ogoniland in Rivers State over leadership of its apex socio-cultural organisation, KAGOTE, an acronym for the four Local Government Areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.

    Chairman of KAGOTE’s electoral body, Chief Alabi Korsi, who is a pioneer member of the organisation, told our reporter on Tuesday in Port Harcourt a former Rivers Deputy Speaker Dr Charles Nwile emerged the new president in an election on Monday.

    Korsi disclosed that Nwile polled 44 votes to defeat his co-contestant, Dr. Peter Medee, the “outgone” President, who polled 15 votes.

    He also stated the three-year tenure of Medee, a senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), ended last December while urging all Ogoni people to massively support Nwile to succeed.

    Nwile, on phone with our correspondent, described his election as a call to service and not for self aggrandisement.

    Nwile urged Medee, members of his executive and their supporters to work with his executives to succeed and move Ogoni forward.

    But when contacted, Medee maintained he remained the President of KAGOTE, stating his second term would end in December 2019.

    Medee said: “No KAGOTE election took place in Port Harcourt on Monday. I was first elected in 2013 for three-year tenure.

    “I was re-elected in 2016 for another term of three years, which ends in December 2019.

    “In line with KAGOTE’s constitution, there is no provision for third term. Only two terms are allowed for members of the executive of the great organisation.”

    He also warned persons within and outside Ogoniland, whom he accused of attempting to cause crisis and confusion in KAGOTE to desist forthwith, insisting that KAGOTE remained an indivisible body under his leadership.

  • Jubilation in Rivers over Appeal Court ruling

    ……as APC, Cole, campaign organisation say they’ve been vindicated

    There was jubilation Monday in Rivers State, especially in Port Harcourt and its environs, on the ruling of the Court of Appeal for stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on fielding of candidates by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Shortly after the appellate court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Ali Gumel, granted the stay of execution of the judgment of Justice Kolawole Omotoso of the Federal High Court in the Rivers state capital, members and supporters of APC and its governorship candidate, Pastor Tonye Cole, trooped to the streets of Port Harcourt and its environs to celebrate, defying the heavy rain.

    Rivers APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, declared that the main opposition party had been vindicated by the decision of the Court of Appeal, which stayed the execution of the nullification of all primaries of the APC and also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from fielding the candidates in the February 16 and March 2 elections.

    The main opposition APC in Rivers said: “We have always said that the wheel of justice may grind slowly, sometimes annoyingly slowly, but surely justice comes ultimately. We believe that Monday’s judgment has vindicated APC in Rivers State.

    “Now, anyone who has carefully and painstakingly followed our pending matter at the Supreme Court, especially during the last sitting before the apex court reserved ruling, will easily and safely conclude that our victory at the Supreme Court is only a matter of time.

    “The key issues of representation and jurisdiction, which Justice Chiwendu Nwogu (of Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt) deliberately overlooked in tailoring his judgment to fit into a predetermined purpose, and yet bandy it as a consent judgment, will be completely deconstructed by the excellent legal minds on the Supreme Court bench. In this particular case, the end will justify our dogged efforts as we shall, once again, prevail by God’s grace.

    Read Also: Peterside Idah begs youths over Rivers state elections

    “All Rivers APC faithful should remain resolute, as we are set to recover all that Satan has battled so hard to take away from us. INEC, by today’s Appeal Court ruling, should by now be reinstating our candidates’ names on the ballot, in line with the status quo before the pronouncement by the Federal High Court of Justice Omotoso.”

    Cole, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and a co-founder of Sahara Group, in his reaction to the ruling, expressed gratitude to God on the victory.

    Governorship candidate of APC in Rivers said: “I just want to take a minute to thank the Almighty God for his grace upon us all. I know without Him, this would be totally impossible. We were up against it. We still are, but our God who has been with us throughout this journey, will see us to the end.

  • Dufil takes Indomie Relish to Port Harcourt

    Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie Instant noodles, has introduced Indomie Relish, into Port Harcourt market.

    Consumers trooped to Port Harcourt Mall on Azikiwe Road to have a taste of the chicken and seafood flavours.

    Indomie Relish offers a meal experience with real chicken and sausage chunks in the chicken flavour packs and real fish chunks and fish powder in the seafood flavour packs. It provides ingredients that make a meal complete like tomato and onion sauce, dried pepper, seasoning powder and oil.

    The Product Manager, Ginny Tewatia, said no chemical was added to preserve the real chicken, fish and hot dog chunks in Indomie Relish.

    Tewatia said: “Indomie stands for providing products with highest quality and Indomie Relish has stood firm on this guiding principle. Real meat used in Indomie RELISH lasts longer because of technology called “Freeze Drying” and not by adding preservatives and chemicals. It’s a process by which moisture is reduced by freezing the meat at extremely low temperature and removing the frozen moisture from the meat. Low temperature freezing reduces the bacteria and moisture thereby increasing the shelf life. When the water is added to the meat, it regains original texture and taste because there are no additional artificial additives added to it. We did this to give consumers the fresh taste of chicken and hotdog or seafood, depending on their preferences.”

    The high point of the launch were the dry and wet samplings of the brand. At the wet sampling stand, consumers received two plates of cooked Indomie Relish, consisting of chicken flavour and the seafood flavour.

    Other participants, however, received uncooked Indomie Relish packs at the dry sampling stand, where the consumers completed some very entertaining tasks, which qualified them to win.

    Some consumers said they like the product. A student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) Miss Sherry Momodu said she likes Indomie Relish because it is a complete meal, adding that the packaging is appealing.

    Momodu said: “As a student, I love Indomie Relish because each pack contains what I need to have garnished Indomie. With Indomie Relish, I do not need to worry about what to embellish my Indomie noodles with. It’s tasty and nutritious both.”

    Earlier, the product was launched in Lagos and Abuja.

  • Nigeria’s refineries not too old – NNPC

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says the country’s refineries are not too old for effective refining operations.

    Mr Kragha Anibor, NNPC Chief Operating Officer, Refineries disclosed this at a panel session at the ongoing Nigerian International Petroleum summit (NIPS), on Wednesday, in Abuja.

    The panel discussed the topic “Refining, Transportation and petrochemical”.

    He said that the major problem of the corporation to bring the refineries to work was funding adding that government had continued to ensure the best way to manage the refineries.

    He said that government would not sell off the refineries without putting them in a shape that financiers would be able to come in to fund the revamping for them to operate optimally.

    He said that the Port Harcourt refinery had its last Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) in 2000, Warri in 2004 and Kaduna in 2008.

    He said that government would continue to ensure adequate and best agreement with investors for the refineries to ensure the best for the industry.

    Commenting on the growing refining gap, he said that the nation’s fuel needs would be 45 million litres per day by 2025.

    Read Also: NNPC to crash cooking gas price

    He projected that when the refineries are in good shape they will be producing about 22.5 million litres per day.

    He added that Dangote refinery coming on stream would be producing about 53 million litres per day which when added to the one from our refineries would be over the daily needs of the country.

    He assured that efforts were on to ensure that Port Harcourt refinery would be up and running by 2020.

    “We have contacted the original builders and they will soon come to start work,” he said.

    But in his comment, Mr Chidi Izuwah, the Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), said that concessioning the refineries was the best way to get them working.

    He said that the NNPC must embrace full concession model to tackle the problems with the refineries.

    “The government must play the role in bringing the private sector in the downstream to help the country benefit from the oil and gas sector,” he said.

    Also, Mr Bankole Soyode of the Dangote group said that refining was not a big thing for Nigeria adding that the NNPC must find a way to get the refineries working.

    He said that the corporation must reactivate, upgrade, follow the industry standard, add new technology to help the nation make money from the refineries.

    He said that there was nothing extraordinary with the Dangote refinery refining  650 barrels of crude per day as the nation in the 1970s had refined 1,000 barrels per day.

    In his comment, Mr Emmanuel Iheanacho, Chairman Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, said that viable refineries would help to add value to development in Nigeria.

    He said that there was urgent need to address the imbalance in the system and find a way to advance local refining.

    “We need to use technology for refining, price regulation is also very important issue to look into,” he added.

    Also, Mr Huub Stillman, Chief Executive Officer, OVH Energy Marketing, said that Nigeria was one of the few OPEC members without efficient refineries.

    “Nigeria with its location, population must have a refinery that is working efficiently.

    “Activities on revamping the existing refineries are a good one, you have to sustain it, and you need to develop skills for maintenance.

    “You must ensure that whether it is modular or main refinery, they must produce clean fuel and must be built to operate at 90 per cent capacity and be competitive.

    “With that, the country will make money out of it,” he said

    NAN

     

  • How Amanda, Christabel were sold

    Detectives in Edo State battling to recover two girls said to have been sold to childless couples writes OSAGIE OTABOR

    Amanda and Christabel are two sisters now living apart with different couples who bought them from kidnappers for N500,000 each. Amanda, four, was sold inside a Catholic Church in Enugu State while Christabel, two, was sold to a couple believed to be living in Port Harcourt, River State.

    The sisters were stolen last year from Utese village in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State by two ladies who rented one room in their father’s house. Since June 4, 2018 when the two ladies simply identified as Rose and Mary took them away, their whereabouts have remained elusive even though the police have arrested four suspects who made confessional statements.

    The ladies had opportunity to steal the two sisters when their mother, Faith Omokpia, left the children in their care while going to the stream to fetch water. The tenants had hardly spent three weeks in the house when they stole the children.

    All efforts by the family to locate the children failed.

    According to the 21-year-old Faith, “I used to leave my children with the tenants whenever I am going out. I went to the stream with my eldest daughter and when I came back, I was told that the children went out with the tenants.

    “I thought the girls will soon return home with my children so I went to cook. After cooking, I wanted to go and get some water again when my husband came back.

    “He asked me about the children and I told him they went out with the tenants. He said I should go and look for them. I ran out to look for them but did not find them. I have been calling the numbers of those girls and they were switched off.”

    When the villagers forcefully broke into the tenants’ room, it was discovered that they had collected their few belongings and vanished.

    Faith had since packed out of her home and returned to her father’s house over her missing daughters.  The source said: “The wife has left the husband. She is now staying with her parents in the next village. Even the husband has not been able to do any work since the children were taken away. They have spent money to visit prophets and babalawos but the whereabouts of their children remain unknown. The wife and her relatives went on air to accuse the husband’s brother of using the children for ritual purposes. We do not know what to do. We need the world to help us.”

    Police made a breakthrough in the case when a female suspect identified as Joy was arrested in Onitsha. Joy was in possession of the phone belonging to Mary, one of the ladies who stole the children. Initially, Joy told police detectives that she bought the phone from a road side dealer but later confessed that she bought the children from the suspects.

    Mary was trailed to Ondo State where she was arrested and is standing trial.  Rose is still at large.

    Joy was said to have taken the sisters to Onitsha where she said she sold them to Ruth Eze, a 58-year old woman. Ruth said one of the babies was sold to somebody living at Ogwashi-Uku while the other was sold to a couple at a Catholic Church in Enugu State.

    Speaking to reporters when they were paraded, Joy said it was her boyfriend who introduced the suspects to her. Joy said her boyfriend claimed that the children were brought from Bénin Republic. She said the stolen sisters stayed with her briefly at Agbor in Delta State before she took them to Ruth in Onitsha.

    According to her, “My boyfriend girlfriend called Esther stole the children. My boyfriend asked me to collect the children because they were having misunderstanding at the place they kept the children. They brought them to me at Agbor. I followed to give the children to one woman at Onitsha. I did not sell the girls.”

    Ruth, who insisted that the children were still alive, said that it was the police’s job to locate them as they were sold to different childless couples.

    According to her, “I gave them to this woman (Favour) and she gave them out. The children are alive. One is at Nnewi and the other is at Port Harcourt. The commission I got is N30,000. The man that said he brought the children from Cotonou sent his account number where the money was paid into.

    “I told the children parents that they are still alive. The police should go and apprehend.”

    Favour said she is a businessmen woman in Owerri and that she does not know the location of the children.

    She said she only helped the couple to adopt the stolen children.

    Police sources said another team of investigators returned from Enugu State last week without finding the couple who bought the children. The source said the suspect took the police to the church where the children were sold but could not find the buyers.

    In an earlier interview, father of the children, Osaruoname Omokpia, said he has spent over N1.5m in his quest to find his two daughters and visited several communities in Edo, Ondo, Delta, Kogi and other states.

    According to him, “I have been to different herbalists and pastors where I was charged various sums of money ranging from N30,000 to N120,000. I went to Akure, Ondo State when I heard that they saw some children. I was shown the photographs and saw that they were not my children. Before I returned home, my in-laws have taken my children away. They declare war that I was responsible for using my children for money rituals. I challenged them we should go to the herbalist that said I was responsible. I later went to forcefully take my first child from them.

    READ ALSO: Ohanaeze adopts Atiku for president

    “They said it was my brother that confessed that he took the children for money rituals but the police said there was no confession by my brother regarding the children. My in-laws including my wife went to a radio station to say it was my brother that is responsible for the missing children. I have been to several towns and villages in Kwale, Oshogbo, Ile-Ife, Ore, Ofosu, Amukpe, Ondo to visit Pastors, herbalists just to look for solutions and swear if I have a hand in my missing children. They told me my brother and I are innocent. My in-laws were supposed to join and support me. I have spent over N1.5m in search for my children.

    “I have not had rest since June 4th when those evil tenants took my children. I don’t eat well again. Even my mother does not eat again. I am scared that nothing should happen to her. I don’t know why the radio station allowed my wife and in-laws to talk on air about things that are not true and they didn’t bother to ask about the other side. I must fight the battle to the end to see my children. Nobody can take my children away. I have done several days fasting and prayers for the return of my children. I have done all things possible that I have been asked to do just to see my children.”

  • 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.

  • 21-year-old remanded for N12,500 theft

    21-year-old Chigozie Godswill Augustine has been remanded in prison custody by a Chief Magistrates Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for alleged N12, 500 theft.

    The accused allegedly robbed Izuchukwu Cletus of his pair of canvas, nicker and shirt all valued at N12,500 while armed with a gun and other dangerous weapons.

    He allegedly committed the crime at number 112 Rumuola Road, Port Harcourt on November 27, last year.

    He was arraigned on a two-count charge of armed robbery and was not represented by any lawyer.

    The charge was not read to him because the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter hence he did not take any plea.

    Read Also: Man in court for alleged theft

    A document obtained from the court stated that his offence breached section 6(b) and 1, 2 (a) (b) of the robbery and firearm (special provisions) Act Cap RII, Laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.

    Magistrate Sokari Andrew-Jaja ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody since the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

    He also ordered that his case file be sent to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice and adjourned the matter till February 21, for DPP’s advice.