The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prof Viola Onwuliri

  • Commercial activities grounded as Owerri monarch is laid to rest

    All markets and business places in Owerri, the Imo State capital were on friday shutdown as the paramount ruler of Owerri Eze Dr. Emmanuel Emenyonu Njemanze (Ozuruigbo V of Owerri) was laid to rest in his palace.

    Vehicular movements were also restricted as most of the major streets that used to be congested were almost deserted. Residents of Owerri reported that cannon shots started booming as early as 1am and continued until 12 noon.

    Eze Njemanze, whose reign was relatively peaceful, ascended the throne in 1989 and joined his ancestors in May 2016.

    The corpse was last taken to Government College Owerri where he was a pioneer student for a brief lying in state before a burial service at the Cathedral of Transfiguration of Our Lord (CATOL), where family members and Owerri indigenes turned out in large number to bid the monarch farewell. There was also a colourful road walk by youths in royal dresses.

    In his sermon the officiating Priest and the Anglican Bishop of Owerri, Rt. Rev. Dr. Cyril Okorocha stated that the quality of a man was not measured by his wealth, adding that the late monarch lived a life worthy of emulation and commendation.

    He prayed God for the repose of the soul of the departed monarch and the fortitude for the family to bear the loss.

    The burial was witnessed by eminent Nigerians including the former Governor of the State, Chief Ikedi ohakim, the Deputy Governor of the State, Eze Madumere ,  Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Minister of state for Education, Prof. Anthony anwukah Chief Mike Ahamba SAN, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, former Military Administrator of the State, Senator Ike Nwachukwu and Amb Kema Chikwe.

    Others were Amb. Jude Agbugba, Livy Uzoukwu SAN, Ken Njemanze SAN, Prof. Viola Onwuliri,  Dr. Pascal Dozie and Hon. Onyewuchi Ezenwa among others.

  • Student’s maltreatment: FG summons Egyptian ambassador

    Federal Government on Thursday summoned the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ashrat Salama over the maltreatment of 17- year-old Joshua Kunle Abdul-Azeez , a Nigerian medical student studying in Ukraine.

    The Minister of State 1 for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri , who met with the ambassador expressed the country’s displeasure over the issue and demanded for justice.

    Joshua was allegedly maltreated by an Egyptian airline.

    The minister said, “We cannot continue like this, Mr. President demands that the lives of Nigerians should be protected abroad. We demand explanation from your country.”

    “Egypt and Nigeria are friendly countries. You are not worried that Nigerian citizen was left without food for three days. I just want you to know that it is unacceptable to us and we demand apology from your country.”

    Salama in his response assured that full investigation will be carried out on the matter.

    He said, “If we find who is responsible for that act, he will be punished accordingly.”

    While saying the incident was not enough to affect relations between both countries, the ambassador expressed concern at the manner in which the matter was reported in the Nigerian Dailies, saying, “I was very shocked the way it was displayed in the newspapers. The issue was amplified in a big way in Saturday edition of newspapers. I don’t think the incident should mar our relationship with your country.”

     

  • FG kicks against visa payment in foreign currencies

    Nigeria has rejected the payment for visa and other consular charges in foreign currencies as introduced by some diplomatic and consular missions in the country.

    The British High Commission in Abuja had recently announced that all applications for a United Kingdom’s visa must be done online including payment which must also be in United States dollars.

    According to a statement signed by its Political and Press & Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Rob Fitzpatrick, payment can be made using Verve debit card, Visa, MasterCard credit, debit cards or the e-wallet PAGA.

    The move to online application and payments, Fitzpatrick had argued will deliver a streamlined application process and is consistent with a wider global trend to online transactions and payments.

    But the Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, said the decision is unacceptable to the Nigerian government.

    Prof. Onwuliri, who spoke on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps on the planned one day summit-level conference to mark the celebration of Nigeria’s centenary, said charging fees in foreign currencies, is illegal and a violation of Nigeria’s sovereignty.

    She said: “I would like to raise an issue of deep concern to the Federal Government. It has come to our notice that some diplomatic and consular missions in Nigeria have decided to charge visa and other consular fees in foreign currencies. This is totally unacceptable and must be stopped forthwith.

    “Charging fees in foreign currencies is an illegal act that clearly violates the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No self-respecting nation can accept such a flagrant assault on the symbol of its nationhood.”

     

     

  • Kinsmen of murdered Nigerian issue 48-hour ultimatum to India

    Kinsmen of murdered Nigerian issue 48-hour ultimatum to India

    Kinsmen of the Nigerian who was slain in India on October 31, Mr Simeon Obodo, have given the Indian government a 48-hour ultimatum to bring his body home for burial.

    The youths, from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, vowed that failure to do so might force them to carry out reprisal attacks on Indians living in their area.

    The aggrieved youths spoke yesterday in Abuja at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to show their anger over the murder of their kinsman. They were led by Akumefula Iheanyichukwu and received by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri.

    The youths called for the release of all Nigerians arrested on the death of Obodo.

    They spoke under the aegis of the National Congress of Ohaji Youths (NACOY).

    The youths said: “All Nigerians arrested and detained by Indian police, based on their demonstrations on this matter, should be released within 48 hours from now.

    “The remains of our brother, Mr Simeon Obodo, should be brought back to Nigeria and given a befitting burial by the Indian government before the end of first week of December 2013.

    “The Indian government should give answers to the following question within 48 hours: who takes care of his (Obodo’s) aged parent and dependants?

    “The Indian government should give us advanced reasons why our brother should be killed without telling Nigeria the offence he committed.

    “The Indian government should convince the people of Ohaji that Mr Obodo is not going to be next president of Nigeria.

    “Honourable minister, we want to remind you once more that some Nigerians are being arrested and detained in India because of their demonstrations on this matter, while Indians in Ohaji, Imo State and Nigeria are moving freely. Please, we are demanding their immediate release.

    “Ohaji youths are peaceful and responsible, notwithstanding that we are from the Niger Delta of Nigeria. But your response to this peaceful appeal will determine our fate. We are patiently and angrily waiting for your quick response to our demands.

    “Our submissions are as follows:

    · In as much as quick positive reactions are given to our demands, we will continue to be patiently waiting for the results and will remain so peaceful and responsible…”

    The group noted that since the death of Obodo, “the youths of Ohaji have been in psychological pains and restlessness, filled with anger that their brother was killed and up till now the India government has not said anything tangible about his death”.

    They added: “No efforts have been made to bring his body back to Nigeria for burial. The most annoying thing is that till this moment, over 50 Indians are still working with some of the oil companies in Ohaji without being harassed.”

    Prof. Onwuliri assured the youths that the Federal Government was on top of the situation.

    She said the government was taking serious steps to ensure that the issue was not swept under the carpet.

  • Nigeria seeks visa free regime for Commonwealth members

    Nigeria will press on with the call for the abolition of visa regime among members of the Commonwealth of Nations at this year’s meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM).

    The country’s interim position is for introduction of a pilot scheme which will faciliate visa free regime for holders of diplomatic and official passports from member countries.

    The event which kicks off in November 13-17, 2013, in Colombo, Sri-Lanka has as theme- “Growth with equity: Inclusive development”.

    The summit will also consider the Global Economic Situation, including debt sustainability, international trade, climate change as well as the promotion of people-people contact in the context of liberalization of visa regimes amongst commonwealth countries.

    This position, according to the country’s acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, will help improve trade amongst member nations.

    She had argued that the visa regime and other form of restrictions on movement amongst member countries will hinder the move to have a borderless Commonwealth.

    The minister in a pre-CHOGM press briefing in Abuja on Monday told journalists that “Nigeria is attending the CHOGM with a clear position on every item on the agenda of the various meetings.

    With specific reference to the theme, the summit would consider and adopt a concept paper prepared by the government of Sri Lanka.

     

     

     

  • Nigeria to work for ‘preventive diplomacy’ at UN Council

    The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has assured the international community that Nigeria would continue to work in the area of preventive diplomacy as it takes a seat in the United Nations Security Council in 2014.

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Nigeria was elected on Thursday as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council along with four other countries.

    Speaking at a media briefing in New York, Onwuliri also said that Nigeria would focus on mediation and prevention of conflict situations in Africa.

    “We need to have a strong voice to help the UN to deal with issues in Africa. African issues are the majority of issues facing the UN Security Council today.

    “We have been overwhelmingly given the mandate to serve in the UN Security Council on non-permanent category for the next two years.

    “Nigeria came to this assignment with rich antecedents and history being the fifth time we have been elected.

    “We want to thank the global community for this huge mandate of 186 votes out of 191. It shows confidence given to us and we will not disappoint the global community,’’ Onwuliri stressed.

    Also speaking, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Joy Ogwu, described Nigeria’s election as an indication of the confidence member states had in the country.

     

     

  • Jonathan to student: emulate Onwuliri

    President Goodluck Jonathan has urged university students to emulate the virtues that characterised the life of the former Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO Prof Celestine Onwuliri.

    Onwuliri, an accomplished academic, was one of those who died in the Dana plane crash at Iju Ishaga in Lagos last year.

    Speaking during the inauguration of an ultra-modern laboratory built by the management of Gregory University Uturu in Onwuliri’s honour, President Jonathan lauded his rich academic history.

    The President, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Prof Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, praised the scholarly industry of the late university don who earned his admission into the famed Academy of Science with a research project conducted locally in a Nigerian university.

    He also commended the Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu, Dr Greg Ibe for initiating the project. He enjoined other universities in Nigeria to emulate the gesture, stressing that the late don deserves the honour done to him.

    In his speech the Governor Theodore Orji, who was represented by the Abia State Head of Service, Adiele, urged people to strive to leave lasting legacies for which they will remembered, like the late Onwuliri has done.

    Responding, the wife of the deceased, Prof Viola Onwuliri, who is also the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, pledged that the Onwuliri family would continue to partner with Gregory University to sustain her late husband’s ideals.