British Council honours outstanding alumni

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Connie Price

The British Council has honoured outstanding Nigerian alumni who have studied at various universities in United Kingdom in its continued recognition of achievements in impacting societies and economies around the world.

The British Council alumni awards in partnership with UK higher education institutions is intended to recognise outstanding success in entrepreneurism, professional achievement, and social impact by people who have studied at British teritory schools within the last 15 years.

Award winners and finalists are leaders in their fields who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions and countries.

The British Council in Nigeria recognised 14 finalists who were selected as finalists through an extremely competitive process.

Speaking at the ceremony in Lagos, Country Director, British Council Nigeria, Connie Price, said the award honours the success of individuals whose achievements in Nigeria have been, in some measure, influenced by their experience of studying at a UK university.

“We celebrate with them and congratulate them not only on their impressive professional successes but in their capacity as ‘ambassadors’ for UK higher education”, she said.

One of the recipient, a strategist at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Paul Oluikpe, said the recognition is symbolic and encourages every alumnus to push frontiers and boundaries to innovate the society, adding that it also is a development that acknowledge the contributions of alumni in Nigeria through the knowledge acquired in the United Kingdom.

Another recipient, All Progressive Congress (APC) Spokesman and former minister of youth and sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the recognition serves as an inspiration to others to understand the value of university education as service to the society.

Abdullahi said: “I will like to see a situation when we would also learn to celebrate ourselves more at institutional level. What the UK system in Nigeria is doing is to demonstrate how their education is impacting on societies, it is important to see that and take a cue from it and also begin to celebrate our people more and also begin to ask questions about the capacity of our own institutions to produce graduates that can add impact on society and begin to take the development of our education serious.”

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2ny5eU3

Obaseki tasks new revenue board on professionalism

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Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State

Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki yesterday evening tasked the newly inaugurated Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) on professionalism in the discharge of their duties to further boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue from where the last administration left it.

This is coming on the heels of Obaseki disclosing that Edo state is just as privileged as Lagos state in Sub-Saharan Africa, to access World Bank loans at less than one per cent for 20 years, and in some cases, 10 years moratorium.

He stated this dismissing allegations from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the state was heavily indebted.

He said Edo state has the best profile of debt structure in Nigeria, adding that there is virtually no government or business anywhere in the world that does not have debts.

He, however, revealed that it was salient to borrow with caution, saying, “It must be managed responsibly or no lender will borrow you money, if they believe that you do not have the capacity to pay”.

Obaseki on Monday swore in the new Chairman and members of the board of the Edo Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) , Igbinidu Inneh at The Government House in Benin City.

He said that one of the challenges of previous boards was inability to meet budgeted revenue targets noting that it would not be accepted anymore.

He commended the immediate former Chairman and members of the board for the level of patriotism and professionalism displayed during their tenure as he called on the new board members to build on the already established benchmark of their predecessor.

“You are the calibre of people we can vouch for in terms of integrity and professionalism. We want you to help deepen the tax collection and administration system in the state via high standards, but be humane to people in the state”, he said.

He also urged them to adopt the right technology and be prudent in spending to ensure effective performance of the board.

In his response, Inneh, appreciated the governor for the opportunity given to him and other members of the board to oversee revenue collection in the state.

Other members of the board are Mr Charity Aimamyaevbo, Mr Emmanuel Okodugha, Hon Micheal Ohio-Ezomo and Mr Efe Iserhienrhien as secretary.

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UNICEF-assisted MHCHW has reduced mortality among women, children

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UNICEF

As the 14th round of the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) assisted Maternal New-Born and Child Week (MNCHW) program ends in Bayelsa, the state Ministry of Health says the program has been able to reduce the high morbidity and mortality rate of mothers and children in the state by 20 percent.

Dr. Tonbara Sigha-Ekere, Director, Primary Health Care Department of the Ministry of Health, says though there was more to work do as mothers and children are still dying through preventable ailments, the intervention of UNICEF, the state government and local government has brought the high rate to a manageable level.

Research has shown that every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of childbearing age, making the country the second largest contributor to the under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world.

According to the research it is even more devastating especially in the knowledge that essential interventions reaching women and babies on time would have averted most of these deaths.

Speaking with The Guardian, Dr. Sigha-Ekere, said the program, which is held every six months was delayed in the state due to some logistic problems during the pre-implementation period.

Also speaking, the Director, Nutrition, Mr. Robinson Berigha, decried the level of poverty in the communities which has a left a devastating number of malnourished children as their parents cannot afford to give them food to aid their growth.

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Oil company boosts science studies in Edo school

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As part of efforts to boost the study of science in schools, a group of oil firms and oil servicing company in Edo state has donated an Ultra Modern Science laboratory to Students of Emaudo Secondary School in Esan West local government area of Edo State.

The laboratory, which included Physics, Biology and Chemistry, was built to rekindle the interest of students in science subjects.

The firm, under the umbrella of ‘Agbami co –ventures is a joint venture of Chevron, NNPC, Famfa Oil, Stat Oil and Petrobras.

In his address at the project inauguration, Director of Star Deepwater Petroleum Richard Kennedy said the laboratory would help the students to develop more interest in science and technology which is only being studied by a few in our secondary schools.

“The science laboratory donation is one of the programs in our social investment plan aimed at improving the teaching and learning of science subjects in our schools. This would further help in building our children’s interest in science subjects. The Agbami co-ventures recognise the importance of education as a catalyst for unlocking potentials of the youths and developing their capacity for societal relevance.

“This particular project therefore is a product of our efforts to help generate and improve access to education for all Nigerians through the donation of science laboratory complexes, electronic libraries and scholarship.

“We are particularly encouraged by the results of our social investment in Education through the Agbami Scholarship Program. About 13, 965 students in various universities in the country have benefited from the program out of which 64 have graduated with first class honours or its equivalent.

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Firms hunt for talent at LBS career fair

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LBS building

Despite the economic recession in the country, companies thronged the 14th MBA Career Fair held at the Lagos Business School to look for talent.

As MBA students prepare to graduate in March, the school organized the fair to give them the opportunity to interact with interested companies as well as seek internship positions, particularly for the first year students.

In his keynote address, the guest speaker and Chief Executive Officer of Swift Networks, Charles Anudu stressed the need by entrepreneurs to takes advantage of opportunities in a recession. “Entrepreneurs pursue opportunities relentlessly, they make an effort and don’t wait for opportunities to come to them. You need to be able to capture opportunities in a recession, “he said.

Representatives of most of the participating companies said they had high expectations and were hopeful to identify talent that would be a good fit for their organisations.

According to the Head, Strategy, Vurin Group, Adesuwa Nwokedi “Lagos Business School has a reputation of churning out quality graduates year after year. I have had the opportunity and privilege of working with their graduates as far back as four to five years ago.”

Among the companies that participated in this year’s career fair are Airtel, Gr8 Jobsng, Stanbic IBTC, BOSCH, Nielsen, ARM Limited, Brownstone Education and Immigration Consulting, Dow, Vurin Group, Saro Agro sciences, Godrej, Lafarge, Nestle, Ideas House and Total.

The Dean of LBS, Dr. Enase Okonedo and the MBA Director, Dr. Uchenna Uzo assure the participating companies that they had made the right decision to hire talent for high performance.

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Oyo, Osun raise technical committee for white-paper on LAUTECH report

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LAUTECH

Governor Abiola Ajimobi, and his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola have set up a 10-man technical committee to produce a white paper from the visitation panel’s reports on Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH),

The visitation panel was set up by the two owner states to investigate the crises rocking LAUTECH and recommend short and long term solutions to the challenges.

The panel headed by eminent lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) submitted its report after seven weeks.

The technical committee, chaired by the Chief of Staff to Oyo State governor, Dr. Gbade Ojo, is expected to submit a white paper on the visitation panel’s report within two weeks.

The owner states, however, set a four-point term of reference for the committee, which include taking a critical look at the recommendations of the visitation panel, and review whatever inadequacies that might be in the recommendations.

The committee is also expected to come up with pragmatic recommendations for the reopening of the LAUTECH and its sustainability without necessarily bringing financial burden to the owner’s states.

The governors have also concluded arrangement to engage international management consulting firm to look at the management structure of the institution and its finances with a view to offer long term sustainable recommendations to the two owner states.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2llw6IK

USAID project launches Push Away Diarrhoea campaign in Benue

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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in its flagship project, Shops Plus in its continued efforts to sustain health outcomes in private sector in Makurdi the Benue State capital launched campaign against diarrhea, a major childhood killer disease in Nigeria.

Chief of Party, Shops Plus Nigeria, Mrs. Ayodele Iroko, while addressing a mammoth crowd of stakeholders at Benue Hotels, explained that Shops Plus is a flagship project by USAID that has the aim to increase the use of priority health services through the strategic expansion of private sector whole health system.

Iroko stated that the Push Diarrhoea Away campaign in Benue has become critical, as diarrhoea has in the past caused deaths in children under the age of five in most local communities in the state.

She stressed that the programme target is to achieve its initiatives through quality and prevention of diarrhoea in children with the use of ORS/Zinc tablets across the nooks and crannies of communities in the state.

Also speaking, the Office Director of USAID Nigeria, Nancy Lowenthal, intimated that at least 240, 000 Nigerian children die every year from diarrhoea related illness, ranking the country as the second highest in the world.

Lowenthal expressed sadness that diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria were the leading causes of childhood killer diseases, hence the need to partners with stakeholders to join hands together in order to end all forms of preventable child and maternal morbidity.

In a key note address, the state commissioner for Health and human services, Dr. Cecilia Ojabo, expressed disgust over the high prevalence deaths caused by diarrhea in the state and advised the people to try to eradicate the menace through improving the quality of water sources, environmental cleanliness, hands washing etc.

She urged people to cultivate the habits of using toilets and stop open defecation as well as develop the habit of regular hands washing stain the tide of the disease.

The launch which was attended by wife of the state governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Eunice Ortom who was decorated as Zinc/Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) champion in the state went on to give recognition to 722 community volunteers trained as Zinc/ORS volunteers and designed the 23 wives of LG administrators as advocates who would pass the message to households in all the 23 local council areas of the state.

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Private medical practitioners hold conference in Osogbo

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The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), will hold her 39th Annual General Meeting and International Scientific Conference in Osogbo, the capital city of the State of Osun.

The conference tagged: “AGPMPN OMOLUABI 2017,” is scheduled to take place at the Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, Osun State, from Wednesday, March 15 to Sunday 19, 2017.

The main theme of the conference is: “Metabolic Syndrome: The Rising Scourge and Implication on Public Health,” and a number of other interesting sub-themes have also been lined up for discussion by notable experts and scholars who have distinguished themselves in the medical profession.

According to the chairman, local organizing committee (LOC), Dr. Shadrach Ijagbemi, the conference would mark another turning point in the history of the State of Osun as many activities have been lined up to make the event a memorable one.
Speaking further, Ijagbemi assured that adequate security will be put in place within and around the venue throughout the duration of the event.

On his part, the Project Lead, Mr. Moses Alabi of MLS Consulting Limited, consultants to the association, said over 1000 doctors, guests and other delegates are expected to attend this epoch-making event. He advised corporate organisations and exhibitors to avail themselves of this unique opportunity to exhibit and showcase their products and services to the teeming audience.

Alabi added that the conference, which promises to be a rewarding experience for all the participants, would simply be beyond their imagination, just as he advised interested delegates, individuals and corporate organisations to visit the event website:

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2llGSi9

Nigeria, eight others move to cut maternal, infant mortality (Read full details)

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Pregnant woman PHOTO: Courtesy of http://ift.tt/29bR5p0

Disturbed by the high incidence of maternal and child mortality, nine countries – Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda – have committed to halving preventable deaths of pregnant women and newborns in their health facilities within the next five years.

Nigeria is next to India on the list of countries with the highest number of maternal and child deaths.The commitment, already sanctioned by a new Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) and other partners, is aimed at improving the quality of care mothers and babies receive at these facilities.

WHO, yesterday in a statement y, said the network aims to strengthen national efforts to end preventable deaths by 2030, as envisioned by the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women, Children and Adolescents’ Health. The affected nations are to make good the intention by strengthening capacity and motivating health professionals to plan and manage quality improvement as well as improving data collection and increasing access to medicines, supplies, equipment and clean water.

The statement added that the nine countries had committed to identifying the actions they would take to improve quality of care and facilitate work with partners to deliver the vision of quality that encompasses equity and dignity.

To achieve this, the governments are to build and strengthen their national institutions, identify quality of care focal points at all levels of the health system, accelerate and sustain the implementation of quality-of-care improvement packages for mothers, newborns and children as well as work with all relevant groups to facilitate learning, knowledge sharing and accountability.

Director, WHO Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, Dr. Anthony Costello, noted: “Every mother and infant deserves to receive the highest quality of care when they access health facilities in their communities.”

Through a global learning platform, the Quality of Care Network will build a community of health practitioners from the facility level and develop evidence-based, yet context-specific strategies to improve quality of care, harvest implementation ideas and collect information and experiences about what was working.

According to the global agency, the period around childbirth was most critical for saving mothers and newborns as well as preventing stillbirths.

Every year, 303 000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth, just as 2.7 million babies exit in the first 28 days of life and 2.6 million stillborns persist globally.

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100 young footballers scramble for scholarship in FCBESCOLA Academy trials

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FCBESCOLA Soccer School Academy, Lagos is offering a lifetime opportunity for the best young footballers available nationwide in a new elite scholarship programme.

The academy, organised in conjunction with the Lagos State government, is licensed by FC Barcelona, Spain, wants talented footballers of between ages five and 18, who will be part of world footballs’ future elite.

Trials for the scholarships begin tomorrow and end on Thursday at the Main Bowl of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.According to the Brand Marketing Manager, Yurena Medina, the essence of the scholarship is to look for the new Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta.

“From next week Monday to Thursday, we are going to have trials for about 100 young footballers, which is going to be free. We are inviting those ones that have the skills; we are looking for the new Messi, Iniesta here in Nigeria.

“Basically, they will be here to show their skills, after which they will pass the first and the second round and thereafter the successful ones will be given a one year scholarship by the FCBESCOLA Academy. However, this scholarship is only available for those who cannot afford the academy,” she stated.
Medina said the form would be available at the Onikan Stadium and Campos Square, Lagos Island.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kxPeA6

Topaz dethrones Ruby at 17th Dowen College school sports…See full details

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Defending Champions, Ruby (Red House), at the weekend lost its crown to Topaz (Yellow House) at the 17th edition of the Dowen College Lagos Inter-House Sports Festival held at the Yaba College of Technology Sports Ground, Lagos.

At the yearly occasion filled with funfair, Topaz emerged champions at the end of all events winning 15 gold, nine silver and 14 bronze medals. Sapphire (Blue House) was second with 12 gold, 16 silver and 11 bronze medals, while Ruby came third with 12 gold, 15 silver and 13 bronze medals and Emerald (House) placed fourth with eight gold, seven silver and nine bronze medals.

In the march past, Sapphire won the gold, Ruby picked silver while Topaz settled for the bronze medal. However, the queen of the tracks, Akpedeye Blossom, competing in the senior cadre, emerged the over all best female athlete, as junior athlete, Adekunle Babaferanmi, claimed the prize for the best male.

Speaking at the occasion, Principal of the college, Mrs. Olawunmi Togonu-Bickersteth, said the occasion beckons on the children to be given the prospect of discovering their talents and also to live a healthy life through sports participation.

“Inter-house sports give the children the opportunity to unearth and develop their God-given talents in an healthy competition among themselves. They also have the opportunity to fellowship together in healthy rivalry knowing well that participation in sports is not always a win, win situation. In every competition there will always be loser and a winner.

“The parents have been very supportive of their wards taking part in sporting activities. They have never in any way stood in the ways of their children each time they are called upon, rather they have always encouraged them,” she said.

Among the dignitaries on the occasion is the Vice President, Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Mr. Francis Orbih, who was the distinguished guest of honour.

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Mbamali’s anthology of captivating lamentations

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By PRISCA SAM DURU-  REVIEW

CRYLAND Woes and Other Poems, is an anthology of beautiful poetry by Onyechi Mbamali which encapsulates the author’s feelings as well as disappointments towards a country in the doldrums which otherwise should have been occupying a revered position among the developed countries of the world. The anthology is presented to readers as a plethora of human pain documented in times of helplessness and disappointments.

A large part of the anthology contains poems that paint a vivid picture of the level of devastation in the Niger Delta region and therefore, are lamentations on a doomed region in a failed state, the resultant effect of corruption, treachery, greed, injustice and selfishness.

Level of injustice and decay

The aptly illustrative cover page also lends its voice to the poet’s lamentation as readers would critically decipher a state of confusion and destruction enveloping an individual. Appropriately titled, Cryland Woes and Other Poems, readily suggests feelings of gloom and coming from a poet of Mbamali’s calibre, one expects nothing less especially considering the level of injustice and decay existing in a naturally endowed region such as Niger Delta.

The poems of varying lengths and verses, showcase Mbamali’s earnest desire to help individuals attain both spiritual and social change while interrogating the origin of crisis in the country which according to him, dates back to its creation. The book avers that the country’s pitiable condition only grew worse due to fact that the country failed to “define and honestly guarantee her citizens the fundamental human rights to life and sanity.”

The poets preface to the poems is another poem in its entirety. Like a volcanic eruption, he forces his pain down his readers’ minds, awakening the consciousness of the political class, to the impending but avoidable catastrophe if they choose to let the country remain in comatose.

Mbamali’s poems are crafted with such dexterity that even when they appear as unwavering  lamentations that are indictment on the ruling class, they are also to be enjoyed as beautiful lines. Although the poems are arranged in three parts, they emphasise a common theme covering “a past of conflict, the present of confusion and a future of no certain coordinates.”

The riveting verses in part one e.g, Swamplands Ablaze (1-111), bring to the fore the devastation on the land as a result of vandalism, bombings, etc. Part three of the anthology which begins with the title of the collection, Cryland Woes, reflects much of the gloomy state of the country. Cryland Woes 1-3, Foiled Acres 1-2, As Darkness Falls 1-2, Excerptions 1-2, Exodus 1-2, Omens Ignored 1-2, etc, are titles that reflect the state of the land.

Rumble of Rubble (1), speaks of the level of joblessness, starvation and devastation confronting a voiceless and hapless people. In Rumble of Rubble (11), the poet laments that his people may be experiencing crisis as other countries across the globe, but he is much pained for the simple fact that there isn’t any “… voice to speak for them.”

In other not to confuse the poet’s intentions in verses contained in “There shall  Yet the Guns Agains” and “Omens Ignored”, Mbamali advises that “They are only reminiscent of the punctuating snuffles in a child’s sob, tearful soliloquies nursing pangs and spasms for a deeper conversation in the land.” Salute to Mbamali for being unpretentious in his poetics!

Written in a very simple language and adopting the narrative style of poetry, “May we not be like them” admonishes the masses who have been on the receiving end of injustice, to continue in virtue so as not to find themselves in the positions of the destroyers.

The lines here are strong! “For water, they shall stand instead a drink of instant blood.”

 

The post Mbamali’s anthology of captivating lamentations appeared first on Vanguard News.

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Oba Ewuare II is a die-hard traditionalist – Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin

ROYAL RUMBLE: Oba Ewuare II roars again, Chief Priest ostracized, palace sealed

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By Simon Ebegbulem, Benin-City

This is certainly a rough period for the Isekhure of Benin Kingdom, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, who was suspended by the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) for alleged flouting palace rules as the chief priest of the shrine of the Oba. The feud between the embattled chief and the palace of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare 11 (Ogidigan), climaxed on Wednesday when top Benin chiefs invaded the palace of Isekhure, located along Sakpoba Road Benin City, allegedly to secure the Erimwi-Idu shrine, belonging to the Oba, and, in the process, destroyed every item that gave the place the semblance of a palace  including the status of Isekhure erected in the palace several years ago.

The blow dealt on  Isekhure is a pointer that this Oba will not tolerate any attempt by any of his chiefs to take for granted the monarchical rules of the kingdom. The chief priest of the Oba  was alleged to have failed to perform his duties when Oba Erediauwa joined his ancestors and even when Oba Ewuare 11 ascended the throne last year.

The Iyase of Benin, who announced Isekhure’s suspension, last week, after pronouncing the allegations against the chief priest, narrated the history of the Ihogbe family and cited reasons the rituals usually performed by the Isekhure on behalf of the Oba was returned to the Ihama who, according to him, is the original performer of those rituals.

He said, “The Isekhure of Benin is a member of the Ihogbe Palace Society of Benin, the leader of which is the Ihama of Benin. Ihama was one of the traditional spiritual personages who travelled with Prince Oranmiyan from Ife to Benin City in about the middle of the twelfth century AD.   Isekhurhe was, as the family grew in Benin, one of his male children.

The present responsibilities of Isekhurhe were part of the traditional duties of Ihama. When, as a result of old age, the Ihama found it difficult to walk from his Ogbe in Ihogbe quarters to the palace to perform some of his allocated rites, he pleaded with the reigning Oba Ewedo to empower one of his sons to take over the performance of the rites on his behalf. Uku Akpolokpolo approved and later in about 1280 AD, created the title Isekhure, the position in which the descendants of Isekhure functioned for their father until the present Isekhure decided, for reasons best known to him to desecrate it.

“He (Isekhure) designated his house as a palace where he held court in which he sometimes reviewed cases already dealt with in the Oba’s palace. Senior chiefs were at times openly bad-mouthed and vilified by him and during those times, he declared that the chiefs were not senior to him and that he would not pay respects to them again as palace cultures demand.

He turned himself into a be all and end all, and a seeming authority in the Benin Culture and tradition, especially palace procedures. He even pronounced himself the head of the royal family”. The Ihogbe family replied the BTC, describing the allegations or face legal action. When this ultimatum was issued, people who understand Oba Ewuare 11 said the chief priest was asking for more trouble.

In Benin, it is common knowledge that the BTC speaks on behalf of the Oba and therefore any threat issued against BTC is a threat against the Oba. And as it is generally known, no body fights the Oba, and the Ihogbe family threat to go to court worsened the matter. After the  family issued that threat on Monday, on Wednesday, at about 9am, top palace chiefs, led by Chief Eduwu Ekhator, the Obasogie of Benin Kingdom, invaded the palace of  Isekhure with policemen to execute the instruction of the Oba.

Their mission was to secure the Erimwi-Idu shrine and other properties of the Oba still in the possession of Isekhure. This created traffic jam along Sakpoba Road, Benin-City for several hours, as some youths, who wore a T-Shirt with the inscription “Ihogbe youths”, destroyed the status of the Isekhure and every structure erected in the compound which gave the place a semblance of a palace.

Family members wept uncontrollably as they watched. Before Ekhator ordered the youths to commence the demolition, Isekhure, who locked himself inside his residence since the Oba’s emissaries stormed his place, came out and engaged Ekhator in a heated argument. He accused them of bringing policemen into his compound to arrest him.

However, Ekhator urged him to allow them take possession of the Oba’s property in the palace, but  fearing that he may be arrested, Isekhure ran back into the palace and locked the door.  The action infuriated the Oba’s emissaries who now commenced what they described as the process of ostracizing the chief priest.

Explaining their mission, the Obasogie of Benin said: “This is the process of ostracizing him. The real power house of the monarchical power of the Oba, some of them are here and information reaching the palace is that some of these things are being tampered with. Obviously the Oba is the owner of that building, even though in his magnanimous manner he kept him there to take care of those things. It is like the sceptre bearer of the Oba, and when the Oba says he needs the sceptre and you run away with it, the Oba will look for it.

We have had cause to secure artefacts and the shrine and possibly the area they occupy. This house is the Oba’s house, we are not after the man; the Oba has already told him to take the extensions he built in there but the original foundation of the palace property should remain where it is, it is a monumental structure and we have to fortify it.

And I think all processes required by the palace has been completed before now. He has locked the door, we cannot get to the place which is the Oba’s domain. For now, he is completely ostracized. All his functions have been revoked by the Oba. This is someone who worked under the Oba; during the period of mourning, he refused to perform his duties and even during coronation he was nowhere to be found. So the Oba has asked him to return all he handed over to him so that the original owner will now control it and he is running away. That is unacceptable”.

Analysts say this is Oba Ewuare 1 who came back to complete what he started in his first coming. Oba Ewuare I ruled Benin Kingdom between 1440-1473 after ascending the throne through a bloody coup. In a recent interview,  the Esogban of Benin, Chief David Edebiri, who gave an insight into the reign of Oba Ewuare I, said: “Oba Ewuare I, was everything.

He was the 13th Oba of Benin. He was politically sagacious. He was an explorer, he was what is today called a diplomat, he was a good manager of people, he is a warrior. His reign here in Benin brought in a lot of social improvement, good streets, cleanliness and more significantly, it was during his reign that white people first got in contact with Benin.

When John Squirrel visited this place in 1472, Oba Ewuare was the King here because they were hearing so much about Benin. Ewuare was the most travelled Oba ever since, how he did it nobody knows. They are signs that he visited areas outside the present day Nigeria and established his presence. He was nick named Ewuare Ogidigan, which means Ewuare the Great.

“He conquered so many areas such as Ekiti, Akure, Igbo land, he went to all those areas and brought them under the Benin empire. He expanded the empire, I gaze may be because he did not get the throne on a platter of gold that made him great. He organized a coup when his brother betrayed him.

Oba Ohen was his father, Ewuare’s native name was Ogun, right from when he was small the Benin people saw him as a warrior or someone if allowed to reign was likely to subjugate everybody. They did not like him starting from when he was a Prince. During that period, the rule of primogeniture was really not established fully. The battle was within the royal family. He was not the senior, his senior brother Ezoti took the throne but lasted for only 14 days before he was assassinated. So the throne became vacant again.

They drove Ogun into exile, he left here with his younger brother Uwaifioku into exile. They were wandering in the bush. He always come into Benin at night to get information about the political situation after that he sneaks back to the forest. It was one of those situations that he came to town that he met a lady called Emotan. Emotan had a hut where she sleeps around Oba market, Ogun sneaked into the place. But before then, he sent his brother to come to Benin to find out what the political situation was.

His brother Uwaifioku came to Benin, people saw him and were happy to meet him. Because of the love the people showed to him, he sold out and they made him Oba. So when Ogun (Ewuare) sneaked into Emotan’s hut, he was told that his brother has been Crowned King. He was shocked and said my own confidant, I told him to go and spy and report back to me he went to make himself king. That was how Ewuare organized a coup and Uwaifioku was assassinated.

When Ewuare became Oba he changed the name of this place from lle to Edo, the name we now bear today. He was a magician, he had medicines that speaks like human beings. He fought 201 wars, captured some many territories, killed their Kings and colonized them within the Benin empire. Many things are traceable to Oba Ewuare even the beads that we wear today.

Oba Ewuare died after a long reign and was buried at Essi town, near Udo in Ovia South West, as commanded before his death. This is the Oba who commanded that if he dies because he was sick, they should not bury him in Benin City but in Essi where his mother comes from. The burial place there is preserved, every Oba who wants to ascend the throne must go there to perform certain ceremonies”.

A critical look at where Oba Ewuare 11 is coming from will better give you an insight into the kind of reform that is currently ongoing in the palace. Since his coming, palace chiefs who were used to boycotting palace activities or meetings are said to have have changed their ways. Every Benin chief, no matter how poor, must dress well now before coming to the palace.

There is peace in virtually all the Benin communities due to his abolition of Community Development Associations. So, it is a big risk to dare Oba Ewuare II because, as history has shown, he can be ruthless if taken for granted. Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, the palace of  Isekhure has been sealed and it is prohibited for anyone to go there.

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Igbo APC leaders rebuff Obasanjo, endorse Buhari for 2019

2019: Obasanjo goofed on his call for Igbo presidency – Guy Ikokwu

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•Why S-East supports restructuring to ceding power’

By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political Editor

SECOND Republic politician,  lawyer and one of the pioneer members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Guy Ikokwu, has picked holes in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s call that the South-East should be allowed to produce the President of Nigeria in 2019, saying it would suicidal for the Igbo to do so in the prevailing unitary structure of the country. Going forward, he told Sunday Vanguard, in this interview, why and how Nigeria should be restructured urgently to unleash economic development in the country, among other issues.

On Obasanjo’s call for Igbo presidency in 2019

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s call for Igbo presidency at the next opportunity for election is rather belated because he had a golden opportunity in 2005 when he convened his National Political Reforms Conference, NPRC, to restructure Nigeria and return the country to true federation with fiscal federalism but he bungled it. That would have meant devolution of power to the states and regions, which would have given Nigeria a very strong economic base and we would not have been in recession that we are now.

Obasanjo knows that the Igbo nation wants Nigeria to return to true federalism, which can be done this year. Therefore, Igbo prefer restructuring of Nigeria to presidential ambition under the present unitary system. The last Igbo man, who ruled Nigeria under the unitary system was General Aguiyi Ironsi. He was murdered in the July 1966 counter-coup. Why will another Igbo person want to assume presidency of Nigeria under a unitary system as we have today when the last person was murdered? Ndigbo are not ready to make the same unsavoury mistake again.

Majority of Ndigbo are not interested in the Nigerian presidency in our skewed and dysfunctional constitutional system, which is presently unitary instead of truly federal.

Therefore, the Igbo are at the fore-front of the quest for justice, fairness, equity and equilibrium for all parts of Nigeria and the six geo-political zones, which will make Nigeria to become the pride of Africa and no longer the ‘big for nothing’ entity we are referred to in West Africa and the rest of Africa.

The restructuring of Nigeria can be done this year because all the documentation has been done by all stakeholders and groups in the country. It should not take more than two months, between now and Easter and there will be a referendum by June.

The moment that is done, the economy of Nigeria will be turned around immediately because there will be renewed hope from everybody. Let the best thing for the country to be done now. We should no longer postpone the evil day.

What about the 1999 Constitution and amendments  embarked upon by the National Assembly?

The 7th National Assembly had proposed several amendments to the 1999 constitution after a committee of the House had gone round the states for various testimonies. It is a well known fact that former President Goodluck Jonathan did not execute the proposed amendments of the constitution before he stepped down from office.

The current 8thNational Assembly has also set up a constitution amendment committee which has been working on the details of various amendments which had been the subject of the political, media and other legislative discussions such as the separation of office of the Minister of Justice from that of the Attorney General of the federation, true independence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the judiciary, etc.

There are lot of the piece meal amendments, which have been proposed in the current 8th Assembly that are matters which had been discussed and recorded in some of the resolutions of the 2014 National conference. Some of these proposed amendments are definitely relevant and acceptable but such a piece meal method of constitutional review may not be endorsed as the proper means of introducing a totally new constitution for the country.

 

To start with, the issue of the introduction of a new constitution for the country was not part of the electoral mandate of the election of 2015. Constitutional lawyers aver that “sovereignty belongs to the people” and a new constitution for the country can only be promulgated by the people of Nigeria by virtue of the referendum.

It is quite clear that the 1999 constitution of Nigeria was promulgated with a “lie”. It was not the people of Nigeria who promulgated the constitution. This lie had been emphasized by late jurist Rotimi Williams, SAN and our constitutional Icon Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN, likewise other living jurists because it was only endorsed by the ruling military class not by the Nigerian people.

The revision of the Nigerian constitution must certainly underline the frame work under which the details are being worked out. The present constitution of 1999 is certainly a “unitary” constitution and not a “federal” constitution. Therefore, the detailed work of the 8th Assembly has to be done with regard to the system of democratic governance we are to return to.

Flaws of past amendments, conferences

The previous conferences and consultations under the military and under the presidential government of Obasanjo NPRC 2005 and Jonathan National Conference of 2014 did emphasis the return of Nigeria to a truly federal democracy with fiscal federalism and responsibilities. It must definitely be such that the powers of the regions and states which had been aggregated upward and whittled down to the exclusive list of the central government in Abuja must be devolved back to the regions or states or federating units of Nigeria.

Gains of true, fiscal federalism

With true federalism and fiscal federalism, Nigeria would definitely be out of recession within one year and ensure a growth rate of not one per cent but a minimum of five per cent. With a return to parliamentary democracy massive corruption which has been enthroned by the military for 50 years will be drastically reduced ensuring a drastic reduction of unemployment, high wages for the working populace, increase in education and the diversification of the economy with increased productivity and increased foreign reserves from our exports as well as in coming foreign currencies from Nigerians in the Diaspora as well as Foreign Direct Investments, FDI.

There must be a sense of emergency in Nigeria. The judicial system must be reorganized with multiple and diverse courts to speedily deal with such matters as corruption. The British Supreme Court has just speedily ruled in favour of their parliament discussing and agreeing to the operation of Art 50 of the European Union Treaty before Prime Minister Theresa May initiates any action on the matter

A lot of the agitations which imperil the rule and the quiet habitation of our kit and kin in various parts of the country, killings by herdsmen or religious killings such as the affairs of the Southern Kaduna, agitators in parts of the country such as the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB and the unnecessarily and illegal incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu and his colleagues, and other agitators in the North or in the Niger Delta would definitely be severely curtailed as the federating units who will be incharge of their internal securities will take care of a lot of the problems.

Need for meeting of critical stakeholders

In consideration of the system to be adopted for the future governance of Nigeria, a lot of the leadership of various cultural unions such as Ohanaeze with the new President General of Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the Afenifere with the leadership of Chiefs Reuben Fasoranti and Ayo Adebanjo and the Yourba elders committees, the Arewa Consultative Forum current leadership, the Ijaw National Congress and the PANDEF leadership under Chief Edwin Clark and others, the religious leaders such as the Sultan of Sokoto, the Christian clerics such as Anthony Cardinal Okogie and John Cardinal Onaiyekan and the leadership of the CAN, the Muslim cleric Dr. Ahmad Gumi as well as other eminent Nigerian elite from the political or professional classes should be invited for a review of the constitutional amendments suggested by the 8thNational Assembly for deliberations before their final submissions are put to the nation by way of referendum. All these can be completed by June 2017, as time is of the essence. Nigerians cannot afford to stall at this time, otherwise the resultant effect may be very tragic for the nation.

A conference of notable Nigerians should be summoned by President Buhari by end of February to confer for 30 days to review the papers of previous conferences and national assembly amendments in order to proffer the best options for a national constitution, for a Nigerian referendum by mid-year of 2017. Such a positive attitude would engender an attitudinal hope and change of heart for our immediate restructuring of One Nigeria and mitigate our current economic inabilities.

Personalities for such a conference should include ex officio notable representatives such as Hon. Justice Idris L. Kutigi, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Justice S. M. Belgore, Justice Mohammed Uwais, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Sen. Femi Okurounmu, with 20 persons of note representing each of the six zones of Nigeria, etc.

What about autonomy for local governments?

The issue of autonomy of Local Government Councils can only be analysed within its proper context. Local Councils exist either in a unitary or in a federal constitutional set up. In a unitary system the local governments are the appendages of the unitary central government, whereas in a federal set up local councils are under the direct control of the federating units such as the regions or states.

For the central government today to be allocating funds and dealing with some matters such as primary Education and Health Care, which are local government matters is clearly an adulteration and mix-up of their cardinal roles. For the current state governments to have joint Local Government and State Government accounts largely operated by the state governments today is clearly another mix-up because it is still not clear whether Nigeria is operating a unitary or a federal system of government.

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, surely misunderstood the current mix-up when he told the visiting executives of National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, recently that “it is the desire of the National Assembly to grant financial autonomy to local councils in the ongoing move to amend the 1999 constitution.”

The amendment of the constitution can only be legalized with its adoption by the constitutional majority of the states and National Assembly.

If the states assembly in Nigeria today are for the enactment of a truly federal constitution for Nigeria then such a proposed amendment will fail. It is quite clear today that the use of the word “Federal” in our current constitution of 1999 is not only illegal but a fallacy. Nigeria operates a unitary form of government today because since 1976 most of the items in the Concurrent List of the 1963 federal constitution had been transferred to the Exclusive List of the centre by military fiat.

Therefore, what the National Assembly should do without hoodwinking the Nigerian populace and the states, which are currently mere appendages of the centre in Abuja is to reverse the militarisation of Nigeria, from a unitary to a federal democracy as was inherited from the British and our forefathers at independence in 1960. Our Governors, Legislators, Legal and other Professionals should be very watchful and ensure that Nigeria moves forward rather than ignorantly racing towards the calamitous precipices of no return.

 

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FG earmarks $1.2b for Kano-Kaduna rail line

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By AbdulSalam Muhammad
The Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday, announced that the  Federal Government has earmarked $1.2b for the construction of the new Kano – Kaduna rail line.

The Minister, who disclosed this during a visit to Gov. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, explained that the importance of Kano economy necessitated a new thinking.

Amaechi said: “I think the President is doing that because the economy of Kano is also large in the country and that, between Kano and Lagos, we have about a total of 30 million tons of freight, and that will help in conveying some of them to Abuja, while we extend the construction to Lagos”.

The Transport Minister said that already, the Federal Government was negotiating with China EXIM Bank and it was expected that the negotiation would end this year, to pave way for work on the project to commence.

Ameachi further revealed that the Lagos – Kano rail (narrow gauge) would have more locomotives, before June 2017, stressing: “We are trying to bring in about 100 locomotives to move between Lagos – Kano – Funtua and Port Harcourt – Gombe”.

The flurry of activities around this initiative, he noted, would greatly impact on Kano and reverberate on the national economy.

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