Just-ln: Court bars Lucky from Gbeneyei 1 of Ogulagha kingdom title

Just-ln: Court bars Lucky from bearing Gbeneyei 1 of Ogulagha kingdom title 

Warri ______ A High Court in Effurun Division, Delta State, in a judgement delivered by Justice Roli Harriman, has restrained Chief Lucky Akara Gbeneyei from referring to himself as Gbeneyei 1 of Ogulagha Kingdom in the Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

Justice Harriman delivered the judgement in a suit between the claimant, Chief Gbeneyei, and the defendants Elder, Captain King Joseph Timiyan the Ebenanaowei of Ogulagha Kingdom, Torububor 1; Chief Williams Igere, Chief Prefugha Karawei and Chief Emaye Benidiwei.

The judge said in her judgement that Chief Gbeneyei was not conferred the chieftaincy title of Gbeneyei 1 by the traditional ruler of Ogulagha Kingdom and as such should not have used the title in a newspaper publication.

Justice Harriman who dismissed the claims of Chief Gbeneyei with the sum of two hundred thousand naira also awarded five hundred thousand naira as damages in favour to the defendants for libellous statements published by Chief Gbeneyei against them.

In addition, the court further restrained Chief Gbeneyei from referring to the trio of Chief William Igere, Chief Prefugha Karawei, and Chief Emaye Benidiwei as mindless, noting that the position occupied by the monarch and his chiefs is not only one of authority but also commands respect within and outside their kingdom.

Chief Prefugha, speaking on behalf of the other defendants on the outcome of the case, hailed the judgement as the right decision and that it has finally put to rest the contentious issue that has been debated for over two years.

Ex-agitators to Benefit as Ndiomu Partners with Humanitarian Ministry

PAP: Ex-agitators to Benefit as Ndiomu Partners with Humanitarian Ministry 

Abuja_____ The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major-General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (retired), has expressed the readiness of his administration to collaborate with governments at all levels, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to provide sustainable empowerment for Niger Delta youths, especially the ex-agitators.

General Ndiomu stated the willingness to work in synergy with MDAs when he received a delegation  from the Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operations (YESSO) of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation, who paid him a courtesy visit at the PAP headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking, the Interim Administrator stated that there is a nexus between the PAP empowerment programmes and those of the Ministry, which he insisted if well harnessed, would present huge potentials and benefits to youths of the Niger Delta.

 He spoke on the efforts of his administration to provide different skill-sets for ex-agitators through the various vocational training centres in Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states and expressed the hope that the teeming unemployed young persons could be trained and empowered to drive the economy of the region when the Centres become functional.

"The major problem we have in the Niger Delta is pipeline vandalism. It happens because many of the youths don't have skills for gainful employment and economic contributions and self-sustenance. It is my belief that your Ministry should have collaborated with the PAP from the very beginning. Going forward, any collaboration has to be deliberate and planned for effectiveness," Ndiomu stated.

"We have turned the Presidential Amnesty Programme around and changing the lives of ex-agitators through our legacy projects and what we require is support towards the cooperative scheme  which is up and running and helping ex-agitators to become entrepreneurs and for those with functional businesses to expand their investments" he emphasized.

General Ndiomu maintained that the relative calmness in the hitherto restive region owes much to the deliberate policies, programmes, and activities of the PAP, which the people have embraced.

"We have initiated the cooperative scheme. What we have started is on course. But funding is inadequate. We need funding to tackle and reverse the huge poverty in the Niger Delta Region. The way to go about it is this cooperative scheme. It is still not as widespread as it should be." the Interim Administrator stated.

He insisted that his administration has cleared debts that it inherited just as it reviewed and renegotiated bloated contracts that it also inherited, which savings have been applied to meet specific needs of delegates especially the scholarship scheme and the ongoing aviation training programmes for pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers within and outside the country. 

He urged those persons that have become agents of pessimism and distraction to   join forces with positive minded people to address the challenges of the region.

Earlier, Mr. Richard Romanus,  Programme Manager of Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operations, YESSO said the visit was to seek cooperation and collaboration with the PAP in line with the Ministry's YESSO Hubs, which it currently operates to train youths of the South South Region in the maritime, agriculture and other sectors of the economy. 

He thanked General Ndiomu for receiving the YESSO team and said a report on the visit will be submitted to the Minister to plan for the way forward with a view to cement the areas of possible collaboration.

Yoruba Agitator, Sunday gives herdsmen 1week to vacate Yorubaland or Else

Yoruba Agitator, Sunday gives herdsmen 1week to vacate Yorubaland or Else

The Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, yesterday, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Fulani herdsmen in the South-West to vacate the region, over the killings of some farmers in Oyo and Ogun states.

He also tasked security agencies to fish out and prosecute herders, who allegedly attacked farmers in Iwere-Ile, Oyo State, and some communities in Ogun State, recently

Igboho, in a statement, said farmers in Yorubaland and in any part of Nigeria deserve safety from criminal herders and others who will not allow them farm in peace.

The statement reads: “We are calling on the Police, the Department of State Security, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the Nigerian Army to address the security breaches now before the situation gets out of hand.

“We are saddened that the killings of our farmers innocently eking their living have started rearing their ugly head again. This worrisome development calls for sober reflection bearing in mind the current hardship in the country.

Highness Embakene ll hails Gov. Diri good works in Bayelsa State, calls on Bayelsans to vote him for second term comes November 11

Highness Embakene ll hails Gov. Diri good works in Bayelsa State, calls on Bayelsans to vote him for second term comes November 11

Francis Tayor

Yenagoa ______ As the November 11th, 2023 Bayelsa State Gubernatorial election draws closer, His Highness. Amb.(DR.) Jonathan Aladdin Ibe (JP), Embakene II, the Amananaowei of Bisangbene Community, Iduwini Clan in Ekeremor Local Government Area has commended the good works of the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Sen. Douye Diri over the last three years in office.

Dr. Jonathan Aladin made the commendation at Yenagoa, the state capital during a visit to the honourable Commissioner for Mineral Resources.

He spoke extensively on the need for all Bayelsans to support the effort of the Miracle Governor Senator Douye Diri, in order to get a second tenure in office as he had done wonderfully well in terms of infrastructural development, such as good road network, construction of bridges, building of new schools, provision of health care facilities, human capital development etc in the past three years in office.

His Highness during the visit to the honourable Commissioner for Mineral Resources Bayelsa State, see things for himself, noted that he was surprised with the level of developmental stride he saw across the state like never before.

According to him, said:

" The State has been transformed to a little london, both the young, old men and women are happy for his good works".

He assured the Miracle Governor, Senator Douye Diri that he is going to have a second tenure in office, stressing that no obstacle can stop him from actualizing his second term bid.

He noted that all the traditional rulers of the state are solidly behind him, saying the attention His Excellency is given to the traditional rulers of the state cannot be overlooked, hence they are going to replicate His Excellency's kind gesture towards them at the polls by massively voting for PDP in the forthcoming November 11, Bayelsa Gubernatorial election.

However, His Highness Aladin used this medium to call on Bayelsans, eligible voters to come out enmass on the 11th of November, 2023 to vote for Gov. Douye Diri and Lawrence Erhujakpo for second term as Governor and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, the statement added.

Group Urges Tinubu, Ribadu to lgnore Calls to Rejig Amnesty Program

Group Urges Tinubu, Ribadu to lgnore Calls to Rejig Amnesty Program 

South-South____ Some major stakeholders from the Niger Delta have condemned in strong terms an online report credited to a group Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta calling for a rejig of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and removal of the Interim Administrator from office.

The stakeholders under the platform of Ijaw Integrity Initiative have described the calls as immature, puerile and infantile coming particularly at a time the Programme is being repositioned to correct the years of error and wastage without impacting on the genuine ex-agitators. 

A statement by the Ijaw Integrity Initiative signed by the Chairman Victor Binaebi and the Secretary Ebi Ekiofagha wondered why those it described as disgruntled and unrepentant elements in the Niger Delta are persistent on walking the path of perfidy and bringing an entire ethnic group to national ridicule because of their entitlement mentality, insatiable greed and irredeemable spirit of betrayal.

“We are amazed at the level and length some people can go to enable them to achieve their inordinate ambition. We are aware of all their scheming through treachery, deceit and falsehood using online media sources to seek to influence their way into the PAP office” the group stated.

The stakeholders noted that there need to be a renewed mindset by some persons in the region to enable them to appreciate the innovations initiated by General Ndiomu who they described as a change agent. "He has repositioned the PAP and has done this in line with the ideals of the founding objectives of the amnesty programme and those few persons who see the Programme as a cash-cow are those elements resisting the initiatives through blackmail, media attacks, sponsored protests and agitations".

The group emphasized that “Those persons have remained unrelenting in their efforts to discredit General Ndiomu and are lobbying to prop up their stooge for the office to enable them to reinvent the old ways where payment of contractors who executed phantom projects take preeminence over the welfare of genuine ex-agitators who are supposed to be the primary beneficiaries.”

The Ijaw Integrity Initiative called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to ignore calls by sponsored groups calling out public office holders from the Niger Delta as people from a particular ethnic group in the region are well known to inhibit the culture of pulling down people, particularly when such public officers refused to do their bidding.

The statement noted that General Ndiomu who has a high pedigree came to the Presidential Amnesty Programme with both integrity and ideas and has displayed these qualities through the widely accepted cooperative scheme and the ongoing training programmes for pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers within and outside Nigeria as well as other legacy projects and policies.

Tinubu Approves Medical and Health Science University in Kwale, six others in the country

Tinubu Approves Medical and Health Science University in Kwale, six others in the country 

The Federal Government has approved the establishment of seven new tertiary institutions in the country. The Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Obilor-Duru Augustina Okechi, disclosed this, in a statement, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.

According to the statement, the breakdown includes two federal universities, two colleges of education converted to federal universities of education and three colleges of education.

It listed the federal varsities to include: Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Kwale, Delta State and Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi, Adamawa State.

The statement also named Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ondo State as well as Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Imo State as the Colleges of Education converted to federal universities of education.

Similarly, Federal College of Education, Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State; Federal College of Education, Ididep, Ibiono, Akwa Ibom State and Federal College of Education (Technical), Yauri, Kebbi State were named as the new Colleges of Education.

According to the statement: “The establishment and conversion of these institutions is a further demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector and will help in improving access to tertiary education in the country.

Ogbe-ljoh Justice Front Congratulates Tompolo on Surveillance Contract Renewal

Ogbe-ljoh Justice Front Congratulates Tompolo on Surveillance Contract Renewal 

Warri _______ The  Justice Front of Ogbe-ljoh Warri Kingdom  in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State has heartly congratulated Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited owned by the most respected leader of emancipation and empowerment master of the Niger Delta Region, High Chief. Government Oweizide Emkpemupolo, alias Tompolo, on the recent renewal of pipeline surveillance contract awarded to him by the Federal Government of Nigeria led by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for another two years.

In a congratulatory message released on Monday at Ogbe-ljoh, headquarters of Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State and signed by Gen. Poweide lkoro, described the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract by federal government to GOC as a well deserved one owing to his sincerity in curbing the menace oil theft, illegal bunkering in the creeks of Niger Delta in the last one year.

Gen. Ikoro alongside Philip Amakiri, Awala Okpogan, Chief. Benson Dubule and Amaye Endurance Ogbe noted that Tompolo is the number one leader of the emancipation struggle and empowerment father of the Niger Delta Region, hence the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract to him by federal government will continue to sustain the existing peace as well as stabilize the rapid growth of the nation's blue sea economy.

The Ogbe-ljoh Justice Front further reiterated that the huge success recorded in the fight against crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and remediation of the battaerd Niger Delta Environment by the activities of illegal oil bunkers by Tompolo's Tantita security outfit cannot be over emphasized, adding that president Bola Tinubu has taken a wise decision by extending the contract for another two years.

The statement added that with the renewal of the contract, the federal government of Nigeria should be rest assured of robust output of the quantum of crude oil production in the country, saying Government Ekpemupolo is a master of the job without compromise.