THE FOUR PILLARS THE MISCHIEF MAKERS CANNOT TOPPLE: Tompolo, Otuaro, Tonlagha & Pondi Hold the Niger Delta Steady-The Enemies of Peace Will Fail-

 -The Enemies of Peace Will Fail-

In the restless heart of the Niger Delta,  

where the rivers twist like giant sleeping serpents  

and the palm trees bow gently to the oil-rich wind,  

dark voices have begun to rise ,  

voices dripping poison into the waters,  

seeking to stain the names of our protectors.  

High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, the world calls him Tompolo,  

stands like a tall iroko tree in the storm,  

his roots deep in the soil of the Delta,  

his branches spread wide to shield the people from unrest.  

Beside him walks Dr. Dennis Otuaro,  

steadfast as morning light,  

his steps guiding the Presidential Amnesty Programme  

along paths where openness is the lamp,  

and progress flows like a calm river at dawn.  

Engineer Mathew Tonlagha, Vice Chairman of Tantita Security,  

moves with the quiet might of a seasoned sailor,  

reading the tides, sealing the leaks,  

keeping the black blood of our land  

safe from the greedy cups of oil thieves.  

Engineer Kestin Pondi, the Managing Director of Tantita,  

is the watchman of this fortress,  

his eyes scanning every channel,  

his vigilance a shield against the shadows  

that creep along pipeline veins at midnight.  

Together they stand 

Tompolo, the warrior wave,  

Otuaro, the voice of peace,  

Tonlagha, the calm navigator,  

and Pondi, the unblinking sentinel.  

These men are not mere names,  

they are pillars of the Delta house,  

each one a stone carved with dedication,  

each one a torch burning against the dark.  

The mischief makers -- failed merchants of greed,  

contractors with hollow pockets,  

yell from the riverbank,  

their placards flapping like the wings of restless bats.  

They say our protectors build cages in secret,  

that their crowns are made of cruelty,  

but these are paper tigers,  

drawn by hands soaked in envy  

and sold cheaply to the market of lies.  

Their mission is not justice,  

but fire,

fire to scorch the bridge between the Government and the people,  

fire to destroy the peace planted in the South-South’s fertile soil.  

Yet peace now has deep roots here,  

watered by unity,  

guarded by these four pillars who keep watch day and night.  

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited,  

the spear in Tompolo’s hand,  

moves like spirits along the pipelines,  

catching thieves before they drink the nation’s wealth.  

Every intercepted theft is a nail in the coffin of chaos,  

every patrol a song of protection for Nigeria’s economic heart.  

Those who throw stones at these hands of service  

do not seek truth ,

they seek the shattering of mirrors  

that have long reflected their own decay.  

But the Delta knows,  

and the Delta remembers:  

without these men and their company,  

our oil would bleed into the soil  

and our children’s laughter would drown in fear.  

So let the rivers carry away the lies.  

Let Tompolo’s iroko shadow spread wider still,  

let Otuaro’s guiding light shine brighter,  

let Tonlagha’s calm helm steer straighter,  

let Pondi’s sharpened eyes never close.  

For as long as these guardians hold their post,  

the Niger Delta will stand strong , 

and in the shade of the palms,  

the children will once again dance  

to the heartbeat of a land at peace.  

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

Genocide: Nigerian Senator Seriake Dickson urges Tinubu to collaborate with US govt to fight terrorists

Nigerian vocal Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Seriake Dickson has tasked Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and security chiefs to support US President Donald Trump interest to fight terrorists have been accused of committing genocide against Christians in Northern Nigerian over a decade 

Senator Seriake Dickson making his submission at the floor of the red chambers following Trump's declaration to flush out terrorists in Nigerian.

According to him, ''

I wish to state, firstly, that Nigeria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national institutions must be respected by all. At the same time, I fully support any collaborative action aimed at eradicating the murderous bands of terrorists who have wantonly slaughtered thousands of our countrymen and women — Christians, Muslims, and people of other faiths alike.

''For almost 15 years, jihadist terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and affiliates of ISWAP, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and, more recently, groups like Lakurawa and Wulowulo, have wreaked unimaginable havoc. They introduced suicide bombing in Nigeria and began a murderous campaign, especially in Borno State, from which it gradually spread across the northeastern part of our country.

Places of worship — both churches and mosques, as well as palaces and traditional rulers have not been spared in their bloodbath. School children have been kidnapped, killed, or forcefully married off. The victims of these jihadist attacks, which began in Borno, were Muslims and Christians.'' he noted.

''As fundamentalist groups opposed to Western education, these terrorists have consistently targeted schools and students, leading to the abductions of the Chibok girls, Dapchi girls, and Buni Yadi school children, among others. Till today, Nigeria has not fully accounted for the whereabouts of many of these students — for instance, Leah Sharibu and some Chibok girls remain missing.

''Universities and their students have also suffered attacks, and these terrorist groups still maintain footholds and control territories within Nigeria. In states such as Borno, Zamfara, and Katsina, according to accounts from government officials and community leaders, these terrorists continue to control territories, impose taxes on locals, and generally exercise authority — by their own rules, not by the laws of the Nigerian state or the Constitution'' Seriake appealed.

He went further, ''This is a direct affront to Nigeria’s sovereignty and should not be tolerated any further. President Trump’s statement is a wake-up call to action. If the Nigerian government is unable to address this issue effectively, then it must collaborate with those who can help us flush out these terrorists.

"'At the Senate, my colleagues and I have repeatedly raised these issues, even beyond the floor of the Senate. Hardly a week passes without a member of the Senate drawing attention to reports of killings and attacks on villages in one constituency or the other. The Senate has paid countless tributes in memory of those killed, as well as several suggestions and proposals to the Executive, including the proposal for a National Security Summit to be held soon. Most recently, the Senate took a motion and directed its leadership to interface with the President to dispatch a non-partisan team of experts and statesmen to Washington D.C.

''Even states that were once considered safe zones have now been affected, as the insurgency, banditry, and terrorism have spread to places like Sokoto, Zamfara, Taraba, Katsina, Niger, and even Kwara. Everyone in Nigeria knows that in the Middle Belt regions of Benue and Plateau, and also in Southern Kaduna, the coordinated massacres of innocent citizens by marauding terrorists and bandits, coupled with the displacement of Indigenous communities, have been going on for many years. Some of the footages of the carnage are unimaginable, while efforts by government and security agencies have clearly not been effective in tackling the menace.

''The failure of successive governments in Nigeria to prevent, arrest, or punish perpetrators decisively created room for several conspiracy theories, including state complicity under late President Buhari’s administration — a concern once raised by no less a person than General T. Y. Danjuma, a former Chief of Army Staff and former Minister of Defence, in reaction to the slaughter and unrestrained killings in his home state of Taraba during the Buhari administration. Late President Buhari’s policy of appointing mostly Muslims to head all the security services during his eight years in office further worsened these perceptions.

''As Nigerians, we must be honest with ourselves that the killings have gone on for too long and government and security forces have been overwhelmed. We need help! No nation can confront terrorism in isolation. We must therefore work with our allies and partners to defeat this menace once and for all.

''It is on the strength of the foregoing that I strongly recommend that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should collaborate with President Donald Trump, the US Government, and other allies and friends of Nigeria to flush out these marauding terrorists. He should also improve relations with our neighbouring countries whose cooperation and support will be essential in the war against terrorism.

''I have, on several occasions, as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, raised concerns about the non-appointment of ambassadors for over two years. This anomaly should be corrected as soon as possible to enable our country maximise its diplomatic resources and options'' He asserted.

The Gathering Storm Over Nigeria's Troubled Sky: When the American Storm Comes to Nigeria

It began like whispers carried by the wind -- news that Donald Trump had threatened to invade Nigeria to chase away terrorists and bandits.  Many thought it was just another political bluff, the kind of loud talk that drifts away like smoke in the breeze. But the more one listens, the more it feels less like a passing threat and more like a rumble of a real storm approaching. A storm so fierce that certain politicians in Nigeria may find themselves struggling to stand against its gusts. Trump's threat is the kind that hides knowledge of something deeper

Long before Trump spoke, America had been quietly watching, collecting bits and pieces of information like a patient fisherman casting nets and waiting for the right catch. Over the years, the US has built a mountain of evidence -- not shallow rumours from social media, but solid proof. This evidence points to certain Nigerian politicians as silent sponsors of terror. Money meant for constituency projects was, according to the claims, diverted to buy guns, feed armed men, and spread fear across the land. Their names, it is said, are already known to the US, marked like ink that will not fade.  

Ted Cruz, an American lawmaker, has hinted that very soon he will reveal exactly who these people are. The story goes that many of them will end up behind bars once the truth spills into daylight. Some politicians may try to run  -- into foreign lands, into hidden corners -- but like prey tracked by a hawk, they cannot outrun a watchful eye. America, it seems, has mapped their hiding places before they even begin to flee. Those who call Trump a bully may not understand that the tide of this storm is being moved by years of intelligence gathering, and there may be no escape for those caught in it.  

Yet in the middle of all this, one question hangs in the air: why is the Nigerian government so strongly against the United States stepping in? For years, ordinary people have lived under the heavy shadow of killers, their lives wasted by the plague of terrorism and banditry. Instead of crushing these forces, the government is seen at times sitting at the same table with them, negotiating openly, even “rehabilitating” some of them. Not a single terrorist has truly been tried and convicted.  

It is like wearing chains and refusing the key when someone offers it.  Here we are, weighed down by fear and loss, yet when another hand stretches out to pull us from danger, we are told that help must not come. Meanwhile, the killings and kidnappings continue without any sign of slowing down. Clearly, there is more to this situation than meets the eye, more shadows behind the curtain than many can imagine.  

If Donald Trump’s words were to turn into action, the political sky over Nigeria would change dramatically. Such an intervention could shake the foundation of the nation’s politics, sending ripples into the future, even toward the elections of 2027. It could weaken the ruling party and possibly affect the chances of President Tinubu, should he seek re-election. Perhaps this is more than just a threat  --  it could be a storm of change, a cleansing wind meant to sweep away the dirt from the system and bring hope to a land weary of insecurity.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

A New Era for Delta State APC: Hon. Ebiakpo Ezebiri, the Man that can Foster Unity, Build Strong Structures and Revitalize the Party Ahead of 2027

Our party in Delta State needs a chairman who can unite, inspire, and drive us to victory. We believe that leader is Hon. Ebiakpo Ezebri.

He is knowledgeable, dynamic, and dedicated leader with a clear vision to:

*· Revitalize the Party:* Boost member morale and participation to eliminate apathy.

*· Build Strong Structures:* Create effective and inclusive institutions for growth.

*· Foster Unity:* Rally every member under a common purpose, making the APC a true political family.

Hon. Ezebri possesses the integrity, courage, and strategic mind required to lead our party forward. Let's unite behind a candidate who can deliver real progress.

Support Hon. Ebiakpo Ezebri for State Chairman.

When Washington Sneezes: The Cost of a Nation’s Dignity_By William Z. Bozimo

The storm did not rise from the Atlantic this time, but in the echo zones of diplomacy. Donald Trump’s warning of possible U.S. “military action” over the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria ripples across headlines, not only as policy, but as theatre. Nigeria that is a mosaic land of faith and tribes, now finds its image painted in the bold colours of foreign accusations. But faith should be a bridge of peace, not a trumpet of war. 

Yet, the story is older than the tweet: a tale of misrepresentation and moral posturing, where the mighty often claim to speak for the voiceless, while the voiceless struggle to speak for themselves. The statement lit up trading floors, and the corridors of power. But beyond the noise lay a quieter question: when did our nation’s dignity become a debate across foreign microphones?

One could easily draw parallel lines between “foreign saviours” and “local failures,” and how the negligence of justice, poverty, and insecurity leaves a moral vacuum that is readily filled by others. Since when did faith become a currency for politics, and who benefits when a nation’s wounds become a foreign debate? Nigeria, a land where families blend prayer with patience, becomes a prisoner of our fractures.

There is also a fine line between global apprehension and geopolitical theatre. Nations like ours have learned that the world’s sympathy often comes with strings attached alongside influence, intervention, and interest. Trump’s pronouncement, cloaked in concern for Christian lives, echoes like an old script where the influential ones come as saviours of the weak, even when politics muddy their motives.

But the mirror should also face inward. Our government must ask why such claims find a supporting audience abroad. Why do foreigners often have to define our stories for us, while we still struggle to write them ourselves? The moral thing to do by this regime is to refute exaggerations if any, and swing into action, protecting all her inhabitants regardless of their faith, and proving that justice is not a privilege of tribe or creed.

So let faith heal, not divide; and let sovereignty mean service, and not silence because every storm that comes from abroad finds its thunder already rumbling within. Also, let the diplomats speak, and let the pundits argue. But Nigerians, in your quiet wisdom, just remember that the only intervention we truly need is the one we owe ourselves; which is the simple courage to heal our divisions before they are weaponized by others.

When Washington sneezes, our markets may tremble, and our leaders may scramble. But our conscience must stand still. For in the end, no foreign power can define a nation that knows its worth, or humble a people who know their truth.

✍🏽 William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

DR. DENNIS OTUARO: THE GARDEN OF TRUTH VS THE WEEDS OF GREED-Burn Not the Forest That Feeds You-

I speak with a heart that trembles between sorrow and fire,  

for my eyes have seen the shameless dance of selfish men,  

men whose greed swallows their reason like a hungry python.  

They clap their hands in the street, they stamp their feet in dust,  

calling for the fall of Dr. Dennis Otuaro,  

the faithful gardener of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.  

These ones are like the jealous hunters in an old African tale,  

men who saw another’s traps filled with good meat,  

but instead of learning his skill,  

they set his traps ablaze in the forest.  

They cared not for the hunger of the village,  

only for the empty pride of saying, "we brought him down".  

But in the smoke of their mischief, the bush went silent,  

and the village starved for seasons.  

Since the day Dr. Otuaro took the garden tools of leadership,  

the weeds of corruption have been uprooted like wild thorns in spring.  

The paths once blocked are open,  

doors once locked are swinging wide,  

seeds of fairness have been thrown with generous hands,  

and scholarships now rain down on the deserving ,

not only the chosen few whose names were whispered in secrecy.  

He has planted maize for all tribes,  

built fences where thieves once entered at night,  

and watered the dry wells of vocational training.  

But where were these loud voices,  

when the streams of the PAP were poisoned by theft?  

Where were they, when greedy chiefs hid the fishing nets  

and gave fish only to their own cousins?  

They were silent in those dark evenings,  

chewing from the pot of decay,  

their mouths greasy with the oil of corruption.  

Now, because Otuaro will not bend to their crooked spears,  

they scream like children whose stolen mango has been taken away.  

Dr. Otuaro is like Olu, the wise fisherman of legend,  

who stood at the edge of the great river,  

casting nets for the whole village,  

teaching even the poorest how to mend their fishing lines.  

He knew the river’s song,  

he understood its moods,  

and when storms came, his canoe did not break.  

The people ate well under his care.  

But some, jealous of his skill,  

poured sand into his canoe, hoping he would sink.  

Instead, his strong arms rowed harder,  

his eyes stayed on the horizon,  

and the fish kept coming in silver waves.  

Payments now fall on time like ripe fruit from tall trees,  

hope blooms in our fields again,  

trust grows in the PAP like yam vines climbing a strong stake.  

The hand of Dr. Otuaro is steady,  

his heart is calm,  

his mind sharp like the cutlass of a careful farmer.  

He listens before he swings his blade,  

he studies before he plants his seeds,  

and the harvest comes for everyone.  

Let the selfish men drop their bowls of envy.  

Let them wash their hands in the stream of unity.  

Tribalism is an old rope that pulls us backwards,  

greed is the rat that eats the granary from inside,  

and backward thinking is the stone tied to our ankles  

as we try to swim to the shores of progress.  

If they truly love the Niger Delta,  

they will guard our farmer instead of chasing him away.  

I lift my voice in prayer for Dr. Otuaro,  

that his canoe stays strong against the waves of distraction,  

his eyes bright like morning over the water,  

his courage firm like iroko in the wind.  

May those who try to sink him  

find their own nets torn by their mischief.  

And may the Federal Government stand with him  

as he rows us toward the island of fairness and peace.  

For to push him away is to break the hoe  

that turns the soil for the whole village.  

It is to chase away the flock that gives us eggs.  

And anyone who wounds him now  

will be remembered only as the hunter  

who burned the forest and left the people in hunger.  

Let us stand together for truth and progress,  

for a good leader is like a strong tree that gives shade to all.  

Dr. Dennis Otuaro has planted seeds of hope in our land,  

and already the fruits are showing on every branch.  

We must protect him from the hands of envy and greed,  

because if we cut down the tree, we lose the shade and the fruit.  

The Niger Delta needs unity, not noise;  

it needs builders, not destroyers.  

And with Otuaro at the helm,  

our harvest will be plenty, and our future will be bright. 

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO -- writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

WHEN DEMOCRACY BECAME A GHOST IN NIGERIA-The Near Funeral of a Nation’s Voice-

Democracy in Nigeria is not yet buried,  

but she can no longer walk.  

She lies  in Intensive Care Unit,

in a small hospital room,  

dark glasses hiding her tired eyes,  

sipping juice that someone has stolen from the hospital store.  

The doctors who should heal her  

now sell the hospital tools in the market  

and rent out the hospital beds for money.  

The judges who should call the nurses  

work instead as undertakers.  

They powder her face with sweet-sounding lies,  

spray her with perfumes of deceit,  

and smile for the cameras while she grows weaker.  

Every election time  

they drag her out like an old beauty queen,  

paint her face bright,  

wrap her in shiny clothes,  

push her onto the stage  

and tell her to smile and wave.  

We clap in the crowd,  

pretending not to see the life-support ropes following behind her.  

She is a patient  

in a hospital without power.  

Her oxygen works only when the noisy generator is on.  

Politicians tell us she is “strong and fine”  

but they have already told the mortuary man to get ready.  

Her wheelchair is moving closer to the cold room.  

Her bed is marked to be taken away.  

She used to mean  

government of the people, by the people, and for the people.  

Now she means government of politicians,  

by their rich friends,  

and for their families alone.  

The road to power  

is the fastest way to reach the country’s money.  

They come to us acting like servants,  

but once sworn in  

they become landlords of the nation’s treasury.  

Elections are no longer about service,  

they are about business,

and the customers are only the money bag politicians .

Democracy's backbone of transparency and accountability  

is broken  

and thrown into the dustbin behind the big gates of Aso Rock.  

And now, the e people are hungry.  

Roads are ruined and full of potholes.  

Hospitals are like waiting rooms for death.  

Schools fall apart  

one block at a time.  

Yet the leaders drive past us in long, shiny cars,  

windows dark,  

hands waving only when they need votes.  

Every four years  

the vultures meet  

to decide which one will eat the country’s body.  

They smile from campaign posters,  

share small cups of rice,  

drop coins into people’s hands,  

and promise heaven on earth.  

But after they win,  

they hold on to heaven  

and forget the earth,  

leaving the people in dust and pain.  

This is not democracy walking;  

this is democracy tied, gagged, beaten,  

and shoved into the back of a black SUV  

driving straight to the hospital.  

The drivers are politicians  

who no longer care about safety for the poor,  

medicine for the sick,  

or hope for the hopeless.  

Her heart  

has stopped beating.  

Her body is dressed for burial.  

They are selling tickets  

to watch her funeral.  

Democracy is like a goat tied to a rope,  

walking only in a small circle.  

The rope is held by the selfish money bag politicians.  

The stake is guarded by bad judges.  

The rope is dirty with corruption,  

made tighter each time an election is stolen.  

And Justice is sold like vegetables in the market.  

And so she stays  

weak, quiet,  

breathing through tubes of lies,  

dragged every day closer to her grave.  

The day will come  

when the ground at Aso Rock will open,  

and Democracy will be pushed in without prayer,  

without song,  

without truth.  

So Democracy in Nigeria is like a sick mother,  

and we are her children.  

If we leave her to suffer,  

one day we will wake up and find her gone.  

But if we rise from our chairs,  

speak the truth,  

and refuse the coins and bags of rice,  

we can break the ropes of corruption  

and chase the vultures from our sky.  

The power is ours,

and if we stand together with clean hands and brave hearts,  

our mother, Democracy, will live again.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo, Delta State

Featured Article: When Rivers Merge Before the Flood_By William Z. Bozimo

In the slow-turning gears of Nigeria’s democracy, a new rumble is echoing across the landscapes, gathering streams, and merging currents. The opposition leaders, once scattered like restless tributaries, now speak of unity. The ink has barely dried on their pact to challenge the ruling party in 2027, yet, the air smells of political rain, heavy, uncertain, and electric.

From the ashes of disillusionment, the idea of a “grand coalition” has begun to take shape as the convergence of various aspirants, weary of defeat and eager to reclaim power intensifies. While they remain determined in ensuring that they revive the promise of multiparty democracy, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other opposition voices now sing a common refrain: that Nigeria’s democracy must not drift into a one-party symphony, where only one drumbeat commands the national rhythm.

But our history has seen this dance before. In the 1960s, coalitions rose and crumbled under the weight of ego and ethnicity. In the Fourth Republic, alliances promised salvation but often birthed strange bedfellows who are more interested in political arithmetic than moral chemistry. So the question lingers like smoke after fireworks: Will this new coalition be different, or is it just another chapter in our recurring political theatre?

Nigeria’s democracy has become a restless sea; deep, vast, and at times frighteningly shallow. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), buoyed by defections and federal power, now resembles a mighty ship commanding the waters. Yet, in its entirety, smaller boats risk being capsized. The recent exodus of opposition lawmakers to the APC, along with public accusations of an emerging one-party state, has cast a long shadow over our democratic integrity.

Regardless, unity without purpose is like a river without direction, vast but wasted. If the opposition’s newfound marriage is merely comfort dressed as conviction, it will soon dissolve in the acid of ambition. Our nation does not need another alliance of convenience; what we need is a union of conscience and leaders who see beyond 2027, as well as people who also understand that governance is not about conquest but about stewardship.

So let the rivers merge with meaning, and let the opposition not just be an alternative to power, but a standard of integrity. Let coalitions rise not merely to contest elections, but to challenge the conscience of a nation drifting too far from its democratic shores. In the end, Nigeria does not only need more politicians, she hopes for patriots, men and women who can remind us that democracy is not the noise of many mouths, but the harmony of a just chorus.

Unity is not just the absence of difference, but the discipline of shared purpose. When rivers merge, let them remember the mountain from which they began, and the ocean they hope to reach.

✍🏽 William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

Ijaw Leaders Commend Gov Diri Defection to APC, Describes Decision as Bold and Strategic for the lnterest of Bayelsans

The Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum (ILCF) has commended Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on his decision to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

In a statement signed by the Convener Hendrick Opukeme, the ILCF described the governor's move as a "strategic and a "bold declaration of statesmanship".

The group noted that Governor Diri's decision has repositioned the Ijaw voice within the national equation, rekindling hope, relevance, and responsibility for the Ijaw people across the Niger Delta and beyond. The ILCF pledged its unwavering support and collaborative commitment to ensure that the transition becomes a redefinition of Ijaw destiny in the Nigerian project.

The statement read, "the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum (ILCF), on behalf of the elders, stakeholders, and traditional leadership across the length and breadth of the Ijaw nation, conveys its heartfelt solidarity, commendation, and national applause on your courageous and strategic decisions to align with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

"Your Excellency, this historic political realignment is not merely a matter of partisan affiliation — it is a strategic national statement, a bold declaration of statesmanship, and a clear assertion of Ijaw political maturity in the unfolding 

dynamics of Nigeria’s democracy. By this act, you have repositioned the Ijaw voice within the larger national equation and rekindled a sense of renewed hope, 

relevance, and responsibility for our people across the Niger Delta and beyond.

"Your decision resonates deeply with the Ijaw consciousness — that of courage in conviction, resilience in adversity, and foresight in leadership. It has sent a message 

of awakening and unity throughout the three zones of the Ijaw nation: Western, Central, and Eastern Ijaw.

"The Stakeholders meeting was coordinated by the Hon. Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Bayelsa state government, HRM, God'spower Tam Oporomo, Tara Eza 1st, Pere of Kierebiri - Mein, Bomadi LGA Delta State

At the enlarged stakeholders’ political consultative meeting convened by the Executive Committee of the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum (ILCF) on Saturday, November 3, 2025, at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, leaders, youths, 

women, and opinion moulders from all three zones of the Ijaw nation were in massive attendance. 

"The collective resolution of that meeting was an overwhelming 

endorsement of your political movement and an expression of total solidarity with 

your visionary step toward national integration and transformative partnership.

"Your Excellency, this move, properly consolidated, will reposition Bayelsa State and 

the entire Ijaw nation at the heart of Nigeria’s developmental agenda. We see in your action the dawn of a new political synergy that transcends rhetoric — a synergy of purpose, unity, and strategic engagement with the centre.

"The ILCF, therefore, pledges its unwavering support and collaborative commitment to ensure that this transition becomes not just a change of party, but a redefinition of Ijaw destiny in the Nigerian project. We call on all Ijaw sons and 

daughters, at home and in the diaspora, to rally around your leadership and align 

with this evolving national movement anchored on inclusion, justice,

"May the Almighty continue to guide and strengthen you as you lead our people with 

wisdom, courage, and divine purpose.With profound respect and patriotic regards", the group added.

However, the governor's defection to APC was celebrated at a grand ceremony in Yenagoa, attended by top government officials, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and other governors. Governor Diri stated that his decision was not driven by personal ambition but by the desire to advance Bayelsa's unity and development.

The APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, urged Governor Diri to deliver Bayelsa State to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, saying, "Take this as a symbol of strength, symbol of unity, unite our party, make it stronger and bring all the votes".

Culture: Mexico Celebrates Day of the Dead Festival in Commemoration of the Dead

This year, Mexico City's grand Dia de Muertos parade has drawn about 1.5 million people. The event was inspired in part by a James Bond movie.

UNESCO proclaimed the Dia de Muertos celebration as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2003.

Image: 

About 1.5 million people gathered in Mexico City on Saturday during a grand parade for the Day of the Dead, according to the city officials.

People participate in the annual Day of the Dead parade, in Mexico City, Mexico, November 1, 2025People participate in the annual Day of the Dead parade, in Mexico City, Mexico, November 1, 2025.

Thousands of performers took part in this year's parade in Mexico City, Known in Spanish as Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead is one of Mexico's most important annual festivities and a huge  international attraction. It's worth noting, however, that Mexico City only launched the annual parade in 2016, after taking inspiration from the 2015 James Bond movie, "Spectre."

In the opening of that film, the British agent is wearing a skeleton costume while walking with a beautiful woman though a large crowd celebrating Dia de Muertos — before abandoning her in a hotel room to stalk his target on the rooftops. 

The festivities begin in late October, when families welcome the spirits of deceased children and continue to November 1 with sweets and toys for the young souls believed to return to earth to visit their families.

 

People in animal costumes and holding up a snake sculpture take part in the annual Day of the Dead parade, November 1, 2025.

The parade also features colorful, fantastical sculptures known as alebrijesImage: 

Revellers attend the Grand Parade commemorating the Day of the Dead in Mexico City, on November 1, 2025.

The parade marking Day of the Dead in Mexico City also draws visitors from other countries.

The parade in Mexico's capital on Saturday serves as the heart of the festivities, bringing together diverse cultural traditions from the nation of over 130 million people.

Musicians walk in front of a parade float decorated with skulls

While honoring the dead is a long-running tradition in Mexico, the first Dia de Muertos parade was only held in Mexico in 2016 — inspired by the opening scene from the James Bond movie Spectre in 2015 Image.

The celebration concludes on November 2 with offerings of favorite foods and drinks for the adults being honored.

HOLY BUSINESS: THE BEST DEAL THE WEST EVER MADE WITH AFRICA-From Drums to Church Bells -- The Greatest Trade in History -

They didn't build prisons for us.

They didn’t even need chains to hold us.  

No whips, no shackles, no iron gates. 

no cuffs, no angry soldiers.

Just a book, a pulpit, and a crowd whose hearts had been taught to tremble.  

A crowd staring like goats at market day.

No need to kill the body when you can rent the mind cheaply and forever.  

We turned our backs on the fires of our ancestors,  

and lit candles in cathedrals built with our own pockets.

Our sacred drums fell silent,  

only to be replaced by church bells singing over stolen land.  

They handed us a polished cross ,

smiled like angels,

and walked away with our gold in their handbags.  

They sang hymns to us  

and marched off with our diamonds in their pockets.  

Every ship that docked at our shores,

didn't just bring guns and goods, 

It brought a pastor with a holy smile,  

ready to preach obedience in the name of love.  

Every time another diamond disappeared,

a sermon told us to be patient 

because asking questions is a sin,

because heaven is better than diamonds.

Religion became a magic trick,

became the art of making suffering look beautiful,  

poverty look noble,  

and questions a sin.  

So we buried our curiosity six feet deep like an unwanted pet,

planted faith on top,  

and watered it with fear every Sunday morning.

A pale Messiah with ocean eyes was introduced to us,  

and we washed our own gods off the walls,  

calling our gods “fetishes”, evil 

like we suddenly hated our own reflection 

We prayed to the same name that kept our backs bent,  

and called it deliverance.  

Meanwhile, nations elsewhere develop on the back of science,  

pillars of structure,  

armies of strategy. 

Farming and factories.

But we…  

We pray and fast when the soil screams for food,

give offerings and tithes instead of tools,  

twirled joyfully in church dances  

while the soil beneath our feet screamed from hunger,

while our farms turn to dust 

And the West — ah, the West!  

They look at us now with that distant pity,  

not because they struggle to conquer us,  

but because they know they already have,  

without lifting a sword.  

They used the most successful business deal in history:

Religion — a project they don't even pay for anymore

because we became the donors,  

the investors,  

the workers,

the custodians,  

and the prisoners… all rolled neatly into one neat package.

So, I ask my brothers, my sisters…  

Do we keep sleeping under the blanket of holy illusion,  

or do we open our eyes to the daylight we’ve been trained to fear?  

Western religion trimmed the sharp edges of our minds,  

turned wise men into clever scammers  ,

who feast on the desperation of their flocks,

selling miracle water and holy handkerchiefs

And if truth be told,  

this 'blessing" has, in many ways,

taken more than it has given,

It has bruised us far deeper than it blessed us,

a miracle that takes more than it gives.  

Just the kind that empties your pockets while you shout "Amen"

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

Bille Clan Mourn Passage of Their Late Hero, High Chief. Bebe-Owibo Jacob, The Agbaniye-Jike 1 of Niger Delta

....The greatness and prowess of Bebe-Owibo Jacob: the creek lion, jike-jike force, Don Chair Wowo, the jolly Daddy 

At the young age of 26, Bebeowibo Jacob etched his name into history. He led the famous Jike Boys into battle and triumphed against overwhelming odds. When he chose to call himself Agbaniye Jike, many questioned his audacity — but he would soon prove that the title was not a boast, but a prophecy fulfilled. He was truly the Agbaniye Jike of his generation — fearless in spirit, unshakable in purpose, and deeply devoted to his people.

During a dark period when militancy and sea piracy terrorized the Niger Delta, when travelers feared to pass through the creeks, he brought the world to Bille. Under his influence, life and energy returned to the community. Musicians, actors, adventurers, and even rivals came and bore witness to the new face of Bille Kingdom — a place revived by the strength of one man’s will.

Abebe Jacob did more than fight battles; he ignited a consciousness. He challenged the educated elites to look beyond comfort and invest in the growth of their homeland. His methods may have been raw, even unconventional, but they were driven by genuine love and purpose. He gave all that he had — including his life — for his people’s progress.

Truly, the greatest sacrifice any man can make is to give his life for the freedom and advancement of others.

His story is not merely one of war, but of vision, courage, and transformation.

Let this stand as a reminder to all who follow his path today:

No matter how powerful you may become, if your power does not uplift your people, then your power is nothing.

By: Biodeinmabo Kombonimi

THE DIRTY DANCE OF POLITICAL DEFECTION: HOW GREEDY POLITICIANS SELL THE PEOPLE SHORT

"When Leaders Change Parties Like Clothes, the People End Up Naked in the Cold"

" Leaders Trade Loyalty for Power in a Political Bazaar Where the Masses Are Never Buyers" 

They change colours like lizards basking in the midday sun,  

pretending they are warming themselves  

while secretly sizing up the fattest tree to crawl onto next.  

They change sides the way a vain man changes suits,

with no thought for the seamstress who made them,  

and no care for the neighbours watching from their hungry doorsteps.  

One day they wrap themselves in red,  

next day they shine in green,  

tomorrow they wield the broom as if it were a holy sceptre,  

blessing the land with false promises,  

but their sweeping is never for the dust of the streets,  

never for the hunger in the people’s bellies.  

No -- each sweep is for gathering golden crumbs  

into their own swollen pockets,  

their own private barns,  

their own overflowing plates.  

The wind of defection blows without pity,  

and their knees wobble like paper towers in a storm.  

This is not the wobble of humble men praying for rain,  

but the wobble of opportunists  

sniffing for the richer kitchen, the fatter pot.  

Their roots are shallow,  

buried not in the soil of principle or love for the land,  

but sunk in the quicksand of appetite for power.  

They hide behind big words like "strategy"  

and "political realignment,"  

but the elders know better.  

Where truth walks naked in the public square,  

where the air itself smells of backroom deals,  

these are not moves of wisdom ...

they are the stinking politics of the belly,  

the deafening drumbeats of selfish ambition.  

Every defection is a marketplace bargain,  

a haggling over loyalty as if it were cow meat,  

a pawning of integrity for the price of a new office chair.  

The people, the real owners of the market,  

are handed over like goats in a backstreet trade,  

their voices sold without consent,  

their dreams passed around like calabashes at a feast they are not invited to.  

The masses are never invited to the table,  

except as clapping hands... 

hired drummers and rented dancers  

to cheer men who pretend to serve  

but only serve themselves.  

It is a theatre without plot,  

a joke without laughter,  

a government without a beating heart.  

These defectors grin with teeth polished by lies,  

their smiles as sharp as new coins  

but as cold as an empty freezer in harmattan.  

Each grin hides a ledger of betrayal,  

each handshake disguises the exchange of the people's hope  

for a personal seat near the pot of stew in Aso Rock.  

Every promise they make  

is a fruit without sweetness,  

picked too early in the garden of deceit,  

ripened only in the heat of their own greed.  

Served without shame,  

these promises taste of wind and dust,  

leaving the people choking on nothing,  

their tongues dry from years of false speeches.  

They drive their special-purpose vehicles,  

sumptuous machines painted with today’s party colours,  

vehicles repainted fresh before the next election season,  

ready to deceive again.  

But no matter how glossy the paint,  

the wheels always turn toward the same destination:  

self-glory, self-gain, self-preservation.  

Every crossing from one party to another  

is nothing but a clean swap of flags  

and a dirty swap of loyalty.  

It is the public sale of commitment,  

the betrayal dressed in new clothes,  

a performance we have watched too many times.  

They forget the villages,  

they forget the farmlands drying under the sun,  

they forget the fishermen who mend their nets with tears for bait.  

They forget the labourers bent under poverty’s load,  

the schoolchildren writing in the sand for lack of paper.  

Instead, they spread their mats in the tent of the highest bidder,  

drinking from whichever cup promises  

to keep their bowl full and chair steady.  

And so the people watch,

helpless, silent, hollow-bellied —  

as defectors dance their victory dance,  

stomping barefoot on a floor tiled with broken promises  

and shattered hope.  

When the dust finally settles,  

the thrones they sit on will be made of sand,  

beautiful for a season,  

but washed away by the next tide of greed.  

The crowns will tarnish,  

the gold will rot in the dark,  

and the songs of their false victories  

will be swallowed by the same wind that carried their lies.  

Yet the people will still be sweeping hunger from their doorsteps,  

waiting for leaders bold enough to pick service over self,  

truth over treachery,  

vision over vanity.  

Defection without honour  

is the dirtiest dance of politics.  

It is the public auction of loyalty  

in a market controlled by merchants of deceit.  

It is the naked parade of ambition,  

bare and shameless before the eyes of a hungry nation.  

It is the slow killing of hope,  

hope strangled in the same room  

where selfish men toast to their own success.  

And when leaders change parties like clothes,  

the people are left stripped of dignity,  

naked in the cold,  

waiting for warmth that will never come.  

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta state

08134853570

Niger Delta Activist, Mulade, Urges Presidency, National Assembly to Enforce Direct Payment of 13% Oil Derivation to Host Communities

Renowned Niger Delta environmental and human rights activist, Chief (Comrade) Sheriff Mulade, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to take decisive action in ensuring that the 13% oil derivation fund are paid directly to host communities rather than to state governments.

Mulade, in a strongly worded statement issued in Warri, Delta State, said that the current arrangement where state governors receive and manage the 13% derivation fund is a misdirection of host community resources into the wrong hands, denying the oil-bearing communities the right to develop themselves.

> “The 13 percent derivation is not ghost money — it has a source, and that source is the Niger Delta host communities where the oil is extracted from,” Mulade declared. “Failure to pay the funds directly to the host communities negates the principles of fairness and the very intent of the law establishing the derivation policy.”

He maintained that the state governments have consistently misappropriated or politically manipulated the funds, leaving the oil-producing areas in deplorable condition, with poor infrastructure, polluted environments, and neglected populations.

Mulade proposed a new model for managing the 13% derivation, emphasizing that even channeling the funds through construction companies to build bridges and roads linking the creeks would yield better developmental results than handing the funds to the governors.

> “It is imperative to state that the Federal Government should entered a consortium agreement on behalf of the host communities and pay 70% of the 13% oil derivation funds directly to construction

companies to handle mega roads and bridge projects to link and open up the riverine areas to the upland, then Niger Delta would witnessed rapid and real development. While the balance 30% should be channels towards human capital development through the Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) recognise by law under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), for direct impact.

It is worthy of note that the current practice only gives opportunities to the state governors to turned the derivation funds into a political conduit pipe, a tool to compensate political allied and personal enrichment scheme,” he stated.

The environmentalist described the situation as both illegal and unconstitutional, stressing that the 13% derivation was created to directly benefit the people who suffer the environmental and social consequences of oil exploration.

Mulade also highlighted the historical contribution of Chief Dr. Wellington Okrika, the Bolowei of ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, who championed the struggle that led to the establishment of the 13% derivation principle, noting that Niger Delta governors have since “fed fat” on the achievement without recognizing or fulfilling their obligations to Okrika or the communities he represented.

He called on the Presidency, the National Assembly, and the RMAFC to immediately begin a review of the payment framework, and to enact a constitutional amendment or administrative directive that would enforce the direct payment of derivation funds to oil-bearing communities through their desire projects in a transparent and accountable mechanisms.

“If President Tinubu truly wants to correct injustices and promote equity in the Niger Delta, he must ensure that the 13% derivation reaches and be impactful to the people for whom it was created — the host communities,” Mulade concluded.

Abuja Federal High Court Bars Impeachment Moves Against Bayelsa Deputy Governor by House of Assembly

Federal High Court halts impeachment moves against Bayelsa Deputy Governor, oders the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the Speaker of the House to appear before it to show cause why they should not be stopped from making any move to impeach the Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.

The trial Judge, Justice Emeka gave the order on October 27, while ruling on an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/2219/2025 filed by the Bayelsa state Deputy Governor against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the Speaker of the State Assembly.

The Deputy Governor is seeking an order restraining the Bayelsa State House of Assembly from initiating impeachment proceedings against him on his decision not to defect/decamp from the PDP to the APC before the expiration of his four years tenure as an elected Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

Additionally, Lawrence is also seeking an order of court restraining the IGP, DSS Director and the Bayelsa state AG from withdrawing his security protection as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The court adjourned the case till November 13 for hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction against the defendants.