HON. TITO ZUOKUMOR: THE RARE GEM OF THE NIGER DELTA SOIL:- The Principal Who Led with a Loving Heart

-- A Sun Over Our Shores: A Brother to All --

Friends, family, brethren of the Niger Delta,  

today our hearts are heavy, yet filled with honour.  

We gather beneath the same clouds that once watched over him ,

a man whose name we speak not lightly,  

but with reverence, gratitude, and the calm pride of memory.  

Hon. Tito Ware‑ebi Zuokumor was not just among us ,

he was within us,  

running through our lives like the hidden streams beneath the mangrove roots,  

streams that feed even the deepest parts of our land.  

Honourable Tito Ware‑ebi Zuokumor…  

a son of Ojobo’s ancient oil‑blessed soil,  

born where the air smells of river and history,  

where the sunsets paint gold across the waters.  

He rose from that soil like the great iroko tree,  

offering shade to the tired,  

strength to the weary,  

and beauty to all who beheld him.  

He was the torchbearer in Oporomo Kingdom,  

a voice pitched strong for the Ijaw nation,  

a pillar who carried the weight others could not.  

Honourable Tito Ware‑ebi Zuokumor…  

our anchor in the tempest,  

that palm tree which never breaks though the wind may rage,  

that bridge over turbulent waters when our creeks swelled with trials.  

A rare gem indeed -- gold refined by fire and struggle,  

yet soft to the touch like morning dew resting on a plantain leaf.  

When storms came, he stood;  

when hope waned, he gave it life again.  

He was a principal by title and a principal by deed,  

for in his classroom of life everyone learnt a lesson  

in dignity, compassion, and the graceful power of humility.  

His authority was never about command , 

it was the natural respect given to a man  

whose every decision was woven with love and fairness.  

He led by walking among his people,  

by sitting under the same sun,  

by listening to the same drums.  

He stood in the Niger Delta struggle not as a distant observer,  

but as one of its sacred lifelines.  

Like the elder in the folktale who wrestled the crocodile to save the village child,  

he risked much to save many.  

His hands worked rough but gave soft rewards;  

his feet walked far but left gentle prints;  

his voice rose clear like the early morning songbird,  

calling all to remember our strength and unity.  

Tito gave without trumpet sound ,

no public display, no boasting.  

His giving was quiet but powerful,  

written upon the hearts of those  

whose cups he filled in their dry seasons.  

He was the bread for the hungry fisherman who returned without a catch,  

the counsel for the young leader unsure of which path to take,  

the laughter for the widow who felt forgotten.  

We called him friend.  

We called him brother.  

But in truth, we called him our own flesh,  

for his heart saw only family, never strangers.  

In the African folktale of the traveller and the hearthfire,  

there is one home where warmth never dies,

Tito was that home.  

He took everyone in, fed them,  

spoke with them as equals,  

and sent them away with courage in their pockets.  

Ah, the Delta mourns tonight.  

The creeks whisper his name like an old song,  

the mangroves bend as if bowing in prayer,  

the waves carry a gentler rhythm,  

as though even they know the water’s chief helper has departed.  

His absence is a hollow no tide can fill,  

a silence deeper than the riverbed where moonlight never reaches.  

We weep… but we remember.  

We remember the man who stood firm in the wind,  

whose voice was a shield when others stayed silent,  

whose courage was the spear that chased shadows away.  

We remember the smile that could lift the tides  

and the words that could steady any sinking boat.  

Even now, his love is a current running through our days.  

Even now, his courage whispers in the ears of young men preparing to lead.  

Even now, his generosity hangs in the air  

like the scent of ripe guava in the dry harmattan season.  

Honourable Tito…  

rare breed among men,  

gold in human flesh,  

sun over our shores,  

teacher of loyalty,  

keeper of hope,  

brother to the brokenhearted.  

We shall hold your name as a prayer in the night,  

as a promise in the morning,  

as a banner in the storm winds.  

We shall tell our children of the man  

who gave without counting the cost,  

who lived less for himself and more for the whole people,  

like the wise elder in the tale  

who planted mango trees not for himself,  

but so another generation might taste sweetness.  

And so, in this hour of remembrance,  

we bow our heads but raise our hearts.  

For though the earth now cradles your body,  

your spirit still hovers over the Niger Delta like light upon water,  

your laughter still hums through the creeks,  

your kindness still breathes in the mangroves.  

Goodbye, dear brother and friend.  

May the tides carry you gentle as a mother’s hand.  

May God’s light guide you safely into His harbour of peace.  

May your golden heart rest knowing it beat with the rhythm of the people.  

And we shall say…  

You were our heartbeat,  

our pillar,  

our rare gem,  

our sun,  

our Angel in human form —  

and your light shall never go out.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

DR. OTUARO: From Classrooms to Calm Waters: How Education is Restoring the Niger Delta--Planting Seeds of Knowledge to Harvest Peace--

In the oil-rich Niger Delta, where the tides have long carried both wealth and unrest, a quiet but determined force is reshaping the story. That force is Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, a man whose vision shines like a lighthouse guiding ships safely to shore. He stepped into leadership not merely to keep the fragile peace afloat, but to anchor it firmly to something lasting -- education.  

For Dr. Otuaro, peace is not an abstract dream but a house built brick by brick. And the bricks, he believes, are not guns nor gold, but minds enlightened through learning. Having lived and breathed the struggles of the Niger Delta, he knows that without developing people’s skills and knowledge, any peace achieved will be like a sandcastle washed away by the next wave of trouble.  

When he took the helm of the Programme in March 2024, he found an existing scholarship scheme, but rather than merely preserving it, he breathed new life into it like fresh rain on thirsty soil. The numbers speak for themselves – in less than two years, Dr. Otuaro has opened the door of higher education to over 7,700 students in Nigerian universities, in addition to sending 162 young men and women to pursue postgraduate degrees in the United Kingdom. His achievements dwarf those of his predecessors, showing his tireless resolve to make education a river that flows freely to every corner of the Niger Delta.

He inherited just under two thousand students in Nigerian institutions and a handful abroad, but he refused to settle for mediocrity. With a budget that was not nearly enough, he sought and secured more funds to reach his ambitious goals. It was as though he looked at the horizon and saw generations of children whose futures depended on his willingness to act -- and he acted.  

Under his watch, the scholarship scheme has been protected from exploitation. No longer can shady hands snatch opportunities meant for deserving youths. With uncompromising firmness, he warned that the Programme’s scholarships are gifts of the people’s trust, not commodities for sale. His administration's insistence on fairness has been like a fresh wind clearing away the dust of corruption from the system.

In person, Dr. Otuaro speaks to students with warmth and conviction, urging them to not waste the rare chance that has been given to them. He reminds them that the government’s investment is a seed they must nurture through diligence, discipline, and a hunger for excellence. For him, each graduate is not just a statistic, but a beacon of hope for their community – proof that knowledge can break chains and open doors to a more harmonious future.  

Beyond the classrooms and lecture halls, Otuaro understands the deeper magic at play. When young minds are sharpened through learning, they return to their families and villages as agents of stability and progress. Poverty is weakened, crime loses its appeal, and communities begin to dream again. This, he believes, is how the Niger Delta will find its enduring peace – in the hearts and minds strengthened by education.

Through his reforms, expansions, and steadfast belief in the power of learning, Dr. Otuaro is not merely administering a Programme; he is writing a new chapter in the Niger Delta’s history. His vision stretches far beyond today – to a time when the children of fishermen, traders, and farmers will walk the halls of universities, their futures lit by the torch of opportunity.  

And so, in the calm glow of his work, one truth stands radiant: peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of hope. Dr. Dennis Otuaro is planting this hope in fertile ground, believing that someday, the Niger Delta will blossom into a garden where knowledge and harmony grow side by side. 

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

NNAMDI KANU: THE IMPERATIVE OF A POLITICAL SOLUTION_By: Senator Henry Dickson

I join well-meaning leaders, the people of the South East, and indeed well-meaning Nigerians to call for a political solution that will lead to the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on terms that will bring about the cessation of violence, the return of normalcy, and full integration for all.

This is not just for the people of the South East; I believe that this is a sentiment shared by all well-meaning Nigerians who want a united, peaceful, and just nation for all.

All Nigerians must condemn violence, especially the type that has occurred in the South East in recent years, as well as the terrorist activities in the northern part. Our sympathy must be for all victims and the losses they have incurred and continue to suffer even to this day. As a former police officer and a senior lawyer (former Attorney General), I feel personally touched when security officers are attacked and killed. We condemn violence and lawlessness wherever they occur.

The Nigerian state and its institutions have reacted in the typical manner every state must respond to a challenge of this kind to its sovereignty. This is the historical reality from Mandela to Boro, and up till date, around the world. The above examples and several others globally also show that reactions by the state, by way of arrest, trial, sentencing, and even conviction and execution of agitators, do not end agitations.

The solution usually lies in the initiation of a political process, midwifed by broad-minded leaders who place the national good over personal, political, and regional biases.

Legal processes do not address separatist agitations that are political and economic in nature. Historically, arrests, trials, convictions, and sentencing—even executions—do not solve these kinds of agitations. After the legal processes, what must follow is a sincere and holistic political solution that will create public confidence and sustain patriotism by all. The challenge is to create a Nigeria that all can trust and believe in, one they can fight and die for if necessary. This is the lesson from the arrest, trial, and sentencing of Nelson Mandela, who was convicted and jailed for 27 years, and that of Isaac Adaka Boro, who led the first separatist agitation against Nigerian statehood. In all these cases, genuine progress only emerged when broad-minded leaders initiated a political process that placed national interest above personal or political grievances and biases.

A more recent example is the peace process initiated by the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration, during which the government engaged leaders and agitators on resolving the Niger Delta crisis. This led to the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which has brought relative peace and stability to the region to the benefit of the entire country.

This was what General Gowon did, even after Boro and his comrades had been sentenced to death. He accepted the peace process spearheaded by the leaders of the Ijaw and Niger Delta, led by Harold Dappa-Biriye, and granted Boro full pardon. Not only that—he made it possible for them to join the federal forces to strengthen the defence of the Niger Delta areas which they knew better than the federal troops. And Boro and his comrades died fighting for a Nigeria they initially fought against. I call that leadership, vision, and broad-mindedness. Instructively, General Gowon took these decisions at the age of 32 in the midst of an unprecedented national crisis. 

It was a pleasure that, as Governor, I invited General Gowon, who is a father, to my state to lay a wreath in their memory at the Ijaw Heroes Memorial Park, which my government built, where I buried Boro’s bones after retrieving them from the Lagos cemetery after over 50 years.

At this time, it is the duty and responsibility of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not as a politician but as a statesman and the leader of Nigeria, to, with this conviction and sentencing irrespective of the outcome of the appellate processes which the defendants are entitled to pursue), begin a peace process that will get Nnamdi Kanu and the tendency he represents in the South East to renounce violence as a tool for pursuing their separatist agenda. The President as a national imperative should Initiate a broad peace process that will address historical imbalances, injustices, and grievances in all parts of the country and lay a foundation of a new nigeria founded on fairness, inclusion and justice for all. 

This is why we have continuously advocated for a restructured Nigeria, and the President—who was one of the leaders of this movement in NADECO and the Alliance for Democracy—is in a better position to make it happen. He will have our fullest support in doing so.

In view of the climate of instability and insecurity in the country, my advice to the government and security agencies is to take utmost care of the custody and safety of Nnamdi Kanu while legal and political processes last. He should not only be kept in a secure facility, he should be treated humanely, fairly, and safely.

With the prevailing security challenges, which have overstretched the security forces, our nation should avoid opening new battlefronts, to enable the security agencies concentrate maximally on flushing out terrorism and banditry ravaging parts of our country, especially in the North.

The President will have my full support in mobilising our national resources and working with allies to stop the ongoing ridicule and attempt to destroy the Nigerian state through persistent terrorist and fundamentalist jihadist attacks and ransom-induced banditry.

I call on the people of the South East, particularly the youths of Igboland, to be calm and join in the political processes that will deliver a restructured Nigeria that will work for all and address all grievances.

As Chairman of the South-South Senate Caucus, and as one of the leaders, I have started the process of reaching out to our colleagues in the South East and across the nation to ensure that the right steps are taken for the good of the country.

As everyone knows, I am available for any engagement that can lead to a restructured Nigeria that will work for all.

HSD.

Takeme and the narrative of Non-performance and Performance_By: Enewaridideke Ekanpou Ph'D.

There is a raging narrative in town. Chief Dr. Julius Takeme, the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area,  is the centre of this raging narrative in Burutu Council. Among professional rumour-mongers and wishy-washy thinkers, the raging narrative has bred flighty flights that endanger true perceptions and views. From the beloved gramophones of the anchors of this raging narrative no force can drown the resultant  verbal decibel, stridently amplified like the strings of a guitar twanged to capture the attention of all in a gathering. That Takeme the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government has done nothing in Burutu Council since he became the democratically elected chairman is quaintly intriguing.

Everywhere one turns to in Burutu Local Government Area, the narrative rages like harmattan fire, conquering and ravaging swathes of raffia palm forests. On the raging narrative that Dr. Takeme has done nothing in Burutu Council I journeyed to Burutu recently. Like the 'Egeretukpa' light fondly used by nocturnal hunters of animals and fishes in Arekandugo creek, I cast my investigative eyes on Burutu and saw the narrative  in clear outlines.

It would not be a fairytale to drum everywhere that Takeme has not done  anything developmentally meaningful and stunning in Burutu when the bandwidth required to trace the marks on the envisioned development  map conceptually created  is visibly beyond reach. On bandwidth deficiency  traceable to gratuitous policy analysts,  it is safer to drum everywhere  like the coucal (Otiti bird) that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu. Rather unapologetically, this is the path we must travel today, but not without the  verifying echoes of my visit to Burutu.

I am a seasoned forester accustomed to walking steadily on forest paths paved with 'Okekeye' wood. The seasoned forester I am for decades, I FOOTED around the headquarters of Burutu Council on 15 November 2025 . This is purposely done to be fully grounded and updated on the drummed developmental nothingness of Takeme in Burutu. Before me stood a 2.1 kilometres of internal roads around the council. Somebody told me it was a project taken on by Takeme. Within the radius of the council stood some new buildings alongside some renovated buildings, all numbering over eight. These buildings were speedily brought into existence within the one hundred days of Takeme's chairmanship. I asked if these were the only markers of Takeme's performance. Without responsive words I was only signalled to continue my 'legging'. So I continued my foot journey like the typical forester on the wooden handle of whose axe carried horizontally on the left shoulder hangs a piassava basket that still cries to be filled with both live and dead grubs

Walking some distance from where I saw both the new buildings and the renovated ones, a gigantic edifice sprang up before me  - a gigantic edifice in its embryonic stage of development. I saw engineers  and many others at work. I inquired what it was. They told me it was the rumoured  secretariat currently taken on by the council's chairman with amazing speed  -  an amazing speed strategically targeted to guarantee a comfortable and spacious working environment for  council staff and visitors. Clearly, this is  bound to enhance the productivity of the workers. It is likely to be a stunning architectural piece where all the departments in the council will be accommodated when completed. 

Some visible  distance away from the ultra-modern council secretariat I was conducted round another architecturally stunning gigantic building. It is another ultra-modern building specifically designed as a building for the conduct of legislative business among the elected councilors representing the various wards. When completed, it will be the centre for conduct of legislative business in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The headquarters of Burutu Council has a paramount ruler. Darkness walks the streets of Burutu as a paramount ruler at night.Takeme has dethroned this paramount ruler of darkness through the installation of solar-powered street lights. At night darkness no longer intimidates and rules the streets of Burutu since everywhere is now illuminated. Walking on the streets of Burutu, night has become another designated period of brightness that drives darkness from the streets of Burutu.The worrisome arrogance of darkness is no more.

What about the free medical attention given to all sons and daughters of Burutu that suffer afflictions of the eyes. People afflicted with problems of sight are freely given medical attention, including surgical operations where the health conditions demand it. For the poor the free medical attention powered by Takeme is a 'medical manna' from Heaven designed to make them healthful and increase their productivity at work.

Specifically targeted at those  with eye  health challenges, a free eye care programme has actually  kicked off in Burutu . The free eye programme started on 25 November 2025 and will  end in 30 November 2025. Within this designated period, 500 free cataract operations, 1000 free post-op medication packs, 500 free sunshades and 5000 free reading glasses will be given to people whose medical conditions require them. By this approach to health, afflicted people are given hope and lifeline. Even after all these activities envisioned to address the health challenges of Burutu people, some analysts would still deafen the world with the anachronistic mental poison that the chairman of Burutu Council has done nothing for Burutu in development terms. Can an afflicted society grow developmentally when their health challenges are not tackled rightly?

Takeme was democratically enthroned as the Executive Chairman of Burutu based on his promises of rapid development that draws on the resources of technocrats. Yet, even before a year old in his chairmanship, there is already a narrative that he is doing nothing in the council. There are echoes of idiosyncratic pathology in this narrative woven around Takeme.

On earth there are designated policy critics/analysts who who take on their task without a framework that guides their analysis of policies and executed government projects. For such critics and analysts, their success lies in producing acidic fury and the famous Shakespearean nothingness that subvert and derail the developmental trajectory  of a given administrator as this acidic fury and meaningless clangour only provoke distraction and stray from the developmentally healthy path.

The raging narrative on Takeme must be engaged 'juxtapositionally' for the production of healthy, balanced and believable result when one realises that Takeme has a development vision that aligns with the MORE Agenda of Governor Oborevwori of Delta State. Critics without a  theoretical framework required to be drawn on for a believable analysis habitually forget this component of criticism and policy analysis and end up embarrassingly as  jarring notes.

Dispel all hesitations.Let all the Burutus subscribe to the narrative oath that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu. Yes, Takeme has actually done nothing, but I saw gigantic secretariat and legislative house being constructed! I also saw 2.1 kilometres of internal roads completed and other completed projects already highlighted. Could all these existing projects be projects powered by Artificial Intelligence in Burutu Council? Have we progressed digitally to the height where AI-powered projects could be physicalised?

Probably, the critics and analysts of Burutu Council would have struck a chord if they had said Takeme's best in performance does not meet their prescriptions and expectations. The zero-performance attributed to him killed the merit in their criticism of the chairman's approach to council administration because the available performance statistics contradict and invalidate their dramatised categorisation of Takeme in development terms. Could this be the equivalent of baying for one's blood without a just cause?

Some people are blessed with discernment while others labour to have a sprinkle of discernment. To all those endowed with discernment, they know that it is the man on the dugout canoe the hippopotamus seeks to destroy in the guise of searching for the dugout canoe.There is something quaintly interesting about the refrain that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu. To retain the quaint gratification the narrative refrain provokes, let us unceasingly parrot that Takeme has done nothing in Burutu, even when the apostles of this narrative refrain share a buried ironic alignment with it in undertones rather than in overtones. In the deeply buried thoughts of the apostles of the narrative refrain, Takeme is a developmentally healthy tree with buds bound to produce healthy and delicious fruits when his ongoing   pioneering legacy projects are eventually completed.

 Philosophically for Izonebi Alfred, only a ripe bush mango attracts attention. Evilly purposed or benevolently purposed, Takeme perpetually lives on the lips of people because he is a ripe bush mango with a characteristic magnetic pull. Therefore, it must now be comfortably settled that the narrative that Takeme has done nothing for Burutu must be a quote misquoted; it must be the product of a misunderstood phenomenon but now understood and mastered with all the nuances clearly identified, without being further puzzled and gaslighted by bandwith-deprived and vengeful policy analysts strategically at work for spatial visibility.

Dr. Ekanpou writes from Akparemogbene, Delta State

Just-ln: Lawuru to Serve as Guest of Honour at Ijaw Media Conference 2025

The President of Egbema Brotherhood, Alaowei Promise Lawuru, has accepted to serve as a Guest of Honour at the forthcoming Ijaw Media Conference 2025.

The annual event in its second edition is put together by Ijaw Publhlishers Forum, with the theme w Media Conference, themed "Safeguarding Niger Delta's Natural Resources for Future Generations".

The youthful politician cum businessman received invitation to serve the role on Monday when a delegation of the Central Working Committee led by Pastor Arex Akemotubo paid him a courtesy visit on Monday.

In his presentation, Akemotubo explained that this year’s theme was chosen out of concern for the growing strain on the region’s land and waters. 

The Publisher of WaffiTV stressed that the forum wants to strengthen public understanding, support honest reporting, and encourage leaders to protect what the Niger Delta holds for the next generation, adding that Lawuru’s history of service and steady involvement in community work made him a natural choice for the role.

Chief Lawuru welcomed the invitation and spoke warmly about the need for shared responsibility among stakeholders and groups such the IPF.

He commended the Forum for using media to defend the region’s interests and promised full support for the conference. 

Lawuru further urged other stakeholders across the Ijaw nation to lend their weight to efforts that safeguard the environment.

Unlawful Disconnection: Agbarho Residents Issue NERC, BEDC 48 Hours Deadline to Restore Power Over Blackout or Ready for Legal Battle

Some aggrieved residents in Agbarho layout have petitioned the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC),  Asaba, BEDC headquarter, Abuja and Delta state government to intervene by appealing  to them to call to order the Agbarho branch, Benin Electricity distribution Company (BEDC by reconnecting residents properties which were disconnected within 48 hours.

The petitioners described the  disconnection an  unlawful action  and want the firm to reconnect them within two days or seek redress for justice, fairness and equity.

The petitioners, Olorogun Ezekiel Okorode Esq.pnm and Mr. Cletus Opukeme who signed the petition for and on behalf of the affected aggrieved residents in New Agric phase two layout, Agbarho town in Ughelli North LGA Delta state.

According to the petitioners ” Despite the ongoing petitions before BEDC Management and the NERC Asaba Forum concerning the unilateral, unjustified migration to Band A and the accompanying fraudulent estimated bills of ₦95,000 to ₦100,000 monthly imposed on mostly unmetered residents.

What makes your conduct even more high-handed and indefensible is that upon receiving the outrageous estimated bill of ₦95,000, I still acted in good faith and made a substantial payment of ₦30,000. Yet, rather than acknowledge this demonstration of responsibility, you escalated your vendetta, choosing instead to target and disconnect multiple homes in the community without notice, contrary to all known NERC regulations”

The petition which also copied BEDC headquarter, and Delta state government, reads below in full:

MR EBUKA ANTHONY .

STATION MANAGER,

BEDC, AGBARHO .

PETITION:RE = YOUR UNLAWFUL DISCONNECTION, ABUSE OF POWER, AND WILLFUL DISREGARD OF PENDING PETITIONS BEFORE BEDC & NERC ASABA FORUM — DEMAND FOR RECONNECTION WITHIN 48 HOURS

Dear Sir,

I write in the strongest terms to condemn your vindictive, malicious and completely unlawful disconnection of electricity supply to several apartments in New Agric Layout, Agbarho, despite the ongoing petitions before BEDC Management and the NERC Asaba Forum concerning the unilateral, unjustified migration to Band A and the accompanying fraudulent estimated bills of ₦95,000 to ₦100,000 monthly imposed on mostly unmetered residents.

What makes your conduct even more high-handed and indefensible is that upon receiving the outrageous estimated bill of ₦95,000, I still acted in good faith and made a substantial payment of ₦30,000. Yet, rather than acknowledge this demonstration of responsibility, you escalated your vendetta, choosing instead to target and disconnect multiple homes in the community without notice, contrary to all known NERC regulations.

Your actions violate:

1. NERC’s Connection & Disconnection Regulations 2007, which strictly prohibit disconnection while a billing dispute or petition is pending.

2. NERC Customer Protection Regulations, which forbid disconnection of customers who have made part-payment on a disputed bill.

3. Established BEDC procedures requiring proper notice, due process, and respect for ongoing regulatory complaints.

4. The principle that unmetered customers must not be subjected to arbitrary tariff bands without meeting required conditions, including metering.

This reckless, punitive approach has caused economic losses, including the destruction of stored food, disruption of business activities, and significant domestic hardship for families, children, and the elderly. Your conduct has also heightened communal tension, as your actions appear targeted, personal, and deliberately confrontational.

Let it be stated clearly that you acted outside your lawful powers, and therefore you bear personal liability for the damages caused. Corporate cover does not protect an official who acts contrary to regulations and outside the scope of his lawful authority.

OUR DEMAND

You are hereby given 48 hours (2 days) to:

1. Reconnect all disconnected apartments in New Agric Layout;

2. Cease further harassment and illegal disconnections pending NERC’s determination of the petition;

3. Comply fully with NERC regulations governing complaint resolution, metering, and billing.

 

FAILURE TO COMPLY

Upon your failure or refusal to act within 48 hours, I will proceed to:

Institute legal action against you personally, as well as BEDC;

File a formal misconduct petition before NERC Abuja for disciplinary sanctions;

Seek damages for economic loss, destroyed food items, emotional distress, and regulatory breaches;

Escalate the matter to civil-rights bodies and the press.

Let this serve as your final notice.

Yours faithfully,

Olorogun Ezekiel Okorode Esq.pnm.

For Myself and on Behalf of Affected Residents of New Agric Layout

Agbarho, Delta State

PRESS RELEASE: AGBARHO BEDC STATION MANAGER CONTINUES VINDICTIVE DISCONNECTIONS DESPITE PENDING PETITIONS AND GOOD-FAITH PAYMENT BY RESIDENTS

Residents of New Agric Layout, Agbarho, have condemned the ongoing vendetta-style disconnection spree carried out by the Station Manager of BEDC Agbarho Business Unit, describing his actions as lawless, intimidating, and a reckless abuse of office.

This development occurred despite pending petitions before BEDC and the NERC Asaba Forum challenging the unilateral migration of the community to Band A and the issuance of fraudulent estimated bills ranging from ₦95,000 to ₦100,000 monthly, even though most residents are unmetered.

In a shocking twist, one of the complainants—who had been handed an outrageous estimated bill of ₦95,000—made a good-faith payment of ₦30,000. Yet the Station Manager allegedly ignored this and intensified his targeted disconnections, escalating tension and communal discomfort.

Residents have reported significant economic losses, including spoilt food items due to lack of power, disruption of business activities, and severe domestic discomfort. Many describe the actions as punitive, deliberate, and intended to intimidate residents who dared to question the unlawful tariff migration.

The residents insist that they will not be cowed, and have vowed to pursue legal redress, including proceedings against the Station Manager in his personal capacity, for violating NERC regulations and inflicting unwarranted hardship on the community.

They call on NERC, BEDC Headquarters, and the Delta State Government to intervene urgently to restore fairness, order, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Featured Article: WHEN KINDNESS BECOMES A REVOLUTIONARY ACT_ By William Z. Bozimo

There was a time in life when kindness was as common as the morning sun. A neighbour’s pot cooked for the street, doors stayed open, and a child could drink water from any neighbourhood without fear of poison or scepticism. We walked in a world where humanity was not a performance but a natural reflex. Today, that world now feels like a faded photograph; though precious, it is trapped behind glass.

Somewhere along the way, kindness became expensive. Distrust became cheaper than laughter. We began to weigh generosity the way merchants weigh gold, and became afraid that giving too much would make us poor, forgetting that the soul only dries up when it stops flowing. Now we live in an era where compassion is treated like a rare currency; often earned by a few, earnestly desired by many, and replaced with emojis, slogans, and digital applause. 

Help is now packaged for the camera, internet, and the newspaper headlines while generosity has become the new loudspeaker. Empathy now needs an audience before it breathes. But the truth remains: kindness is not weak, nor is it naïve. Kindness is a rebellion in this instant because in a world that teaches people to harden their hearts, the ones who choose softness are the warriors. In a generation where some individuals are trained to look away, the one who bends to lift another is already disrupting the system.

When a society celebrates cruelty, the peaceful soul becomes a threat to the hierarchy of things. No accomplished revolution ever started with bullets; they all began with just an open heart. Things like a stranger offering shelter to the displaced, a friend sharing their food with others, a nurse choosing patience instead of anger, a leader listening instead of shouting, and a citizen refusing to hate some people for no justifiable reason just because others persuaded them to do so. 

Such a great mindset changes more destinies than we all can ever imagine.

Kindness is not just about what you give, it is more about what you risk for others such as the risk of always being misunderstood for your compassion and often taken advantage of, while you give without receiving anything in return, and carrying someone else's weight while your own knees are still trembling. And yet, the brave ones still choose it. For in every society; both the broken and blessed, some people cling to kindness like a sacred duty.

They are the ones who will rise before dawn to care for the elderly who need assistance. The ones who pay school fees for a child they may never meet again in their lifetime. The ones who forgive those who hurt them, even when every emotion screams against it. The ones that would lend their time, strength, voice, and resources without asking for any credit whatsoever. They are called the true revolutionaries. The world will not get better because we built higher walls or sharper weapons. It will recover because ordinary people choose extraordinary compassion.

The world will get better if someone decides to carry light into another person’s darkness. Charity that is quiet and unadvertised still exists. So, if you come across this write-up and your heart still bends towards goodness, do not think of yourself as soft. You are a rare gem, you are strong, and you are part of the quiet army fighting to return humanity to itself. And in this age of cold hearts and loud cruelty, your kindness is not just a virtue, it is a revolution.

✍🏽 William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

Service of Song for late Rev. Mother Margaret Ekotoro Holds Today 25 Nov, at Ojikpata in Oruwhorun Town

The families of Ofomuware and Asamabiri of Kalafiogbene Community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, has announced the final burial rites of their beloved daughter, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother, late. Mrs. Margaret Alhaji Ekotoro Oruserikeme (Nee Okunbiri), the Rev. Mother of the CDGM Church Worldwide who passed unto glory at the rightful age of 99.

According to the burial programme signed by the duo, Mr. Moses Edougha and Chief. John Ekotoro stated as follows:

25th Tuesday November, 2025:

Service of songs at John Ekotoro Street, Ojikpata in Oruwhorun Town by the second transformer, opposite the White House after Railway.

Time: 4PM Prompt.

Final Burial Rites:

27th Thursday November, 2025:

7AM: Body leaves Safe Haven Hospital Mortuary Service Okumagba Layout, Warri via NPA Waterside to Kalafiogbene Community, Bomadi LGA, Delta State.

9AM-5PM: Religious Commendation/Requiem Service and lnterment at the Christ Divine and Gospel Mission (CDGM), Elohim City Zion Kalafiogbene. 

6PM Till Dawn: All night social wake keep.

Music by Chief. Barrister Smooth, the Paddle of Niger Delta.

Meanwhile, it will interest the public to note that, the deceased is the beloved mother of the popular Warri based marine business Don and great philanthropist, High Chief. John Ekotoro whose good legacy is felt across the entire ljaw nation in particular, and Niger Delta at large.

However, the family and children of the deceased has use this medium to invite friends, loved ones, well wishers and the general public to join them on Thursday 27 November, 2025 at Kalafiogbene Community in given their departed mother a befitting final burial rites.

Chief Dr. Julius Takeme's Tentacles of Development_By: Yerinmene Ekanpou

Everything on this planet earth has a traceable beginning. Anything without any traces of beginning does not  have a real beginning. In the beginning the land was without form, void . And darkness was upon the surface of the land . Crickets were seen  chirping day and night in the land due to lack of infrastructural development. The people have been waiting for a man to rescue them from developmental darkness. From the incessant darkness and incessant chirping of crickets in the land the people actually needed a developmental redeemer with a vision . 

After a long wait,  the developmentally audacious man of the people  has finally emerged and  that man is Dr. Takeme the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area.The Burutu Council Chairman has begun to devour  the land developmentally, warding off the incessant darkness and  the crickets chirping incessantly. 

The chirping crickets have been driven away  from the land; in their place solar lights have been installed in Burutu, using his  tentacles of  development . Who could this outstanding man be ? He is the  man the people of Burutu clamour because he has a vision for the people.

 Dr. Takeme has spread his tentacles of development over the land. The tentacles of development spread, he has created huge impact and brought development to the  land within a short period of time since he assumed his political office.  The celebrated Olotu of Obotebe Kingdom is doing wonderfully with his tentacles of development in Burutu Council.

Takeme  assumed office on July 15th 2024. Right from his assumption of office as chairman, he has been very productive in the discharge of his duties and as a result of this development, the entire Burutu people are excited. 

Some persons may be tempted to dismiss this piece as a praise-singing one without some examples given. Notably, among some of Takeme's projects are  construction of ultra modern public toilet in Burutu community; rehabilitation of official residence for heads of departments; construction of principal secretary’s residence; construction of Burutu Customary Court President’s official residence; establishment of First Bank branch in Burutu community; distribution of palliatives to flood affected communities; distribution of health materials to Labuloseigha and Ofougbene communities; reinstatement of sweepers to sweep Burutu community; recruitment of security personnel and appointment of credible personnel to the executive arm of government . Projects currently in progress are the construction of ultra modern Burutu secretariat and construction of Burutu legislative chambers. These are major infrastructural projects designed to provide modern and conducive environment for all categories of workers in Burutu Council. 

 Towards better health for Burutu people,  25th of November to 30th November 2025  will be declared a Period for free eye cataract and free surgery that will take place in Burutu, and this is  initiated by Dr. Takeme. This free eye programme is another window created by Takeme to assist people who have eye problem and other physical health challenges to be given free medical attention in Burutu Council. 

 For those who have physical health challenges, they should  participate in this free health care programme that is initiated by Burutu Local Government Council under the auspices of  the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Arrea, Chief Dr Julius Takeme .

The ongoing ultra modern secretariat complex and the state of the legislative Chambers are expected to stand as significant development markers for Takeme when completed. 

By my reasoning drawn from the development projects of Takeme highlighted above, everyone in Burutu Council is hereby implored to support the Executive Chairman  towards the realisation of his development vision. However, on the part of Dr. Takeme, I am very sure that he will always maintain the tempo of his development vision until his tenure is gloriously over. 

 

Yerinmene Ekanpou writes from Burutu, Delta State.

17Th Anniversary of Departure to the Great Beyond of Chief T. O. Onduku (1923–2008)_ A Tribute By: Pst. Dr. Akpo Onduku

My father, Alaowei T. O. Onduku exited our world on Sunday 23 November 2008. I could remember that day. I had just returned from RCCG School of Disciples Graduation Ceremony the previous day from London. Pastor Andrea and I had started the programme in the USA but completed it in the UK. The phone call of the announcement of his departure came in from my elder brother Prester Onduku and he calmly advised that I remain calm and strong to take it as it has happened. The rest is history.

The full names of my father are Thomas Omette Oboratarhieyeren Onduku. He was born at Ayakoromo in current Burutu Local Government of Nigeria’s Delta State to Pa Onduku. His mother Aligboro was from the Adjomo family of Okpare-Olomu in current Ughelli South Local Government Area. By 1936, my father was moved to Okpare in Central Urhobo by his mother to attend the Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS) Central School for his early education. There was a great deal of jeers from age grades for being an Ijaw boy. Albeit his mother was Urhobo and had to be born to an Ijaw father, he never liked such baneful remarks on Ijaw people. Along the line, he overcame this situation and got some playmates among whom were the likes of John Tebite, David Edjere, Degreat Tonwe, Paul Ihimo, Owumi Kofi, James Omologbo and others. Some of these became his personal life friends. He attributed his success in early schooling to Ighoghoja and Emmanuel Edjedafe his first cousin at Okpare. In all, his educational pursuit took him to the Sido Institute Warri; Government Teacher Training College Abraka; Rural Education Centre Ibadan and University of Ibadan.

His Names:

The names given to him were: 

(i) Omote which he prefers to spell Omette. His mother got twelve children but most of them died before they were adolescent. Most of these children were boys. Therefore, when he was born, and identified as another male child, she said, 'this is not a male this time, it is a female'. So, the name Omote was given him. According to my father, "although it is a name I have been called, yet I detest it because I cannot admit the name 'female' since I am not a female." Hence, he spells it as 'Omette'. Omote in local Urhobo language means a girl, ‘this is a girl'. 

(ii) Oboratarhieyeren - This name was specially given him by his father Pa Onduku. Its meaning is that one lives according to what one stated in heaven before he was born. Here too, my father Chief Onduku don't seem to agree with the philosophy in the meaning of the name. According to him, "I do not believe fanatically in fate. But l do believe the world is a creation of a Supreme Being. I do believe also that our biological process of development has been functionalized through live cells which are themselves the creation of that Supreme Being. Our development - bodily, intellectually, spiritually are essential due to our encounters in our different processes of life. Our weaning, nurturing, home and environment have much to play in the overall development of human beings. The person becomes refined or remains ignorant according to the type of education made available to him. Our success, therefore, largely depends upon our making good use of the tools nature has already made for us, not what a person has to bring from heaven. This, I do not believe. I would never tell God that I would ever experience hardship if it were possible for ‘every individual’ to give Him our words before we came. So, to say, ‘we live out whatever life we lead as we had brought from heaven’ is incorrect as far as I can imagine. It is, therefore, something funny that I happen to disagree with the meanings of my two names.”

iii. Thomas: His third name Thomas is a Christian name. This name was written on his Primary Two notebook in 1937 by Pa Yekwe of Ayakoromo. According to my father, “at school when I saw that most pupils go by English names, I had to adopt it. So, till this day, I have been known as Thomas Omette Onduku.”

My father was a great scholar, language tutor, author, patriot and nationalist. His pioneering work on Ijaw Language study, preservation and development is a momentous and invaluable contribution to Ijaw national development and progress. In his last days on earth, he was appointed by then Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha as a member of the Ijaw History Project with Professor Ebiegberi Alagoa as Chairman. My elder brother, Barrister Preye Onduku represented him on the Project when my father had a challenging health condition. He lived as an Anglican, and he offered his house to be used as home of the Anglican Church in Ayakoromo. Nearly all of us his children were baptised and confirmed in the Anglican Communion. 

On this day marking the 17th year of your transition, on behalf of all my siblings we remember you for your uprightness, truthfulness, sincerity, service to humanity and commitment to community development. Adieu Papa, the indefatigable and fearless Olotu of Ngbilebiri-Mein Kingdom and the progenitor of Izon language orthography.

NNAMDI KANU: BULLETS WALK FREE, WORDS WEAR CHAINS:- Forgiveness for Fire, Punishment for Voice

Justice is meant to be blind,  

her eyes hidden beneath the cloth,  

yet in our land she peeks,  

choosing who to punish  

and who to let walk away free.  

Her scales do not rest in balance,  

they bend under the weight of power,  

tilting toward those she favours.  

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu stands in the shadow of judgement,  

a man whose hands have never held a gun,  

whose fingers are clean of deaths,  

whose weapon is only a microphone  

and the courage to speak  

of freedom and of truth.  

Yet the gates of prison have closed behind him,  

and his voice now fights against walls and chains.  

Across town, the streets open wide  

for men who have carried real guns,  

guns that spit fire and death into schools, markets and homes.  

Men whose boots have crushed villages,  

whose shadows fall over graves still fresh.  

Some shake hands with leaders,  

some take photographs with smiling officials,  

and their crimes dissolve into the air like smoke.  

The government calls it mercy,  

but it is a mercy given to wolves.  

They name it amnesty,  

they dress killers in new uniforms,  

giving them a seat inside the army  

as if the blood they spilled  

can be washed away in clear water.  

And the people watch in disbelief,  

like a scene from a Nollywood film,  

so strange it almost feels unreal.  

Here we see two roads:  

one paved with forgiveness for the violent,  

and another lined with punishment for the peaceful.  

One man speaks and is chained forever,  

another man shoots and is given a bed in the city.  

If the Igbo were the bandits,  

would mercy fly toward them too?  

Or would the hand of power  

strike them without pause?  

The east begins to whisper of another path,  

a path leading to a different dawn,  

where justice sits with both eyes open  

and weighs every life the same.  

For when a nation bends too far,  

its people begin to dream  

of a land that will not break them again.  

And so the truth stands bare:  

in Nigeria, justice chooses her friends.  

Bullets invite pardon,  

words invite prison.  

This is not the blindfolded goddess we were told about,

this is a game of tilted scales,  

played in the open,  

while the people watch  

and hope for the day  

when fairness remembers her true face

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town Delta State

Lifestyle: Top 10 Most Powerful Families in Africa 2025: Dantata-Dangote Family, Motsepe Family-South Africa, Sawiris Family-Egypt etc

  Africa’s power is not just about presidents, CEOs, or celebrities, it often runs through family bloodlines. From old-money dynasties to modern disruptors, these families wield influence across politics, business, culture, and technology, shaping nations and industries in ways few notice but everyone feels.

African influential families shape diverse sectors like politics, economy, culture, and technology.

Nigeria's

Dantata–Dangote family combines legacy wealth with industrial dominance.

South Africa's Motsepe family holds sway in mining, politics, and societal advancements.

Morocco's Alaouite Dynasty merges royal authority with economic influence.

Regardless of financial background, following Africa’s most powerful families can be far more compelling than monitoring rising food prices, GDP fluctuations, or complex investment schemes.

The fascination extends beyond the wealthiest individual or a famous Forbes listing. It is about families where every member carries influence, and multiple individuals wield power and achievement comparable to one another.

These families are not just rich; they are powerhouses, shaping the political, economic, and social direction of their various home countries and, in many cases, the continent at large.

Here’s a look at the top 10 most powerful families on the continent.

1. Dantata–Dangote Family – Nigeria

Dantata–Dangote family is arguably Africa’s most powerful commercial dynasty, blending old-school legacy wealth with modern business dominance. The family fortune began with Alhassan Dantata, a legendary merchant whose empire laid the foundation for multi-generational wealth.

His nephew, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man with a net worth of $25.2 billion, leads a vast multipurpose conglomerate, but the Dantata family’s reach goes far beyond him.

His half-brother, Sayyu Idris Dantata, runs MRS Holdings, one of Nigeria’s largest downstream oil distributors, controlling refined petroleum nationwide with a valuation exceeding $700 million.

Saadina Dantata, founder of the Danba Group, has carved his own path across construction, finance, and energy. Together, the Dantatas dominate Nigeria’s oil ecosystem, from drilling and refining to distribution.

Simply put, the presence of any Dantata-Dangote family member in an African country is like hitting the jackpot.

2. Motsepe Family – South Africa

The Motsepes might look like new money, but their influence is massive. Patrice Motsepe, a mining lawyer turned entrepreneur, is South Africa’s first Black billionaire.

He runs African Rainbow Minerals, one of Africa’s biggest mining companies, tapping into gold, platinum, iron, coal, and nickel. As a presidential in-law, he doesn’t just watch politics, he bankrolls the players who make it happen.

His sisters tell their own story of power. Dr. Tshepo Motsepe is not only the First Lady of South Africa but also Chancellor of the University of Cape Town. Bridgette Radebe, meanwhile, is the trailblazer known as the first African woman to own a mine.

Patrice’s son, Thlopie Motsepe, runs Mamelodi Sundowns, one of Africa’s top football clubs.

Put them all together and the Motsepes form a powerhouse. In politics, business, society, and even football.

3. The Alaouite Dynasty– Morocco

The Moroccan Royal Family, led by King Mohammed VI, is one of Africa’s most powerful dynasties, mixing political authority with serious economic muscle.

They hold big stakes in Morocco’s top bank, Attijariwafa, media powerhouse Maroc Telecom, and Marjane, the country’s go-to supermarket chain. On the mining front, they call the shots over gold, silver, cobalt, and Morocco’s prized phosphate reserves.

Beyond business, Prince Moulay Rachid, Princess Lalla Hasnaa, and Princess Lalla Asmae run diplomatic, philanthropic, and environmental projects, while Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, worth nearly $1.5 billion, is stepping up for the next generation.

In short, banking, telecom, mining, retail, and even the fate of Western Sahara all bend to the monarchy’s influence.

4. Adeleke Family – Nigeria

The Adeleke family is a rare blend of politics, culture, social influence, and wealth. They rarely make headlines as a whole, yet they are often spotted at high-profile events, celebrated for their zest for life.

Patriarch Chief Raji Ayoola Adeleke was a two-time Senator and a cultural juggernaut, anchoring one of western Nigeria’s enduring old-money dynasties.

The current patriarch, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, has quietly built a fortune through Pacific Holdings, spanning energy, power generation, real estate, banking, and agriculture, and he even owns a university.

Ademola Adeleke, one of the family’s prominent members, serves as governor of a state rich in gold, columbite, granite, talc, tantalite, and tourmaline.

Meanwhile, David “Davido” Adeleke shines as Africa’s entertainment powerhouse, earning the title of the continent’s most-followed musician on social media and leading the family’s spotlight on the global stage.

The Adelekes are a modern dynasty where politics, culture, social influence, and economic power collide, making them a family whose presence is felt wherever they step.

5. Rupert Family – South Africa

South Africa’s Rupert family exemplifies generational power paired with global prestige. An enduring old-money dynasty, they wield influence across politics, business, and culture in the broader South African landscape.

Johann Rupert, son of the late Anton Rupert, chairs Richemont, the Swiss luxury group behind Cartier, Montblanc, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. He also oversees Remgro and holds a controlling stake in Rembrandt Group, diversifying the family’s wealth into finance, industrial holdings, and media.

Anton Rupert’s children manage their own portfolios: Anton Jr. focuses on private ventures and international investments; Caroline Rupert runs fashion and media businesses, including real estate ventures in Texas; and Hanneli Rupert maintains investments and personal brands that extend the family’s influence.

The Ruperts are South Africa’s highest taxpayers among individuals and one of the most heavily taxed entities on the continent.

They have so much wealth that they’ve grown conservative in their approach, a mindset that only comes with generations of knowing how to protect and grow a fortune.

6. Sawiris Family – Egypt

The Sawiris family is Egypt’s top business dynasty, commanding wealth, political clout, and global recognition.

Patriarch Onsi Sawiris founded Orascom in 1950, building a conglomerate across construction, telecoms, tourism, and technology. Today, his three sons: Nassef, Naguib, and Samih, carry the legacy forward, each carving their own path.

Nassef Sawiris runs OCI Global and Orascom Construction, giants in fertilizers and infrastructure. Naguib Sawiris leads telecom and media ventures and even founded the Free Egyptians Party, mixing business with politics. Samih Sawiris focuses on tourism and luxury resorts, expanding from Egypt to Oman, Switzerland, and the UAE.

With fortunes of $8.5 billion, $5 billion, and $1.1 billion, the Sawiris family blends financial muscle, social influence, and political reach, truly one of Africa’s most formidable dynasties.

7. Kenyatta Family – Kenya

It’s impossible to discuss East African history without mentioning the Kenyattas. For decades, they have shaped Kenya’s economy and politics and are, in many ways, the landlords of Nairobi.

Matriarch Ngina Kenyatta (“Mama Ngina”) and her sons, including former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Muhoho Kenyatta, run a sprawling empire of estates, luxury hotels, and farms. Through the Heritage Group, they own over 500,000 acres of prime land, safari lodges, and resorts, including the $5 billion Northlands City.

They call the shots at Kenya’s top resorts: Mara Explorer, Voyager Beach Resort, Samburu Intrepids, and the Great Rift Valley Lodge; and Mama Ngina is one of Africa’s wealthiest women in agriculture.

From media to land and tourism, the Kenyattas quietly steer markets and political moves across East Africa, proving power doesn’t need to shout.

8. Oppenheimer Family – South Africa

The Oppenheimers are South African old-money royalty, born into a world where mastering gold and diamonds came before counting regular cash.

Sir Ernest Oppenheimer founded Anglo American and took control of De Beers, eventually dominating over 95% of the global diamond supply. His son Harry expanded the empire, and grandson Nicholas “Nicky” Oppenheimer later sold his De Beers shares for $5.1 billion, keeping influence alive through Oppenheimer Generations, with investments across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

The family holds strategic stakes in diamonds, platinum, and copper in countries like Botswana and Namibia.

Their power comes from immense wealth, pan-African investments, global business reach, and influence over politics and society, cementing the Oppenheimers as one of Africa’s most formidable dynasties.

9. Mansour Family – Egypt

From humble beginnings in cotton exports, the Mansour Group has grown into a global powerhouse, employing 60,000 people in over 100 countries.

Mohamed, Youssef, and Yasseen Mansour now run the show, handling exclusive distribution deals with General Motors and Caterpillar, developing luxury real estate, and investing in global tech giants like Spotify, Uber, Airbnb, Meta, and Twitter.

The Mansours are the kind of family where “business as usual” includes shaping African markets, steering industrial growth, and quietly flexing influence across the continent. Mohamed, Youssef, and Yasseen each have their domain: Yasseen runs Palm Hills, Mohamed oversees automotive and investments, and Youssef balances tech and ventures.

The family owns stakes in some of the world’s most talked-about tech companies. With $7.5 billion in annual revenue and operations spanning continents, the Mansours are proof that a family can be serious about business without losing a sense of flair, they are powerful, connected, and always moving, and they do it with style.

10. Masiyiwa Family – Zimbabwe

The Masiyiwa family is Africa’s tech royalty, Zimbabwe’s answer to Larry Ellison; visionary, daring, and always one step ahead.

Strive Masiyiwa has reshaped telecommunications, fintech, and AI, while his wife, Tsitsi, leads the family’s philanthropic ventures, from healthcare and education to supporting vulnerable communities, ensuring their influence touches lives far beyond the boardroom.

Their daughters, Elizabeth Tanya and Sarah, are already shaping digital strategy across Africa, embedding the family deeply into the continent’s tech future. With massive investments across telecoms, fintech, AI, and emerging technologies, imagine how much more powerful the Masiyiwas will be in the coming years.

Their wealth isn’t just numbers; it’s a force of transformation, cementing their place as one of Africa’s most influential and forward-thinking families.

Just-ln: Comrade Wilson Asekutu Emerges Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Delta State Chapter

Delta State has recorded another milestone in organised labour as Comrade Wilson Asekutu has emerged the new Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Delta State Council, following a smooth and peaceful election held at the 1st Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference in Asaba.

The conference, which took place at the Samuel Dietake Multipurpose Event Hall, saw Comrade Asekutu elected unopposed, a development widely applauded by delegates as a demonstration of unity, maturity and strong democratic values within the Congress.

Representing the TUC President General, Comrade Festus Osifo, Comrade Oluchi-Favour Ubani commended the Delta State Council for a seamless transition. She described the peaceful process as a reflection of the Congress’s collective resolve to build a stronger and more resilient labour movement at all levels. She also congratulated the newly elected Executive Committee and prayed for a tenure marked by progress, stability and impactful service to workers across the state.

In his acceptance speech, Comrade Asekutu expressed gratitude to the delegates for their confidence in his leadership. He pledged to build on the achievements of the outgoing administration, strengthen solidarity among affiliate unions, and champion the rights and welfare of workers in both the public and private sectors.

According to him, his leadership will focus on addressing critical issues affecting Delta workers, including rising cost of living, casualisation, job insecurity, fair wages, and the need for improved workplace safety and conditions.

Comrade Asekutu, a seasoned labour leader from Tsekelewu in Egbema Kingdom, currently served as the PENGASSAN Warri Zonal Secretary, also a member of both PENGASSAN Central Working Committee and National Executive Council. He brings years of experience, including senior-level engagement in the oil and gas industry.

Delta workers and labour affiliates across the state have expressed optimism that the new leadership will consolidate on existing gains and deliver a more robust and responsive labour front.

Delta Event TV News will continue to monitor developments within the Congress and provide updates as the new executive begins its tenure.

GODFATHERS: THE FAT CATS OF DEMOCRACY AND THEIR HUNGRY KITTENS-The Political ATM that Accepts Only Praise-

In today’s Nigeria, godfatherism and political cabalism have grown into a hulking monster, draped in expensive fabrics, fed on public funds, with a wicked smirk that knows its power is absolute. This creature prowls our political terrain, devouring the soul of democracy one bite at a time. It slinks into party meetings and electoral commissions, whispering names of “chosen candidates” long before the first ballot paper is printed. In its claws, the will of the people is as fragile as dry leaves in the harmattan -- easily crumbled, scattered without care.  

Once upon a time, democracy promised freedom, choice, and accountability. But the monster’s grip is tight, and Nigerians now watch elections like badly written soap operas where the ending is known before the first scene. The ballot paper is no longer an expression of the people’s will; it is simply the prop in a puppet show whose strings are pulled from a godfather’s mansion. Leaders become mannequins dressed in authority, performing scripts written by invisible hands behind the curtain.  

This beast has no loyalty to the people who line up under the hot sun to vote. Its allegiance lies entirely with the godfathers who feed it -- moneybags with bottomless pockets and endless appetite for power. It decides who gets a ministerial chair, who becomes governor, and even who gets a “lucrative” contract. The citizens watch helplessly, their voices muted like a television turned down to zero, their votes devalued until they are mere confetti tossed at victory parties that were planned months before the election.  

Within the corridors of power, the monster plays matchmaker between incompetence and authority. Public appointments are no longer the reward of skill or vision but the dowry paid to those who swear undying loyalty to the godfather. A man may have no knowledge of health administration, yet find himself in charge of hospitals, simply because he once clapped the loudest at a campaign rally. In this strange marriage, merit is the unwanted guest. Inefficiency and mediocrity take the honeymoon, birthing corruption and stagnation that choke the nation’s progress.  

The monster’s laughter echoes in the marble halls of government whenever the topic of accountability arises. Protected leaders, shielded by godfather influence, saunter through office without fear of the people who supposedly elected them. Public funds leak away like water from a cracked pot, and no one dares ask where they went. Justice, equality, and progress — the promised dividends of democracy — are replaced with deprivation and deceit, neatly packaged in political speeches and false statistics.  

In matters of development, the monster’s appetite shapes the national budget. It decides which road is built, which school is renovated, which hospital gets new beds — and none of these decisions are based on public need. Instead, they are calculated offerings to please the great godfather and maintain his favour. Projects become currency, inflated contracts the bribes of survival, while essential services like education, health, and agriculture are left gasping for air in the corner.  

The consequences are heavy and cruel. Corruption flourishes in the shade of the godfather’s umbrella. Impunity dances freely, unafraid of the law. Inequality sharpens its claws on the backs of the poor while the rich toast to “success” in gold-rimmed glasses. Citizens grow weary and distrustful, their faith in democracy corroded by years of betrayal. Apathy spreads. Protests rumble quietly, waiting for the spark that could send them roaring into the streets. The moral compass of governance spins wildly, unable to point towards justice when loyalty to the godfather outweighs loyalty to the constitution.  

The remedy, though difficult, is not impossible. This monster can be starved. Its food source is the unchecked power of political patrons, and starving it requires the strengthening of institutions — courts that refuse political interference, electoral commissions that ignore secret phone calls, security agencies that serve the law, not the godfather’s will. Citizens must look the beast in the eye and demand that leaders owe their loyalty to the public alone. Transparent elections, merit-based appointments, and vigilant civic participation are the weapons that will drive the creature back into the shadows.  

Yet while this monster roams through our establishments and institutions, professionalism withers. Every sector it touches becomes politicised. Judges bow to political pressure. Civil servants play to the tune of party bosses. Even security agencies turn into personal guards for the powerful instead of protectors of justice. Once independent, these bodies now march to the rhythm of the godfather’s drum.  

And in its wake, inefficiency blooms like weeds in a neglected garden. Offices become dens of waste, policies lose their way, and service delivery collapses into a heap of promises never kept. Governance turns into theatre without talent, just noise and costume changes, as the monster lounges lazily, gnawing on the resources meant for the people.  

Godfatherism and cabal politics are the sworn enemies of democracy in contemporary Nigeria. As long as the monster sits in the governor’s seat and whispers into the president’s ear, the nation’s steps towards justice, peace, and prosperity will be slow, painful, and uncertain. True progress will come only when the leash is broken, when the people’s will storms back into national politics, and when the puppet strings are cut forever. Only then will the monster starve, and only then will democracy breathe freely once again.  

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State