NGO Unveils 2026 Partnership Work Plan, Calls for Synergy and Collaboration

A leading Nigeria civil society organization, Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), a Pan African development advocacy group, has unveiled its 2026 work plan for synergy, collaboration and partnership for the betterment of Nigerians and Africans at large.

This was disclosed on Wednesday 21 January, 2026 during a press briefing by the CEO, Comrade Chief. Sheriff Mulade at the organization corporate office Ugolo near Osubi Warri in Okpe LGA, Delta State.

According to Mulade, said:

"The work Plan outlines the planned programs, activities, and strategies of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), for the year 2026. The plan is designed to guide systematic implementation of education, environmental justice, sports, climate action, capacity building, peace building, economic development, governance, and community development interventions across Abia, Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Edo, FCT-Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Rivers, among others.

"The 2026 work plan reflects CEPEJ-Africa’s commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, good governance, and community empowerment, in alignment with national development priorities and the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

"The overall goal of the 2026 work plan is: 

To promote sustainable peace, environmental justice, support education, climate resilience, and foster economic empowerment through structured advocacy, capacity building, policy engagement, and grassroots interventions."

The specific objectives are:

1. Strengthen peace building mechanisms and conflict prevention at community, local and state government levels.

2. Promote environmental protection, climate change awareness, and sustainable practices.

3. Enhance community participation in governance, accountability, and social justice.

4. Build the capacity of youth, women, and community leaders as agents of peace and environmental stewardship.

5. Strengthen institutional coordination, monitoring, and partnerships for effective program delivery.

Scope of the work plan 

This work plan covers urban and rural communities across Abia, Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Edo, FCT-Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, and Rivers States with focused interventions at:

1. Community level

2. Local Government Areas (LGAs)

3. Women group networks

4. Sports and educational institutions

5. Security agencies 

6. Civil society and youth networks

7. Traditional and religious institutions

8. Government ministries, departments, and agencies

The strategic work plan

CEPEJ's strategic plan for 2026 focuses on the following:

1. African for Peace (A4P) Sports Development Program (Catch Them Young Football Tournament) for under 15 years:  this is to scout for talented young players, and provide opportunities for them to showcase their skills, gain exposure and be able to represent their country or join professional clubs.

2. Quiz & Essay Competition for Riverine and Rural Secondary Students in Delta State to encourage learning and academic excellence among students in rural/riverine areas.

3. Support for Youths and Women Empowerment Programmes through industrialization (Skills Acquisition/Vacational Training): To equip youths and women with relevant skills by providing training, tools, and resources for personal and economic growth.

4. Unveil the Niger Delta Peace Support Fund (community peacebuilding awareness creation and capacity building for community leaders/youths/women): To promote and support initiatives that foster peace, security, and development in the Niger Delta region.

5. Unveiling of Educational Support Fund (Back to School Program): To enable and encourage disadvantaged students to access quality education.

6. Re-presentation of the proposal for the establishment State Peacebuilding Commission in Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo, Akwa-Ibom States to the Executive Governors and State Houses of Assembly in Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo and Akwa Ibom.To deepen sustainability of peaceful coexistence, create enabling atmosphere for investors and employment opportunities for the youths.

7. Non-Violent Election Program (Sensitization Program on Civic and Voter Education, Election Observers, Training of Election Peace Monitors, Community Stakeholder Network and Multi-Stakeholders/ Roundtable Discussion) with the aim of promoting peaceful elections: encourage calm, secure, and transparent electoral processes, mitigate conflicts and promote tolerance among political stakeholders and promote free, fair, and transparent elections.

8. Environment Awareness Program (Climate Change and Clean Environment Awareness Creation for Communities) which aims to educate people about environmental issues, importance of conservation and food security.

9. Drug Abuse and Cultism Awareness Program (awareness creation for primary and secondary schools in Delta State): To raise awareness on the danger of drug abuse, cultism and social vices on pupils and students.

10. Expansion of CEPEJ Peace and Environment Clubs in Niger, Delta, Bayelsa, FCT and Kano States with the aim of developing skills and confidence for students to drive positive change in peacebuilding and sustainable environment.

11. Establishment and Coordination of CEPEJ-ADR Mediation Centers in Delta: To provide accessible platforms for resolving conflicts through mediation, arbitration etc.

12. Delta State Ethnic Peace & Unity Football Tournament which aims to foster and promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen bonds amongst the youths; scout and discover talented players for potential opportunities.

13. Strengthen PIA- HCDTs (capacity building, leadership training, proposal development, people management, report writing, etc.): To strengthen PIA-HCDTs to enable them deliver on their mandate.

14. Warri Peacebuilding Awareness Creation Program (Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue/Town Hall): To deepen understanding and foster reconciliation among the ethnic groups in Warri Federal Constituency.

15. IDPs Support Program: To offer essential needs like food, shelter, healthcare, etc to flood victims, person affected by communal conflicts, banditry attacks, etc.

CEPEJ Implementation Strategies

The Implementation will be carried out through:

1. Community-based participatory approaches

2. Strategic partnerships with government, international development agencies, NGOs, FBOs, CBOs and CSOs

3. Engagement of trained volunteers and facilitators

4. Periodic coordination meetings

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

Monitoring and evaluation will ensure effective and efficient program delivery, accountability and learning through:

1. Activities tracking tools

2. Work Plan Review and Progress Reports (monthly and quarterly)

3. Field monitoring visits

4. Lessons learned documentation

Risk Management & Sustainability

The Potential risks such as funding constraints, security challenges, and community resistance will be mitigated through stakeholder’s engagement, flexibility, and partnership building. While sustainability will be ensured by strengthening community ownership and institutional collaboration.

Conclusion

This 2026 strategic Work Plan provides a clear, actionable roadmap for CEPEJ-Africa to deliver impactful peace building, environmental justice, and community development interventions. Successful implementation will contribute significantly to sustainable peace and environmental resilience in Nigeria.

Thank you and God bless you all, the statement added.

Ijaw Highlife Music Maestro, Chief Barrister Smooth Admonishes Content Creators to be Constructive in their Critics of Leaders

According to the King of South-South Highlife Owigiri music kingpin, Chief Barrister Smooth popularly known as the Paddle of Niger Delta said: 

'To My Dear Content Creators'

"To become a leader of tomorrow, one must begin by thinking like a leader today. Leadership is not merely about holding authority or occupying public office; it is a mindset shaped by responsibility, empathy, and the ability to engage constructively with others, even in disagreement.

" In contemporary society, the rise of social media has given content creators and citizens unprecedented access to public platforms. While this development has empowered free expression and accountability, it has also led to a growing culture where leaders are frequently subjected to direct insults, ridicule, and personal attacks. Criticism, when driven by anger or the pursuit of online engagement, often loses its value and undermines meaningful dialogue.

" It is important to remember that leaders are human beings. They are not infallible and, like everyone else, are bound to make mistakes. This acknowledgment does not excuse intentional wrongdoing or incompetence; rather, it calls for fairness and perspective. Constructive criticism focuses on actions and policies, not personal character or dignity.

" Content creators and members of the public carry a responsibility that comes with influence. Platforms should be used to educate, question, and challenge leadership in ways that promote growth and accountability. Respectful criticism encourages reflection and reform, whereas insults breed hostility, division, and resistance.

" A society that hopes to produce better leaders must also cultivate better critics. By choosing constructive engagement over verbal attacks, we set a standard for leadership rooted in maturity, respect, and progress. In doing so, we not only strengthen our institutions but also prepare ourselves to lead with wisdom when our own time comes", the statement added.

Delta University: Give VC Position to Ijaw, Mulade tells Oborevowori, Cites Lack of Representation and lnclusivity

A Delta-born Ijaw leader, Chief Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has implored the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to consider and appoint an Ijaw man as the next Vice-Chancellor of the Dennis Osadebay University,  Asaba.

According to him, the call is driven by concerns over the lack of Ijaw representation in the university leadership, despite the community's contributions to the institution's establishment.

He pointed out that no Ijaw individual has held a Vice-Chancellorship or principal officer position in the state's new universities, and argued that qualified Ijaw candidates with academic integrity, administrative competence, and professionalism are available for the role.

The Ibe-Sorimowei of Ancient oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom and Activist expressed the confidence that appointing an Ijaw Vice-Chancellor would address perceived neglect and promote inclusivity in university leadership, giving Ijaw people a sense of belonging in Delta State's educational scheme.

"Ijaw members were part of the Management Council that facilitated the establishment of these universities and contributed to the development of Southern Delta University.

Qualified Candidate: Ijaw community has several qualified candidate's, professor with experience, some have served Delta State government and has academic integrity, administrative competence, and professionalism.

We have several qualified professors with impeccable administrative and academic acumen", he said.

He added that; "It is imperative to call on our dynamic governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to give Ijaw sense of belonging who have been deprived from hosting any of the state universities in spite of her economic contribution. The appointment of a Vice-Chancellor from Ijaw extraction would address the perceived neglect of the Ijaw community and promote representation and inclusivity in university leadership". the people's voice, added

Ex-Tinubu Aide, Onoh Demands Immediate Suspension of Rivers APC Lawmakers

A former aide to President Bola Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has demanded the immediate suspension of All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly over the ongoing impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

Onoh said the party must act quickly to stop what he described as an abuse of legislative power in Rivers State. He warned that the impeachment plot could further destabilise governance in the state if not checked.

The former presidential spokesman made his position known in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja. He accused the lawmakers of using impeachment as a political weapon rather than a constitutional process.

Onoh, who is also Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, criticised the Rivers Assembly leadership under Speaker Martin Amaewhule. He described the renewed impeachment move as reckless and driven by personal interest, rather than the welfare of the state.

According to him, the action amounts to an attack on democratic governance and constitutional order. He argued that the legislature was overstepping its boundaries.

He also questioned the basis of the allegations being used to justify the impeachment. One of the major claims against the governor is the alleged failure to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

Onoh dismissed this argument, stating that a nationally approved budget is already in force and is expected to run until August 2026 under earlier emergency provisions.

He said ignoring this reality shows bad faith on the part of the lawmakers pushing for impeachment.

Onoh noted that this is not the first time Governor Fubara has faced such pressure. He recalled that the current move is the third impeachment attempt against the governor since 2023. He added that the latest escalation began in January 2026, raising concerns about persistent political targeting.

He further alleged that the lawmakers behind the impeachment had recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on December 5, 2025. This, he said, happened only days before Governor Fubara himself joined the ruling party.

Onoh argued that the timing of these defections and the impeachment move raises serious questions about internal party motives and power struggles.

“The simultaneous targeting of the governor and his deputy exposes a clear agenda to seize power through the back door. The APC should suspend all its lawmakers involved in this act of legislative rascality,” Onoh said.

Likewise, the former Tinubu spokesperson urged the APC leadership at the national level to intervene immediately. He warned that failure to act could damage the party’s image and undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.

2027: Mulade Urges Delta Politicians not to Contest Against Oborevwori, says the Governor has Performed Well and Deserves Second Term

Renowned Niger Delta environmental and human rights activist, Chief Mulade Sheriff, PhD, has comnended Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for the successful groundbreaking ceremony for the N59.7bn Lagos-Asaba Expressway Flyover in Agbor and implored politicians not to contest against the governor in the 2027 Governorship election, saying he has performed extremely well and need to consolidate on the development for the betterment of Deltans.

Speaking to newsmen at Asaba, the state capital after the groundbreaking ceremony for the N59.7bn Lagos-Asaba Expressway Flyover, Uromi junction, the Ijaw leader and development advocate said that he was impressed with the performance of the Governor, Oborevwori, saying that; "We just witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony for yet another flyover in the state. Only recently he did that of Ughelli and today we just witnessed that of Agbor. This is going to strengthen economic activities in this area. He should be commended for coming to our rescue".

"The Governor has shown that he came prepared for the job of piloting the affairs of our dear state and he has never disappointed us", he said.

Chief Mulade, who is the Ibe-Serimowei of ancient oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State also lauded the Governor for the presentation of 65 SUV cars to Royal Fathers in the state, describing it as a well come development.

"Gentlemen of the press, I want to also use this medium to thank our Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori for the recent presentation of 65 brand new SUVs to traditional rulers across the state. He is doing very well and we are proud of him. He values our traditional rulers who are the custodians of our custom", he said.

"With the unprecedented development we have witnessed in the state, we should encourage him to go for a second term to consolidated on the ongoing people's oriented projects and it is my appeal to our politicians not to distract him by contest against the governor who has performed extremely well since he became a governor" We are expecting more projects flag-off across the state with a special focus on riverine areas this year. he added.

Ex-Tinubu Aide, Onoh Demands Immediate Suspension of Rivers APC Lawmakers

A former aide to President Bola Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has demanded the immediate suspension of All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly over the ongoing impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

Onoh said the party must act quickly to stop what he described as an abuse of legislative power in Rivers State. He warned that the impeachment plot could further destabilise governance in the state if not checked.

The former presidential spokesman made his position known in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja. He accused the lawmakers of using impeachment as a political weapon rather than a constitutional process.

Onoh, who is also Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, criticised the Rivers Assembly leadership under Speaker Martin Amaewhule. He described the renewed impeachment move as reckless and driven by personal interest, rather than the welfare of the state.

According to him, the action amounts to an attack on democratic governance and constitutional order. He argued that the legislature was overstepping its boundaries.

He also questioned the basis of the allegations being used to justify the impeachment. One of the major claims against the governor is the alleged failure to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

Onoh dismissed this argument, stating that a nationally approved budget is already in force and is expected to run until August 2026 under earlier emergency provisions.

He said ignoring this reality shows bad faith on the part of the lawmakers pushing for impeachment.

Onoh noted that this is not the first time Governor Fubara has faced such pressure. He recalled that the current move is the third impeachment attempt against the governor since 2023. He added that the latest escalation began in January 2026, raising concerns about persistent political targeting.

He further alleged that the lawmakers behind the impeachment had recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on December 5, 2025. This, he said, happened only days before Governor Fubara himself joined the ruling party.

Onoh argued that the timing of these defections and the impeachment move raises serious questions about internal party motives and power struggles.

“The simultaneous targeting of the governor and his deputy exposes a clear agenda to seize power through the back door. The APC should suspend all its lawmakers involved in this act of legislative rascality,” Onoh said.

Likewise, the former Tinubu spokesperson urged the APC leadership at the national level to intervene immediately. He warned that failure to act could damage the party’s image and undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.

Breaking: President Tinubu Moves to Pick Bishop Kuka as Vice-President in 2027 Presidential Election

Fresh political discussions suggest that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is quietly assessing four prominent northern Christian leaders as possible running mates ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Sources across print, broadcast and online media have consistently mentioned former Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Defence Minister Lt-Gen. Christopher Musa (retd), Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, as names in serious circulation within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Breaking: President Tinubu Moves to Pick Bishop Kuka as Vice-President in 2027 Presidential Election

According to multiple reports, the President’s inner circle has been reviewing these options as part of a broader political strategy aimed at balancing religion and geography, with all four potential picks coming from the predominantly Christian northern states.

Analysts note that Tinubu, as the APC standard-bearer, retains constitutional freedom to select his running mate from any part of the country, as provided under the 1999 Constitution.

The renewed debate follows lingering criticism of the Muslim–Muslim ticket adopted in the 2023 elections, which drew scrutiny both within and outside Nigeria—including comments from U.S. officials encouraging more inclusive representation in federal governance.

Just-ln: IPF fixes national election February 13, releases timetable, expression of interest form

The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) through its National Electoral Committee (N-ELECO) chaired by Mr. Abai Francis with Mr. Cletus Opukeme as Secretary and Mr. Anthony Demebide as member, has announced the sale of Expression of Interest Form to registered members who are desirous of vying for offices in the Forum.

This is contained in a notice signed by the IPF N-ELECO Chairman, Mr. Abai, and released to the press on Monday, January 19, 2026.

The notice lists the various elective positions to be contested for, as President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer, Financial Secretary, and Welfare Officer.

The cost of Expression of Interest Form for President is N100,000k, and that of the positions of Vice President and Secretary is N90,000k, while others goes for N50,000k each position.

According to the N-ELECO, "All Aspirants are to pay an additional N5,000k (Five Thousand Naira) to cover the cost of processing. All payments (Form Purchase and Processing Fee) should be made to Demebide Mienbibo Anthony's Ecobank account number 2151169411.

"There shall be no refund of the cost of Expression of Interest Form and Processing Fee to any Aspirant after payment," it warned.

The N-ELECO further revealed that aspirants desirous of contesting for available positions can purchase their Forms by contacting the Eleco by 08037449157.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATE CREATION: HISTORICAL REASONS WHY TORU-IBE STATE MUST BE CREATED FOR THE IZONS/IJAWS ~MOSIEND

 SERIES: (PART THREE)

"Ijaw people must push the quest for an homogeneous Toru-Ibe State from Delta, Edo, and Ondo States"

"The creation of Toru-Ibe State will solve more problems than the creation of most other proposed states"~

_In 1976 State creation exercise, the same method was used to scuttle Western Ijaw from joining their brothers in the old Rivers State. Allegations of attempts to dominate smaller neighboring tribes, falsehood and other tribal sentiments were used by the Itshekiri, Benin's, Ilajes etc to weaken and stop Ijaw chances._ 

 _When states were eventually created in 1967, the Western Ijaws (present day Ondo, Edo and Delta states balkanized to weaken them) were included in the Mid-Western State instead of the Old Rivers State as desired, struggled and fought for since the colonial days._ 

 _The creation of Toru-Be State for the Ijaws of Old Western Ijaw Division, is for the long-term protection of our peoples political, economic, social and cultural heritage. There is no ulterior motive behind such a sincere demand. It is rather off point that the natural reaction of the Benin Kingdom, Edo State (a neighbouring tribe) to Toru-Ibe State is fear. Benin Kingdom, in the peak of its glory and civilisation deserves the respect of all, but Ijaw identity also deserves recognition._

To be continued.....

MOVEMENT FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE IZON ETHNIC NATIONALITY IN THE NIGER DELTA (MOSIEND).

Mini football Nigeria Appoints Mulade And Clarkson Into Key Offices

The National Body of Nigeria Mini Football has appointed Ambassador Sheriff Mulade and Comrade Clarkson Ogo as National Deputy President and Deputy Secretary, respectively.

The appointment letter was signed by Federation President Alhaji Datti Umar Yusuf and Secretary General Paul Maduakor.

While receiving the appointment letter at the Africa For Peace Games Village (APGV), both thanked the Nigeria National Mini Football Association (NIMFA) for the appointment and promised to be more committed.

NIMFA President Datti Umar said both individuals, Sheriff Mulade (Delta State Chairman) and Clarkson Ogo (Secretary), are very committed. "Both the Delta State Chairman, Sheriff, and Secretary, Clarkson, are very committed to promoting this fast-rising sport in Nigeria," he said. "The Delta State Mini Football Association executives are truly championing the affairs of mini football in Nigeria, and we need them in the main affairs."

Prior to their appointment, Sheriff Mulade was National Coordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (Cepej), while Clarkson Ogo, a renowned journalist, is CEO of Topsportsafrik, an international sports media organization .

MINISTER WIKE'S POLITICAL FUNERAL – HOW GOVERNOR FUBARA TURNED A POLITICAL MEGAPHONE INTO A BROKEN LOUDSPEAKER -ROARING LION INTO A MEOWING CAT

....Fubara as the Undertaker of a Fallen Political Demi‑god  and His Quiet Art of Retiring an Overfed Boastful Boss  

  

"Wike in the Museum of Political Relics – Governor Fubara as the Curator of a Finished Godfather"

Wike once strutted across the Rivers political landscape like a self‑crowned emperor, barking orders and mistaking fear for respect. His word was law, his anger a decree, and his every noisy outburst a command performance for trembling loyalists. But as the impeachment plot against Governor Fubara continues to crumble, the stage lights that once flattered Wike now expose him in unflinching detail: a loud, overacting politician whose script has finally expired. The defections from the so‑called “zombie” lawmakers are not just political moves; they are public confessions that the spell of Wike’s overbearing influence is breaking, piece by humiliating piece.

Consequently, the same Assembly members who once marched in lockstep like remote‑controlled puppets have begun to rediscover their spines. Their withdrawals from the impeachment move expose the hollowness of Wike’s supposed invincibility. One by one, his “loyal soldiers” are quietly deserting the battlefield, choosing peace and dialogue over the vanity project of an overfed godfather who cannot accept that his era is over. In this slow but steady unravelling, Wike stands like a desperate director on an empty stage, screaming lines no one cares to recite. The once‑roaring lion has been reduced to a hoarse whisper in a forest that has moved on.

Moreover, the situation reveals the tragic flaw that has always haunted Wike’s career: his pride, swollen beyond proportion; his arrogance, worn like a crown of thorns; and his incurable loquaciousness, a stream of words that has finally washed away his own foundations. He built a towering image of himself, but like all monuments to ego, it could not survive the storm of reality. In his obsession to control Governor Fubara, he forgot that even a “boy” grows into a man, and that every puppet dreams, someday, of cutting its strings. Wike’s political tragedy is self‑authored; he did not merely dig his own grave, he designed it, decorated it, and then jumped in ceremoniously.

In addition, the impeachment fiasco has turned into a moral lecture for other politicians addicted to overbearing godfatherism. Wike’s miscalculation is now a cautionary tale: when you try to humiliate a sitting governor you helped to install, you risk becoming the main character in your own downfall. He imagined that threats and noise would bend Fubara to his will, yet each attempt to intimidate the governor has backfired like a faulty firework, bursting in his own face. The more Wike rages, the more he shrinks; the more he speaks, the more foolish he appears. His loquaciousness, once a political weapon, now sounds like the background noise of a man no longer taken seriously.

Furthermore, as Wike’s influence wanes, Governor Fubara’s stature quietly grows. While Wike bellows and postures, Fubara has chosen the language of restraint, dialogue, and stability. That contrast is not accidental; it is poetic justice. The godfather tried to script the godson’s downfall, only to hand him the pen of destiny. Each lawmaker who withdraws from the impeachment drama writes another line in the story of Wike’s humiliation and Fubara’s vindication. The governor’s calm has exposed Wike’s bluster as hollow theatre—sound and fury, signifying nothing but a man terrified of irrelevance.

As the Rivers Assembly prepares to reconvene, the atmosphere is no longer dominated by fear of Wike’s wrath, but by the possibility of independent thought and genuine governance. The same chamber that once echoed with the mechanical chorus of a godfather’s will is gradually finding a new tune. Lawmakers now speak of peace, stability, and Rivers State’s interest rather than Wike’s ego. That shift is the loudest verdict of all: the godfather has lost his grip, and the state is slipping away from his clenched fists. Even his most loyal “zombie” followers are awakening, blinking in the light of political reality and retreating from the embarrassment of being seen as mere extensions of his overfed ego.

In the larger theatre of Nigerian politics, Wike’s current humiliation reads like a satirical play. The man who once mocked others with fierce tongue‑lashings now finds himself at the receiving end of history’s sarcasm. He is paying for his political sins in instalments—each failed maneuver, each collapsing plot, each deserting loyalist a receipt stamped “No refund.” His attempt to overshadow Governor Fubara has instead illuminated his own smallness. The godfather has been retired by his “boy,” and that retirement is not graceful; it is forced, reluctant, and painfully public.

Thus, Wike’s downfall appears less like an accident and more like a long‑overdue consequence. Pride has devoured his judgment, arrogance has blinded his sense of proportion, and his endless talking has finally drowned out the last echoes of respect. He is now a living warning label for other politicians: do not confuse noise with power, and do not believe your own propaganda so much that you imagine yourself untouchable. In trying to make himself immortal in Rivers politics, he has made himself a caricature—an example cited in hushed tones as “what not to become.”

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara stands, perhaps not as the loudest man in the room, but as the one whose quiet resilience has outlasted a storm of insults and sabotage. In the end, it is he who will have the last laugh, not because he shouted the most, but because he refused to be bullied into oblivion. Wike’s attempt to script Fubara’s political obituary has resulted in his own burial in the grave he so eagerly dug. The teacher has been retired by the student; the master has been politically pensioned off by the apprentice he underestimated.

In the final analysis, Wike’s story in Rivers State has crossed from drama into dark comedy. Here stands a man who once saw himself as the alpha and omega of the state’s politics, now reduced to a cautionary proverb whispered in political corridors. He has been silenced not by force, but by the sheer weight of his own miscalculations. Governor Fubara, by simply standing his ground and outlasting the storm, has effectively retired his master from relevance. And as the curtain falls on Wike’s noisy reign, Rivers State moves on, leaving him behind as a relic of an era where pride shouted too loudly and wisdom spoke too softly. Now, at last, wisdom is being heard.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

Otuaro Attributes Huge Deployment Of PAP Scholarship Beneficiaries To President Tinubu's Strong Backing

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, has attributed his large-scale onshore and offshore deployment of scholarship beneficiaries to the robust backing of President Bola Tinubu.

He spoke during the pre-departure orientation for another set of 25 foreign post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries deployed by the PAP to universities across the United Kingdom for the 2025-2026 academic session, at the agency's head office in Abuja on Thursday.

The event featured talks on "Social and Cultural Relations in the UK", "Academic Expectations", "The Administration of the Scholarship", and the presentation of laptop to each of the scholarship beneficiaries to enhance their research and thesis writing.

The scholars will pursue programmes in artificial intelligence, quantity surveying and commercial management, cyber security, business analytics, advanced structural engineering, data science, finance and financial tech, international law and security, public health, among others.

Otuaro stated that President Tinubu's gracious approval of budgetary increase for the PAP has made it possible for more scholarship beneficiaries to be accommodated for undergraduate and post-graduate studies.

According to him, President Tinubu's unwavering commitment has strengthened the PAP as a pathway to not only changing the Niger Delta narrative, but building the requisite manpower for the social, economic and political advancement of the area and indeed the country.

Otuaro, who was represented by his Technical Assistant, Edgar Biu, also noted that the tireless supervision of the PAP by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had also contributed immensely to the tangibles and milestones recorded by the agency.

Addressing the scholars, he said: "We are extremely grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his wholesome and strong commitment to this Programme, not only in terms of policy direction but also funding.

"Every one in the Niger Delta is happy with the President for this. It is no longer news, because all of you (scholars) also know that this Programme used to run on a low budget annually, but the President graciously approved an increase.

"This is why we are able to deploy more and more scholarship beneficiaries. So, we have every good reason as the people of the Niger Delta to applaud the President for backing this Programme strongly.

"We also appreciate immensely the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, whose supervision this office falls directly under. He has worked tirelessly with us to make sure that this Programme achieves the tangibles and milestones under the President's Renewed Hope Agenda.

"We are able to send all of you and thousands of others to universities within and outside Nigeria because of the budgetary increase. Therefore we are building the necessary human capital for the social, economic and political development of our region and indeed the country. We are, indeed, grateful to the President."

The PAP Administrator reiterated his advice that scholarship beneficiaries should strive hard for academic excellence and avoid distractions, while also obeying the laws of their host country and the regulations of their institutions.

Otuaro added,"So I urge you to be focused as you embark on this academic journey (to the United Kingdom), a journey that promises so much. This programme is not the end of where the Niger Delta should be, but it is a pathway to changing the narrative.

"Be driven by your modest background, the sacrifices that have gone into providing this great opportunity for you, and the huge investment in your education, to achieve academic excellence.

"Make good use of this opportunity to shine and the sky will be the limit for every one of you. When you complete your programme, return home to contribute your quota to the development of the Niger Delta and our country."

Signed:

Mr Igoniko Oduma

Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme

16 January, 2026.

Featured Article: The Inheritance of Ignorance: What Parents Pass Down Without Knowing_By William Z. Bozimo

In life, not everything practised for generations is sacred. Tradition is meant to protect humanity, and not excuse cruelty. Ignorance is the only inheritance that grows larger when it is shared. For decades, some African parents have unknowingly passed down ignorance; not just through what they teach, but also through what they tolerate. They excuse laziness in the name of their heir. They sometimes enable entitlement, all in the name of tradition. They fail to educate their male children that inheritance is not a reward for birth, but a continuation of responsibility and family legacy.

In some African cultures, the male children grow up very fluent in their sense of entitlement but illiterate in duty. Culture, sadly, has empowered some sons with so much authority, but tradition never taught them how to handle the weight of such a huge responsibility. The culture tells them that “they are entitled because they are the firstborn son and heir to all that their father owns, no matter the circumstance of their birth, or the type of relationship they have with their father. But bond by blood alone has never been proof of character. If it were, some family members would not bleed each other dry.

In some families, these men inherit lands they never tilled, houses they never built, and names they never honoured. Yet, they refuse to inherit responsibility, compassion, care and gratitude. Tradition, unfortunately, has given them legal rights without moral weight, and they carry those privileges loudly like trophies stolen from effort. Some of these children have achieved nothing on their own: no legacy built, no burden carried, and no sweat invested. Yet, they speak so loudly against their parents who did far more than they could ever manage, because of their entitlement mindset. 

Even the scriptures never taught us inheritance as entitlement, but as a legacy. ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭22‬ ‭KJV‬‬ “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. This does not say a clever child, nor does it say that a resentful child will get an inheritance. It says that a “good man leaves.” Biblically, inheritance flows from personality, not conflict; from foresight, not force; and from love, not litigation. Yet, somewhere between culture and convenience, we lost the plot. We now raise children who know how to claim, but not how to care.

For instance, successors who were missing from all the struggles and the humble beginnings, how functional can they be when it comes to asset management and all other duties as heirs? Scripture also anticipated this distortion. Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬ says: “An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.” This is not just about timing alone; it is also about the perspective. In reality, an inheritance received by just birthright but without honour is already cursed; not by God’s anger, but by its emptiness. Because the scripture teaches inheritance as a gift of foresight, and not a reward for entitlement, culture and ingratitude.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬  says “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” The Bible never separated an inheritance from honour. Honour comes before benefit; presence comes before possession; and care comes before claims. So any culture that teaches otherwise is not preserving tradition, it is contradicting humanity, truthfulness, and fairness. The most inhumane manifestation of ignorance is selective affection: You did not care if your parents lived well, but you are deeply interested in what they leave behind for you to inherit.

That is not inheritance, it is indeed harvesting without farming. Culture may clap for it, courts may enforce it, the elders may excuse it, but heaven remains silent on entitlement. They quote culture and custom loudly but forget true conscience entirely. How does one who detests the hands that fed them, blame the shoulders that carried them, curse the sacrifices that raised them, yet feel entitled to the fruits of those same sacrifices; and appear promptly when death opens the inventory? Frankly, culture without humanity is theft with ceremony. 

Recently, I came across a video of a young lady who visited her parents in the village during the festive season, and some people who saw her father's compound felt it was below standard, and they told her to construct a better house for them. But her response was not surprising at all. After all, women in her culture don't have any rights to an inheritance, so why would she build for another to claim? On reflection, it is fair to say that it is a patriarchal culture that places value on gender over contribution, where birth order and sex are rewarded more than hard work, sacrifice, loyalty, and care. 

In some families, the girl child is seen as a labourer without inheritance, a caregiver without recognition, and a pillar without foundations. This is not heritage; it is historical intolerance preserved by silence. Such a culture operates on the belief that males are heirs by default and females are just helpers by obligation. So caregiving is expected of them, but ownership is forbidden. Women are permitted to build the home, but are barred from owning it. Such a culture treats women as temporary custodians, regardless of how permanent their sacrifice has been.

Most times, the women often help their parents through tough times in life like illness, poverty, and old age, while the men are busy with their spouses. But in the end, they are told, politely or brutally that “their reward is in their husband's house.” To me, such a culture contradicts humanity in this day and age, mostly in a situation where both the sons and daughters are heirs of dignity and pride to the family, and their contributions carry significance. Fairness has to outrank culture and any system today that prohibits compensation for sacrifice because of gender preference is standing against human values.

Such practice is morally outdated, unjust, exploitative, patriarchal, and sustained by the fear of change. And most painfully, it is a culture that survives because reasonable people stay silent. A society that eats the labour of its daughters and hands the reward to its sons simply because they are males “for show” is not protecting tradition, it is perfecting injustice. It is a culture that drinks from a woman’s well, yet forbids her from owning the land where water flows. “A child who eats where he did not farm will soon destroy the farm.” Honestly, culture must evolve or it will rot. Africa does not need to abandon its essence, but remember it correctly.

A culture that allows “heirs” to despise their parents while they are still alive, and makes no positive contributions in the family legacy as heirs to inheritance, yet they end up getting rewarded when their parents pass away is not upholding tradition but perfecting cruelty. 

Let it be said plainly: If you could not stand by your parents in their lifetime, you have no moral ground to appear when they are no more, or stand on their graves demanding rewards according to tradition. As it has been affirmed that inheritance is a legacy, and not just material gain for the entitled firstborn son alone. 

Because successors are not for rewards only; they must also be relevant in the family as stewards of the family legacy. Otherwise, in the future, these same children will age, and they will discover too late that the culture they defended has teeth. The silence they practised will return to them as neglect, and the entitlement they lived by will raise children just like them. Ignorance, after all, is hereditary when left unchallenged.

William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

WIKE AND THE NORMALIZATION OF THE ABNORMAL: HOW NIGERIAN POLITICS BECAME A TRANSACTIONAL MARKETPLACE:- Wike’s Alleged N50bn Gamble: When Support Becomes an Investment, Not a Principle

 "Public Office, Private Wealth, and the Death of Accountability"

Wike’s recent declaration — “I spent N50bn to make Bola Ahmed Tinubu president and I won’t be dumped like that” — did not land like a bombshell; it floated into the national conversation like an old, familiar song. It sounded less like a scandal and more like a civics lesson on how power truly changes hands in Nigeria. Whether he exaggerated the figure or not almost feels irrelevant. What unsettles the mind is how easily such a claim slips through the public space without shock, as though he merely stated the price of garri in the market. In any democracy where votes truly reign, this kind of statement would invite outrage, investigations, and resignations. In Nigeria, it elicits resigned nods. That, in itself, is the first sign that abnormality has become the new normal.

In truth, Nigerian politics has long muttered its allegiance not to the people but to the highest bidder. The political arena resembles a vast, noisy marketplace where power is the ultimate commodity and politicians are both hawkers and buyers. Elections, on paper, are supposed to be solemn rituals of popular sovereignty; in practice, they often play out like auctions where influence is traded, loyalty is priced, and outcomes are negotiated behind curtains thick with cigarette smoke and whispered promises. Citizens line up at polling booths to cast their votes, yet the real power-play unfolds far from those queues — in hotels, mansions, and backrooms where the ballot is reduced to a mere receipt confirming a deal already sealed.

Within this distorted ecosystem, politics has become shamelessly transactional. Wike’s alleged N50bn is presented not as a moral outrage but as a “stake” in a high-risk, high-return venture. Support is no longer anchored on principles or ideology; it is treated as capital. Politicians invest in candidates, parties, and coalitions the way speculators invest in stocks, hoping for dividends in the form of appointments, contracts, concessions, and immunity. Loyalty, in such a marketplace, does not spring from belief but from expectation. It is less an oath and more an invoice, stamped with the words: “Payment due upon victory.”

Thus, Wike’s alleged gamble fits seamlessly into a broader culture where backing a candidate is akin to buying shares in a political enterprise. The question drifting through public discourse is not, “Is it right for a politician to spend such an amount?” but, “What did he get in return?” The compass of public morality has been spun so many times that it now points only toward profit and loss. The language of governance has been infected by the vocabulary of business: investments, returns, portfolios, negotiations. Politics, as practiced, has become a stock exchange of ambition, with the nation itself offered as collateral.

Yet beneath the loud trading floor of this political marketplace lies a quieter, more haunting question that rarely gains voice: where does this kind of money come from? When a public office holder speaks casually of sinking billions into an election, the most urgent interrogation should be about the source of those funds. But in today’s Nigeria, that question often arrives dead on arrival. Society has been slowly anesthetized, numbed into perceiving unexplained wealth as a natural fragrance of power. It is as if opulence has become the uniform of leadership, and no one dares ask who paid for it.

In this climate, public office is no longer viewed as an opportunity to serve, but as a rare mining license: time-bound, but infinitely exploitable. A politician may enter office with modest means and depart with an empire; vast estates, fleets of cars, offshore accounts, and businesses stretching like tentacles across sectors. The wealth amassed is sometimes so enormous that it could sustain not just children and grandchildren, but descendants yet unborn — a river of stolen abundance flowing into generations that may never know the honest sweat of labour. Public office becomes a hurried harvest, a frantic digging before the term ends and the golden shovel is taken away.

This is where “Public Office, Private Wealth, and the Death of Accountability” takes center stage. The state’s resources, meant to be a communal granary, are turned into private barns. The treasury becomes a free-for-all field, trampled by those in power who graze as though there will be no tomorrow. The funds that should build schools, hospitals, and roads are diverted to bankroll elections, purchase delegates, hire thugs, launch propaganda, and sustain a network of political clients. Corruption, in this scenario, is not a side effect; it is the fuel that powers the engine of electoral victory. It becomes a ruthless cycle, a serpent devouring its tail and growing fatter with every bite.

As this cycle deepens, the value of the ordinary voter shrinks. When money is allowed to choke merit and muscle out integrity, the will of the people becomes a faint whisper drowned by the thunder of cash. Citizens may queue for hours under a scorching sun, ink-stain on their thumbs as proof of duty, yet the true decisions might have been made weeks earlier in plush rooms where envelopes change hands and agreements are scribbled over dinner. Democracy, draped in its ceremonial robes, becomes a masked ball — glamorous on the surface, hollow at the core.

This is why Wike’s words, instead of igniting a firestorm of national outrage, merely fan the embers of cynical recognition. They expose a reality Nigerians have long suspected: that governance is treated as a transaction, and the nation as a negotiable asset. The collective reaction is not one of astonishment but of weary familiarity — as if someone simply turned on the light in a room everyone already knew was dirty. The question on many lips is not, “How dare he?” but, “How many others are doing the same without saying it?”

From this point, frustration often hardens into bitter resignation. Nigerians watch the revolving door of politics spin the same faces in and out of office, like actors swapping costumes but rehearsing the same script. Anti-corruption efforts wobble like a one-legged chair — firm only when leaning on the weak, but strangely gentle when pressed against the powerful. Institutions meant to safeguard the public trust often bow before godfathers and strongmen. In such a setting, hope grows thin, like a cloth washed too many times. The belief that a person of integrity, with little money but great vision, can win an election starts to sound like a bedtime story told only to comfort children.

Yet, beneath the sediment of despair, an unyielding truth persists: no democracy can flourish where individuals tower above institutions. When alliances overshadow laws and personal promises outmuscle constitutional provisions, the system inevitably bends toward the wealthy and well-connected. As long as the real contest is waged not in polling units but in boardrooms, the average citizen remains a spectator — applauding or protesting from the stands, but rarely allowed to touch the ball. The stage may be arranged to look democratic, but the script remains stubbornly oligarchic.

So, the heart of the matter is not whether Wike’s figure is accurate to the last naira. The more piercing question is why such a statement glides so easily into the national consciousness without provoking widespread moral revulsion. It tells of a country where political greed is woven into the very fabric of governance, where public funds are mentally reclassified as personal spoils the moment a hand rests on the Bible or Qur’an at inauguration. It sketches the picture of leaders who view legacy not as the schools they build or the lives they uplift, but as the sheer magnitude of wealth they stockpile — wealth designed to cushion their descendants from the necessity of honest labour for generations.

In the end, Wike’s alleged N50bn claim is less a personal brag and more a mirror reflecting the rot in Nigeria’s political culture. It exposes a system where politics has become a cash-and-carry marketplace, public office a doorway to private riches, and accountability a casualty of normalized corruption. Until Nigerians recover the capacity to be outraged by such revelations, until institutions outgrow strongmen and votes outweigh bank transfers, democracy will remain largely theatrical — impressive on the surface but decayed underneath. The real task is not just to fault Wike’s words, but to challenge and reform the very system that makes such words sound normal, and to rebuild a culture where public office is treated as a sacred trust rather than a lucrative investment.

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO – writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State.

Breaking: Bank Mistakenly Sends N1.3bn to wrong Account, Man Allegedly Splurges Funds Before EFCC Recovers N802m

A system glitch at First Bank reportedly led to the accidental transfer of N1.3 billion into the account of Ojo Eghosa Kingsley, triggering what investigators describe as a rapid spending spree before authorities intervened.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the suspect allegedly diverted large portions of the funds to the bank accounts of his mother, Itohan Ojo, and his sister, Edith Okoro Osaretin, while committing part of the money to the completion of a building project and the funding of a suddenly flamboyant lifestyle. 

Following a report by the bank, the EFCC launched an investigation and has since recovered and returned N802 million to First Bank.