The cerebral Royal Mother of the Anioma Nation and former member of the Federal Government/Private Sector Committee on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to immediately pay ASUU and settle all agreements reached with them so as to enable them return to the classroom, adding that the industrial action was causing more harm than good to the educational system.

She made this call while receiving the Winning Legacy Award, presented to her by the Convener of the Winning Women International, powered by Torchigrace Godspower (First Lady Akwaugo 1 of WAZOBIA FM) at the Sweet Spirit Hotel Asaba, on Sunday 4th September, 2022, in recognition of her numerous achievements in the Media, Business, Leadership and Anioma Cultural Advancement.

Omu Dunkwu said it had become imperative to lend her voice to what was happening in our education system where the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had remained on strike for over six months.

In her motherly evaluation and analysis, she said FG should not continue to show disdain to the legitimate demands of ASUU as if education does not matter.

Her words, “This dispute should be resolved once and for all. If there was agreement reached earlier in addition to the report submitted by the Government’s own Committee, then the Government is obligated to implement this report.

“The Federal Government cannot tell us that they don’t have money to pay ASUU to resolve all of these issues. There is money in our country, we shouldn’t deceive ourselves about that. Education should not even be a sector to toy with. We must be careful with what we do, we have more challenges in our hand and should not add pressure on parents and children who are the actual victims of this strike.

“Our most important asset as a country is the people and not even the oil and gas resource that is tearing us apart. On this note, I want to categorically call on the Federal Government to pay ASUU and resolve all the disputes hampering the progress and development of our tertiary eduction in order for the lecturers to go back to school to teach our children, provide teaching aids, make the school environment conducive for learning so that lecturers can be happy and motivated to teach”, Omu Dunkwu posited.

The former member of Board of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), also used the platform to call on the women to always remember that they have children and should think of their future by voting the right people to lead the country in 2023.

Omu who was disheartened that the over 5000 women in the hall and outside had gathered for small empowerments to do business in a country that is so blessed and supposed to cater for their security and welfare.

She said it is pathetic for women who do all the errands for political parties and vote more in any election, to continue to suffer and live in penury.

She also called on the media to watch itself and do everything possible to hold Government accountable as we move into an election year.

In addition, Omu Dunkwu insisted that the Watchdog must be watched by itself, urging Government not to be apprehensive of the media but concentrate on delivering good governance as part of its statutory mandate. She therefore, quoted Voltaire as saying that, “The only way to compel men to speak good of you is to do good”.

By: Celestine Ukah

The Nigeria Navy Ship, NNS Delta Commander, Commodore Abdulhameed Baba Inna has charged the eight newly promoted Naval Officers to take up their promotion as additional responsibilities in the call to service to their father land.

areanewsng.com reports that Commodore Inna gave the charge Thursday September 1, 2022 at the NNS Delta Warri during the shipping of the newly promoted officers, he urged the eight Officers promoted to the new rank of Lt. Commanders to take their promotion serious as much is expected from them, adding that it is a new phase in their carrier.

While congratulating the newly promoted officers the Navy Boss further admonished them to guide their junior ones and as well always display higher level of maturity in discharge of their duties, even as he tasked them to be dutiful

Responding on behalf of the eight promoted Lt. Commanders, Lt. Commander G Ahmadu assured the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral AZ Gambo and the commander of NNS DELTA, Commodore Abfulhameed Baba Inna and their Bosses of their total loyalty, commitment to the service of the Navy and the nation .

The eight promoted officers are: LT CDR AG AHMADU, LT CDR B ALI , LT CDR BS ABAYOMI, LT CDR S ABUBAKAR, LT CDR SI AKPAN, LT CDR OO EZE, LT CDR PY PERO-ISHAYA AND LT CDR YS TARGEMA

Special Presentations were made to Capt. LD Deyin by the NNS Delta Boss, Commodore Inna.

Commanding Officer Escravos Capt. B. Abubakar, Commander Fleet Support Group Central Capt. Od Ogbologu, other senior officers of the Navy, the promoted officers spouses, relatives and friends were among those present during the ceremony..

From Left; Comrade Patrick Ochei, Yemi Shodimu & Hon. Fred Martins

The State Pastor of the Living Faith Church a.k.a Winners Chapel in Oshogbo, Pastor Michael Olusola has described the immediate past NYSC Delta State Coordinator, Deaconess (Mrs) Olutayo Olufunke Samuel as a woman of productivity and service.

The description was made when the man of God who claimed to have known Samuel for over 25 years was delivering his benediction at the 60th birth anniversary of the dynamic and amiable retired NYSC official.

Olusola said the days of a man in life are measured by Duration and by Donation.

To buttress, he said man is destined to live 70 years and above, maintaining that the highest years to live on earth is 120; however, one can desire more and still have it.

Inferring to the Diamond Anniversary of the celebrant, the servant of God defined 60 as meaning support, perfection and rest; confirming that Olutayo Samuel had come to the level where she would operate from the platform of rest without struggle.

He said while we desire to live more years on earth, we should define our purpose so that our case would not be like that of Methuselah who lived 969 years on earth with nothing mentioned about him except having children.

Talking about Donation in life, Pastor Olusola affirmed that Olutayo Samuel was someone that had donated her life to the service of God and humanity.

He gave a good account of her, especially as it pertains to the Gospel of Christ, describing her as a dangerous soul winner.

The man of God gave a testimony of how Deaconess Samuel followed up a Muslim woman who gave her life to God in sickness. He stated that against all odds, she nurtured the woman in faith, sponsored her treatment and kept her in faith.

In conclusion of the testimony, the servant of God said as a pastor, he would never wish to lose such a member, which was why in spite of his very tight schedules, he still didn’t miss the occasion.

Daddy Olusola noted that knowing Mrs. Samuel was more than joy and pride to him, testifying that in spite of all the trials and tribulations she had been through, she kept to her faith in working hard responsibly and serving God and humanity in the most honest way.

According to Pa Olusola, one of the things I knew Deaconess Samuel about, is her always rejoicing, celebrating and dancing in thanksgiving before the Lord.

“For 25 years that I have known her through my wife, she has not changed but remained faithful in the service of God and humanity. God kept her for a purpose and that is what she is doing in her service to God and humanity. She is a woman of productivity and service”, said Pastor Olusola.

In praying for the amiable celebrant, Pastor Olusola declared that she would never get discouraged but continue in the service of God until the last day of her life.

He described Deaconess Samuel as a living epistle of Psalm 23, maintaining that in the natural life, man depreciates by age while in the kingdom of God, the more one ages the more productive one gets. He therefore, proclaimed that God would keep her strong and healthy as she ages in fulfillment of her divine purpose on earth and the word of God in Psalm 23.

In a nutshell, the celebrant who was glittering and full of life, told her story and appreciated God for how He kept her strong, chaste and preserved from trials, evils and unrighteousness.

She pledged never to abandon God, because He never abandoned her when she desperately needed His interventions in all the trials she faced.

The occasion which held at the Peacock Hall, Providence Hotel and Event Centre, along MKO Abiola Way, Abeokuta, was fun filled with classic activities in honour of the celebrant.

High profile dignitaries from across the country, including Hon. Fred Martins of the Delta State House of Assembly, Comrade Patrick Ochei of the Delta State Council of NUJ, a veteran broadcaster Mr. Yemi Shodimu and a lot others were present.

The festival of ‘Igbu Awai’ is a unique and interesting aspect of the new yam festival (Iwaji) in Issele-Uku; an agrarian community within the Anioma extraction of Delta State.

The Igbu Awai is a part of the series of activities marking the eating of the new yam. The first is the celebration of the new yam festival by children (Iwaji Umuaka), then followed by non titled persons (Iwaji Ikolo) within the community.

The Igbu Awai being the celebration of the new yam festival by titled men (Ikpala) in the community, marks the acceptability of the new yam as healthy and safe staple food for eating.

It is historically believed that the first time new yam was sighted in the community, the villagers were apprehensive, suspecting that its eating might cause poisoning or death to them. To that effect, they decided to allow the children eat the new yam first, in obvious suspicion it could lead to their death. When the children could not die, the elders approved for the Ikolos, those not societally relevant in the scheme of things and not traditionally titled to eat next.

It was after the Ikolos had eaten and not died that the Ikpalas decided to eat theirs the next day. However, it was the Ikolos that were putting the yam in their mouths (Igunya ji na onu), telling them how sweet and healthy the yam was to their bodies. That is why till date, the children and the Ikolos must have eaten the new yam before the Ikpalas eat and then the king of the community.

The 2022 Igbu Awai festival in Issele-Uku was indeed an awesome one. It was an Afor Market day, and while the women had gone to buy cooking stuffs from the market, the men were left to prepare the new yam. It is usually a public show as the big pot is placed on the fire outside with people drinking and jubilating, obviously waiting with earnest desire to eat the traditional porridge (Awai).

The Awai is prepared only with red oil and salt in the first segment of the ceremony.

The second segment is the preparation of the Otite. The Otite is the roasting of the new yam, and when done, the burnt back is scraped into a mortal, pounded together with the Otite leaves and mixed with the roasted yam for eating.

The Otite is highly medicinal; it cures stomach ache and obviously eaten to prevent any side effect from the new yam.

The next segment of the festival is cooking real meal; the new yam is pounded for food and eaten with any properly prepared soup, usually pepper soup (nsala) or white egusi soup (oseani).

Meanwhile, before all these activities take place in the day, there is usually the ceremony of going to the farm to harvest the new yam for the day’s ceremony. While that is being done, the daughters of the household or family (Umuada) would carry out the cleansing of the house (Ife Unor). It is the traditional process of warding off evils from the house in order to receive the new yam into the house. They do this from house to house and they usually receive tubers of yams in appreciation for what they do.

The Igbu Awai was celebrated by most titled men across the nine villages in Issele-Uku, but the two distinct places visited were the Ogwa Ogbelani Issele-Uku and Okpalabisi Umueze Issei, Diokpa Okonkwo Isimchei and of course, Ogwa Okwalegwe Issele-Uku at Idumuinei Village where Comrade Lucky Ochei was exceptional in resonating the nitigrity of Igbu Awai festival. There were dance groups performing to spice up the ceremony.

According to Diokpa Isimchei, “Today marks the beginning of the eating of new yam by titled men (Ikpala) in Issele-Uku. The Ikolos tell us how it feels to eat the new yam by putting it in our mouths as the Okpalas.

“Every land has their traditions and culture. We have ours and it is very unique. However, we must continue to raise the bar in our tradition for the sake of posterity. Our children must embrace the sanctity of our traditions and customs.

“The new yam is wonderfully sweet and healthy to the body system. I have eaten it and I feel good. The Otite is also here; a very good recipe for the cure of stomach ache and other forms of food poisonings.

“We prayed at the beginning of the farming season, and God has answered us with bountiful harvests and healthy crops. On this note we are praying again, that God should keep us alive and healthy to successfully celebrate the coming Ine Festival, which climaxes the new yam festivals in Issele-Uku.

On the part of Comrade Lucky Ochei, he acknowledged God for the gift of life and harvest of blessings. He therefore asked God for more grace to continue to reverence him annually.

By: Ella Ogba

The Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta, has demanded for what they described as their share of the pipeline surveillance contract, recently awarded by the Federal government to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo A.K.A Tompolo, saying the NNPC ought to have consulted widely with critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta, before awarding the surveillance job.

The leader of The Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta, General Tony Alagbakereowei, made the demand in a press statement released in Warri, Dela State, Tuesday August 30.

The statement reads: “The NNPC Management, should have consulted critical stakeholders, before awarding the surveillance contract to a particular person from the creek. They (NNPC) failed to understand that the peace Nigerian government is enjoying in the Niger Delta region today, is as a result of a peace deal that was entered between the former Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brg. Gen. Paul Boro and the Niger Delta arms’ agitators”.

Alagbakereowei, added: “It will be recalled that when Paul Boro was in office, he was able to convey a critical stakeholders’ meeting at Odi Community in Bayelsa State, where over 21 different militant groups across the Niger Delta, with their representatives, agreed on a ceasefire, with a lot of promises, which include the pipeline surveillance job. We were assured that every community, will be responsible for the provision of security in their community, which led to the current cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta region.

“All these years, we have been patient, waiting for the Federal government to do the needful, but to our greatest surprise, this long awaiting job (Surveillance contract) was reported to have been given to a particular person from the creek, which cannot be acceptable. The federal government is always good in setting confusion.

“How can a stranger come to my community that has the third biggest oil manifold in the whole of West Africa, to take over my job, every person should maintain and protect their area of responsibility for the sake of peace”.

Rtn. Daniel Oji (left) receiving an award

Rotary Club Ogunu , Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State has earmarked sixteen million naira for community development in the year 2022/2023 .

The newly installed President of Rotary club of Ogunu Rotarian Michael Odili made the disclosure in his address during the ceremony held at Shell Club Ogunu on Saturday 27th August, 2022 .
He stated that the investiture ceremony was the 5th since the existence of the club.

Rotarian Odili listed the community development projects to include the purchase of an ambulance bus for Ogunu Health Centre at the cost of Ten Million Naira, empowerment program for the girl child in Ogunu, Okurode (Ekurede Urhobo) and Ugbuwangue communities at the cost of two million naira, purchase of writing desks in Ogunu Primary School and Esibovwe Primary School Okurode ( Ekurede Urhobo) at the cost of two million naira and renovation of a block of class rooms in Esibovwe Primary School Okurode (Ekurede Urhobo ) at the cost of Two million naira, Rtn Odili appealed to members, friends of the club, corporate organisations and public spirited Nigerians to donate generosity towards the execution of the laudable community projects.

The outgone President of Rotary Club Ogunu, Rtn Moses Maichibi in his brief speech, listed the fencing of Ogunu Health Centre, purchase of teaching desks in Esibovwe Primary School , Okurode and Ugbuwangue Primary School, provision of micro finance loans , enlightenment campaign on postrate , induction of nine members among others as achievements in his tenure.
Rtn Moses Maichibi promised to assist his successor.

He had earlier appreciated members for their support during his tenure.
The chairman Presidential installation committee of Rotary Club Ogunu Rtn , Sunny Popo in his address also appealed to friends of the club, corporate bodies and well meaning Nigerians to contribute towards the actualization of the projects listed by the New President of the Club Rtn Michael Odili .

Gbubemi Odeworitse , Dede Syvelster and Effiom Ayito were inducted as members of Rotary Club of Ogunu at the epoch making event.

High points of the event were the investiture of Rtn Odili Emeke Michael as the 5th President of Rotary Club of Ogunu, cutting of cake of the investiture ceremony and merit awards on some outstanding members of Rotary club of Ogunu and other Rotarians

Rtn. Sunny Popo (left) receiving an award

including Rtn Sunny Popo , Rtn Daniel Oji, Rtn Lawrence Nwadiogbu , Rtn Nelson Onuoha , Rtn klem Douglas , Rtn Ayodele Enikanselu amongst others.

By: Celestine Ukah 

The Member Representing Warri Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, Abuja and the House Committee Deputy Chairman on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Hon. Chief (Dr.) Thomas Ereyitomi JP has congratulated Deltans and Warri federal constituents as the state clocked 31 years of age.

Chief Dr. Ereyitomi described Delta State as a state that’s advancing in all sides Development compared to when it was created in 1991 till date , noting that the Democratic dispensation of civilian administrations have brought in development in critical infrastructures and other basic social needs of the people across the state.

The Warri federal lawmaker commended former governors of Delta state, Olorogun Felix Ibru blessed memory, Chief James Ibori who really took time to reposition the state to the part of progress it started enjoying, sustained by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and off course the Prosperity agenda of governor Ifeanyi Okowa all impacting lives positively through advancing the state in different areas.

Rep Ereyitomi urged Deltans to continue their support for the government, assuring all Warri federal constituents of attracting more meaningful and robust representation in 2023 to the three Warri LGAs of the federal constituency.

By: Celestine Ukah

In order to reaffirm their absolute loyalty to the Olu of Warri, Aja-Etan community in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State and Usor Community in Warri North LGA have both paid homage to the Olu of Warri , Ogiame Atuwatse III at the Palace in Warri,, Delta state.

Aja-Etan and Usor communities paid homage to Ogiame Atuwatse III Tuesday August 23 with large turnout of both communities indigenes from different parts of the country.

Chairman of Aja-Etan Community, Amb. Prince Billy Ekele said it is normal routine to always show loyalty and high regard and respect to the Olu who’s a father and symbol to all Itsekiri worldwide, he prayed for Ogiame Atuwatse III for long reign on the throne even as he celebrated his first year on the throne Saturday August 20 at Big Warri and climaxing it with Thanksgiving service Sunday August 21, 2022.

Amb. Ekele who also double as Secretary General of Usor community on behalf of the Chairman of Usor Mr. Sammy Egbeleokoro, commended the Olu of Warri for his innovation brought to Traditional institution of the kingdom and in Nigeria, describing it as more dignifying and a blessing to Warri and Delta state.

The Deputy Olare-Aja (Oldestl Man) of Aja-Etan, Pa Samson Agiren, members of the Community Trust, Youth executive, indigenes and well wishers of the community were among those that accompanied the community to pay homage to the Warri Monarch.

Usor community is also an oil and gas rich community playing host to multinationals operating in the Niger Delta, they were lead to the homage paying at the Palace by the Olare-Aja (Oldest Man) Pa Otsemaye Uwanikone, the community Trust executive/members of the community , others include Chairman of the community Youth executive, Raymond Aderojor and friends.