The Network Of Information Communication and Technology Dealers Association (NICTDA), have Congratulated Chief (Mrs.) Shimite Bello, aka. Madam Sabificate, the immediate past Executive Assistant on Export Initiatives, Coordinator UNIDO Center And Executive Secretary Small and Medium Micro Enterprise in the last Administration, on her appointment as Special Adviser by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori, the Governor of Delta State.
Chief Mrs Shimitie Bello and Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori
Describing her as a pragmatic leader par excellence, great mobilizer, goal getter, and a Philanthropist in a congratulatory message signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Comrades Kenneth Nwaobi and Ejiro Ejiro R. Onwuegbuzie (Mrs), NICTDA said “We rejoice with you on your well deserved appointment. May the Almighty God grant you Wisdom & Grace to discharge your duties efficiently & effectively in the actualisation of the M.O.R.E Agenda for all Deltans & non- Deltans.
“The impact of your wealth of experience, generosity & Philanthropic nature has been widely spread across the State as you equally played vital roles in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the just concluded National and State Elections.
“NICTDA, the Umbrella body of all Computer Engineers/Technicians and ICT Dealers in Delta State, once again congratulates the Akpeli Ugo Fufu I of Ebu Kingdom.”
The National and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting at Asaba has been prayed upon to dismiss the entire election petition filled by Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and PDP against INEC, Labour Party and Hon. Ngozi Okolie.
The Counsel to the 3rd Respondent, (Hon. Ngozi Okolie), Chike Onyemenam, SAN, made the prayer last Saturday, 15th July, 2023 during the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting at Asaba, Delta State.
Chike Onyemenam, SAN, told the Tribunal that, the following points were, from the written addresses and the oral arguments canvassed, the Petitioners, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and PDP abandoned their Claims that Honourable Ngozi Okolie of the Labour Party (LP) won the Election into the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency by a Landslide Victory by defeating Honourable Ndudi Elumelu with more than Twenty Thousand Votes.
He noted that, the Petitioners also abandoned their Claims that the Election was rigged or was invalid and that the Tribunal should declare the Election Null and Void and order INEC to conduct fresh Election for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency.
Chika Onyemenam, SAN, Counsel for the 3rd respondent, consequently urged the Tribunal to Strike out Grounds 14(2) & 14(3) of the Petition and paragraphs 15, 18-33 of the Petition since both Parties agree that they have been abandoned.
4. The 3rd Respondent’s Counsel argued that, the only Ground remaining in the Petition is the Claim by the Petitioners that Hon. Ngozi Okolie was not qualified to contest the Election for several reasons.
Counsel to Hon. Lawrence Ngozi Okolie now prayed the Honourable Tribunal to dismiss the entire Petition with the submission that, “since none of Three Witnesses called by the Petitioners adopted a Depositon or gave any Oral evidence to say that Hon. Ngozi Okolie was not qualified to contest the Election for any reason, the Petition is deemed in law to have been abandoned as the Supreme Court has decided that where a Petitioner fails to field a Witness to adopt his Depositon or fails to lead oral evidence in respect of the Petitioner’s Claims, the Petitioner is dead and cannot be revived by looking for evidence from the Opponents(Defendants) to revive a dead Petition”.
He further cited Supreme Court decisions which recently held that the Tribunal is also not permitted by Law to start inspecting the INEC Documents and Reports tendered by the Petitioners’ Counsel from the Bar and by the INEC Witness on Subpoena without any evidence to support or link the Documents and Reports to any part of the Petition; so as to discover violations inside the Documents, because the Supreme Court has decided that such Documents dumped on a Tribunal without Oral evidence are worthless Documents.
The 3rd Respondent’s Counsel also cited Supreme Court Judgements which established that PDP and its Candidate do not have the Locus Standi or right to complain that Labour Party and its Candidate did not hold Primary Election for which the Petitioners equally did not lead any Oral evidence in respect of, save to tender Reports and Exhbits not linked to any Oral evidence or any part of the Petition and urged the Honourable Tribunal to dismiss the Petition for failure of the Petitioners to lead any evidence, let alone, credible evidence, to make out a prima facie case against Honourable Ngozi Okolie and Labour Party.
Justice Christiana Obadina of an Osun State High Court sitting in Ikire on Monday, July 17, sentenced a clergyman with the Cherubim and Cherabum Church, Solution Chapel, Ikoyi-Ile. Phillips Segun, to death by hanging for conniving with one Owolabi Adeeko, 23, to kill a final year student of Lagos State University, Favour Daley-Oladele,who was Adeeko’s girlfriend.
The court while delivering judgement sentenced Adeeko, 23, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of the final year Sociology student after luring her to Ikire from Lagos while his mother, Bola, 46, was convicted for eating human flesh.
During the trial, the prosecution team from the Ministry of Justice led by Mrs Adekemi Bello, called nine witnesses, including the police investigating officer and tendered several exhibits before the court, while the convicts testified in their respective defence without calling any other witness. The prosecutors told the court that Owolabi and Favour had been dating for about a month before he lured her to Ikire under the pretense that she should come visit his uncle while Owolabi, his mother and Prophet Segun had concluded plans to kill her and use her body parts for money ritual.
The prosecution team said unknown to Favour that her boyfriend had planned to kill her, she agreed to follow him to visit his Uncle. However when they got to Ikire, Favour was killed in the church after Owolabi smashed her on the head with a pestle and her organs used for ritual before her remain was buried in a shallow grave outside the church on December 8, 2019.
The prosecution team told the court that few weeks later, the body was exhumed by the police after arresting the suspects who confessed to the murder and they were first arraigned before the court in November 15, 2021 on two counts bordering on conspiracy and murder contrary to sections 324 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State, 2002.
In her judgement, Justice Obadina said that prosecuting counsel has proven her case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The troops of the 192 Battalion Army operating in the 81 Division Area of Responsibility on Saturday intercepted an ammunition smuggling syndicate while transporting a truckload of smuggled ammunition from Mali to Anambra State.
Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu revealed this in a statement shared on Nigerian Army’s Twitter page on Monday.
The truckload of the ammunition was discovered by the troops during a stop and search operation along Ajilete-Owode road in Yewa North LGA of Ogun State.
The statement partly read, “The troops, who acted on actionable intelligence conducted a meticulous and rigorous Stop and Search operation along Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North LGA of Ogun State and uncovered the illegal ammunition in a truck with Registration number ENU 697 XY, loaded with 720 packets of Red Star Cartridges of 12 Calibre, containing 25 cartridges per packet, totalling 18, 000 cartridges and an additional 250 packets of live (black) cartridges containing 10 packets each, totalling 2500 cartridges of the same calibre.
“Identified suspects, Mr Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian national, and the driver, Mr Lukman Sani, have been taken into custody and are helping with ongoing investigations.
“Information gathered during preliminary investigation revealed that the ammunition, which was surreptitiously concealed in a supposed empty truck was imported from Mali, via Idiroko International Border, where the criminals had successfully beaten several other checkpoints en route their final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they intended to deliver the illegal ammunition.
“Timely intervention by the vigilant troops however thwarted the chaos that such volume of ammunition would have unleashed on innocent members of the public, if the criminals had succeeded.”
No fewer than 26 inmates at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State, have graduated from the National Open University of Nigeria in various disciplines.
The inmates, who received their certificates at the convocation ceremony organised by the institution on July 13, 2023, were pronounced graduates after the completion of their various programmes for the 2022/2023 academic session.
They comprised of three females and 23 males who had undertaken courses for both Masters Degrees, Post Diploma in Education, and undergraduate degrees.
It was gathered that three inmates graduated with Second Class Upper Division, while another one completed a Master’s Degree programme in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution.
Speaking at the ceremony, Adekunle Ogungbe, who represented the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, praised the management of the facility for giving the inmates such an opportunity.
He said such feats should be emulated by other inmates yet to undertake any programme with the institution.
According to him, other inmates should seize the opportunity and maximise their time by emulating their graduating colleagues.
He said, “As they are seeing their colleagues and counterparts being celebrated today, they have to be emulated or be motivated to register with us. Once they register with us, learning has started.
“Those that are here are still going through a trial for one offense or another, but as you know, education is a tool to facilitate moral changes, overall learning, and development of the individual.
“So once the mind of the individual is developed, it means that there is going to be a change in character and behavior and when there is a change in character and behaviors, we are saying that, the person has learned.”
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, a faith-based organisation in Nigeria, are in partnership until June 2024 to galvanize support for internally displaced persons in Nigeria.
Currently, over 3.3 million people are internally displaced in Nigeria.
As a part of this partnership, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society will organise fundraising activities to mobilise resources to support internally displaced persons in Nigeria.
“This partnership with UNHCR is an expansion of the work Al-Habibiyyah is doing to support the less privileged in society. In Ramadan, we feed at least 2,000 people every day with our food bank program in Abuja. Moreover, we have over 20 years of experience in fundraising as evident in our annual distribution of Zakat,” said Imam Fuad Adeyemi, National Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah.
The over 3.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria cut across different regions of northeast, northwest, and northcentral. The perennial farmers-herders clashes in the northcentral as well as the banditry & kidnappings in the northwest have added to the displacement emergency in the northeast caused by non-state-armed groups.
These displaced communities are in dire need of support for basic amenities such as shelter, health, education, access to clean water, and protection from sexual violence.
UNHCR has been at the forefront, responding to the needs of these IDPs, but the increasing number of displaced persons in Nigeria has exacerbated resources.
This partnership between UNHCR and the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society intends to mobilise support from Nigeria’s Muslim community and galvanise the spirit of Islamic philanthropy as a tool to support some of the most vulnerable populations amongst us.
About Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society:
Al-Habibiyyah is a faith-based organization in Nigeria whose mandate includes the propagation of Islam in Nigeria and beyond, Islamic & secular education, inter-religious dialogue, provision of social services such as health care, education & welfare assistance to people in need as well as the advancement of Islamic culture in all facets of human activities.
Al-Habibbiyyah collaborates with fellow Muslims, Islamic organizations, and other refutable impact-making organizations whose vision & mandate matches theirs to deliver interventions that promote the well-being of the people and human dignity.
About UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency:
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee because of conflict and persecution. We deliver life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future.
Since its formation by the United Nations General Assembly in 1951, UNHCR has helped millions of forcibly displaced people restart their lives and has received the Nobel Peace Prize twice.
In line with its global mandate, UNHCR in Nigeria works to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and asylum-seekers, refugee returnees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and stateless men, women and children.
For media inquiries:
– Hajiya Habiba Ahmed, habibagini@gmail.com, +234 809 541 8003
– Amina Rai, raia@unhcr.org, +254 792 339 766
You have started a shortlived government with resentment.
All your security details are outsiders.
ADC is Yoruba, Chief Detail is Yoruba, SSS liason officer from Rivers who is the only person that has been with you for years and acceptable, CSO is Ishan, Orderly is from Jigawa.
This is the first time in Delta State history that only outsiders minus Barry, that all security insiders of a governor have no Deltan and you campaigned on Pan Deltan agenda. You allowed Okowa to give you CSO who’s his former MOPOL coordinator.
I will mention names and every fact that comes with it.
Dear Sheriff, you are my bossom friend and a good one but you will hear this truth.
You have messed up and goofed badly.
You and I know what was promised each person and what you finally did. How did Governor Ifeanyi A. Okowa blackmail you to make such mistake?
You promised Daniel Mayuku SSG while Chief of Staff to be given to Solomon Ighrakpata.
Today, you have chosen Okowa’s sole nominees as SSG, COS and SPOLAD.
You have refused to appoint Director of Protocol that you promised an outgoing lawmaker who’s supposed to match Okowa’s SSG choice for you and now want to take a DOP for you. You said you are under pressure to break such promise.
You promises Mideno Bayagbon the Principal Secretary but gave it to Lyna Ocholor.
What does Lyna Ocholor have against you apart from the sleaze that occurred between both of you as Speaker and Clerk of House of Assembly?
So many things happened in the House of Assembly that I am privy to but overlooked for the sake of our flourishing friendship but this particular one happened in your last days in office and I will tell the world today.
Over N100M was left in the assembly coffers.
What happened?
You gave each elected HOA member N2M each to pack their bags from office and Lyna Ocholor who’s is just a clerk N3.5M secretly without members knowing.
You have started on a wrong footnote that will be disastrous to your few months in office.
As it is, Okowa has hijacked your security and also taken over the government with the imposition of my good friend Kingsley Emu as SSG.
The appointment of DOP to the person you promise is your only redemption from the Owa-Alero cabal and Solomon Ighrakpata as Revenue Board Chairman.
I do not want to be part of those to drive a wedge in your shortlived administration with tye slogan of ‘Sheriff is a Toy’.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has urged traditional rulers to give priority attention to matters of security in their domains.
Oborevwori, made the call on Friday during the presentation of Staff of Office to His Royal Majesty, Simpson Sapele Obruche, Obruche 11, the Odion R’ode of Uwheru Kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The governor who was represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, assured that his administration will continue to hold traditional rulers in high esteem.
He urged them to work closely with the law enforcement agencies and local government councils to ensure that peace prevail in their domains.
According to him; “the traditional institution remains a priceless legacy in any African society for which there is yet no credible substitute, as a rallying point for the people.”
The governor stated that traditional rulers should improve on the high sanctity of their office by leading their people to greater prosperity.
He urged them to be transparent while upholding the virtues of justice, fair play and equity in all their dealings with the people.
“In everything you do and in every decision that you take, I appeal to you to place the interest of the majority of your people and the fear of God above all other considerations,” Oborevwori stated.
The governor used the occasion to charge youths to be involved in productive activities, noting that his administration will always accord education prime place of importance.
In an address delivered on behalf of Uwheru Traditional Council, the Chairman Central Planning Committee for the event, Hon. Esemeteye Benjamin, thanked Oborevwori for presenting the Staff of Office to their traditional ruler.
The Chairman, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Hon. Adode Godwin, at the occasion, urged the youths to ensure that peace is maintained in the kingdom while they channel their energy to positive activities.
He expressed worry over the constant attack of herdsmen on the kingdom, saying that the situation has become unbearable and called for prompt intervention of government to curb the situation.
Pics:
Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme presenting Staff of Office to His Royal Majesty, Simpson Sapele Obruche, Obruche 11, the Odion R’ode of Uwheru Kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State on behalf of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Friday, 14/07/23.
In a shocking turn of events, a 46-year-old man has lost his life in a drinking competition with a friend in Sapele, Delta State.
Known for his notorious involvement in the production of counterfeit beverages and multiple encounters with law enforcement agencies, the man was reported to have met his untimely death in an undisclosed area within the timber town.
Alcohol, Drinks
According to a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the man was swiftly rushed to a private hospital after collapsing from excessive alcoholic intake in the contest.
Unfortunately, despite the efforts made to save his life, he died at the said private hospital.
The source disclosed that the dead man was always participating in dangerous alcoholic drinking contests and other perilous activities.
Evidently consumed by his passion for alcoholic beverages, the dead man was reported to have boasted to be invincible to the effects of alcohol.
The anonymous source expressed dismay, saying “he thought he could do anything with alcohol.”
On Sunday, July 16, 2023, lovers of democracy and believers in our Lord, Jesus Christ, shall gather at Ibabu, Onicha-Ukwuani in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The people will join Sir Monday Onyeme, as he gives thanks to God for his emergence and successful assumption of office as the Deputy Governor of Delta State. As I was reminiscing on the choice of the venue for the thanksgiving, St. John’s Anglican Church, I recalled a Biblical passage that says, “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7:13.
Onyeme, as an individual had always attributed his success stories to God, but his emergence as the Deputy Governor of Delta State is simply, miraculous.
Sir Monday Onyeme, Deputy Governor of Delta State
He single handedly built and furnished St. John’s Anglican Church, Ibabu, and has contributed in legion ways to the work of God, apart from the fact that his charitable works, described in some circles are philanthropy, knows no bound.
As a Catholic, yours sincerely is aware that the greatest contribution that one can make is the act of charity, as it encompasses our love for God by loving our neighbours as we love ourselves; in line with the present scenario, the Holy Bible, in Proverbs 19:17, said, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.” Is Onyeme reaping his rewards for lending to the Lord?
If Onyeme is reaping the rewards of his generosity, then, he should prepare for an unprecedented crowd at the thanksgiving.
There are several reasons why Onyeme should be prepared for his thanksgiving which I can comfortably itemize as follows:
1. He is the first Ndokwa man – Ukwuani and Ndoshimili man to emerge as the number two citizen of Delta State. Right from the days of Mid-West, Bendel and now Delta State, the governorship seat has always eluded the Ndokwa people. Such names as Chief Godwin Otunuya Iwegbue (Okpondiogwu) of Emu, Prof. Agume Eric Opia, Chief Ifeanyichukwu Onyechukwuakwaese Onwukamike, Dr. Joshua Enueme, and several other prominent persons from Ndokwa land had contested for the governorship seat without luck. In short, the coming of Chief Godwill Obielum into the governorship race in 2003/2007 changed the political equation in the state. Though, he did not emerge victorious, he entrenched a situation where individuals can dare and contest for elective positions relying on their popularity. Naturally, too, as one of the most populated ethnic groups in the country and with a landmass that links Delta South, Delta Central and other parts of Delta North (Ndokwa people also share boundaries with Edo, Anambra, Rivers and Bayelsa states),, the Ndokwa people have always been the bride of those who contested for the governorship position in the state. Governorship candidates as Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, Rt. Hon. Ovie Omo-Agege, among others, had to choose their running mates from Ndokwa land. At the end, Sir Onyeme emerged. So, Ndokwa people are seeing the thanksgiving as their celebration and will grace the occasion in their large numbers.
2. Onyeme, the philanthropist: “When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you …” – Matthew 6:2. This is the style of Sir Onyeme, and because of this attribute, he will never know how many people that his actions have transformed their lives positively. He was a lecturer at the Delta State University and most of his students then have been itching to see him since his emergence as the Deputy Governor; so, they will join him to thank God for his life, and, by extension, for being alive to see their lecturer emerge as the number two citizen of Delta State. Sir Onyeme, through his Monday Onyeme Foundation, has awarded scholarships to a lot of persons, people who do not have access to physically say, “thank you.” So, they will be at the Church to join him to thank God. No doubt, those who have come across Sir Onyeme always have one or two positive things to say about him, because of the assistance he has rendered to them when they were in need. So, they will be at Ibabu to say, “God, thank you for the life of Onyeme.”
3. The Odoziani Group: This is one of the most formidable socio-political organizations in Delta State. At first, it was limited to the three local government areas -Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East and Ukwuani, but when Sir Onyeme emerged as the Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, the group became pan-Delta with branches in Okpe, Warri, Asaba and other places. The group is a great mobilizer of men and resources; so, with their “Principal” having a thanksgiving, they will naturally be at Ibabu to celebrate with him. Odoziani, which literarily translates to, “the man with the Midas touch,” was a Chieftaincy title given to Sir Onyeme.
4. Politicians: The administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is still very young; so, there is bound to be a lot of politicians from all over the country attending the thanksgiving service. One group that is made up of professionals in politics is the Ndokwa Core Group. The Core Group is mainly made up of tested technocrats, call the group a Think Tank and you might not be wrong. Sir Onyeme is the leader of the group and members of the group are seeing the thanksgiving is a special event for them.
5. Organisations/Clubs: Sir Onyeme belongs to many organisations and clubs. It is on record that the first set of persons to pay him a courtesy visit on his assumption of office as the Deputy Governor were members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN; so, it will not be surprising to see members of ICAN, Lions Club International, among several others attend the ceremony billed to commence at exactly 10 am.
6. Colleagues: This is as bogus as you can imagine. He was a lecturer, Bursar of several institutions, Accountant of organisations, Chairman of several oranizations, and a politician. So, his colleagues cut across different fields of life and expectedly, his colleagues will be most happy to identify with him as he gives thanks to God for His goodness.
Of course, it is not possible for me to know all about him, but one can imagine what one will witness at Ibabu on Sunday. Ibabu can be accessed from different areas. From Iselegu Junction, that is for someone making use of the Asaba/Kwale road, you can use the tarred road straight to Ibabu. Also, there is a tarred road straight from Obiaruku through Utagba-Uno to Ugiliamai and Ibabu.
Also, from Obiaruku through Amai, Ogume to Ibabu is a tarred road. However, for those who desire to use earth roads, they can pass through the less than 7 kilometre road from Ossissa to Ugiliamai to Ibabu.
During the opening of St. John’s Anglican Church in September, 2019, the then Bishop of Ndokwa Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Right Reverend David Obiosa, in a sermon, said, “The whole duty of man is to serve the Lord. We are here for the dedication of this church and the vicarage built by Sir Monday Onyeme, a Knight of St. Christopher for a purpose; it is a place for prayer for the worship of God who made us and has continued to empower us.”
Sir Monday Onyeme, Deputy Governor of Delta State
At that ceremony, the immediate-past Governor of Delta State, said, “building for the Lord is the best gift you can give when God blesses you. Building physical structures for the Lord is good, but the greatest gift you can give is what you do in your heart. My prayer is that the prayers said in this place will uplift the people.”
God has really blessed Sir Onyeme. Thanking God has a lot of benefits and for this special occasion of the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, going for thanksgiving, we can say that his action is adhering strictly with the injunction of the scriptures, “And on that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted.” Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things, let this be known throughout the earth.” Isaiah 12:4-5
The writer, Comrade Fidelis Egugo, is an author, and a journalist.
