AljaziralPress

ABUJA – President Mohammadu Buhari tightens security on Nigeria Borders as neighbouring countries cries for opening of Nigeria Borders.

Nigerians halis Buhari political will, Says He woke Nigeria up, albeit very late, and at a time we revel in slumbering.

But we still boom with hope. And reflect a ray of optimism. Never doubt a children of potentials!

We woke up late to check our borders. But yet command respect. The neighbouring countries that damn Nigeria were now sleeping on roof of regression.

Let Ghana creates another Alcoholic Republic for its Alomo Bitter. Togo and Benin should find another dumping ground for their illicit intakes.

Our pride is on the rise. We’re picking up our image again. On ease of doing business, we get a fair rating. People of our own, we’re getting them enrich.

We’re taking toll on the smugglers. And the social vices. While we let our doubters quiver in fear.

Nigeria’s destiny is in Nigerian hands. The quicker we realize. The better for us. This is one of the best time to be a Nigerian. The future is green.

A group of professionals in various field of endeavours under the aegis of Protector of the Under-Privileged (PUP) has stated that the kidnap of Honourable Justice Iheme Chioma Nwosu is a slap on the Nigerian Judiciary.

The group while linking the case of the kidnapped judge to possible desperation of politicians who want to win their electoral cases at all cost, called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and judges across the country to be wary of such desperate politicians who would do anything at all cost just to win.

It would be recalled that Justice Iheme Chioma Nwosu was kidnapped by gunmen and her orderly, Inspector A. I Momoh killed in Benin on Wednesday 30th October, 2019.

In a statement signed by chairman of Protector of the Under-Privileged, Comrade Marvin Osaro and Mr. Trustman Oga said a desperate politician can do anything to get judgment in his favour or frustrate a judgment which he knows may be against him.

The group which also comprise of aggrieved APC members in Edo and Delta states wondered how someone could be so desperate to kidnap a Justice of the Court of Appeal who is serving her country diligently.

“The judiciary and the general public should work with police, find out the known and perceived desperate politicians across party lines in Edo and Delta stare and punish any politician linked to the kidnap of Honorable Justice Iheme Chioma Nwosu of the Appeal Court, Benin Division to serve as deterrent to others.

“We want to call on judges across the country and members of the Nigerian police working for the release of the kidnap judge to extend their investigations to politicians having electoral cases at the Appeal Court, Benin to unravel the truth”, the statement added.

BY ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA

All is now set for the University of Ibadan Alumni Association, UIAA Asaba Chapter’s 2019 Public Service lecture, which will be delivered by the
Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Adeyinka Adeleke Bode, PSC, MBA.

This year’s Public Service Lecture has been scheduled as part of the activities lined up by the Association, in honour of its dearly departed Patriarch and one of its founding fathers, Chief Uso Onianwa, who passed away in August 2019.

Disclosing this in a chat with journalists in her office, the Vice Chairman of UIAA Asaba Chapter and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Dr (Mrs.) Felicia Adun revealed that the topic of the lecture is “The Impact of Security On Nation Building: The Delta State Story”.

She said the Asaba Chapter Public Service Lecture will hold at the Unity Hall, old Government House Asaba, on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, and will commence at 3 pm prompt, under the chairmanship of His Excellency Dcn Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, the Deputy Governor of Delta State.

The Special Guest of Honour is, His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Executive Governor of Delta State, while the Royal Father of the Day will be Obi (Prof.) L. C. Nwoboshi the Obuzor of Ibusa, and the Spiritual Father of the Day will be Most Rev. (Dr.) Michael Odogwu Elue, the Catholic Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese, Delta State.

Guests of honour will include Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly and Hon. Barr. Chiedu Ebie Secretary to Delta State Government among others.

Eulogizing the late Chief Uso Onianwa (JP), the Oza – Okita of Asaba, in whose honour the 2019 Alumni Public Service is being organized, Dr. Adun, who is also the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Water Resources, said: “Late Chief Uso Onianwa was our Ancient. He was the founder and pioneer Chairman of UIAA Asaba Chapter. One of our pillars. He performed excellently well in both the public and private sector when he was alive”.

She further revealed that the choice of Adeyinka Adeleke Bode was endorsed in recognition of his friendly disposition to the Alumni Association as well as his respected position as CP Delta State Command and patriotic spirit with which he has embraced and is surmounting the challenge of crime fighting in the State.

Explaining the motivation behind the Alumni Association Public Service lecture, the UIAA Asaba Chapter Vice Chairman disclosed that the association had invited many patriotic Nigerians to use its platform in initiating healthy discourse, as part of her contribution to nation building over the years.

“The Alumni Association lecture aims in part at agenda setting in the polity. It also seeks to give answers to the very many nagging questions that presently confront us as a developing nation” Dr. Felicia Adun stated.

By Sunny Awhefeada

2019 Kokori in the Agbon clan of the Urhobo ethnic nationality of Delta State holds a great attraction for me. Kokori is my maternal homestead. Kokori is also a place of history among the Urhobo people and beyond. Kokori attained something close to global visibility through Ubiesha Etakpo who founded the Igbe religion in the 18th century. Kokori is home to the late Justice Ayo Irikefe, former Chief Justice of Nigeria. Kokori birthed Chief Rex Akpofure, first African Principal of Kings College, Lagos. Kokori sired the legendary Mama Irese Awharitefe, the mother of Chief Macaulay Akpofure, of Nigeria’s early Senior Advocates of Nigeria, whose son Efe also took the silk. The first female Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marcelinus Okungbowa, is Irese’s granddaughter. Kokori is home to Chief Patrick Bolokor former Minister of State for External Affairs; the present Ovie of Agbon, Ogurimerime, Ukori I and Chief Mary Agbonifo of unmatchable industry and business acumen. Kokori once boasted of the biggest and most famous market in Urhoboland. It was said that the fame of Ubiesha and his healing powers attracted many visitors and traders to Kokori. There are also the famous Ogidigbo and Egba deities of Kokori. To most people Kokori’s fame lies in her culinary skill demonstrated in isha, the native bean the aroma of which could halt a raging war. Isha was synonymous with Kokori. Whenever isha was mentioned the question “have you eaten isha Kokori ?” must be asked. The story was told of a suitor who went to ask for the hand of a girl in marriage. The excitement that spurred him on the long journey to Kokori paled into nothing when he beheld his prospective father in-law eating isha . He negated the reason why he came. He ate the isha with both hands. Another suitor came when the isha was almost finished. The new arrival went straight to why he came. Then the one who came earlier protested amid belching that he actually came for the same purpose. The girl’s father told him off, saying he must have valued isha more than his daughter. The new comer had the girl. Our friend began a cry “ we sevwe orie sha/ orie sha ” translated to “call me isha eater/ isha eater”. A folktale tells of how tortoise tried to steal a steaming pot of isha from his mother in-law’s kitchen. In order not to be caught he turned the pot on his head like a cap. His head got scalded and ,in pain, he cried out “Oniaye/ oniaye / uyovwi bobore/ ifoke risha” the equivalent of “Mother in-law/ mother in-law/ my head is scalded/ because of isha ”. This is the reason the tortoise has no hair on its head till today. Ditties also have been woven around the isha phenomenon. One of them, “wo de kpi Kokori/ wo de kpi Kokori/ Eya na misha chere/ eya na misha chere”, to mean “if you go to Kokori/If you go to Kokori/the women are cooking isha /the women are cooking isha ” My wife and I were in Kokori market last Saturday as part of the itch to boost our indigenous knowledge. Unlike the markets in urban centres, Eki Ukokori had a uniquely earthy smell. It looked as if all of nature’s bounty was on sale. The market sprawled and we left our car at a distance so that we could walk and feel the pulse of the rural almost sleepy community. Kokori market brimmed with wares, mostly farm produce. Then my eyes caught kwoka, the Urhobo delicacy made from corn with the same look and texture as moi moi . I tugged at my wife and we moved in its direction. The kwoka wasn’t much and I asked if we could get more, but all the women told us that this particular seller was the only woman who sold kwoka in the entire market now. I was alarmed. It wasn’t so while growing up. Kwoka was everywhere on market days. It was cooked and sold in a big metal pot called itaso with fresh palm nuts and at the bottom to give it a flavor. Kwoka was wrapped with ebe ikpehre, a special leaf also used for wrapping coconut rice. In order to eat it we peeled the ebe ikpehre in layers in a delicate manner so that no slice of the kwoka will fall off. It was believed that the little slices hiding in the crevices of ebe ikpehre tasted better. The kwoka we bought last Saturday was different from that of old. These were wrapped in plantain leaves and sold in a cooler. The palm nuts were absent. Having bought kwoka my thought went to isha . We asked the women where we could buy cooked isha . They uttered what became a refrain “ihwo ichere isha gwhu nu re” to mean “those who cook isha have died.” I was alarmed. Our inquiries yielded answers which revolved round the task of cooking isha , the time, patience, skill, condiments and more. The women pointed at stalls where uncooked isha are sold, but they said very few people now cook it for domestic consumption. I smiled wistfully and remembered the generation of my grandmother. Our taste for foreign food has undone isha . This is the age of noodles. There is an assault on our culinary apparatus. Isha and kwoka are going, ovwovwo, iriboto, ojeda, okpariku are all gone; usi might be on its way and ukodo too. Cuisine endangerment is here! Should we watch this happen? *Prof. Awhefeada writes The Imperative Column for Independent on Fridays

The news that Dr. Okowa plans to build an Industrial Park at Kwale, got Deltans miffed.

Why another Industrial Park at Kwale when the immediate past government of Delta State committed to build an Industrial Park in Warri? Isn’t government a continuum?

The Park was designed as a mixed-use industrial business location with high-end residential and recreational facilities on over 300 hectares of land.

The past government of Delta State has committed Billions of Naira in acquiring the land, complete design, environmental impact assessment and physical development of the Warri Industrial Park.

It is impossible to complete the proposed Kwale Industrial Park in three years, the remaining years of Okowa’s tenure. So, why commence it when it will most probably be abandoned by the next Governor?

The proposed Kwale Industrial Park is another testament and indeed a signpost to Okowa’s lack of vision and poor governance. Discerning Deltans must stand up to ensure our common wealth is properly managed, and not squandered on frivolous white elephant projects while the citizenry continue to suffer.
#NoToAnotherIndustrialPark. #CompleteWarriPark #TheFutureIsNow

By Akpovoke Otiti

LAGOS – People’s Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain and former House of Reps member Chief Solomon Urhobojiyovwe Awhinahwi has sends a heartwarming message to his Excellency Alhaji Abubakar Atiku over the Supreme Court Presidential Election Petition Appeal Panel.

In a heartwaming message to the former Vive president , Alhaji Abubakar Atiku on Wednesday personally signed by him and released to Aljaziral reporters onlne Newspaper, the former law maker described Atiku doggedness as a fighter who never gives up, that his zeal and strenght is worlthy of emulations. Though we all had learnt from these corrupt development of the judiciary.

Chief Awhinahwi said, “I join millions of Nigerians in congratulating you for fighting a good fighr for Nigerians over the Supreme Court Presidential Election Petition Appeal Panel.

“This show that Nigerians really voted for you overwhelmingly pan-Nigerian. Therefore
today’s judgement came as a surprise when the five-man panel at the Supreme Court, unanimously dismissed the appeal against you and our Party, the PDP, for lack of merit. As the logic of law stipulates,

” Sir you really tried to fight to correct the ills of the past and put our dear nation on the path to sustainable development, but the judiciary have becomes the common enemy of progressive minded men like you. Your denial at the presidential Election petition Appeal panel is not the end of the world, remain assured that millions of well-meaning Nigerians are with you.

“On behalf of my teeming supporters and other well-meaning Nigerians, I joyously felicitate with you for fighting a good fight Sire.May Almighty Allah continue to imbue you with wisdom.

By Akpovoke Otiti

The first military governor of Lagos State, Brig-Gen. Mobolaji Olufunso Johnson, is dead. His son, Deji, confirmed that the retired soldier passed on few hours ago.

The late Johnson was appointed as the military Administrator by the military Head of State, Major Gen. Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, and later, governor of Lagos State by his successor, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

He served in that capacity between 1966 and 1975 when he was compulsorily retired by former Head of State, Gen. Murtala Mohammed.

However, he and the military governor of Western State were separated from the pack of colleagues who were indicted for corruption.

In retirement, he ventured into business, becoming a director of Julius Berger, the giant construction.

Johnson was born on February 9, 1936. His administration supervised the unpopular demolition of Ajele Cemetery in the early 1970s.

His tenure saw the building of major infrastructure in Lagos State.

He was first appointed by Aguiyi-Ironsi as the administrator of the Federal Capital Territory of Lagos in 1966. He was involved in developing the civil service.

Johnson was initially assisted in running the state by some key civil servants, including Administrative Secretary, Adeyemi-Bero, Finance Secretary, Folarin Coker, and the acting secretary to the Military Government, Howson Wright and waited until April 1968 before appointing his commissioners.

In 1975, at the inception of the Gen Murtala Mohammed administration Johnson was one of the two governors (along with the Brig Oluwole Rotimi) found not guilty of corruption by the three-man panel set up to investigate the various allegations of corruption amongst the State Governors.

He retired from the Nigerian Army in 1975 and went into private business.

A road, an avenue, and a sports complex in Mobalaji’s home state bear his name as well as a Housing Scheme at Lekki both in Lagos.

May God be pleased with his soul, Amen.

By James Akpoguma Reporting

The All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomes the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alh. Atiku Abubakar against President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 election victory.

We congratulate Nigerians, the President; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; party leaders, members and supporters on the Supreme Court’s verdict.

Following the earlier judgement of the 2019 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which dismissed in its entirety the PDP and Atiku’s petition, the Apex Court was apt in dismissing the appeal for lacking merit.

The Party hails the Judiciary for standing firm in the face of the PDP and Atiku’s subterfuge and for siding with the Nigerian electorate who through their votes decided to do away with PDP’s ignominious past and re-elect the President Buhari-led APC administration which has ushered in a new era of progressive growth for our country.

With the ruling of the Supreme Court, which has finally affirmed President Buhari’s election victory, we enjoin the PDP and Atiku to jettison their destructive and disruptive agenda against Nigeria, which they have made up their minds to pursue for the next four years.

The PDP and Atiku should not confuse opposition politics for their unpatriotic agenda. Democratic politics cannot be practiced in the state of anarchy, confusion which the PDP and Atiku wish to achieve. Such diabolic plan will definitely fail.

Going forward, the President Buhari-led APC government will continue to focus on delivering our Next Level plans for the country.

A political pressure group, Nigeria Democracy Defenders has advised the
President of the Nigeria Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu
Bulkachuwa not to divert from the contents of the oath of office she sworn to protect to save the judiciary from imminent and impending
constitutional breach over the continuous refusal to hear the Election
Appeals from the decision of the election petition tribunal emanating
from Delta state.

It would be recalled that the National and State House of Assembly
Election Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Delta State delivered judgments between 6th and 7th September in respect of petitions filed challenging the February 23rd, 2019 National Assembly elections in the state.

And these appeals according to section 285(7) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will lapse by 3rd and 4th November, 2019

In a statement signed by the President of the group, Chief Gabriel Avwotusio and Secretary, Mrs. Endurance Onwuka lamented about the deliberate delay in hearing of the appeals filed before the Court of Appeal, Benin City.

The group explained in the statement that “the Court of Appeal had earlier fixed 21st October, 2019 for hearing of various National Assembly election appeals from Delta state. Only to be informed at about 10am of the said date by the court registrar that the court could not seat due to the disbandment of the appeal panel and that a new date would be communicated to the counsel representing parties in the respective appeals before the court.

“A new date of October 28th was fixed for hearing, while counsel were waiting for the court to commence seating for the day, surprisingly the court registrar announced that the court will not be seating because the newly constituted panel were waiting to get clearance”, it added.

The group pointed out that in other states, like Edo, Ondo, Ekiti etc, it is the regular panel of Justices in the various divisions of those states that hears and determine election appeals whereas in Delta State, she has taken special interest in setting up a panel which was later disbanded when it was obvious that the composition/membership of the panel are persons of impeccable characters who were not willing to do her bidding to subvert justice.

“We wish to remind you that upon assumption of office, you swore to uphold and dispense justice without fear or favour. Your current disposition and interest in the appeals from Delta state by allowing your position to be used by persons who are hell bent in trying to subvert the cause of justice in Delta State will go a long way to hunt you beyond your retirement from the nation’s judiciary. Like the saying goes, the evil that men do not only lives after them but lives with them”, it added.

A LEBANESE Hamza Koudeih and two other suspected accomplices of social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha (a.k.a. Mompha), have been arrested in Lagos.
Koudeih was arrested at the weekend after a three-hour stand-off at his N1.8 billion luxury apartment in the 33-storey Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Mompha, Koudeih and the others are suspected to be kingpins of a network of cyber criminals who laundered N33 billion through three firms.
His arrest by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), followed intelligence unearthed after Mompha’s arrest last Tuesday.
The Nation learnt that when the anti-graft agency’s operatives arrived at his luxury suite, Koudeih and his wife refused to open the door.
The couple also did not respond to appeals from the building’s chief security officer.
But the operatives, who had been monitoring the premises and had it surrounded, knew the Lebanese was inside. His cars were parked in the garage downstairs.
The apartment was fortified with triple reinforced fire-proof door and closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and they could not gain entrance.
It was gathered that the EFCC investigators battled for three hours to break down the door using breaching tools.
When they gained access, they met his wife who claimed Koudeih had escaped through the window.
But Koudeih’s apartment is on one of the topmost floors of Eko Atlantic Pearl Tower, said to be the tallest apartment building in Nigeria.
“Our officials knew that he was still inside and they were even hoping to persuade him not to jump out through the window because it would be suicide,” EFCC Lagos Zonal Head, Mr. Mohammed Rabo, who confirmed the arrest, told The Nation.
But they did not find Koudeih in any of the rooms until they observed that a part of the ceiling in his bedroom had been artificially sealed.
They pushed it open and found Koudeih hiding in the ceiling.
Further search of his bedroom revealed a fire-proof safe containing different charms and talismans in calabashes.
According to the EFCC, the Lebanese admitted they were his “prayer objects”. Two luxury cars were also recovered from him.
Rabo said the commission was investigating Koudeih and his wife’s immigration status and the result was being expected.
He said it had been confirmed that they had Lebanese ancestry but it was not known if they had any other nationality.
The nationality of the two other suspects, he explained, was not yet known.
Rabo stated that local and international law enforcement agencies had indicated interest to collaborate in the investigation.
He said the operation that led to Koudeih’s arrest was “an offshoot of the collaboration between the EFCC and the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI),” but that Koudeih was arrested based on “purely EFCC intelligence”.
Rabo added: “Actionable intelligence received from local and international law enforcement agencies had revealed that Koudeih and Mompha alongside their collaborators are high valued targets in Organised Cyber Syndicate Network (OCSN).
“Investigations have also revealed that Mompha uses a firm known as Ismalob Global Investments Limited to perpetrate about N14 billion money laundering while Koudeih also operate two firms namely: THK Services Limited and CHK properties Limited to launder about N19 billion.”
It was also learnt that the EFCC discovered 51 Nigerian bank accounts opened by Mompha for money laundering.
The commission also revealed that the five wristwatches recovered from Mompha at his arrest on Tuesday are worth over N60 million, rather than the N20 million earlier thought.
According to the EFCC, Mompha, “a premium and first-class customer of one of the popular international airlines, was arrested on Friday 18, October 2019 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on his way to Dubai Emirate following [a] series of intelligence reports received by the Commission.”