News

Congress Newspaper @4: X-Raying The Evolution Of Media In Ijaw Nation

Published

1 month ago

July 11, 2025

By Joseph Kanjo

When Congress Newspaper/Online TV was launched four years ago, profit wasn’t the priority. “We weren’t looking at making money,” said Comrade Austin Ozobo, Managing Director of Congress Newspaper and a notable rights activist.

“I was in government as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA), and the salary wasn’t much. But I needed a platform where my voice—and the voices of like-minded individuals, especially my people—could be heard. So, I floated it. But today, things have changed. The profits are coming naturally,” he added.

These remarks came during my phone conversation with Comrade Ozobo, just days ahead of Congress Newspaper’s fourth anniversary celebration on July 10, 2025.

A well-known advocate for the rights of the Ijaw people and president of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), Ozobo emphasized that his primary motivation was to amplify marginalized voices—especially those of his people. He reflected a sentiment similar to that of British musician and activist Peter Gabriel, who once said, “Those of us who have the eyes and ears of the media have a responsibility to amplify the voices of the voiceless.”

Fifteen years ago, it would have been difficult to count more than a handful of media outlets—whether big or small—owned or managed by individuals Ijaw from the Ijaw extraction.

Despite the many challenges faced by the Ijaw people, particularly due to the complex terrain they inhabit, their voices were largely absent from national conversations.

But today, that narrative has changed—thanks in part to the rise of online media. Now, there are numerous media outlets owned and managed by Ijaw sons and daughters, both in digital and print formats.

These platforms—each with its own mission and vision—nonetheless share a common thread: they give a voice to the people of the creeks, from whose experiences they often draw inspiration.

Some notable Ijaw-owned indigenous media platforms include:
GbaramatuVoice, Ijaw Voice, Ijaw Heritage TV, Arogbe Ibe Reporters, Iduwini Voice, Ogulagha Vanguards, and Egbema Voice.

In addition, several media outlets with broader or foreign-sounding names are also run by Ijaw professionals, including:
Info Daily, The Liberator, Coastal Times, Penglobal, Focal Point Reports, Dailynews Report, Waffi TV, Niger Delta Mirror, Niger Delta Herald, Daily Watch, and Mangrovepen.

Congress Newspaper/TV, though relatively new, has firmly established itself among these platforms as a consistent voice advocating for the Ijaw cause and broader Niger Delta interests.

Some may argue that media organizations should be neutral and unbiased. While this principle remains fundamental to ethical journalism, one cannot ignore the impact of ownership. Around the world, media ownership often shapes editorial direction, intentionally or not.

During his welcome address at the fourth anniversary celebration, Comrade Ozobo reiterated the newspaper’s founding vision: to provide not just information, but empowerment for Niger Delta communities.

“Our mission has always been to champion the voices that often go unheard and to shine a light on the issues that matter most to our people,” he said.

“We believe in the power of ethical journalism, and we remain committed to being a steadfast voice for justice, equity, and truth.”

Ozobo’s words speak to a broader truth: in media, ownership matters. And when that ownership is rooted in community-driven passion and purpose—as it is with Congress Newspaper—it becomes a powerful vehicle for social change.

As Congress Newspaper marks its fourth year, it stands not just as a media outlet, but as a movement—one that continues to reshape the media landscape in the Ijaw nation and beyond.

Joseph Ebi Kanjo is a practising journalist and Managing Editor of INFO DAILY.
editor@infodailyng.com

News

Peter Obi’s Son, Oseloka, Speaks On Gay Allegations

Published

1 hour ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

Oseloka Obi, son of the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, has responded to viral allegations linking him to homosexuality after photographs of him with London-based British-Nigerian Kent Okwesa, circulated online this week.

The pictures, which emerged on Wednesday, showed Oseloka and Okwesa sitting closely at a restaurant in the United Kingdom, sparking a wave of online speculation and gossip.

In a detailed statement, Oseloka dismissed the rumours as malicious falsehoods driven by his father’s involvement in Nigerian politics.

He noted that while he rarely responds to such narratives, the persistence of gossip and unfounded claims made it necessary to address the matter.

“Because of my father’s involvement in Nigerian politics, there has been a persistent curiosity and, at times, malicious obsession with me.

“I have no social media presence and no interest in maintaining one, so I rarely correct these falsehoods. But perhaps it is time I address them,” he wrote.

Oseloka stressed that the photos of him in circulation were being misrepresented, insisting they were ordinary snapshots with friends and colleagues.

“The truth is simple: Peter Obi’s son appears in photos with his friends and colleagues, nothing more. If people wish to invent otherwise, I hope they sleep soundly knowing they are spreading lies,” he added.

He further emphasised that neither he nor his father is perfect, but attested to his father’s integrity and commitment to Nigeria’s future.

“My father has my vote, not because he is my father, but because he is the right man for the job. If others wish to go low, invent scandals, or attack me to wound him, they are free to do so. But we will go high, and we will continue to focus on the future of Nigeria.”

Concluding, Oseloka urged Nigerians to redirect their attention from idle gossip to the pressing socio-economic challenges facing the country.

Read the full statement below:

News

FULL LIST: PenCom Bars Seven Mortgage Banks From Processing Housing Loans

Published

2 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has barred seven Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) from processing applications under the pension-backed equity contribution scheme for residential mortgages, citing their non-compliance with housing loan guidelines.

In a letter published on PenCom’s website, addressed to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs), the organisation instructed them to immediately stop accepting or processing equity contribution applications submitted through the affected institutions.

The blacklisted mortgage banks are:

• Jigawa Savings & Loans Limited

• FHA Mortgage Bank Limited

• Delta Trust Mortgage Bank Limited

• AG Mortgage Bank Limited

• Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Pic

• First Trust Mortgage Bank Limited

• Mutual Alliance Mortgage Bank Limited

“Following the cited letter, the commission instructs that PFAs, including Closed Pension Fund Administrators and Pension Fund Custodians, immediately stop accepting or processing equity contribution applications submitted by the following Primary Mortgage Banks… Please be guided,” the circular read in part.

Explaining the decision, PenCom’s spokesman, Ibrahim Buwai, told The PUNCH that the sanction was imposed because the affected institutions failed to generate the mortgages for which funds had been approved.

“The whole purpose of giving access to RSA holders is to enable them to own houses through mortgages,” he said. “It was discovered that some of the primary mortgage institutions were not generating mortgages. If that is the case, it means they are not complying with the regulations. That is the reason for their blacklisting.”

PenCom introduced the equity contribution for residential mortgages in September 2022, allowing Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders to withdraw up to 25 per cent of their balances to fund equity contributions for home ownership.

According to the commission, 24,582 RSA holders had accessed the scheme as of the first quarter of 2025, with disbursements totalling ₦149.84bn.

RSA holders who submitted applications through the barred mortgage banks are now advised to reapply with other eligible PMBs. Those who have made upfront payments were urged to contact the affected institutions for the next line of action.

News

VIDEO: How ‘Close Friend’ Leaked Cat Secret To Security During My House Invasion — Sunday Igboho

Published

3 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has opened up again on the July 1, 2021 midnight invasion of his Ibadan residence by security operatives, including the Department of State Services (DSS).

Speaking during a visit to the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, at his palace in Ondo State, Igboho alleged that the attack was carried out with the intent to take his life.

“When my house was invaded, they wanted to kill me but failed. Some said my intestines were shattered, others said my leg was broken, but there was nothing of such. They fired guns at me very well, but the prayers of you my fathers on me were answered.”

According to him, the DSS operatives forcefully gained entrance into his residence and pointed a gun at his Personal Assistant so he could lead them to his room.

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Death of cat after friend’s betrayal

While recalling the invasion, Igboho said one of his trusted friends betrayed him by leaking sensitive information about his cat to the operatives.

He disclosed that the so-called ‘trusted’ friend had told the agents not to let the cat escape, which led to the security operatives killing the animal.

“When I opened the door of my room for them, they saw my cat on the bed. One of my friends that I entrusted with secret had told them not to let the cat go. So they killed the cat and wrapped it with clothes like a corpse. They destroyed everywhere in the house and killed one of my brothers alongside one other person and they left,” he narrated.

Appeal to the Olowo

Speaking at the palace of the Olowo, Igboho said his absence from the country had lasted about five years and that he was eager to return to contribute to tackling insecurity in the South-West.

“But why I came to meet you Kabiesi is that till when will I be doing that. Nigeria is my motherland. This is about five years since I’ve been chased from here. Tinubu is your son, you can convince him to free me. If not for the wanted tag on me, I would have come to Nigeria to face the insecurity facing the South-West region. I would have entered the bush and faced them,” Igboho pleaded with the monarch.

Monarch’s response
In his response, Oba Ogunoye described Igboho as a beacon of hope for his generation and future ones, urging him not to be discouraged by the challenges he has faced.

The monarch enjoined Igboho and his supporters to remain law-abiding amid ongoing challenges.

He assured him of continued support and called for peace and cooperation across South-West communities, noting that no region can achieve sustainable development without security.
(TRIBUNE)