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‘Don’t Send Any Priest To Us’, Oke-Oroma Community Pleads To Oba Of Benin

Published

3 years ago

January 21, 2021

Editor

Elders of Oke-Oroma community in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State have begged the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II not to send any Chief Priest (Ohen) from hostile Amagba community to them for the purpose of worshipping the deity in the community.

Amagba and Oke-Oroma communities have been at war over land which led to killings of several persons and destruction of houses including ancient landmarks.

The Oke-Oroma elders said there were many qualified indigenous of the community that could serve as Chief Priest.

They said it was alien and contrary to the age long Bini customs to import Chief priest from a neighboring hostile Amagba village.

A statement jointly signed by Pa Osaro Uwaifo and Pa Micheal Osazemwinde on behalf of Oke-Oroma elders accused representatives of Amagba of saying half truths as regards the judgment of the Benin Traditional Council in respect of the land dispute between both communities.

“On that Friday, when parties got to the palace, His Royal Majesty was not even present. Those present include some Chiefs, the Secretary and Roland Ogbebor, the former Odionwere Omuada. To our greatest surprise, the chiefs demanded the meeting be held at the Enigies’ open sitting space instead of Egua-ematon, the rightful place for such milestone meetings.

“After a while, one of the Executives of the Benin Traditional Council received a phone call and informed us that it was His Royal Majesty that is on the phone and that His Royal Majesty is requesting to speak to Mr. A. Emokpae on the issue. Upon collecting the phone, Mr. Emokpae was informed by the caller, who the said Executive said was His Royal Majesty, that “there is no community called Oke-Oroma Community except for Ago-Emokpae and that a surveyor will be sent to the community to do a global survey of the community and afterwards, an Ohen (Chief priest) will be brought from Amagba community to be the Ohen of Oke-Oroma community.

“This is alien and contrary to the age long Bini customs to import chief priest from a neighboring “hostile Amagba” village. We have capable indigenes in Oke-Oroma community that can be anointed as the chief priest (Ohen). A village that has killed Oke-oroma residents, destroyed properties including Oguedion Chambers without paying compensation or remorse, is iniquitous and unheard-of in Bini history.

“We have capable indigenes in Oke-Oroma community that can be anointed as the Chief priest (Ohen). A village that have killed Oke-oroma residents, destroyed properties including Oguedeon Chambers without paying compensation or remorse, is iniquitous and unheard-of in Bini history.

“This is imperialist style to subject us or subjugate us to perpetual slavery in 21st century. This alleged judgment is a signpost for communal war. It is like a keg of gun powder than can explode any minute if urgent clarification is not done.

“The community who is not satisfied with this procedure and the position of the caller, since His Royal Majesty had before now warned Amagba community very fervently against encroaching on Oke-Oroma community, as same is an independent community on March 2020, when parties appeared at the palace, has long written to the Oba of Benin expressing their fears and worries on the said judgment,” the statement reads in part.

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Man, 38 Escapes Assassination Attempt In Benin

Published

10 months ago

July 22, 2023

Editor

Innocent Omoruyi

By Omokha Andrew

A 38-year-old activist, Innocent Omoruyi, narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of Wednesday, July 19, 2023 as his residence at Obe Community,Sapele Road in Benin city was attacked by yet to be identified gun men.

The attack which eye witnesses say was viciously executed on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 bore the markings of a dreaded cult group terrorizing Benin City, the state capital.

The Obe, Sapale Road incident, it was learnt, happened soon after Omoruyi left the house to attend to matters of interest some few metres away from his home.

The assailants were said to have shot sporadically in their frustration as residents scampered for safety.

However, Omoruyi escaped unharmed.

One of the eye witnesses who craved anonymity said: “The felons apparently went for the kill, weilding guns and other dangerous weapons. “We are shocked that they didn’t see Innocent Omoruyi who was just some few metres away from home when they arrived”.

“How that happened, only God knows and it was obvious that it wasn’t his time to die yet and just before that not long ago his business place on Lagos Street, Benin City was burnt down in the middle of the night by unknown arsonists.

“This sequence of events is not ordinary. We know it’s politically motivated due to the role he played in the last general elections. He has been advised to go into hiding at the moment for his personal safety”, he concluded.

When contacted, the police Public Relations Officer Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to get any information as regards the latest incident. He promised to feed our correspondent with relevant details as soon as they become handy.

Our information source however revealed that the matter has already been incidented at the Love World Police station on Sapele Road, Benin city.

Business

Nigeria To Earn Over $4bn Revenue As FEC Okays Concession Of Abuja, Kano Airports

Published

12 months ago

May 18, 2023

Editor

Nigeria will earn over $4 billion in nominal revenue as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday okayed the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, to the Corporacion American Airport Consortium, a Luxembourg-based company.

James Odaudu, the Special Assistant on Public Affairs to the Minister of Aviation, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to him, the Council also approved that the Federal Ministry of Aviation would be renamed the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace.

The statement noted that the company would make combined upfront payments of $8.5 million for the concession of NAIA and MAKIA.

He added that the development would spur evidential growth within the Nigerian aviation industry.

“In alignment with the Aviation Roadmap, approved by Mr President on 18th October 2016, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace is delighted to inform all stakeholders, both local and international, and the media, that the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano has been approved by the Federal Executive Council,” the statement said.

In December 2022 and January 2023, Corporacion American Airport Consortium was announced as the preferred bidder for the airport’s concession after scaling through a series of evaluations of technical and financial bids.

Nominal revenues mean income not adjusted for inflation and decreasing purchasing power.

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Russia Expelled From Council Of Europe Amid War With Ukraine

Published

2 years ago

March 16, 2022

Editor

The Council of Europe says it has expelled Russia with immediate effect after 26 years of membership because of the Ukraine war.

The Committee of Ministers took the decision in a special session, the rights body announced in the French city of Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Earlier, Russia had already declared its withdrawal from the Council of Europe after it had taken steps to exclude it.

On Tuesday evening, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted unanimously in favour of Russia’s exclusion.

Russia joined the Council of Europe on Feb. 28, 1996.

Together with the formal notification of the withdrawal, the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe also received information from the Russian Federation on Tuesday about its intention to denounce the European Convention on Human Rights.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the leaders of the Council of Europe once again condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

They expressed their solidarity with the Russian people, who continue to belong to the European family and share its values.

The body said it would continue to stand by Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor.

The Council of Europe monitors the observance of human rights in its 46 member states and is not part of the European Union.

The body reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago by suspending Russia’s membership, this decision was considered historic.