News

Need For Ijaw To Tell Their Stories Themselves Take Centre Stage As IPF Is Inaugurated

Published

2 years ago

March 6, 2024

Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The need for Ijaw intellects to put her stories in the right perspective in the media took the centre stage recently at the inauguration of a body known as Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF), in Warri, Delta State.

The IPF is a body made up of Ijaw media entrepreneurs who aimed at narrating the Ijaw stories from the right perspective to the world in the media.

The colourful inauguration ceremony attended by ‘who-is-who’ in the Ijaw nation, had in attendance the immediate past deputy governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro; His Royal Majesty, Pere Stanley Luke-Kalanama VIII, Pere of Akugbene-Mien kingdom; APC deputy governorship candidate in the last election in Bayelsa State, Chief Joshua Maciver; High Chief Kestin Pondi who chaired the occasion.

Others are: Chief Favour Izuokumor; Executive Director of Social Services, Delta Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC); Hon. Spencer Okpoye, Commissioner representing Ijaw ethnic nationality, DESOPADEC, ; Hon. keyness Oromoni, Senior Special Assistant to Delta State governor on Oil & Gas; Chief Sheriff Mulade, CEO, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, among others.

The Paddle of Niger Delta and Ijaw highlife super star, Barrister Smooth was also on ground to thrill guests as attendees particularly elated newly inaugurated members of executive of the IPF danced to his melodious Ijaw tones.

The newly inaugurated executives are: Comrade Austin Ozobo, President; Comrade Oyinbi Onduku, Vice President; Comrade Tare Magbei, Secretary; Comrade Ezekiel Kagbala, Public Relations Officer; Comrade Friday Mingo, Treasurer; Comrade Mike Ugedi, Financial Secretary; Mr. Francis Abai, Senior Policy Analyst/Chief Researcher, and Prince Bibaikefie Peretengboro, Assistant Public Relations Officer.

In his opening speech, Chairman of the occasion and Managing Director, Tantita Security Network, Engr. Kestin Pondi, said it’s high time Ijaw told her stories to the world herself, insisting that no man can best tell a man’s story better than the man himself.

L-R: The newly inaugurated executives are: Comrade Austin Ozobo, President; Comrade Oyinbi Onduku, Vice President; Comrade Tare Magbei, Secretary; Comrade Ezekiel Kagbala, Public Relations Officer; Comrade Friday Mingo, Treasurer; Comrade Mike Ugedi, Financial Secretary; Mr. Francis Abai, Senior Policy Analyst/Chief Researcher, and Prince Bibaikefie Peretengboro, Assistant Public Relations Officer, during the inauguration in Warri.

High Chief Pondi, represented by Chief Joshua Maciver, Bayelsa State Coordinator, Tantita Security Network, urged Ijaw elites particular members of the IPF to put right all the misconceptions and wrong narratives about Ijaw people in the media.

The Chairman of the occasion who said a body like IPF was long over due because of the critical role it will play in the days to come, urged members of the body to embark on research about the Ijaw people and make sure the wrong narratives are corrected.

He said: “One problem we have as a people, and of which other ethnic groups have gone far ahead of us, is research. I mean we seem not to have researchers in the Ijaw ethnic nationality, and if we have, then thet must be very few.

“I want to therefore appeal to the forum to encourage and promote education among the Ijaw ethnic nationality, and also go into research about Ijaw, without research we cannot go far.
With research you will know the truth about the Ijaw nation.

He urged the forum to also promote and preserve the Ijaw cultural heritage through their media work.

“People have wrong perceptions about our tradition, so, please encourage it and take it seriously,” he advised.

In his goodwill message, immediate past deputy governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, while appreciating those who initiated the idea of bringing Ijaw media practitioners under one umbrella, pledged his support to the body.

According to him, a body like the IPF is needed to put the Ijaw stories in the right narratives in the media.

Earlier, in his inaugural speech, the newly sworn president of the body, Comrade Austin Ozobo, said the IPF aimed at promoting ethical standards and professionalism among Ijaw publishers, writers and others.

He added that the Ijaw nation is in need of a strong indigenous media presence to articulate its common challenges, hence the setting up of the IPF.

Ozobo expressed the belief that stories of the Ijaw man will be better narrated by Ijaw sons and daughters , considering “how our common enemies manipulated the foreign media against the Ijaw people, leading to the continuous bombardment of Ijaw communities, killing of innocent people.”

“You will agree with me that the Ijaw nation is in need of indigenous media presence to articulate its common challenges revolving around balkanization, deprivation, marginalisation and internal slavery suffered by her people in the Niger Delta.

“Not only that,the media being the Fourth Estate of Realm needs a strong and balanced Ijaw-based media that will aid the development of Ijaw nation, reshaping Niger Delta’s intellectual Struggling for our people and will stand as a check and balance for the activities of the government and other stakeholders in the region and the country at large.”

He, therefore, “appealed to Ijaw leaders, private businessmen and political office holders to support and assist these Ijaw media volunteers and comrades to build a strong mainstream media and stay in the business “

News

Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

Published

2 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

News

Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

2 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

“We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

“We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

“The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.