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[OPINION] Without Visas Foreign Ringed Birds Fly To Weppa, Nigeria!

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By Tony Erha

To conservationists and the simple-minded folks of Weppa in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, it is ‘bravo’ that ringed birds ceaselessly migrate from distant countries in Europe, America, Africa and other continents of the world to its neighbourhoods of Weppa Farms. Classified by key global conservation institutions as an International Bird Area (IBA) and Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), it is a significant transit/destination to the itinerant birds as well as a home to a high number of species; some endangered or are going extinct.

With the presence of pervasive indigenous and migratory bird species, visitors in the mode of Birdwatchers, Eco-tourists and Ornithologists (a tongue-biting-word for those who study of birds) etc., throng there to observe all, including the “Flying Visitors”, which the innocent villagers willingly grant recurring ‘asylums’ without “Visas and Travel Restrictions”.

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Yet again on November 11, 2020, a ‘Lesser Spotted Eagle _’ (Aquila pomarina), of_ nestling born in July 12, 2020, wearing a yellowish ‘TEZ DEH CA 16564’ tag on the leg, flew all the way from Gustrow in Germany (coordinate 53°56’00″N 12°29’00″E) to the serene Weppa neighbourhood in Nigeria (7°02’22″N 6°33’59″E). Via a letter dated on 12th November, 2020 by Beringunszentrale Hiddensee, Official Ringer of the bird authenticated its identity etc. Hiddensee gave the time-lapse of the bird’s disappearance in Germany and discovering in Nigeria as 122 days, on a distance of 5,081 km. Perhaps the timeline was much longer than that of the average ringed aquatic birds of near equal-distance from Finland to Taraba State, Nigeria, which stay only about a month. The delay of the German bird might be that it was found sick and wounded, leading to its treatment at Weppa Farms, with the aim to release it after recovery.

Leg identity Tag of German bird. Photo Credit: Tony Erha

The Weppa’s neighbourhood had been in the global news spotlight for long. For instance, 25 years ago, the discovery of a rarest Vemiculated Fishing Owl _(Scotopelia bouvieri)_ in the vicinity dominated the world news. That was an amazing discovery by ‘Eagle-eye’ Phil Hall.

For decades, Weppa had had the nurturing support of Mr A. P. Leventis, a flawless conservationist and birdwatcher, whose second nature for caregiving encouraged Weppa as an integrated farm settlement, Agricultural College, Conservation Resource Centre and IBA/KBA etc. Suffice that Mr Leventis and his associates like the aforementioned Sir Phil Hall OBE, Nick Ashton Jones and others, with relentless conservation and agricultural activities in Nigeria, had groomed numerous young Nigerians, in a generational knowledge and practice transfer bid.

Yet, “Nigeria hasn’t a strong tradition or culture of birdwatching and bird study/ornithology. It is a relatively new field of study herein that is just developing…” Retorted Sam Ivande, a PhD holder in Ornithology from the St Andrews University of United Kingdom (U.K.), who is a lecturer at the degree awarding A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) of the University of Jos, Nigeria. Ivande joins Hope Usieta and other young Nigerians, nourished by the Leventis Foundation-Nigeria (LFN). Usieta, LFN’s boss, is a Cambridge University, U.K., Ph.D holder in Ornithology, and a visiting lecturer to APLORI.

Dr Joseph Onoja, Director of Technical Programme with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), praised the efforts of the Weppa IBA/KBA, which he said is as a result of the nurturing by APLORI, a dependable partner of NCF. Onoja spoke elatedly about the NCF’s flagship Bird Study Office located in Buru, Donga, Taraba State. Between 1996 and 1997, before the setting up of the Buru Bird Project, this writer and some foreign bird observers, a thing lavishly reported by the global press, discovered Taraba, a fringe north-east state of Nigeria, as a transit/destination of seasonal migratory birds ringed in Germany, Sweden, Holland and Finland etc.

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Ringed leg-tag of bird from a European country. Photo Credit: Tony Erha

But the useful lessons derivable from the Weppa IBA/KBA’s success story, is the benchmark record set for exploitative multinational companies, not to deviate from exemplary Corporate Social Responsibility principle, where the Leventis Foundation-Nigeria and its appendage Weppa Farms could squeeze a vast 4,000 hectares for conservation, from a merely 13,000 hectares total ceded to them for agriculture and livelihood sustainability drives, to aid local communities.

Tony Erha is a journalist and Conservationist

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2023: Why INEC Servers Failed To Work – Peter Obi

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers failed to work during the 2023 presidential election.

He said the ‘establishment of criminality’ made the INEC servers not work during the last last general elections.

Obi stated this, while addressing the issues of the 2023 elections, including the IREV servers, in Canada during the weekend.

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READ ALSO: Underbridge Tenants: Lagos Govt Uncovers Identity Of Ring Leader

The Labour Party flagbearer in 2023 said people must intensify engagement with all the stakeholders to make the system work.

The former Anambra State governor explained that Amazon testified there were no glitches recorded globally on the day of the presidential election.

He said: “Where did we go wrong in the last election? We didn’t go wrong anywhere. We did the right things.

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“But as I can always tell people: when you bring a change, you fight all those who live off the old order. They don’t go away; they gang up. And don’t think it’s a straight race to remove an establishment.

READ ALSO: PDP Crisis: Why Party Members Are Resigning – Sule Lamido

“It’s a long-distance journey anywhere in the world. Go and check anywhere, whether you are looking at what happened in India, with Mandela in South Africa, or America. No change has happened overnight, it takes time.

“I urge all of you, if you really want change, we have just begun. We just have to continue from where we are.

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“Yes, there might be one or two things we will correct, those things we will correct. I assure you we are correcting them without naming them.It’s not going to be easy.”

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INC Vows To Internationalise Ijaw Struggle

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The Ijaw National Congress (INC) says time has come to internationalise the “Ijaw struggle” beyond rhetoric.

Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC, said this in a communique of the 2024 edition of the Ijaw National Day celebration held in Bayelsa.

Okaba said that the vexatious factors that provoked grievances between the late Maj. Adaka Boro and the federal government in the improper management of the oil political economy of Nigeria, have remained unmitigated.

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He noted that the situation had worsened with its attendant impunity.

READ ALSO: Ijaw Not Biafra, Count Us Out Of Your Planned Attack Military, INC Warns IPOB

According to him, the Ijaw environment continues to bear the brunt of petroleum resources exploitation-related pollution without concomitant remediation or reparations of the heavily despoiled ecosystem.

Instead, Ijaw communities still face the adverse effects of uncontrollable spills, perennial flooding, ocean encroachment and so on,” he said.

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The INC president noted that at different forums, it had been made clear that the Ijaw agenda of self-determination was premised on resource and environmental justice.

“What all Ijaw people seek is for a fair, just and justifiable reward for our resources and sacrifices.

“The Ijaw Congress has articulated a set of prescient conditions for its continuous commitment to the Nigerian project and these include restoration of true federalism (fiscal federalism).

READ ALSO: Ijaw Group Tackles OPC, CSO Over Call For Review Of Tompolo’s Surveillance Contract

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“Devolution of power and repel of all obnoxious and discriminatory environmental and resource related laws (Land Use, PIA), as well as restoration of Ijaw Territory as non-balkanised, administrative and politically generated unit(s).

“This is for the reassurance and promotion of Ijaw developmental pursuits by creating at least two additional states, more local government areas and wards for the Ijaws.

“Remediation of our massively polluted and endangered environment and the enforcement of adherence to international environmental best practices by IOC’s operating in Ijaw territories,” he said.

Okaba also demanded for the relocation of the administrative headquarters of all oil companies and their subsidiaries to their operational bases in Ijaw territory and Niger Delta.

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READ ALSO: Ijaw Demand Environmental Clean-up Before IOCs Exit Niger Delta

He further called for proper funding and management of the Interventionist Agencies such as the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Niger Delta Development Commission.

We call for the promotion of modular refineries owned by our people.

“We also want a balance in appointment at the federal levels (the civil service, military and oil companies) as well as equitable distribution of critical infrastructure, to reflect the true principles of federal character.”

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He said it was against this backdrop that the theme of the 2024 Ijaw National Day “Re-Invigorating Our Resolve to take the Ijaw struggle for Self-determination beyond Rhetoric” was derived.

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Drake Gives Condition To Quit Music As Feud With Kendrick Lamar Thickens

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US rapper Drake has vowed to quit his music career if allegations regarding a secret daughter are substantiated.

The controversy started when rival artiste Kendrick Lamar, in his diss track ‘Meet The Grahams,’ levied accusations suggesting Drake’s involvement with an 11-year-old secret daughter.

Lamar branded the Canadian rapper a “deadbeat” for purportedly neglecting his paternal responsibilities

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Renowned American media personality Akademiks, however, disclosed rapper’s response to the allegations during a recent broadcast.

According to Akademiks, Drake denied the claims, going as far as promising to leave the music industry and work for Akademiks if any evidence of the alleged secret daughter emerged.

During his Saturday night show, Akademiks shared the rapper’s direct message, stating, “Drake hit [texted] me, he said, ‘Ak, if you or anybody can prove that I have an 11-year-old daughter, I’ll quit rapping and come work for you.’”

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