By Joe Ebi

The Chairman, Esan South East Local Government Council of Edo State, Hon. Louis Imhandegbelo, has appealed to the Federal Government, the state government and private bodies to, as a matter of urgency, come to the rescue of over 400 persons displaced by flood in Illushi and Odaba communities in Esan South East and Etsako local government areas of the state.

The Executive Chairman made the appeal when he paid an on-site assessment to the affected communities on Tuesday December 5th, 2023.

INFO DAILY reports that over 100 houses and thousands of hectares of farmland are already affected by the flood as their crops, such as rice and their properties have Been washed away by the flood.

INFO DAILY also reports that the communities that are mostly affected are on the bank of River Niger.

READ ALSO: Flood Wrecks Havoc In Delta, Sacks Five Communities

Imhandegbelo, while lamenting the loss, said that because of the enormous destruction occasioned by the flood, there was little or nothing the council could do.

While noting that no fewer than 600  indigenes are affected with about half the number already “displaced by the flood as of today, the 5th day of December, 2023.”

He said temporary camps set up to accommodate the displaced shall be maintained immediately.

“I am appealing to all relevant government agencies, as well as the state and Federal Government to come to the aid of the victims.”

He said: “The disaster is mind-boggling. Homes are submerged, some houses have been even destroyed, and farmlands and crops were washed away. People don’t have homes to sleep in and have their normal daily life.” 

Assuring the people of government’s Intervention, he said; “We are in the process of evacuating you to safer locations. But the job is obviously beyond us; hence, we are calling on both the state and federal government to come to our aid without delay,”

Two persons have reportedly been killed in a gang fight in Ekiadolor village in the Ovia-North East local government area of the State, following a dispute that spiraled from a football game played in neighbouring Iyowa community.

The fight that started as a mere argument at Iyowa community field during a friendly match which later snowballed into a cult war with the parties targeting opponents; their houses and business interests,later claimed the life of one Osaro Agbonze and Kingsley Enabulele.

A witness who didn’t want his name mentioned explained that trouble started during the friendly match in Iyowa community when Osaro Agbonze was asked to leave the field over his unruly behaviour but he refused to obey the referee.

READ ALSO: ‘Why I Joined Cult,’ Ghana Returnee Confesses In Edo

The witness added that Jude Azali an opponent player in the friendly game supported the referee in trying to force Osaro out of the pitch to allow the game to continue but that didn’t go down well with Osaro who threatened to deal with Jude after the match.

He explained  that Osaro, after threatening to deal with Jude, disappeared only for him in the company of four other guys of his cult group traced Jude Azali to a popular Bar in Ekiadolor and attacked him with his friends that evening, leading to the death of Osaro Agbonze and Jude Azali’s friend Kingsley Enabulele.

The gang, according to the source, had earlier that evening stormed Azali’s house ostensibly to kill him, but couldn’t because he had already left home before the arrival of the felons.

But his shop was not speared as the rampaging cult guys viciously destroyed his business promises and also beat up his brother when they could not find him to kill.

“They wanted him dead for innocently challenging a notorious and irresponsible cult guy Osaro Agbonze who attempted to disrupt the game flow when he stubbornly refused to leave after he had been sent off the pitch by the officiating referee during a friendly football match in Iyowa community.

According to the source, in the ensueing fight at the bar, one of Jude Azali’s friends Kingsley Enabulele who was trying to defend Jude was fatally stabbed and that angered his friend Nelson Ogbebor who rushed to his car to get a gun and shot Osaro dead.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Suspected Cultists, Recover Guns In Edo

“The death of Osaro reportedly angered his friends who went on rampage in search of Azali in Ora community where he lived before going to his shop at opposite Ovbiogie Primary School in Ovbiogie Community,near Ekiadolor. They however vented their anger on his shop,destroying it completely”, the source who pleaded not to be named, concluded.

Meanwhile, the police have said that one Mr Jude Azali is wanted over the death of one Osaro Agbonze and his involvement in the crises which have distrupted peace and order in that axis of Benin.

The police have vowed to get all those involved in the killings to face the law, warning the public against what they referred to as the quick and unwarranted resort to self help in resolving disputes.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), FECHA Project Fashion Design and Exhibition Hub, Mr. Alex Friday Eguakhide, has bagged the 2021 African Fashion and Arts Award (AFAA) for being the best fashion exhibition organizer.

Speaking at the well attended ceremony, the National Director of AFAA, Amb. Raymond Pangwen, said the organization has come a long way with a track record and knack for excellence performance in the fashion industry over the years.

He said, flowing from that, it has constantly looked for who has been able to break the glass ceiling in the industry.

He said from the various success stories he has heard about Mr. Eguakhide, the association decided to beam its search light on him to know if they were true and eventually, he was a true reflection of what people who patronize arts works said he is.

Amb. Pangwen added that it is one thing to be a fashion designer, it is a different kettle of fish entirely to know how to market arts works.

He said marketing arts works is majorly done through exhibitions, stressing that, that is where people get to know major cutting edge arts works.

He added that from exhibition also, people get to know the latest arts works.

The National Director of AFAA pointed further that people visit exhibition stands to know and buy any arts works that catches their attentions.

He reiterated that some exhibitors don’t know how to package their works to attract attentions but for Eguakhide, he said, he has been able to distinguish himself over the years, thus paving way for this well deserving award.

He further urged him never to relent but that, the award should be a catalyst to spur him up to put in his best in what he is doing adding that the reward for hard work, is more work.

On his part, Mr. Alex Friday Eguakhide, the CEO of FECHA Project Fashion Design and Exhibition Hub, thanked the organizers of the award and the association for the honour done him.

He said he would live to cherish it dearly.

Eguakhide further capitalized on the occasion to call on other organizations to emulate AFAA who has bent on promoting arts works in the country so that people can put in their best in whatever they are doing and be rewarded for it.