News
Traditional Council Declares Three-month Mourning For Delta Monarch

A three-month mourning period has been declared for the late Ijaw monarch of Seimbiri Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Charles Ayemi-Botu.
The deceased, popularly known as the Lion of the Niger, was the first Executive Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria and the Life Patron of the body.
His death was formally announced on Saturday at a meeting of the Traditional Council of Chiefs of Seimbiri Kingdom through the spokesman, Chief Alexander Ebisine, at Okpokunou, the traditional headquarters of the kingdom.
According to the spokesman, the monarch died on October 5, 2023. He was aged 75.
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To mourn the monarch, the traditional council stated that there would be no social activities such as weddings and burials, throughout the mourning period beginning from Friday, January 5, 2023.
After the mourning period, the date would be announced for the funeral of the monarch, the council said.
The traditional council described the king as “a great ruler who came, saw, and conquered, leaving behind a trail of unprecedented development in the Seimbiri Kingdom during his 29-year reign on the throne”.
The spokesman stated, “On behalf of the Seimbiri Traditional Council of Chiefs, I wish to officially announce the transition of our most revered monarch, King Charles Ayemi-Botu, Paramount Ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom, to the great beyond to join his ancestors.
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“King Charles Ayemi-Botu passed away peacefully on October 5, 2023.
“Following the passage of our monarch, three months of mourning has been declared in the Seimbiri Kingdom.
“During this period, there will be no social activities such as marriages and burials, etc., throughout mourning”.
Ebisine noted that all sons and daughters of the Seimbiri Kingdom at home and in the diaspora are in a mourning mood and will remain so until the final burial ceremony is completed.
He said that a condolence register had been opened at the palace and his residence in Warri.
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Also commenting on the incident, the Chairman of the Seimbiri Traditional Council of Chiefs, Chief T.M.O. Douglas, said the kingdom had lost a king whose voice on issues of development in the Niger Delta could not be surpressed.
With the kingdom in a mourning mood, he urged for calm just as he advised all to maintain the sanctity of the passage of the Seimbiri monarch.
The deceased was born on January 18, 1948, at Okpokunou in the then Western Ijaw.
He reigned for 29 years, having ascended the throne on April 4, 1995, when he was presented with the Staff of Office by the then Military Administrator of Delta State, Group Captain Ibrahim Kefas, after being crowned on April 2, 1994, in line with the customs and traditions of Seimbiri Kingdom.
News
BREAKING: Ex-CDS Musa meets Tinubu At Aso Villa

Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, is meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Musa was spotted arriving at the State House at 7:03 pm on Monday as he was led into the President’s office area by a senior security official.
Dressed in dark-green traditional northern attire with elbow-length sleeves, Musa is meeting the President publicly for the first time since Tinubu retired him on October 24, 2025.
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The purpose of the meeting was not immediately known.
It comes amid heightened security concerns in the North, including the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi, the attack on worshippers in Eruku, Kwara, and the kidnapping of Catholic schoolchildren in Minna, as security agencies intensify counter-terrorism and anti-kidnapping operations across the North-West and North-Central.
News
Insecurity: Former NYSC Director Tasks Corps Members On Self, Environmental Consciousness

A retired Director, Information and Public Relations, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Directorate Headquarters, Eddy Megwa, has called on all corps members serving in the country to take their personal security seriously, always be self and environmental conscious.
The former Director made the call at the Bauchi NYSC permanent orientation camp, Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state on Monday.
He warned that the times were evil, therefore vigilance, self consciousness and consciousness of the environment were of paramount importance.
He also called on them to serve the nation with loyalty, commitment and zeal for patriotism, adding that no nation grew without the selfless service of the citizens and called on the corps members to rise up and make the desired change.
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“I want to urge you all to deliberately work towards building a great nation of our collective dreams.
“This is because if we have a country that is working very well, the youths will not be desperate about relocating to other countries of the world for greener pastures,” he said.
Megwa further discouraged the youth from illegal migration, describing it as a suicide mission as many of such ‘desperate people’ ended up losing their lives in the Sahara desert in the most gruesome manner.
The former NYSC Spokesman encouraged the corps members to strive for excellence in all they do and achieve even what their forebears could not achieve.
“There are a whole lot of opportunities you have now and can leverage on which the older generation never had.”
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He told his audience not to put their names and their families into disrepute by getting themselves involved in crimes and other unwholesome activities.
“The Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the NYSC is the panacea to graduate unemployment.
“I want to, therefore, advise you to take advantage of the programme by learning skills that will be useful to you in the future.”
Earlier, Mr Umoren Kufre, the state’s Coordinator of NYSC, appreciated the retired Director for the visit and words of motivation to both camp officials and corps members.
He described the former Director as a living legend that shaped the NYSC Public Relations Unit to what it is today and left his footprints boldly.
News
NiMet Predicts Three-day Sunshine, Cloudiness From Monday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Monday to Wednesday across the country.
NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged sunny skies over the entire northern region throughout the forecast period on Monday.
It envisaged sunny skies with patches of clouds over the entire central region.”For the southern region, cloudy atmosphere with sunshine intervals is anticipated over the region with slim chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross River during the afternoon to evening hours,” it saidAccording to NiMet, dust haze is anticipated over Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Borno, and Yobe on Tuesday throughout the forecast period.It anticipated sunny skies with cloud patches over the entire central region.
READ ALSO:NiMet Forecasts Rain, Flash Floods Nationwide
“For southern region, cloudy skies are expected over the region with slim prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Cross River during morning hours.” Isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Delta, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River later in the day,” it said.
The agency predicted dust haze over the northern region throughout the forecast period on Wednesday.NiMet anticipated a sunny and hazy atmosphere over the entire central region.”For the southern region, cloudy atmosphere are over the region in the morning hours.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers ” it said.
READ ALSO:NiMet Forecasts Rain, Flash Floods Nationwide
NiMet urged the public to drive under the rain with caution and to take necessary precautions as dust particles would be in suspension over the northern region.
NiMet advised people with asthmatic health conditions and other respiratory issues to be cautious of the present weather conditions.
”Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.” Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet – visit our website – www.nimet.gov.ng.
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