News

Varsity Don Wants NDDC Scrapped, 50 Per Cent Derivation For Oil Producing Communities

Published

3 years ago

June 8, 2023

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

A university don, Prof. Florence Masajuwa has advocated immediate disbandment of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other related agencies over their “failure to end poverty and endemic conflicts in the communities and by extension the region.”

This is as she recommended 50 per cent shareholding/ownership right of the exploration profit of crude oil to host communities.

Masajuwa made the recommendations while delivering Edo State University, Uzairue Inaugural Lecture titled ‘The Nigerian International Petroleum Industry: Conspiracy of Silence.’

According to the university don, “NDDC as an agency has failed due to government’s inability to alter the opportunities and incentives that allow active participation of communities in the development process.”

Prof. Masajuwa, who is the Dean, Faculty of Law at the university further lamented that the “disquieting atmosphere oil communities found themselves since the advent of the oil industry is due to the absence of transparency between the industry and principal stakeholders including oil producing communities.”

“The lack of transparency and the use of the revenue for the good of the industry and leaving out the host communities is referred to as conspiracy of silence which often disturbs generations”

She urged that the Federal Government to look at other sources of revenue generation which, according to her, would “ameliorate the grim environmental and existential reality of oil producing communities.”

“The Nigerian economy has not broken the oil spell by diversifying the sources of income for development. It’s therefore time government started looking beyond oil revenue from oil producing communities”, she stated.

On the Petroleum Industry Act, she said it promotes “frontier exploration and create transparency and non-confidentiality; transform NNPC in a viable commercially based and self-sustaining national oil company.”

On the distribution of the gains and pains of the oil industry, she said women suffer innocuous discrimination despite the position of the constitution as stated which provides that “in furtherance of the social order of the country which is founded on ideals of freedom, equality and justice, very citizen shall have equality of rights, obligation and opportunity before the law.”

According to her, the National Gender Policy (NGP) stipulated “the mainstreaming of gender equality into all facets of human activities, hence, it ensures that women’s voices are amplified and their concerns are fully addressed through effective implementation of legislation and proper financing of gender equality work.”

The university don, therefore, “recommended that Federal Government only regulate and issue licenses to anybody that it consider as technically competent to explore the crude oil and get its own share of the exploration through taxes.”

“Oil bloc should be owned by its rightful natural owners (communities). Licenses can be given to anybody to explore the bloc but the community must retain their natural statutory 50% shareholding/ownership right of the exploration profit.”

“Their 50% royalty should be their inalienable rights and the royalty must be managed well, this way, communities take charge of their development, then there will be no need for PIAs, host communities 3% and the 13% derivation fund,” she added.

News

Migration Agency Warns Migrants Against Irregular Travel Routes

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with Giving is Healing Foundation, has sensitised residents of Ayobo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on the dangers of irregular migration and the need to embrace legal travel procedures.

Speaking during a sensitisation programme held at Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association in Ayobo, the founder of Giving is Healing Foundation, Mr. Gbolahan Ayediran, warned intending migrants against using illegal travel routes.

Ayediran said many Nigerians desire to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities but often ignore proper procedures, thereby exposing themselves to several dangers.

“Lots of people want to migrate and most of them do it in the wrong direction. The reason for the programme is for us to advise people on how they can migrate in the right way. As much as migration is their right, they should do it correctly,” he said.

He advised intending travellers to obtain the necessary travel documents before embarking on any journey, noting that such documents include international passports, visas, flight tickets and yellow cards, depending on the destination country.

According to him, migrants should also gather adequate information about their destination countries to enable them make informed decisions before travelling.

Ayediran further highlighted some of the dangers associated with irregular migration, including abuse, exploitation, discrimination and forced labour.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association, Elder Mathews Amusan, commended the organisers for enlightening members of the community on safe migration practices.

He urged residents planning to travel abroad to always follow legal migration procedures to avoid falling victim to human trafficking and other migration-related challenges.

One of the participants, Mr. Kolawole Adenoko, said the programme enlightened him on the dangers of irregular migration and the importance of travelling through the proper channels.

He added that he would also educate his relatives and friends on the risks associated with illegal migration.

News

Shatta Wale Bailed Burna Boy From Ghana Prison After Arrest For Smoking Weed – Captan

Published

7 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

Ghanian singer, Captan, has claimed that his former record label boss, Shatta Wale, once bailed Nigerian singer Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana after he was allegedly arrested for smoking weed.

Speaking in a recent podcast interview, Captan claimed that Shatta Wale sent him and others to free Burna Boy from police custody.

He also claimed that Shatta Wale and his group once accommodated Burna Boy when he was being hunted by some dangerous men.

Captan said, “I once bailed Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana when he was arrested for smoking weed. Shatta Wale sent me and some guys to go and free him from police custody.

“There was a time we also accommodated him when some people were after his life. We helped him settle the case.”

He added that he and Burna Boy are no longer in good terms after the Nigerian artist’s fallout with his mentor, Shatta Wale.

He, however, said he and Shatta Wale are open to reconciling with Burna Boy if he asks for it.

Watch the video here

News

Children’s Day: Chaos At Ogbe Stadium As Dozens Faint

Published

23 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

Chaos erupted on Wednesday during the Children’s Day celebration as dozens of students reportedly collapsed following a stampede triggered by the use of pepper spray.

The event,
organised by the Edo State Ministry of Education at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was disrupted after some male students of Ihogbe College allegedly made uncompromising advances towards female students at the venue.
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‎ A parent who identified himself as Oboh Emmanuel said, “the behaviour of those uncultured students attracted the attention of bouncers stationed at the stadium as they rebuked the male students.”
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‎Oboh said the affected students later regrouped and attacked the bouncers, leading to a confrontation within the crowded arena.

READ ALSO:Children’s Day: Edo Commits To Child Protection
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It was gathered that in the ensuing confusion, the bouncers were reported to have deployed pepper spray in an area occupied by a large number of students.
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‎Several students, particularly female students, reportedly fainted after inhaling the substance, while others sustained injuries after being stepped on during the ensuing melee.
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‎The panic was said to have spread across the stadium as students, teachers and parents scampered for safety.
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‎Many of the affected students were reportedly rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital for medical attention.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Dr Patrick Ebojele, said the security personnel that fired the tear gas had been detained.

He said all the students, except two, that were rushed to the hospital have been discharged.

Ebojele stated that doctors wanted to observe the students till tomorrow before allowing them to go home.

“The two students are not seriously injured. Doctors want to observe them overnight. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education is still at the hospital. The man who used pepper spray has been detained.

“The incident did not happen the way it is being exaggerated. All modalities were put in place to ensure the children enjoyed their day.”
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