14012020 - 50 years after: Let's revisit issues that caused Civil War

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020 — 33
Foundation seeks
scholarship, free education
for children of fallen heroes
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
By Gabriel
Enogholase
BENIN—A
non
governmental
organization, NGO,
Foundation for Families of
Fallen Servicemen, FFS,
has appealed to the
Federal and state
governments to offer
scholarship and free
education to children of
members of the Armed
forces and other security
agents who died in the line
of duty for the nation.
The foundation’s
Chairman, Alex Ojo, made
the appeal in a letter to the
Nigeria Governors Forum
and made available to
journalists in Benin City,
Edo State, yesterday.
He said, “We appeal to
the federal and state
governments across the
country to seize the
occasion of the forthcoming
Armed
Forces
Remembrance Day to
declare support for families
of fallen servicemen who
died in the course of
defending the nation.
“Adequate support for
families of fallen
servicemen in the areas of
education and others is
imperative for the country
in view of the security
challenges.
“Their families faced
many challenges after the
death of their bread
winners, making
education free for their
children will encourage
and boost the morale of
security operatives and
members of the armed
forces who give their all
to defend the country at
the front lines.”
He disclosed that the
foundation was established
to support the children and
wives of security operatives
who died in the line of duty,
with particular focus on
their children.
“Our mission include
facilitating free education,
free health services,
housing, and economic
empowerment for
dependents of soldiers and
other security operatives
who died in the line of duty
for Nigeria,” he said.
He added that they also
want to promote patriotism
and gallantry at the front
lines to strengthen security
for a safer and more
progressive Nigeria.
Olomu Traditional Council puts off
Ohworode's 103rd birthday,
32nd coronation anniversary
....Over PDP chairman's killing
By Akpokona
Omafuaire
O GONI-OLOMU—
THE Olomu
Traditional Council has
called off events to
celebrate the 103rd
birthday/32nd Coronation
anniversary of the
Ohworode of Olomu
Kingdom slated for January
18 & 19, 2020 owing to last
week's murder of Mr. Paul
Onomuakpokpo,
Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP,
Olomu Ward 1 in Ughelli
South Local Government
Area of Delta State.
The decision was reached
after a meeting held by the
Council of Chiefs led by
HRM, Ovie R.L. Ogbon,
Ogoni-Oghoro 1, the
Ohworode of Olomu
Kingdom.
Vanguard learned that
only media congratulatory
messages from well wishers
will be allowed to
Urhobo College old students'
meeting
URHOBO
College
Old Students
Association, UCOSA,
Lagos branch, will hold its
monthly meeting on
January 19, 2020 at 31, Joel
Ogunnaike Street, GRA,
Ikeja.
A statement by the
commemorate the
legendary monarch on the
day.
The Olomu Traditional
Council had earlier invited
guests to celebrate the
oldest monarch on January
18 and 19, 2020, before the
tragic incident.
Vanguard gathered that
a prominent governor from
the Northern part of
Nigeria was to be
honoured as part of the
events for his support for
Urhobo people in his state.
The Ohworode in a
mournful look while
addressing the Council
thanked them for deeming
it necessary to celebrate
him before the tragedy
occurred.
He also thanked them for
showing understanding by
calling off the planned
celebrations, just as he
commiserated with the
Onomuakpokpo family
and Okpe-Olomu
Community.
National Public Relations
Officer, Tebite Denning,
said that the meeting will
be hosted by Chief Ignatius
Edema with the agenda for
the day being election of a
new executive to pilot the
affairs of UCOSA Lagos for
the next three year.
All old students of the
college are invited.
VISIT: Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor with the Okobaro of
Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM Matthew Ediri Egbi after the monarch led other palace chiefs on a visit to the A-G to
congratulate him on the Supreme Court confirmation of the electoral victory of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
PFN Chairman urges monarchs to
remove crown in church
By Jimitota Onoyume
W
A R R I —
CHAIRMAN,
Delta State chapter of
Pentecostal Fellowship
of Nigeria, PFN, has
urged traditional rulers
in the South South
region to endeavour to
remove their crowns
while inside the church.
Speaking at the
ordination service of Pastor
Christopher Akpocha
IYC alleges plot to destabilise Bayelsa
By Emem Idio
Y Ijaw ENAGOA—THE
Youths Council,
IYC, Worldwide, has
alleged that it had
uncovered an ongoing
plan by some aggrieved
politicians to cause unrest
in Bayelsa State.
Secretary-General of IYC,
Alfred Kemepado, warned
those involved in the
alleged plot to desist from
it and seek ways to promote
peace and development of
the state.
In a statement in
Yenagoa, yesterday, he said
the
incoming
administration was in need
of sound advice that would
stabilise the polity and not
the creation of needless
crisis to massage the ego
of some disgruntled
politicians.
He said: “We call on the
people of the state to resist
the temptation of being
used to promote violence
under the guise of politics.
“We condemn any plot to
cause unrest and political
instability in Bayelsa State,
the only homogeneous Ijaw
State. We advise that those
who mean well for Bayelsa
should come up with ideas
and suggestions that will
prosper the state and not
to cause division and
instability in any arm of
government just to satisfy
their greed.
Igbigbisie as Bishop at City
of Prayers Ministry in
Agbarho, Ughelli North
Local Government Area of
the state, the PFN boss in
the state said monarchs
would honour God more if
they removed their crowns
in the church.
He enjoined religious
leaders not to be crazy
about acquisition of
titles, saying they
should rather seek to get
mantle from God.
“We state boldly that what
the
incoming
administration needs at this
point is wise advice that will
further bring about
development in the state
and not one that will
promote political instability
and needless crisis as
being plotted by some
disgruntled politicians,
who do not mean well for
Bayelsa State.
“We caution that Bayelsa
State does not only belong
to politicians. In fact,
politicians merely constitute
less than one percent of the
…Ordains Igbigbisie Bishop
Further he said,
“When there is mantle,
anything you do
prospers. When you
have the mantle which
signifies the power of
God, people begin to
give you beautiful titles.”
He charged Pastor
Igbigbisie to carry
himself with humility as
a Bishop, stressing that
as a Bishop, he was a
servant of the most high
God with a mission to
population of the state and
the Ijaw nation.
“We call on the people of
Bayelsa State, especially
youths to resist the
temptation of being used to
promote any form of formal
and informal violence in the
name of politics.
“It is the bulk of ordinary
and innocent Bayelsans
that are always at the
receiving end of any form
of political instability. We
call on those plotting
against the destiny of the
state to walk away from their
evil plots and join hands to
bring salvation to homes.
Igbigbisie expressed
gratitude after being
ordained Bishop, noting
that it was a call to greater
task in God’s vineyard.
Some dignitaries at the
consecration event were
His Royal Majesty,
Ajuwe Unuajohwofia
Williams, Onokpite 1,
the Osuvie of Agbarho
Kingdom, His Royal
Majesty Reuben Ogode,
the Ovie of Uhurie.
ensure a peaceful transition
that would usher in the new
government.
“Politics of any manner
should end with the past
electoral exercise and any
person or party who feels
unjustly treated should seek
redress in the law courts as
they are doing currently.
“The peace of Bayelsa
State should not be
compromised in any form.
We should concern
ourselves with issues that
will promote development
and peace of Bayelsa and
the Ijaw nation at all times.''
Wike flags off Rivers Ease of Doing Business Council
ORT HARCOURT—
PGOVERNOR Nyesom
Wike of Rivers State has
inaugurated the Rivers
State Ease of Doing
Business Council,
EODBC, with a charge to
the council to improve the
investment environment of
the state.
Inaugurating the Council
at the Government House
in Port Harcourt, yesterday,
Governor Wike said that the
council was critical to the
economic development of
the state.
He said: “It is
important that we have
this council to improve
the investment climate of
the state and to create an
environment for investors
to come to the state.
“The council will draw
up programmes and
policies to create the
platform for the ease of
doing business in Rivers
State.”
Wike said the
membership of the
committee was drawn from
the public and private
sectors, to ensure that all
sectors
were
accommodated in the drive
to enhance business
opportunities in the state.
He said the State Deputy
Governor was chairing the
council because of the
importance his
administration attaches to
the ease of doing business.
He said: “I believe that
those appointed will live up
to the expectations of
Rivers people. That the
Deputy Governor is the
Chairman of this council
shows how important it is
to the state government.
“These are people with
the right experience and
expertise and I believe that
they will deliver the very
best to the state.”
Responding, Deputy
Governor and Chairman
EODBC, Dr Ipalibo Harry
Banigo assured the Rivers
State governor that the
council would develop
policies that would attract
investors to the state.