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Obaseki Immortalizes late Sen. Franca Afegbua, Names longest Road in Okpella after Nigeria’s first-elected Senator
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has immortalized the late Senator Franca Afegbua, Nigeria’s first elected Senator, naming the Ogiriga-Afokpella-Okugbe Road after the Senator who represented Bendel North Senatorial District of Old Bendel State.
The Ogiriga-Afokpella-Okugbe Road, which is 14km long, is the longest road in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Obaseki, at the service of songs held in honour of late Sen. Afegbua in Benin City, celebrated the life and legacies of the late Senator, describing her as an Amazon and a worthy ambassador of the State.
The governor was accompanied by his wife, Betsy; Secretary to Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.; Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku; former Governors of Edo State, John Odigie Oyegun and Osariemeh Osunbor; former Senators, Roland Owie and Clifford Odia, as well as religious and political leaders, amongst others.
Obaseki said, “We are celebrating today, an amazon and iconic Edo woman. She lived a life of sacrifice, as her life was all about giving to people. She lived ahead of her time, fought for inclusion five decades ago, and argued for women’s right and participation in politics.
“We are glad as Edo people because we have always blazed the trail and produced iconic leaders in Nigeria. We thank her for the inspiration she has been and the light she has brought and shown. We must immortalize her for what she has achieved for the State and Country.”
The governor continued: “She loved Okpella and part of immortalizing her must start from Okpella. So, I have decided that the Ogiriga-Afokpella-Okugbe Road constructed by the Edo State Government will now be named after Sen. Franca Afegbua. It’s the longest road in Okpella, it’s 14km. We will look for other ways to continue to immortalize this great, iconic Edo woman.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume described the late Sen. Franca Afegbua as a pacesetter, vocal senator and a politician that changed the face of politics in Nigeria.
Akume, represented by Chris Taka, said, “She was born into this generation to set the pace and open the political space when she emerged at the center stage of Nigeria politics as the first female black senator. She took center-stage in the Senate and became a vocal voice.
“She is a mother not only to the State but the nation as well. She will not be forgotten for the great role she played and has been an inspiration to other women. Nigeria will raise a monument to honour her just as the State has immortalized her.”
In a sermon titled, “The transient nature of man,” the Bishop of Benin Anglican Communion, Bishop Peter Imasuen, represented by Venerable Osaro Igbinosa, said, “Death is a call that all must answer as such we need to put God first in all we do, and live our life with eternity in view.”
The Association of Scavengers, Scrap Dealers, and Recyclers, Abuja, has publicly dissociated itself from a Federal High Court suit filed by unregistered scavengers and beggars against the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the association’s chairman, Mallam Muntari Mohammed, clarified that the group is a duly registered body, with members holding valid identity cards and engaging in legitimate waste management, scrap trading, and recycling businesses.
He stressed that the association has always complied with the FCT Administration’s rules and regulations, maintaining a clean record.
Muntari noted that the association had formally written to the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to affirm its commitment to safeguarding critical infrastructure and adhering to stipulated guidelines.
He distanced the group from unregistered scavengers, whom he accused of tarnishing the reputation of legitimate operators through theft and other illicit activities.
The chairman addressed the FCT Minister’s recent ban on scavenging, which stemmed from misunderstandings about the distinction between honest scavengers and rogue elements.
“We have never confronted the FCT authorities and will never do so,” Muntari said, emphatically dissociating the association from the court case against Wike.
The Vatican has confirmed that only one round of voting will take place this Wednesday afternoon as the conclave to elect the next pope officially gets underway.
Cardinals from around the world gathered earlier Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel, where they took a sacred oath of secrecy before the chapel doors were ceremonially closed with the Latin phrase “extra omnes,” meaning “everyone out.” The papal master of ceremonies then declared the start of the conclave, invoking a centuries-old tradition whose name comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “locked with key.”
Wednesday’s solitary ballot marked the opening step in the process to choose the new leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. Should the vote prove inconclusive requiring a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope, cardinals will resume the process on Thursday, casting up to four ballots daily until consensus is reached.
Each cardinal votes by writing “Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”) on a paper ballot, followed by the name of their chosen candidate. In a quiet and orderly procession, they approach the silver and gilded urn in order of seniority to place their ballots.
As the final vote is cast, the tension rises in St. Peter’s Square, where the faithful and millions watching around the globe await the first sign of smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. Black smoke will indicate that no decision has been made; white smoke will proclaim that a new pope has been elected.
The last two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, ended on the second day, with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis elected after a series of swift ballots, respectively.
As the doors remain closed and Vatican cameras withdraw, the world waits in hushed anticipation for the next chapter in the history of the Catholic Church to be written.
Governor Hyacinth Alia will not honour the House of Representatives Committee invitation scheduled for Thursday, May 8.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula, confirmed this to journalists on Wednesday in Makurdi.
The House had summoned the governors of Benue and Zamfara, alongside their Assembly leadership.
Kula stated that the invitation is unconstitutional and the governor will not comply with it.
He explained that Alia has filed a case at the Supreme Court challenging the lawmakers’ invitation.
“Yesterday, the Benue Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the Reps Committee invitation.
“They believe the invitation is based on ignorance and have decided not to attend. They will also challenge it in court,” he said.
Kula added that the governor, independently, has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the invitation’s legality.
He said: “Since the matter is in court, I will not speak further on it.”
Kula also claimed that the civil society group behind the petition is faceless and unregistered.
According to him, the address on the group’s letterhead is fake and lacks credibility.
He said there is a coordinated campaign of misinformation and sponsored protests aimed at destabilising Benue.
In recent weeks, he noted, there have been protests in Abuja allegedly representing Benue people’s concerns.
“These protests aim to provoke a state of emergency in Benue by portraying it in a negative light,” he said.
He claimed the organisers seek to undermine progress and return to a failed political order.
“Their ultimate goal is to create chaos for selfish political gain,” Kula added.
He accused the protest sponsors of trying to remove the governor through disruptive means.
“They will not succeed. Benue people stand firmly with their governor,” he said.
He assured the public that Benue remains peaceful and the government is functioning effectively.
“Governor Alia is committed to fulfilling his mandate and addressing the state’s challenges,” he said. (NAN)