National
Okpe Leaders Insist On Comprehensive University in Orerokpe
Prominent Okpe leaders on Thursday appraised the performance and competence of the Delta State governor, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, praising him for his positive impact on the lives of the people.
Rising from the crucial meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Okpe Union worldwide, the well-meaning and illustrious sons and daughters of Okpe Kingdom urged the good people of Delta State to rally behind the relatively new administration of His Excellency, Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori.
“The administration got distracted by a huge number of court cases before finally getting the imprimatur of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. With some of the projects already being witnessed round the state and some policy reviews like clearing of the backlog of pension entitlements of retirees as well as cadre regularisation/transfer and upgrade of civil servants and teachers round the state, something progressive is happening in the State.”
In a statement which encapsulated the union’s educational proposal for the development of Okpe Kingdom, the leaders commended Oborevwori for responding promptly, correctly and unequivocally to the educational needs of the state.
“The National Executive Council(NEC) of the Okpe Union, the Ethnic Union of the Okpe Nation, having been inundated by reports of reactions (some disruptive) from several quarters of our dear Delta State and especially from the Isoko areas of the state in relation to the reports of a reported planned relocation of some programmes of the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, a town of the Isoko Nation, held an Emergency Meeting to evaluate the report, its impact on the stability of the administration and ethnic relations in the state as well as determine suggestions to both the government and the people of the Isoko Nation, the historical cousins of the Okpe people who have reacted to the reported policy.”
The statement titled, ’A Call for Calm, Re-evaluation of Policy by Government and Restatement of the Position of Okpe Nation to Foster Ethnic Harmony in Delta State’’ and signed by President General, Okpe Union (Worldwide), Prof. Igho Natufe and General Secretary, Okpe Union (Worldwide), Barrister Kingsley Akpederin, commended Oborevwori for having the redress of the abnormal historical abandonment of Orerokpe and its environs in his balancing agenda.
“Governor. Sheriff Oborevwori is commended for the decision to have a look at the deficit of public institutions in Orerokpe which is one of the oldest administrative centres in the country having been hosting one of the largest areas of local administration in the histor of Nigeria. Orerokpe, from the late 1920s became the headquarters of the Western Urhobo District which covered the present day Ethiope West, Ethiope East, Okpe, Uvwie, Sapele (at a point) and Udu Local Government Areas of Delta State. Public institutions like Universities, Polytechnics, Petroleum Institutes and Infrastructures, Colleges of Education, Schools of Nursing, Schools of Agriculture, Federal Medical Centres and many others have been cited in various areas without the ancient headquarters, Orerokpe, being considered. It is worthy of note also that another city of the Okpe Nation, Sapele, which was one of the foremost townships created officially by the early British Colonial Government with the status of other early official townships like Calabar, Ibadan, Kaduna, etc, has suffered similar government neglect as Orerokpe.”
The leaders urged the governor not to do things for ephemeral benefits and instant fame but to reevaluate the planned policy.
“As the ancient city of Orerokpe is so centrally located in the state being close to Warri, the Commercial capital of the state and therefore not far from the riverine areas of Delta South Senatorial District; and fairly accessible to all the areas of our dear Delta State, we suggest a comprehensive University of Education to be established there. The quest for the acquisition of education degrees has now got the various Colleges of Education in the State to haphazardly secure multiple affiliations with different universities in Nigeria in order for them to be degree awarding. A University of Education for Delta State is long overdue. We believe the resources for the creation of another campus would be nearly sufficient for the establishment of this all-important institution for modern competitive teachers’ education for the state. It is also instructive to note that a University of Education can accommodate any disciplines that a government may deem necessary to apply for approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in the future. It is also time for the Sapele Polytechnic which construction began under the Gov. Uduaghan Administration to be completed. By so doing, the historically neglected areas of Orerokpe and Sapele would have been assuaged to some extent’’.
The prominent Okpe leaders emphasized senatorial and ethnic balancing in the state.
“We acknowledge that since the administration of Gov. James Ibori in 1999, the siting of public institutions in Delta State has upheld the template more or less of Senatorial and ethnic balancing. This resulted in the domiciling of the three Delta State Polytechnics in towns in the three Senatorial Districts of the state. Consequently, the famous Sapele Technical College (STC) which is one of the oldest technology institutions in Nigeria lost out in upgrades. The same Senatorial balancing was followed by the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa Administration in establishing the recent state Universities. It is therefore understandable how our Isoko brothers have reacted with protests to the reports of the planned relocation of parts of university already sited in Delta South Senatorial District and Isoko land.”
“The leaders also appealed for “understanding and calm.
“We are fortunate to have a listening Governor who will certainly do what is best in the interest of the State. Violence and destruction of public and private properties cannot be a panacea to this kind of decision. We appreciate the fact that the State Government has met with stakeholders of the Isoko Nation including our sister union, the Isoko Development Union (IDU), Traditional Rulers of the Isoko Nation and other Stakeholders. We appeal to them to prevail on all, especially the youths, to give peace a chance as the Governor of the State has promised not to undermine the development of the Isoko Nation nor any other part of the State.”
Credit: Henry Ovie
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has appealed to the Federal Government to step up and deal with rising insecurity in the state as the death toll from the recent attacks by suspected herdsmen on Ukum and Logo local government areas in the state has risen to 56.
The governor made the call on Saturday when he visited the scenes of attacks by suspected herdsmen in Ukum and Logo local government areas to ascertain the impact of the attacks.
Addressing journalists after the visit to the affected communities in the two local government areas, Alia condemned the violent attacks on the defenseless people and called for greater action from security agencies to nip these killings in the bud.
The governor used the visit to engage with community leaders and their people whom he assured of a better deal in addressing all forms of insecurity.
He also called for calm and urged the people to resist the will to resort to self-help
Security has also been beefed up in the Sankera axis where these attacks happened to restore confidence, while emergency services and relief items have been extended to the two local government areas.
In neighbouring Plateau State, also in the North Central geopolitical zone, over 100 people have been killed in the last two weeks when bloodthirsty marauders unleashed mayhem on communities in the Bokkos and Bassa local government areas of Plateau State.
Muhammad Auwal Jatau, Bauchi deputy governor, has denied reports claiming that he slapped Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, during a high-profile event in the state.
The alleged incident was said to have taken place on Friday inside a white coaster bus conveying dignitaries from Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa international airport to the Bauchi emir’s palace.
The dignitaries were en route to the turbaning of Mohammed Abubakar, a former governor of the state.
According to unverified reports, an argument broke out after the minister allegedly made disparaging comments about Bala Mohammed, Bauchi state governor.
Jatau was said to have slapped the minister in reaction, reportedly in the presence of Vice-President Kashim Shettima and other prominent figures.
But Muslim Lawal, spokesperson to the deputy governor, described the claim as “false and baseless”.
“No, no, no, how can the deputy governor slap the minister? I don’t think that ever happened in Bauchi because I know my principal is a responsible person,” he said.
“The number two person cannot slap a minister or whoever person that people are talking about. We are not even aware of that. I am just hearing this from you.”
Lawal questioned the credibility of the viral report and called on anyone with evidence to present it.
“Did you see the evidence of the slap? I didn’t see it, I’m just hearing about that from you,” he said.
“But my belief is that there is no way the deputy governor will slap a minister. I don’t think such can ever happen in Bauchi, not even my principal or whoever is in his position.”
He said there was no reasonable provocation for such an act.
“What is even the issue that will make the deputy governor slap a minister?” he asked.
“I was not in the car and if there is any evidence that the deputy governor did such, maybe we can speak on that, but as of now, I don’t even know about it. That’s our position.
“And I don’t even think that the deputy governor, even if it is not in the presence of the vice-president, can do that.”
Siminalayi Fubara, suspended governor of Rivers, has called on residents of the state to rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
In his Easter message in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Saturday, the governor said the season represents a time for reconciliation and unity.
“Easter is a sacred season of reconciliation and unity. It is a time when the peace of Christ dwells richly in our hearts, restoring relationships, comforting the afflicted, feeding the hungry, and healing the brokenhearted,” Fubara said.
Fubara also reiterated his commitment to delivering good governance to the people of Rivers state.
“I reiterate my unwavering commitment to delivering good governance to the resilient and dignified people of Rivers state,” he said.
“Therefore, I call on the good people of Rivers state to continue to support and align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of our dear President, His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while looking forward to a better tomorrow.”
Fubara added that the transformation desired by all is achievable when people act together as one, committed to peace, unity, and progress.
“Let us not lose sight of our collective strength. The transformation we all desire is achievable when we act together as one people under God, committed to peace, unity, and progress,” the governor said.