Opinion
Physical Challenged: TGNEWS set to honor Ardo with the unsung heroes award
By Mohammed Ismail
He is a true reflection of hard-work, commitment, resilience and an unquenchable thirst to succeed. The 45-year-old man was not born with the proverbial silver spoon. In fact, Ardo Usman faced his real litmus test when he had a near encounter with death after he was administered a polio vaccine at the age of eight. Although he survived the tragedy, that event left him with impaired legs making him unable to walk for the rest of his life.
But despite that initial setback which undoubtedly left him with a life scar and nearly threw him to the precipice of depression, Usman bounced back and found life bearing through hard work knowing that a lame duck has no place in our contemporary society.
Ardo Usman, is an eloquent example that with a can-do-spirit, vision and commitment, no obstacle will be hard to crack. Currently, he is an entrepreneur, a motivator, a trainer and a youth leader all moulded into one.
The business savvy young man has been given back to the society in quantum. He single handedly created hundreds of employment opportunities and concomitantly gave his quota to the growth of our national GDP and reduction of unemployment induced crimes in the society. He also contributed immensely to the development of humanity by training hundreds of youths in Adamawa and beyond, the art of shoe making.
In an interview with our reporter, Ardo Usman said life was brutish and tough because of the disability which he encountered at an early stage in life which left him emotionally distressed.
“I was not born with any form of disability. I became a victim of Polio vaccine when I was eight years old in Gombi local government of Adamawa State.
“Since then my life became miserable until I summoned the courage to conquer the myths, paranoia, stigma and phobia attached with my condition. But I know I cannot make it if I consigned myself as an object of pity. I took the gauntlet and the rest as they say is history.
“I was fortunate to know early in life that disability is a matter of choice, it is a state of the mind. I developed a mindset never to beg because of my state. I saw myself in the realm of an able bodied man who has to go out and compete to gain a foothold in the ever competitive market space. I chose a trade and ensure I excelled in the trade.
“Despite the impairment of my legs which made me to be permanently incapacitated, I know I have three big assets, my brain, my spirit and my hands. These assets did not fail me till this day.
“I told myself never to accept that I’m disabled. I believe I’m able bodied because my brain and other essential parts of my body are working perfectly. Because of that spiritedness, even the society did not treat me as a person with disability.
“I now train able bodied men across the 21 Local Governments of Adamawa State. I have trained over two hundred and fifty shoe makers in the State.
“With this profession I’m conveniently paying my bills as a bread winner and father of seven children including two adopted orphans from my village. I can comfortable pay my kid’s school fees and I thank God they are all doing well in school.
“Since I started this work over a decade and half ago, nobody ever supported me apart from the former secretary to the government of Adamawa state, Mallam Bashir Abdullahi.
“I’m pleading to well meaning Nigerians, especially Government and NGOs to support my initiative to do more. I’m ready to take Adamawa to the global stage in this industry,” he said.
Ken Nnamani, a former president of the senate, says he did not beg Elisha Abbo, a former senator representing Adamawa north, on behalf of any judge after the ex-lawmaker lost his election case in court.
In October 2023, the court of appeal sacked Abbo and declared Amos Yohanna, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the Adamawa north senatorial election.
Appearing on Channels Television on Wednesday, Abbo said he was a victim of “miscarriage of justice”.
The former senator said Nnamani pleaded with him on behalf of a judge after he lost his election case in 2023.
Reacting in a statement, the former senate president described Abbo’s claim as “blatant lies”.
“My greatest surprise was to hear him state that Senator Ken Nnamani visited him to plead with him on behalf of a judge for the miscarriage of justice. This statement is a blatant lie. I do not know how Senator Abbo can boldly fabricate an event that never happened to buttress his allegation of judicial miscarriage against him,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I have never visited Senator Elisha Abbo at his house or anywhere. Up to this moment, I do not know where he lives. I have never discussed with him about his case, or any case pending or decided by any court of law in Nigeria.
“The only time I met with him was when he visited me in my house. It was more of a social visit by him. At this meeting, we never discussed his case or any case. I recall that when the matter of his political career came up, I advised him to avoid controversies as a young politician.
“The statements Senator Abbo made regarding me and his case are all fabrications. I believe I have had a sterling and distinguished public service career. I am determined to maintain my integrity and commitment to excellence till the end of my life.”
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.
Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.
He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.
“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.
Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.
He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.
“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.
“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”
The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.
The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a leading Pan-African student body, has commended the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Ogun State under Commissioner of Police (CP) Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, for its commitment to security and community engagement.
In a statement released on Thursday, the President of PSM Nigeria, Comrade Ambassador Okereafor Bestman, highlighted the CP’s efforts in strengthening collaboration between the police, stakeholders, and other security agencies to maintain peace and stability in the state.
“It is worthy of note that CP Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, has further fostered a harmonious working synergy between the police, stakeholders, and other security agents aimed at ensuring peace and tranquility in Ogun State,” Okereafor said.
The student leader expressed confidence in CP Ogunlowo’s leadership, stating that Ogun State is on track to becoming one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria under his administration.
He also praised the professionalism and dedication of the Ogun State Police Command in tackling crime, regardless of its scale.
Additionally, PSM acknowledged the Ogun State government’s continued support for security agencies, particularly in providing mobility and logistics to enhance their operational efficiency.
The commendation comes at a time when security remains a top priority for residents and authorities in the state, with ongoing efforts to curb crime and ensure public safety.