NIGERIAN NOTCH

The ancient town of Ozuzu in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State was aglow with colours, music, and dance as the people gathered to mark their annual New Yam Festival, a sacred tradition that pays homage to their ancestors and celebrates the blessings of harvest of Yam.  The festival, presided over by His Royal Highness, Eze Fyneface Amaechi, remains one of the most significant cultural events in Ozuzu. It serves as a thanksgiving to the ancestral progenitors for the gift of life, prosperity, and abundance. Speaking at the occasion, Eze Amaechi reaffirmed the centrality of tradition in the life of the kingdom. “We uphold our culture and tradition. Before the advent of colonial Christianity, Amadi Oha Ozuzu was our Chi, and we revered our practice in honour,” he said, stressing that the New Yam Festival is both a spiritual and cultural renewal for the people. The day was marked by age-long rituals, traditional dances, and vibrant communal feasting. Sons and daugh...

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on Friday inaugurated the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Gubernatorial Campaign Council ahead of the November 8 governorship election, declaring that his administration’s achievements make his re-election inevitable. The ceremony, attended by top APGA officials and political stakeholders, saw the appointment of Professor Osita Chukwudobelu as Director-General of the campaign council. Deputy Governor, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; APGA National Chairman, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa; National Publicity Secretary, Mazi Dr Ejimofor Opara, former governors and deputy governors; House of Representatives members; Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi; Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Chinedu Nwoye, among other dignitaries, graced the inauguration, demonstrating party unity and cohesion ahead of the polls. In h...

As Anambra gears up for the November 8 governorship election, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has expressed confidence that the people of the state will return Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo for a second term. In this interview, the National Publicity Secretary of APGA and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, outlines why the party believes the coming poll will be a “win-win” for Ndi Anambra and the Solution Movement. Q: As the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, how do you assess the chances of Governor Charles Soludo’s re-election bid, given the current political climate in Anambra State? A: Anambra is APGA land. Governor Soludo has done exceedingly well in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and human capital development. So far, he has awarded contracts for over 900 kilometres going to 1000. And over 600 kilometres of the roads have been completed and alshpated.  He has built 5 brand new hospitals across the n...

The management of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, has announced the appointment of Mr. Sam Okonkwo as the Acting Bursar of the institution. Mr. Okonkwo received his appointment letter from the Rector, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, on Thursday, September 4, 2025. Until his new role, he served as the Chief Internal Auditor of the Polytechnic. A seasoned administrator, Mr. Okonkwo holds both a B.Sc. and an MBA in Business Administration. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria (FIIA) and a member of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN). With over 15 years of experience as a Chief Accountant in the institution, Mr. Okonkwo is expected to bring his wealth of expertise and professionalism to the financial administration of the Polytechnic.

The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, has paid a condolence visit to the widow of the institution’s late Bursar, Mr. Stephen Udu, who passed away recently while in active service. During the visit, Dr. Awuzie described the late Udu as a dedicated administrator whose virtues and commitment to duty left a lasting impact on the Polytechnic community. She assured his widow and family of the management’s continuous support during their period of grief. The Rector further disclosed that the institution would set up a burial planning committee to work in collaboration with the Udu family to ensure a befitting farewell for the late bursar. Responding on behalf of the family, Mr. Clement Udu, elder brother of the deceased, expressed gratitude to the Rector and the management for their solidarity and support since the passing of their brother. He also prayed for God’s guidance and protection over the Polytechnic leadership. The Rector was accompanied on...

By Chigozie Igbo In a remarkable gesture of compassion, Hon. Afam Ezenwafor, founder of the Afamation Movement Worldwide, has donated nine newly built bungalows to widows drawn from the nine villages of Ekwulobia community in Aguata Local Government Area. The project, executed in collaboration with the Ositadinma Foundation, was commissioned at a colourful ceremony attended by government officials, political leaders, and community stakeholders. Each of the beneficiaries, carefully selected from one of the nine villages, received keys to a two-to-four-bedroom bungalow, depending on land availability. Speaking at the event, Hon. Ezenwafor said the gesture was inspired by love and a commitment to service, rather than politics. “The driving force is love. The first and last commandment of God is love. The only way to worship God is by loving your neighbour as yourself,” he said. “I have always been a giver, and I pray for the grace to build at least 50 houses for widows within the next eig...

The serene Moonshine Residence, Uru Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra State, came alive recently as the 1983 set of Queen of the Rosary College (QRC), Onitsha, held its 2025 reunion and convention. The four-day event, which ran from Thursday, August 21 to Sunday, August 24, was a colourful celebration of unity, philanthropy, recognition, fitness, entertainment, thanksgiving and camaraderie among the old girls who have sustained their bond 42 years after leaving secondary school. In her welcome remarks, the president of the association, Prof. Viola Chinenye Udeze, lauded members for their consistent support and commitment, noting that the reunion was aimed at rekindling bonds and sustaining ties with their alma mater. “We are gathered today to reconnect, share and celebrate individual achievements, inspire one another, and reaffirm our collective commitment to building a better future for ourselves and humanity,” Prof. Udeze said. Highlights of the convention included the conferment of...

A District Court in Finland on Monday sentenced Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Government in Exile, to six years imprisonment for terrorism-related offences. Ekpa, who has been a central figure in the agitation for a separate Biafra state, was arrested by Finnish authorities on November 21, 2024, following a probe by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The investigation linked him to incitement of terrorism and promotion of violence through social media, activities that were believed to have contributed to unrest and insecurity in Nigeria’s South-East region. The Päijät-Häme District Court found Ekpa guilty of “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” covering offences committed between August 2021 and November 2024. In addition to the custodial sentence, the Finnish authorities had earlier frozen his assets as well as those of his associates and related companies. Ekpa, a Finland-b...

A former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, is dead. According to available information on Sunday, Arase, who was born on June 21, 1956, was reported to have died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja. The 18th Inspector-General of Police of Nigeria served as the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) after his retirement from the force. As at press time, there has been no official confirmation by the Nigeria Police Force. Calls to his mobile number went unanswered This was unlike Arase, who personally takes all his calls. His wife also did not pick her calls. However, some top shots in the Nigeria Police Force confirmed the death of Arase to The Eagle Online. One of them said the news had been posted on the WhatApp platforms to which some top police officers belong.

By Law Mefor Anambra State was created 34 years ago. The governor of the state, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo CFR, in a media chat in Awka, to commemorate the anniversary, noted that "Anambra has always punched above its weight”, which points to a state destined for greatness.   Anambra can be likened to China, which was once seen by the world as a sleeping giant. When China was tagged as a sleeping giant, Napoleon Bonaparte said: “Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world!”   Some critics used to rile Anambra State for not having a befitting Government House since her creation. Today, Anambra State has the best Government House in Nigeria, named “Light House”, thanks to the visionary leadership of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, who built the one-stop for all executive actions.   Soludo deserves all the tributes for awakening the sleeping giant by working to turn the state from a departure lounge to a destination of cho...