NIGERIAN NOTCH

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A There are birthdays and there are birthdays! A birthday is a commemoration of the day a person of was born into the land of the living. That's birthday! But there's also birthday, which is the celebration of what a person has done and achieved with life thus far. That too is birthday! The mystery and difference in both classes of birthdays is found in the hypothesis that while everyone is entitled to the former description of birthday and not the latter, some people enjoy both the former and latter. One very important personality, I know, whose birthday fits in as a birthday of birthdays is Hon. Engr. Gerald Alphonsus Irona, the current Deputy Governor of Imo State. He's 53, Thursday, August 1, 2019, having been born on August 1, 1966. Ordinarily, it should have been another birthday. But his is different! In addition to the normal birthday etiquette, Hon. Engr. Gerald Irona is being celebrated for his profound achievements over the past...

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A It won't be wrong for anybody to describe this period in Imo State as a period characterized by the recovery of moveable and immovable properties stolen from the Government and people of Imo State by the immediate past governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. I call it "Operation Recover All Recoverables". And from all indications, the recovery continues! The latest stolen property that will soon be recovered is the Eastern Palm University located in Ogboko community in Ideato South LGA. The Committee that was set up by the governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON, KSC, led by Prof. Jude Njoku, to enquire about the ownership status of the university, on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 submitted its report to the governor. And the summary of its recommendations on the ownership of Eastern Palm University, Ogboko was that the institution belongs to Imo State and not Rochas Okorocha, and as such should be recovered by Gov. Ihedi...

The Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, CON, alongside His Deputy, Hon. (Engr) Gerald Irona, and some members of the expanded EXCO paid a visit to the facilities of Waltersmith Production Company, Ohaji Egbema, Imo State. The visit was an immediate follow-up to a courtesy call by the Board and Management of the company to the Governor earlier today, led by the MD/CEO, Abdulrazaq Isah. Waltersmith is an upstream oil and gas production company currently producing 7,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and already in the construction phase of building a 5,000bpd refinery, with plan to build a 300MW gas fired power plant as well as an industrial park within the same vicinity. Over the next 48 months, the project which includes expanding the refinery capacity to 25,000 bpd, aggregating feedstock from neighbouring gas fields, is expected to be completed. The visit was also graced by the executive secretary of NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, who stated categoric...

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A RESISISTING RECOVERY OF STOLEN IMO PROPERTY HAS VARIOUS CONSEQUENCES TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN TO SACRIFICE! He that breaks an ant-infested firewood invites the lizards to a feast. The head the hits the bee comb invites the bee to sting it. Whatever a person gathers together with his broom, he should pack off. What a person sows same he must reap. To obey is better than to sacrifice! The immediate past governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, physically appears a gentleman. What with his unique attires that accords him the mien of an Arabian prince! Ironically, however, his aggressive character and conduct betray his gentle looks. His greatest undoing being his self-confessed disregard and disrespect for rule of law and due process. A good leader should be a man of good character and good conduct. A good leader must be a disciple and apostle of rule of law and due process. He must be a advocate of discipline and orderliness. He must be courteou...

By Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A EVERYDAY FOR THE THIEF, ONE DAY FOR THE OWNERS! ONE DAY, MONKEY GO GO MARKET, BUT E NO GO RETURN! The world is obviously aware of emergent actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on its investigation of the alleged financial infractions by the ex-governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, members of his family, his friends, aides and agents. It's now obvious too that their ordeals with the EFCC have vindicated the people of Imo State, who have all the while insisted on their insinuations that Rochas and Company were mercilessly and brutally stealing money and land belonging to Imo State and Imo people. It's seems this is the beginning of Judgement Day in Imo State for the so-called Rescue Mission rogue regime of Ex-governor Rochas Okorocha. It appears that God has hearkened to the prayers and supplications of weary, helpless and hapless Imolites by sending EFCC to assist in recovering the commonwealth and patrimo...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to state that it’s Enugu Zonal Office on Tuesday July 23, 2019 traced and marked some properties traced to the former Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as well as those of his family members and cronies. The marking of the properties which is a fall-out of our painstaking investigation, is as a result of the failure of the suspects to honour the Commission’s invitation for questioning on the propriety of their acquisition. The properties include: Dews of Hope Hospital traced to Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to ex-governor Okorocha; Market Square Super Market; All in One Shop; and premises belonging to Imo State Broadcasting Corporation now hosting Rochas Foundation College owned by Senator Okoroacha. Other properties are: East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu; Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow ...

The race to Agboedo Market election has taken another dimension, as Comrade Chukwudi Ulasi a top contender to the chairmanship position and his executive today flagged off their campaign to pilot the affairs of the market for another four years. Comrade Chukwudi Ulasi while flagging off the campaign, enumerated his 13 points agenda  which will be to redirect the affairs of the market and position the market to greater heights. He said his agenda will be to construct the two major entrance roads leading into the market and renovate the small roads in all the zones, including ogbo-ogwu,Okirika,Oduigbo,Akpakara-dimgwon, provision and provision lines to tame the evasive erosion and pot holes in the market.  He stressed that its long over due for a proper parking space in the market to allow free flow of traffic in the market. He also promised to install a standard transformer to ensure adequate power supply in the market. He emphasized that he will task the governm...

The Zamfara State Police Command has said it rescued 26 additional kidnap victims from bandits in the state. The Commissioner of Police Zamfara Command, Usman Nagogo, made this known while handing over the victims to the state government in Gusau, the state capital on Tuesday. Mr Nagogo said the victims were released by the bandits through a peace dialogue initiated by the state government. He said 18 of the victims were released by the bandits in Aljimma village in Maradun Local Government Area, while eight were handed over to the Emir of Zurmi, Abubakar Atiku, by the bandits. “I am just from Aljimma village where I received these victims personally from the bandits. “On my way, the Emir of Zurmi, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, called and told me that there were other captives released by the bandits to him from Niger Republic. “As I always say, since the use of force has not achieved peace in the state, dialogue is the only option to address this,” he said. “With this developm...

 ••••• 12 former Ministers reappointed President Muhammadu Buhari has sent the list of ministerial nominees to the Senate. Senate President Ahmed Lawan on Tuesday read the list noting that the screening of the nominees will commence tomorrow, Wednesday. Some of the names on the list include; Babatunde Raji Fashola - Lagos State Godswill Akpabio - Akwa Ibom Chris Ngige - Anambra Festus Keyamo - Delta State Ogbonnaya Onu - Ebonyi State Niyi Adebayo -Ekiti State Geoffrey Onyeama - Enugu State Sharon Ikaezor Lai Mohammed - Kwara State Gbemisola Saraki Mohammadu Musa Bello Rauf Aregbesola – Osun State Rotimi Amaechi – Rivers State Sunday Dare – Oyo State George Akume - Benue State Sen Olutayo Alasoadura Adamu Adamu Amb. Mariam Katagum Olorunminbe Mamora Abubakar Aliyu Timipre Sylva - Bayelsa Ikechukwu Oga Mustapha Baba Shehuri

From Chibuike Onyeukwu Three major things stood out from the maiden enlarged Imo state stakeholders meeting held on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The first is the attendance. The second, which is intertwined with the first, is that it was a refreshing departure from what the good people of Imo state had become used to for eight years. The third is the content and significance of the meeting. On the first score, the attendance of the critical stakeholders, made an eloquent statement: Imolites have in unison decided to be on the same page with their governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON. Apart from the volume, it was a gathering of the crème de la crème in Imo state. Interestingly, aside the senior citizens, the youths showed more enthusiasm: The not-too-young-to-run, top professionals, the clergy, traditional rulers, serving and retired civil servants, heads of security agencies, labour unions, media practitioners, women professionals, women politicians. There were als...

The Commissioner of Police Zamfara command has tasked journalists to be factual in all their reports about the activities going on in the state. He made the call today at Gusau while giving update on the progress report by the command on activities in the state in the recent past. The CP started by thanking the Inspector-General of Police IGP Muhammad A. Adamu NPM mni, for giving the command all the necessary logistic support and encouragement to restore lasting peace and stability in Zamfara State. He also appreciated the Governor of Zamfara State His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Bello Matawallen Maradun for his doggedness and uncompromising attitude towards employing dialogue as a weapon to bring lasting peace to the state. He said that since the last press conference, precisely on 8th of this month, a lot of progress have been achieved. On 15/7/2019, the dialogue in the Emirates of Zamfara State was kick started in Anka Emirate. In that interaction between two sworn enemies, loc...