Allafrica Post

Igbokoda (Ondo State) - Days after the National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Dr Mike Omotosho promise to deliver 16 million votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential elections, The Party helmsman in Ilaje local government area of Ondo state, Hon. Babatunde Lepe has described the promise as one from an impostor. Hon. Lepe Who made the assertion while speaking with The Nigerian Observer at Igbokoda, administrative headquarters of the council, said Omotosho is not the LP National chairman. Recall recently Dr Omotosho at an event in Ilorin, kwara state had assured the Nigeria President of Labour Party's support towards his re-election in next year's general elections. "It is the promise of disgruntled members of the party headed by Dr Mike Omotosho who was replaced by Nwanyanwu, and who we have now is Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam as National chairman of Labour Party. "Omotosho is just parading himself as Chairman looking for wha...

Benin city - The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Central Hospital in Benin, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga on Thursday wrote off the hospital bills of one Pastor Sunday Ugochukwu who lost his entire family as a result of inhalation of generator fumes (carbon monoxide). The CMD of the Edo State government owned medical facility learnt of Pastor Ugochukwu's challenge during a live programme aired in the state owned Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) Radio programme (Waka About). According to the Spokesperson of Edo civil society organization, leftist Osazee Edigin who made this known via a social media post, said the post that the bills amount to close to N200,000. "One Pastor Sunday Ugochukwu who lost his entire family comprising his wife and five children on the 19th of June, 2018 due to the inhalation of carbon monoxide, an emission from a working generator set leading to their untimely death got an unexpected response from the Medical Director of Edo State government apex Central...

Working the talk is one of the hallmarks of impactive leadership. A quality many people especially Edo citizens would love demonstrated repeatedly by Governor Godwin Obaseki. This is against the backdrop that he was much touted as a genius, development and investment technocrat. Obaseki on the 14 August, 2017 paid an unscheduled inspection visit to the Bendel Newspaper Company Limited, (BNCL) and Edo Broadcasting Service, (EBS). People of the State; at home and abroad commended the visit, as it seeks to breathe life back to the state owned media houses, they reasoned. Also, media practitioners across the country were in high expectation especially as it affects the Bendel Newspaper Company Limited (BNCL), publishers of The Observer titles. The hitherto very vibrant news medium is currently in shambles no thanks to years of abandonment by successive administrations. Worried like everyone, a concerned journalist in a media parley at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (N...

Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki did promised to make public government activities and information. Despite the pledge, he is yet to respond to the request by Edo Civil Society organization (EDOCSO). The body requested "Certified true copy of lists of contracts awarded/executed and locations since 2015 till date and; Certified true copy of audited account of Edo state government from 2016 till date." EDOCSO, an umbrella body of civil society groups in the state made the request in a letter dated 17th May 2018 and signed by its Coordinator General, Leftist Omobude Agho and Secretary General, Leftist Godspower Okumbor in line with the Freedom of Information (FOI) act 2011. Section 1 (1) of the FOI Act empowers any person or group to access or request any information, whether or not contained in any written form, which is in the custody of any public official, agency or institution. Governor Obaseki while receiving executive members of Co...

Following the directive by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to "overhaul the management and activities" of Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Nigerians have lauded the federal government for listening to their "cries". There had been a nationwide campaign for SARS's disbandment (#EndSARS) championed by Segun Awosanya as a result of the unprofessional conduct by some officers attached to the unit. “Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any Unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linke...

 A Benin-based constitutional lawyer, Barr. Olayiwola Afolabi has charged legal practitioners to cultivate reading culture in order to be abreast with recent development in the legal profession. Barr. Afolabi gave the charge over the weekend during a dinner he hosted for the executive of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Edo state chapter led by it Chairman, Barr Collins Ogiegbaen at his chambers in Benin city. The notary public who pass a vote of confidence on the leadership of Edo NBA, expressed satisfaction on the performance of lawyers in the state in recent times. "I want to tell lawyers to always read because a lawyer who doesn't read will become a palm wine tapper. So every lawyer should read their books and also read their bibles because it is God that will help you", Barr Afolabi Asserted. On his part, Barr. Ogiegbaen commended Afolabi for his support for the Edo NBA executive, and mentoring of young lawyers as "a senior member of the bar...

Benin city - In other to ensure affordable transportation fares, Edo Civil Society Organisations, EDOCSO, an umbrella body for civil society groups in Edo state on Saturday launched its Mass Transport Scheme. The scheme was commissioned by the Coordinator-General of EDOCSO, Leftist Omobude Agho during the group's general assembly at the weekend in Benin city. The network said it is geared towards ameliorating the hardship posed by commercial bus and taxi operators on commuters in Edo. "The idea of the transport scheme is by all and to change the status quo in intra-city transport system", Leftist Agho said during the commissioning. Meanwhile, Barrister Dele Igbinedion who was present at the meeting took out time to talk on the recent court judgement by a state high court in Benin which nullified the Edo State sanitation and pollution management LAW and related matters. Barr Igbinedion also donated some copies of his books to the network's library.

As part of measures to mitigate the hazards in journalism practice, a Security Expert, Yemi Oyebade has charged media practitioners in the country to always access and re-evaluate the risk factor in every assignments. Oyebade, Head, Private Guard Department, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC, Egor LG) gave the charge recently during a media training with the theme, "The Media and Security Reporting", organized by Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Observer Chapel in Benin City. Oyebade who urged journalists to be neutral at all times, enjoined them to have in depth knowledge of any environment they find themselves, and as well take their health serious which according to him is the first step to optimal performance. The training which had resource persons drawn from the security and allied groups, the media and civil society, Oyebade said was apt in view of current security challenges in some parts of the country. On his part, a veteran journali...

In a bid to cut cost and block all financial leakages in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government area of Edo state, Executive Chairman of the council, Dr. Eric Osayande on Thursday said he stopped the salaries of those he described as "absentees and dead persons" from the Council's payroll. The local government chairman made this known in Benin city during an interactive session with Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN Ikpoba-Okha II Chapter led by it Chairman, Apst Napoleon Enadeghe. He said the salaries were halted after their names was observed to be among those receiving salaries from the Council. According to the Dr Osayande, "I have had course to recieve telephone calls from far away Canada, USA and Europe querying why I stopped their salaries, I told them if you are ready to work, come to Idogbo and your salaries will be reactivated. "You cannot work in USA and recieve salary at Ikpoba-Okha." Dr Osayande stated that despite the absence of securi...

Crisis looms in Eyaen and Ahor villages in Uhonmwode Local Government area of Edo state, over boundary dispute. There are indication that if the concerned authorities do not  intervene quickly it may snowball into bloodshed as leaders of both villages accused each other of encroachment with the assistance of armed thugs. It was gathered that controversy over a moat which serve as a boundary between Eyaen, Ahor and Ihovbor villages is about tearing the hitherto peaceful neighbours apart as they call for the Benin Monarch's intervention. The Head (Odionwere) of Ahor, Pa Osaze Aghimien claimed that from time immemorial both villages had a moat as their boundary, but discovered it has been encroached upon by the Enogie of Eyaen, HRH Osazuwa Aiwerioghene Iduriase. Pa Aghimien told journalists at Ahor that the Enogie of Ayaen sand filled the moat at different point and started selling off the lands to unsuspecting buyers, while HRH Iduriase in a newspaper advertorial signed...

Oregbeni - The Executive Chairman of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Dr. Eric Osayande on Thursday had an interactive session with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Ikpoba-Okha II Chapter led by it Chairman, Apst. Napoleon Enadeghe. The meeting which is geared towards fulfilling his campaign promise of engaging critical stakeholders on developments at the area, was held at PFN Secretariat at Oregbeni, Ikpoba Hill in Benin city. The Ikpoba Okha LG Boss who at the interactive session decried the degradation of the environment particularly within the markets, vowed that his administration will sustain the regular environmental exercise embarked upon by Council. Dr Osayande use the medium to inform the religious body of various projects that has been awarded by the council, which include Army Children School (Ward 1), Oregbeni Market (Ward 2), Depot Market (Ward 3),  Urora Market (Ward 4). Others are Avbiama Primary School (Ward 5), Dumez Road Market (...

Edo Civil Society Organization, EDOCSO, a network of civil society groups in Edo state has described a recent publication by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, with the heading, "Update On Power Supply and Other Issues in Edo state", as "filled with lies". The publication according to BEDC is in line with increasing communication with it customers on various initiatives taken by the company to improve power supply in the state. Edo CSOs in a statement on Wednesday signed by it Spokesperson, Leftist Osazee Edigin said claims by the electricity distribution company in the said publication is in contrary to what is on ground. "Some of the communities mentioned in the publication bought their transformers themselves because BEDC would not buy", Leftist Edigin kick The network however called on electricity regulatory bodies and the federal government to investigate BEDC's claims in the publication made available in the co...

In times past, Edo was regarded as one of the cleanest states in Nigeria. The people’s effort to promote an healthy environment was topnotch, but in recent times it is fast becoming common to see waste mounds springing up here and there, more worrisome is the dispersal of plastic materials which litter street corners, roads, markets, rivers, drainage facilities and make up almost all the wastes in one of world’s heritage site, The Benin Moats. It is rare to see any good or consumables that is not packaged with materials made of plastic, as these single use waste materials are usually disposed off Indiscriminately after use. In a research conducted in 2017 by Code For Nigeria to identify approved and unapproved wastes dump sites in the state capital, covering Egor, Oredo and Ikpoba Okha local government areas revealed these environmental anomalies. The wastes in these dump sites are mostly plastic materials. They are not only visible in the state capital, but across the 18 lo...

Professor EDDY ERHAGBE is the Dean of student, Faculty of Arts, University of Benin (UNIBEN) Edo State Nigeria who might have seen it all, haven navigated the academic community both local and international also as a professor of history who has taught the subject for over three decades and the university orator for several years. Not given to much talk, his talk and revelations can be shocking in this interview with EMMANUEL IKHENEBOME, the writer X-ray the sojourn of Prof Erhagbe into the teaching profession, his experience at the 2014 National Conference, the clamour for restructuring, Anti corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government, his administration’s performance in the last 3 years, the sex for marks favour trending in some private and public universities across the country and range of other issues. Except: Can you tell me little about yourself? I am Professor Eddy Erhagbe, a Professor of History and International Stud...

According to a Social media post by Osazee Edigin, "A church in Benin City by the name Jesus Deliverance Ministry aka 'Ngozi Church' in Ikpoba hill had asked owners of shop and businesses in the church vicinity to close shops to enable their members only do business during the period of its youth programme. Complaints from small business owners in the area have reached Edo Civil Society Organisations with copies of the notice served them by the church. From the complainants and the tone of the letter, it has been a common practice by the church before now. A cursory look on the served notice didn't state what compensation to be paid to the business owners whom the church had asked to close for the period of the youth programme. This will not happen in Benin City as long as Edo Civil Society Organisations have been intimated of this latest development. No church or private institution has the right to shut any citizen's business down for own purpose. We shal...

In fulfilment of his earlier promise, Labour Party (LP) Chairmanship aspirant for Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Emmanuel Seyi Lebile on Monday flagged-off the after-school (summer) lessons and distribution of educational materials to some primary and secondary school students in the area. The flag off which took place in Igbokoda, administrative headquarters of Ilaje LGA, also served as day for the commencement of the summer lessons holding from 6th August to 7th September 2018 at Christ Anglican Model College Igbokoda. Recall the chairmanship aspirant in a Chat with The Nigerian Observer promised to hand out learning materials to students in the area, and also engage them during their holidays. Lebile who had in different fora decried the high level of underdevelopment of Ilaje despite being an oil producing area, vowed to fast track development of the council especially the environmental and educational sector. The LP aspirant known as "The Reformer...

Edo Civil Society Organization, EDOCSO, a network of civil society groups in Edo state has described as sham, the recent media parley organized by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC for electricity consumers in its area of coverage. Edo CSOs in statement signed by it Public Relations Officer, Leftist Osazee Edigin, titled: "MEDIA PARLEY CANNOT REPAIR DAMAGED BEDC IMAGE", said it is a sign of the company's desperation to ensure Federal Government renew its operational license despite poor service delivery. "The Benin Electricity Distribution Company recently held a media parley with some selected members of the media profession to paint a contrary picture of the atrocities they have done to the citizens of the four states they cover. "This is as a result of the constant agitation of the Edo Civil Society Organisations, the masses and Edo state government against the management of the BEDC headed by Funke Osibudu and her management team to the ...