As the nation Nigeria grapples with, and frontally struggle to exit third world challenges of illiteracy and poverty and transform, through hard work and massive human and material development to a nation characterized by coordinated infrastructural provision and a society were justice and peace reign supreme, one thing stands out; addressing some critical cornerstones are indispensable to making such vision a reality. Inculcating and reinforcing positive political, cultural, social attitudes among our youths as they will provide the nation’s future leadership needs, creating mood in which the youths of this nation become keen to acquire skills and disciplines of developed…
Author: JEROME-MARIO UTOMI
…..Urges the former governor to see the day as a moment for Self-Introspection, offer of Praises To God. Mr. Chiedu Ebie, Chairman, Governing Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has congratulated the former Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, on his 70th birthday celebration, wishing him many more years in good health of mind and body. Ebie’s statement was contained in a release dated Tuesday October 22, 2024, signed by his Media Aide, Jerome-Mario Utomi, and made available to the press in Lagos. According to the statement, Mr. Ebie described the former Governor as a…
It was Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States of America (1901-1909), that once noted that it is not the critic who counts; nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who actually strives to do the deeds; who knows great…
In the words of Justin Menkes, author and member of the Strategic Leadership Service Practice, there are clear thinkers, muddled thinkers and people that fall in between. Clear thinkers -are the ones that can cull everything down into the right points-are very hard to find. But if you get yourself a team of clear thinkers, the possibilities are endless. These are men who see tomorrow, trailblazers and high-level executives, but most often misunderstood by some fellow countrymen who are still stuck in the old normal of yesterday. Essentially, members of the governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development…
In a significant move that underscores a commitment to protecting the political and socioeconomic interests of Nigerians, the United States-based Nigerian Physicians Advocacy Group (NPAG), along with Grand Knight Sir Tonna Okei (Ikuku Oma), leader of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and the ANPA Carolina chapter, met with key U.S. leaders on Saturday, September 14, 2024, in Columbia, SC. The discussions focused on opening pathways for strategic collaborations aimed at strengthening critical relationships between government entities and the Nigerian community. The Nigerian Physicians Advocacy Group (NPAG), under the leadership of Dr. Susan Edionwe, MD, FACS, serves as the 501(c)(4)…
Ten months ago, precisely in November, 2023, during the inauguration of the board and management of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), by Engr. Abubakar Momoh, Minister for Ministry of Niger Delta Development, at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development in Abuja, Momoh among other remarks charged the newly inaugurated board to change the narrative of the Commission. Though the minister did not name the issues that must be changed but a peep into the activities of the governing board and management in recent months reveals without labour that the Commission has moved from an era of…
Through a noteworthy conviction that education is the bedrock of any nation and so it is incumbent on all to grow and support education sector, coupled with significant moves that underscore commitment to the socioeconomic development of the nation, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, a reformer, technocrat and Chairman, Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has famously become reputed for supporting sustainable development of education sector at state, regional and Federal levels as well as encourages formulation and transparent implementation of diverse strategic youth empowerment initiatives and programmes. Adding context to the discourse, Mr. Ebie, before the latest appointment…
….Calls On Delta State Gov. Faith Based Organizations, NGOs And Good Spirited Citizens To Come To His Assistance Jeffrey Nkem Ofuasia, a Kidney Patient from Emuhu, Delta state, has cried out to good-spirited Nigerians to come to his rescue and save his life as he seeks N26,000,000 (Twenty Six Million Naira) for an urgent kidney Transplant. The 42year old graduate of Library and Information Science, from Delta State University and father of one, who is currently receiving treatment at Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), specially pleaded with the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, (Rt.)…
In the words of Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, a Florentine diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian who lived during the Italian Renaissance and best known for his political treatise, ‘’The Prince’’, written around 1513 but not published until 1532, five years after his death, ‘’the first opinion that is formed of a leader’s intelligence is based on the quality of men he has around him. When they are competent and loyal, he can always be considered wise, because he has been able to recognize their competence and to keep them loyal. But when they are otherwise, the ruler is always…
…….. Prays that Asaba kingdom experiences more peace and development under His Reign ……. Says Asagba Designate was his Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Benin, Benin City. Mr. Chiedu Ebie, Chairman, Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has hailed His Royal Majesty, Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON on his emergence as the Asagba of Asaba designate, praying that Asaba kingdom will experience more peace and development under his reign. Ebie’s message came via a personal statement on Monday, August 19, 2024 and made available to Newsmen in Agbor, Delta State. He expressed optimism…
Recently, precisely on August 11, 2024, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), in an investigative report, titled ‘’Edozie Godwin; the Lecturer Who Ensured Recruitment into Delta State Education Service Was Merit-Based’’ championed by Accountability Lab Nigeria and sponsored by The John D. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation and Luminate, revealed how the Delta State Government in 2019 achieved a record breaking and of course, the most transparent recruitment of one thousand (1000) Teachers, posted across secondary schools in the state. A private chat by this author with Dr. Godwin Edozie, former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor (Office of…
It is a common knowledge that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in line with its dedication to advancing the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and implementation of impactful youth programmes, recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, rolled out internship scheme for 10,000 youths across the Niger Delta region Also relevant to the present discourse is the awareness that the 12-month internship programme which would prepare participants with the training and experience needed for gainful employment and empower the benefitting youths in the areas of technology, music and arts, agriculture and marine, among others, also made…
In the politics of remembrance and forgetfulness, ‘’it is sometimes convenient to forget. At others it is uncomfortable to remember. To forget is perhaps one of the greatest gifts of nature. But to remember can also be an invaluable asset sometimes. However, so many times, we remember to forget but forget to remember”. Likewise, for the people of Niger Delta region, Monday, August 5, 2024, is a day that will be too difficult to forget. Even if the adults do forget, as it is essentially easy for humans to forget but hard to remember, the youths from the region will…
In Nigeria, like in other parts of the world, it is believed that the viability of democracy depends upon the openness, reliability, appropriateness, responsiveness, and two-way nature of the communication environment. Democracy depends upon the regular sending and receiving of signals – not only between the people and their elected representatives but also among the people themselves. Supporting the above assertion was the torrent of inter, intra and crossed commentaries by Niger Deltans at the launch by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of a Youth Internship Scheme initiated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for 10,000 youths from the…
Recently, Hon Anthony Elekeokwuri, Director General, the Delta Investment Development Agency (DIDA) called on serious-minded local and foreign investors to take advantage of the state government’s ease of doing business package. While noting that the creation of DIDA was instructive of the seriousness attached to fully explore the investment potentials of the state as MORE agenda of the Oborevwori administration had lots of investment opportunities to explore, Tony who made the call in Asaba, the state capital, reportedly assured of a conducive environment to do business in the state, adding that government would assist in land acquisition, provision of safety,…
Anioma, loosely translated as ‘good land’ is situated in Delta state and precisely forms the Delta North Senatorial District in the present-day Delta state, South-South Geo-political zone, Nigeria. The people of Anioma are predominantly Igbo-speaking. In terms of population and landscape, Anioma nation as it is usually referred to could be likened to a dot in the map of Nigeria. But the people, in material terms, have through hard work, planning and improvising, established themselves in all critical sectors-finance, science/technology, sports, education and most importantly public leadership. Also worthy of underlining is the fact that Anioma people daily manifest signs…
Recently, Grand Knight Emeritus, Sir Tonna Okei, President, South Carolina Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), and a Worthy Member Knights of Columbus, in a birthday congratulatory message to His Royal Majesty (HRM), Dr. Benjamin Keagborekuzi Ikenchukwu, to mark the traditional monarch’s birthday, described Royal Father as a first-class traditional monarch who has redefined leadership and made the Traditional stool known for its sanctity, honesty and respect for the Rule of Law, noting that the revered monarch exhibits the highest level of professional and traditional ethics with a mixture of selflessness, sympathy and empathy for his subjects in his service of…
This piece stemmed from my recent conversation/encounter with Honourable Udengs Eradiri, former President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), former Commissioner for Youth Development, former Commissioner for Environment in Bayelsa state and Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa state. The encounter took place during the recently held Niger Delta Summit 2024, organized by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital. Beginning with the assessment of the present governing board and management of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Honourable Udengs described the present board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission…
In my previous intervention ‘’NDDC and Sustainable Development of Niger Delta Region’’ published in May this year, the piece objectively aligned with two striking observations. First, it admitted that it is not as if past administrations in the country did not, at different times and places make efforts to address the region’s challenges. But noble as those efforts were, considering the level of underdevelopment in the region, such effort appeared too insignificant and short of what is required to carter for the region’s development and more particularly, remains a far cry from what was needed to exorcise the ghosts of…
The much awaited, and much publicized 2-day Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit 2024, themed: Renewed Hope for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta, finally kick-started with technical session on Wednesday July 10th and expected to run through Saturday July 13th, 2024, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital. The event which has critical stakeholders drawn from NDDC’s mandate states in attendance was aimed at Developing strategies for economic growth and development of the Niger Delta Region, Translating the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into an actionable plan and articulating a roadmap for the sustainable development of the Niger…
Each passing day brings to mind the fact that the Governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is fast becoming a bunch trademarked for appreciating education as bedrock for sustainable development of the Niger Delta region and reputed for commitment to promoting learning among youths from the region, particularly the girl child. Aside from the well thought-out scholarships awarded few months ago, to 200 deserving candidates from the region to pursue Master’s Degrees overseas, a programme which of course forms an important component of the agency’s human capital development that seeks to use education to change…
Grand Knight Emeritus, Sir Tonna Okei has praised His Royal Majesty (HRM), Dr. Benjamin Keagborekuzi Ikenchukwu, describing him as a first-class traditional monarch who has redefined leadership and made the Traditional stool known for its sanctity and he’s a king of integrity, honesty and respect for the Rule of Law. He exhibits the highest level of professional and traditional ethics. The Ekuku Agbor born Tonna, who currently functions as President, South Carolina Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), and a Worthy Member Board Member Knights of Columbus stated that His Royal Majesty is a traditional monarch that daily demonstrates a mixture…
……Empowers Over 50 Constituents, Campaigns For PDP ……Says With PDP In The State, Better Days Ahead Ahead of Saturday September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo state, the campaign train of Team Dr. Angela Aburime- Asom, a proactive and politically conscious group supporting candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PFP)’ Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie, governorship and Deputy candidates respectively, on Friday June 21, 2024, stormed Uromi, the headquarters of Esan North East, to facilitate with market woman, pensioners, political party faithful and support their businesses financially. During the visit, Team Dr. Angela Aburime- Asom for Asue/Ogie, supported thirty 30 women…
Dennis P. Kimbro Ph.D., in his masterpiece ‘What Makes The Great Great’ wrote, ‘wisdom is acquired by living purposefully and objectively. The individual who knows where he or she is going and is determined to get there, will find a way or create one. There is no grander sight in the world than that of an individual fired up with a great purpose, dominated by one unwavering aim. Those individuals that society labels great reach high levels of performance by developing their talents to a very high degree in the field of their choice”. Crucially also, for those that have…
…Grand Knight Emeritus, Tonna Okei, Deputy National Coordinator, Team Dr. Uyi Igbinadolor for Asue/Ogie …Charges INEC on Free, Fair, Credible Elections …Says with prevailing political indicators in the state, victory is sure for Asue/Ogie, PDP . The Team Dr. Uyi Igbinadolor for Asue/Ogie, a formidable political pressure group, supporting the PDP candidates Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie for Governor and Deputy Governor respectively, has reiterated its resolve to use every legitimate and democratic means to assist the Edo state People’s Democratic Party (PDP) , achieve electoral victory in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. The Group also called on…
It is a pedestrian knowledge that Edo state Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in its well -considered wisdom, recently elected Mr Asue Ighodalo, an accomplished investment banker and Osarodion Ogie, former Commissioner, former Chief of Staff and incumbent Secretary to the State Government(SSG) to fly the party’s flag as Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates respectively, in the forthcoming gubernatorial contest scheduled for November 2024. It is also an open secret that as statutory demand, the party (PDP) constituted a campaign Council to derive the above objective, with North Carolina, United State of America (USA), based Dr. Uyi Igbinadolor, a famous medical practitioner…
History has it that during World War 1, a particular American Psychologist eager to contribute to war efforts, adapted binet’s intelligence test for the US Army as an inexpensive way to differentiate among large numbers of recruits. This was reportedly the first large-scale use of intelligence testing on a group of adults, and it suggested that this school based test could predict performance in nonacademic situations. This account recently came flooding while ruminating on efforts of the present Federal Government to chart a course and pilot the holistic development plan of the nation, and the Niger Delta region in particular.…
For the indigenes of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, Wednesday May 22, 2024, is a day that will be too difficult to forget. Even if they do, as it is essentially easy for humans to forget but hard to remember, the constant electricity they enjoy going forward, after 15years of darkness will always be available to remind them. Likewise, for the natives of Ogbia-Nembe communities in Bayelsa state, Saturday May 2024, shall remain ever green in their memories. Beginning with the people of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, it was on the aforementioned date that President…
……. Okei Family Of Ekuku Agbor ……..Condoles With the Family ……..Described The Late Prof. As Academic juggernaut and doyen of Physical Education studies ……Asks the family to take solace in the lofty legacies he left behind. The Okei Family of Ekuku Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, has described as shocking and a personal loss, the sudden demise of Professor Emmanuel Ojemeh, Emeritus Professor of Physical Education, an outstanding family man and community leader, who passed away on Monday, May 20, 2024, at age 71. In a condolence message dated Tuesday, May 21, signed by Grand Knight…
Dr. Phillip Igbinadolor, an Edo born Medical Specialist based in North Carolina, United States of America and Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, has congratulated Barrister Osarodion Ogie, incumbent Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG) on his recent selection as the Deputy Governorship candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Edo state gubernatorial election, saying that his choice, signals a sure sign that the PDP will definitely stay in Osadebe House, the Edo State seat of power, beyond 2024. Igbinadolor made the remark via a release dated Friday May 17, 2024, personally signed by him…