Author: Ikenga Online
By Osmund Agbo Aside from Ikemba Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the fabled warlord and leader of the defunct breakaway Republic of Biafra, almost all my childhood superheroes were African-Americans. This is the group we sometimes refer to as Africans in the diaspora. Still stuck in my memory is the iconic image of Marcus Garvey, the black nationalist and Pan-Africanist who even has a street in the posh side of town named after him, in my home state of Enugu. That was long before I got to learn all about civil right icons, the likes of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Our history…
By Michael Onwuka The Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) has said that entrepreneurs in the South East, Nigeria are not doing enough in the international market. The bank, therefore, called on them to take advantage of its N50billion debenture to support export oriented enterprises in the region. The South East Regional Manager of the bank, Mr Kingsley Usifo, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Enugu during a sensitisation workshop for exporters in the region, noted that the entrepreneurs needed to move away from boutique and other petty businesses and embrace international trade. Usifo said that the debenture was meant to stimulate…
By Michael Onwuka Enugu Govt. receives COVID-19 vaccines Enugu State Government on Wednesday received some undisclosed quantity of AstraZeneca Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines to be administered on frontline healthcare workers and elderly persons with underlying illnesses. The vaccines arrived the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu through Allied Air E.Cargo Flight 5N-JRT that touched down the tarmac by 2:44pm. The Head of UNICEF, Enugu Field Office, Mr Ibrahim Conteh, who received the consignment, said that he was delighted that the vaccines had finally arrived in the South East. Conteh said that the vaccines would be used to check the spread of the…
By Michael Onwuka Nigeria’s anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday secured the conviction of two false whistle blowers, Dominic Okem and Chukwunonso Igweonu for conspiracy and giving misleading and false information. According to a statement by the Head, Media & Publicity of the commission , Mr Wilson Uwujaren, Justice I. M. Salami of the the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt sentenced the duo to two months imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000 each. Uwujaren said that they were convicted after pleading “guilty” to two- count charges bordering on giving false information. According to one of the charges, Dominic Okem and Chukwunonso Igweonu …
By Michael Onwuka An Enugu-based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiative (DEDASRI) wants the National Assembly (NASS) to initiate reforms that will improve the participation of women in politics. The Executive Director of DEDASRI, Ms Ogechukwu Enwelum disclosed this on Monday in a statement to mark the 2021 International Women’s Day in Enugu. Enwelum said that such reforms would deconstruct the biases that impede the political growth of women as well as aim at increasing their number in elective and appointive positions. She therefore, called on the NASS to reconsider its opposition to the Gender and Equal Opportunities…
By Michael Onwuka The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has announced a remarkable improvement in the volume and value of Nigeria’s non-oil trade in the international market. The Executive Director of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo disclosed this on Monday in Enugu during a sensitisation workshop on ‘Export Facilitation Measures, Practices and Standards’. Awolowo, who was represented by the Director, Trade Information, Mrs Evelyn Obisike, described the development as fallout of the diversification reforms of the Federal Government aimed at promoting non-oil trade. He also said that the reforms in the sector had led to the high demand of Nigerian products in…
Recently, the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN), a trade union and cartel that controls the movement of staple food items from Northern Nigeria to other parts of the country embarked on a protest which led to a deliberate blockade of the movement of food items down South. This incident which lasted for a few days was akin to the starvation tactics that the Nigerian government unleashed on Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War, a development that eventually favoured Nigeria. Expectedly, the recent food blockade created panic in South East Nigeria due to its over-dependence in the…
The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Enugu State on Friday held its inaugural sitting with a promise to deal justly with all parties. The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Yusuf Halilu also solicited the cooperation of members of the inner and outer bar to enable the panel to dispose of the matter within the regulated period. Halilu said that the tribunal would discharge its duties with the fear of God. “It is a choice to approach the tribunal when one feels aggrieved. One thing is that we will do our best to discharge the matter…
It so happened that the loss of someone dear to his heart was what sent my friend George, cascading down the path of searching for life and its very meaning. At 22, his kid brother Kelvin was already a soccer phenom, brimming with high hopes and carrying big dreams. Described as affable and gregarious, the young chap was well on his way to landing a conveted spot in an Premier English club. But just like a light bulb, he flickered out so abruptly, while playing the very game that gave him so much joy and fame. “Kelvin’s short but rich…
According to Wikipedia, water is the most plentiful compound on earth and very essential to life. It is expected that as the earth’s population grows, the demand by humans for potable water will increase and this could explain the current water situation in Enugu city, a former capital of Old Eastern Region with an estimated population of over 1.5million residents and a major industrial hub in Southeast, Nigeria. In January, 2020, the state government declared a state of emergency on the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector. This declaration was followed by the inauguration of an 18-member Inter-ministerial Committee on the Implementation of WASH Action Plan in…