Author: Editor

Ben Ezechime, Enugu  The chairman of Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Dr Eric Odo, has called on the Federal Government to declare herdsmen bearing arms and  causing havoc in the country as terrorists. Odo said that declaring them terrorists would enable the security agencies and the Armed Forces, to deal decisively with their criminal tendences. Odo made this call on Monday in Enugu at a two-day Institutional Strengthening and Agenda Setting Meeting with Enugu LGA chairmen organised by the Actionaid Nigeria in collaboration with the South-Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO). The council chairman urged President Bola Tinubu to…

By Owei Lakemfa Twenty years ago, I got a message that Uncle Sam Amuka-Pemu, the publisher of the Vanguard Newspapers could not be found. It was his 70th birthday and plans to mark it were in place, but the celebrant was not responding to calls. He seems to have simply vanished. I placed a call and he picked. I congratulated him and asked him where he was. “Departure lounge,” he responded. “Which airport, Sir?” “…Of the world. Once you are 70, you are at the departure lounge, waiting for your flight to be called.” He similarly dodged the celebration of…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka  The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has criticized the style of leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the failure of the Federal Government to visit victims of Niger flood disaster and Benue massacre, respectively. It would be recalled that on May 28, 2025, flooding caused by heavy rainfall submerged the market town of Mokwa in Niger State, Nigeria, killing more than 200 people in the process. Hundreds were also reportedly massacred in a recent attack by gunmen in Yelewata village, an area known for conflicts between farmers and herders in Benue…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu  The wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, has promised to support women empowerment in the state. Mrs Mbah said this in Awgu Local Government Area, the headquarters of Enugu West senatorial zone after her familiarisation visit to the area. She said that the visit presented her a vital opportunity to connect with the people and understand their concerns. ”My role is that of service, championing courses that affect our families, women, children and communities. We must work together to eliminate social-economic and cultural barriers that prevent our women from succeeding. “I am dedicated to supporting…

…As MOUAU begins harvest of fruits from orchard Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Director of Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABIC), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Dr Philips Nto, has commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for its support for commercial agriculture in Nigerian universities.  He said the gesture apart from actualizing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in agriculture and food security will also create employment for the youths.  Dr Nto spoke at Umudike as ABIC commenced the maiden harvest of fruits from its pineapple orchard, which the centre planted for commercial purposes.  He noted that the current Executive Secretary…

…Proposes $1 billion youth innovation fund to boost startups Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Policy Analyst and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ikeagwuonwu Chinedu Klinsmann, has unveiled a comprehensive strategic blueprint that outlines immediate and long-term solutions to tackle unemployment, stimulate entrepreneurship, and reposition Nigeria’s youth as economic drivers. This is as he has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare “a national emergency on youth unemployment,” citing what he described as a “triple jobs crisis” facing Nigeria. The Anambra-born Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of a Swedish-based Artificial Intelligence (AI), creativity startup, Askdeep.ai, warned that:“Nigeria is sitting atop a demographic…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has condemned the latest attacks and killings in Benue State. Hundreds were reportedly killed by gunmen a two days ago  in Yelewata village, an area known for conflicts between farmers and herders in Benue State. Obi, who reacted to the killing via his X (formerly Twitter) account, described the killings as “failure of leadership,” noting that time has come for government to take decisive action to stop the menace. “This is not merely violence. It is a failure of leadership, a stain on our collective conscience.…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Tension has heightened in Kadarko and other Tiv border communities in Benue State following the massacre of over 200 locals including internally displaced persons by criminal Fulani herdsmen. The dastardly incident took place in Yeluwata, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, a border town with Nasarrawa State, over the weekend. Tiv residents in Kadarko and other communities in Nasarawa State bordering Yelwata have deserted their homes for fear of escalation of attack. Reports say, some Tiv farmers said that the sound of guns on the night of the attack on Yelwata was like a war sound…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki  Minister of Works, Sen David Umahi, has frowned at the slow pace of work on the Enugu-Onitsha expressway. Umahi said the pace of work on the expressway was less encouraging, and expressed dismay over it. The Minister expressed his feelings while inspecting the project last weekend. He urged the contractors to rise to their responsibilities and ensure timely completion of the projects or face sanctions. Meanwhile, the Minister also inspected other ongoing projects in South-South/South-East states to ensure speedily delivery of the projects to meet up with the timeframe. In Delta State, he also condemned the slow…

…Says ambition to be head of state, not one Nigeria pushed him to war Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Igbo women under the aegis of Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, have again, hit back at the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, over his recent claims that he fought the civil war to keep Nigeria united. Countering the former Head of State, IWA said Gowon’s ambition to rule Nigeria, and not love for One Nigeria pushed him into the 30-month civil war. IWA, had earlier challenged Gowon “not to die with the unconfessed truth about the civil war,” and the agreement he signed with the Biafran Leader,…