Author: Editor

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia After months of arguments, the Federal Government has commenced the payment of the withheld salaries of university lectures. Salaries of university lecturers were withheld when members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, embarked on eight months strike to protest poor funding of public universities. ASUU Chairman, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin, according to PUNCH, confirmed the payment. He was quoted as saying: “Yes, it is true. Payment has started rolling in.” Recall that President Bola Tinubu Tinubu had in October 2023 approved the release of four of the eight months ASUU’s withheld salaries.

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Protest, Monday morning erupted in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Youths in their hundreds took to the street demanding urgent action by the Federal Government to address hunger and insecurity in the country. They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately address the nation over the rising cost of living, shouting that people are dying of hunger. They displayed placards with various inscriptions such as ‘End food hike and inflation,’ ‘The poor are starving,’ and ‘Tinubu, don’t forget your promises,’ among others. They were also chanting anti-government songs to register their grievances. Although the protest was…

By Rudolf Okonkwo Growing up, I wanted to be Bob Marley. Nothing more, nothing less. I bought every one of his cassettes I could see. I read and memorized the lyrics of his songs from those Onitsha market printed booklets that mangled the words of the reggae musician. I went as far as buying his interviews. Though it was challenging to understand Patwa, I enjoyed listening to Bob. When I discovered I did not have Bob Marley’s voice or the vision, I decided to be Obi Egbuna, the George Bernard Shaw of our shore. I’m still working on that one.…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu Unknown persons have abducted a corpse, all the family members conveying the corpse from Lagos to Nsukka in Enugu State. The remains of late Mr Ugwuanyi Israel from Ameze Owerre, Umabor community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu who died in Lagos was being conveyed home by family members when kidnappers swooped on them. According a family source: “His corpse was on its way from Lagos yesterday (Sunday) when the vehicle conveying his body was halted by kidnappers and people in the vehicle alongside the driver were all kidnapped at Umuoka Udi LGA of Enugu State.…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Chinedu Obigwe, has said that Governor Chukwuma Soludo has no intention of betraying his party in the forthcoming 2025 governorship election in the state. The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), had been rumored in recent times to be scheming avenues to lure the incumbent governor to defect to its fold in readiness for the 2025 election. Obigwe, in a statement obtained by Ikengaonline, said APC interest in the governor has shown that Soludo remains the best and a beautiful bride doing good works in…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Managing Director, Geometric Power Power Ltd, Aba, Engineer Ben Caven, has said that power supply in Aba would witness a leap as the Aba integrated power company comes on board this weekend. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to inaugurate the 188-megawatt thermal power plant on February 24. Caven who spoke during an interface with leaders of the 22 member-Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (APALDA), said that the challenges of power in Aba and its environs would be a thing of the past with the technical inauguration of the plant. He added that the excess…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu Chief Clem Aguiyi, Transition Committee Chairman, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, advocates inclusion of Igbo apprenticeship in basic schools curriculum in South-East Zone for capacity building. Aguiyi said this in Awka while interacting with Journalists. He said that an inclusion of Igbo apprenticeship scheme in the primary and secondary school curricula in the South-East zone of the country will produce employable youths. Aguiyi said that such inclusion will make young minds to learn various skills early in life and afford them opportunity to face life challenges much better once out of school. “Igbo apprenticeship scheme…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Hon. Chimex Uluocha, of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, has been elected the new Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, in Abia State. The new IPAC Chairman emerged Saturday in a peaceful election conducted at the premises of the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Umuahia. He scored 12 votes to beat his only counterpart, and the state Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Ambassador Sunday Onukwubiri. Hon. Prince Onukwuwe, of Zenith Labour Party, was elected the Deputy Chairman; while Elder Edward Ezenwoke, of Social Democratic Party, SDP, emerged the Secretary.…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Nchatancha community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, have embarked on protest over an alleged takeover of their ancestral land by the state government. The community members in their thousands marched round markets and village halls within the agrarian community. They carried placards with many inscriptions, such as ‘our house and land are not for sale,’ ‘Nchatancha Nike life matters,’ ‘Enugu State government, leave us alone.” Our correspondent observed that Men, women and children chanted in Igbo language: “This is an abomination. Government has taken our land, all we have is gone. Nchatancha…

…Says his detention, assault on democracy Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has issued a five-day ultimatum to the Ebonyi State Government, to release the detained whistleblower, Comrade Chidi Nwoba. Nwoba was allegedly arrested for demanding that those in charge of the disbursement of the N3 billion by the Governor for youth empowerment give account of the largesse. COSEYL, said that it would mobilise two million youths for a protest march in Abakaliki on Thursday, February 22, if Government failed to release him. COSEYL, in a release signed by the President General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem; and…