Author: Editor

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia As part of efforts to proffer solution to the biting economic hardship and hunger in the land, Agricultural and Industrial Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AIEN), said it was in talks with the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) to create 10 million jobs through agriculture. This, according to the National President of AIEN, and former Director General of National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Chief Chuku Wachuku, will not only provide lucrative jobs for the teeming youths but also help crash crime wave. Chief Wachuku regretted that Nigeria is suffering in the midst of plenty due to neglect…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu The Traditional Ruler of Amaeze Owerre Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Emeka Ugwu, and members of his community have expressed shock and sadness over four family members in his community who died in their sleep on the night of Saturday August 31. Ugwu said this in Nsukka on Monday while speaking with newsmen on the tragedy that hit his community on Saturday night, wherein mother, two daughters and grand daughter died in their sleep. “Everybody in Amaeze community is still in shock over this tragic incident that took the lives of…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia A middle-aged artisan, in Umuahia, Abia State, Mr Lawrence Uzor, has allegedly plucked out his wife’s eyes for rituals. The incident occured around 2:00am Sunday, while the victim was deep asleep. The landlady who was said to have rushed out to save the woman when she heard her cries was almost slaughtered by the suspect. She was, however, lucky to escape but with machete cuts and some of her teeth cut off by machete. Both victims are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Umuahia. The landlady, Madam Lovejane Nwaiwu, narrated her near-death experience when…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Canadian police, Sunday, arrested Canadian-Nigerian woman, Amaka Sonnberger,  who in a viral video, threatened to poison Yoruba and Benin people. The 46-year-old who was arrested in Toronto, is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, September 2, 2024, at the Ontario Court of Justice. Police charged her with uttering threat. The case is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence, with the Toronto Police Hate Crime Unit involved in the investigation. Sonnberger’s arrest was contained in a statement by Toronto Police Service, on its website titled, “Suspected Hate-Motivated Threatening Investigation, Woman Arrested.” The statement read: “Toronto Police…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has sworn in the newly elected Chairpersons of the 13 Local Government Areas of the state. Also sworn in were the Vice Chairpersons who were elected alongside the Chairmen. 10 out of the 13 Chairpersons were re-elected to serve for a second term while three are newly elected. Only two of the 13 Chairpersons are women while all the 13 Vice Chairpersons are women. Speaking during the ceremony at the Ecumenical Center in Abakaliki, Nwifuru charged the Council Chairmen on the need for them to be accountable and diligent and…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Anambra State Government and its partners have come together to address gaps in service delivery in the agricultural and health sectors through the Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK 2) project. Ikengaoline learned that the objective of the project is to enhance access to quality healthcare and agricultural services for the people of Anambra. Stakeholders in the project recently convened at the Jerome Udoji State Secretariat in Awka, the state capital, to strategise on ways to improve service delivery in these critical sectors. The participants underscored the importance of collaboration and coordination among government…

By Rudolf Okonkwo At this hour in Nnobi, family and friends are gathering to commit the body of Ezinne Mabel Nchekwube Ukaegbu (Nee: Agudosi) to Mother Earth. Since her passing early this month, I have had reasons to ponder this life — what matters and the trivialities we often confuse as a mahogany tree. I am mourning because Aunty Mabel was not just my aunt. She was my godmother. The first and only time I slept in Onitsha was at her house. I have always remembered that. Just like every death, her passing is an opportunity for those of us who know her…

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu Seven years after his emergence as Nigeria’s military Head of State, in the third quarter of 1974, General Yakubu Gowon placed a telephone call to the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Taslim Elias. The subject matter of the call, according to Atanda Fatayi Williams, himself then a Justice of the Supreme Court (and future CJN) with whom the Chief Justice discussed the matter, was a complaint by the Head of State “about the manner in which the courts in the country were being used for the indiscriminate swearing of affidavits in which allegations of corruption were…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant for the 2025 gubernatorial election in Anambra State, Sir Paul Chukwuma, has formally begun the race for the Anambra State House with the inauguration of his primary election campaign council in Abuja at the weekend. The council includes prominent figures in Anambra politics, with Hon. Ifeanyi Ibezi, former House of Representatives member who represented Idemili North and South Federal Constituency, leading as the Director-General. Other members of the council include Chief Uzu Okagbue, who doubled as Chief of Protocol and Deputy Chief of Staff of former Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State.…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Paul University Awka, Professor Stella Okunna, has bemoaned the lack of transparency in Nigeria’s electoral system, saying that votes are yet to start counting in the country. Professor Okunna who spoke as a resource person at the August edition of Ikengaonline monthly townhall meeting, regretted that the outcomes of elections in the country, were usually not the true reflection of the people’s will. She lamented the impunity with which election results are manipulated, and wished that votes would begin to count in her lifetime. ”In civilised world, you wait for non-performing leaders at the…