Author: Editor
By Osita Chidoka In May 1942, my grandfather, Thomas Chidoka, attended the Synod of the Diocese on The Niger at Port Harcourt. One of the books and papers I ‘inherited’ from him is a copy of the report of the Synod. I use the word inherited advisedly as there was no formal bequest; my early inquisitiveness and love of reading made me the inheritor of the small library in the bookshelf at the family house in Obosi. Thomas Chidoka was an Anglican Catechist and Teacher. He finished primary school with a distinction and was admitted to the Church’s Teachers’ Training College on scholarship. He died…
By Hassan Gimba Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future, someone once said. Even though there are enough reasons to continue with the treatise on banditry and shared sovereignty – such a depressing fact of our national life – however, today I want to look at the other side – the side of hope. Hope is to believe with an audacity that better days are afoot, the ability to see light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah, hope is tough at the moment – what with the massacre of about 30 of our gallant soldiers by Boko…
By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu “The want of bread is terrible”- Arthur Young, (1789) On Monday, 27 June 2022, General Muhammadu Buhari swore in Olukayode Ariwoola as Nigeria’s third Chief Justice in as many years, the fourth of his seven year-old tenure as president with electoral legitimacy. Ariwoola’s predecessor, Tanko Muhammad, departed from office earlier on the same day, the second successive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to be forcibly “resigned” from office. The official reason given for the unceremonious resignation of CJN Tanko Muhammad was ill-health. This was true only as a metaphor for the state of the judiciary that he claimed to lead.…
By Farooq Kperogi The Independent National Electoral Commission is not a neutral arbiter of elections in Nigeria. It’s bought and paid for by politicians, and is amenable to manipulations by people in power. This is a regrettable thing to say because there are at least two people in INEC for whom I have immense respect because of my personal familiarity with their antecedents. Malam Mohammed Haruna, one of INEC’ six commissioners and one of the pioneers of modern journalism in northern Nigeria, has a reputation as an honest, honorable, straight-talking person who inspires the respect of all who know him.…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Coalition of South East Youth Leaders COSEYL, has accused some personnel of the 14 Brigade, Nigeria Army Ohafia of secret abduction and elimination of Ohafia youths. COSEYL in a statement Thursday, expressed rage over the sad development and demanded immediate relocation of the 14 Brigade Nigeria Army, Ohafia, and the establishment of a federal university on the site of the barracks. But the Army in a swift reaction dismissed the allegation as fallacious and unfounded. A source in the 14 Brigade told Ikengaonline that no personnel of the Nigeria Army would be involved in such a barbaric and…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Barely five months after a suspected cult group attacked and killed about 20 persons at a burial ceremony in Ebenebe community, Anambra State, hoodlums suspected to be cultists have launched an attack on the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Christopher Nnaegbune, and some of his people. The hoodlums also reportedly vandalised some items and property belonging to the monarch worth about N25M. A source from the community said the incident occurred between 10pm and 12:00 midnight last Monday, June 27, but no life was lost. The source said, “hoodlums numbering about 100 invaded the palace of the traditional…
Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki The National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) Governing Board Chairman, Ambassador Fatima Bala Abubakar, has expressed concern over the non-completion of some facilities at the Ebonyi State Orientation Camp in Afikpo, Ebonyi State. Ambassador Abubakar stated this while addressing the state NYSC officials and corps members of the Batch B stream 1 at the scheme’s Permanent Orientation Camp, Old MacGregor College in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. She said her visit with the members of the board was to know how the corps members were fairing in the state and to inspect the facilities within…
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia It was a mild drama Friday at the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, when the suit filed against the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, by one of its governorship aspirants, Gen. Ijioma U. Ijioma (retd.), was erroneously served on the All Progressives Congress, APC. When the matter was introduced and the presiding Judge, Justice Evelyn Ayadike, was taking record of the Counsels for the various parties, Counsel to the first defendant ( APGA), Nnamdi Okorie, told the court that his client had not been served. Based on his claims, the presiding Judge decided to critically take a look at the signatories…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Federal Government has signed a deal for the concession of the Onitsha Port with the Universal Elysium Consortium, stating that the concession will generate over N23 billion in 30 years. Universal Elysium Consortium is made up of Universal Elysium Limited (lead Investor); China National Electrical Engineering Limited (EPC contractor); Port of ANTWERP (technical partner); and China Harbor Engineering Company (Nig.) Ltd (technical partner). The concessioning process was mid-wifed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, as the concession agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Transportation in Abuja. A disclosure made by the Minister…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) project would be unveiled at the 2022 edition of the Wole Soyinka Media Lecture Series. The Executive Director Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka, disclosed this in a statement released in preparation for the annual programme. “The Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) is a multi-level intervention for media independence and government accountability supported by the MacArthur Foundation. It is working through 26 partner organisations (including Africa Center for Transparency /Ikenga Media, publishers of Ikengaonline) to improve public awareness and the ecosystem for transparency, accountability and good…