Author: Editor
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…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka A total of 30 youths in Anambra State have been trained on policy advocacy and are now ready to actively engage in advocating for important issues affecting their communities. The workshop was organised by Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI) with support from Nigeria Youth Future Fund and LEAP Africa. The training was held in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of the state, Friday. Addressing the participants, Executive Director of CATYCOI, Mr Nonso Orakwe, explained that the training was to equip youths with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively promote their causes and influence decision-makers in…
Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken legal action to stop the forthcoming Local Government election in Anambra State. The election is scheduled to take place across the 21 council areas of the state on September 28, 2024. The party dragged the State House of Assembly and the State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) to court over the matter, seeking to restrain the electoral body from conducting the council poll. In a writ of summons with suit number 261/2024 filed before the State High Court in Awka, they raised concerns over the composition of the ANSIEC board, alleging…
By Temitope Lakisokun Grief and gratitude are holding hands in my heart as I write this. Gratitude for who he was, and grief for what we have lost. When I think of Ogbenyi Egbe, I am reminded of the words of Benjamin Franklin: “The noblest question in the world is: ‘What good may I do in it?’ ” I’m convinced Ogbenyi woke up every single day asking himself this question and proceeded to do all the good he could. Here was a man who gave freely of himself—his time, his energy, his resources, his boundless creativity. Ogbenyi was “Google” before…