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SURROGACY: Ejovi Issues 7 Days Ultimatum To Ex Wife, Emily Apiloko To Retract Media Report

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Hill Nigeria
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CHIEF Johnbull Ejovi has issued seven days ultimatum to his ex wife, Emily Apiloko to retract her story on BBC where she linked his name to her surrogacy journey or be prepared to meet him in court for defamation of character.

Chief Ejovi said he is not in anyway against surrogacy, but against the deceit of his ex wife Emily Apiloko, attempts to trap him with twins he knows nothing about how they were conceived.

According to him, he never planned with Emily to do a surrogacy with her when those children were conceived, he never gave his sperm to “Meet the Surrogate Mothers Agency” or any affiliated hospital for that purpose, so why is Emily and the Meet the Surrogate Mothers Agency parading him as the father of Emily’s twins?

Reacting to her remarks on BBC, Chief Ejovi alleged that Emily bought those children from Meet the Surrogate Mothers Agency, adding that he Chief Ejovi does not want to be linked to that crime.

While recalling that his ex wife, Emily Apiloko pleaded for time to change her name and names of the children from Ejovi three years ago, he expressed surprise to now see her on BBC still linking him to the journey of her “so called surrogate story”.

Chief Ejovi alleges that Emily travelled to Lagos June 1st 2021 claiming she was going to harvest her eggs for her to start their surrogacy journey, only for her to call him that the hospital/agency offered to give her babies abandoned with a surrogate mother and claimed after few days that she had set of twins.

“It is obvious she bought the children, which of course, she admitted at Alagbon Police Station in Lagos that I did not donate sperm and she did not donate egg. So it is obvious that she bought those children.

“I have grown up children before I married Emily. Today, I am a grandfather. I cannot be part of crime of buying children at my age”, he said.

Meanwhile, Ejovi had in an adversarial, titled legal notice/disclaimer signed by him published 25th September, 2021 said; “myself and my wife Emily Ejovi have no children together.

“The children she purportedly have either via her self planned surrogacy or babies buying, who she named Ejovi Oromena Mayjane and Ejovi Oghenemaro Marvel or any other name are not my children and so cannot be bearing my name.

“I am not the father of these children as I was not the donor of the sperm and also did not sign any adoption papers, nor was my wife ever pregnant to my knowledge.”

Continuing, Chief Ejovi said: “I will put her on strict grounds to proof if she continues to claim I am the father of her twins.

“Her allegation in her BBC broadcast that her Mother in-law was insulting her of being barren is obviously not my mother because my mother died 20 years before I got married to Emily”.

Anioma’s Political Paragon, Joan Onyemaechi Regains Freedom From Abductors

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Hill Nigeria
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By Patrick Ochei

The Paragon of beauty and politics, former House of Reps member and immediate past Delta State Commissioner for Technical Education, Hon. Joan Onyemaechi popularly known as Ada Anioma has been released by her abductors.

The cheering news was confirmed by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright who promised to make details of her freedom known to the Press later.

Further confirmation to her release also came from her Media Assistant, Mr. Fortune Ngozi Onwordi over a telephone conversation.

There is jubilation across political, cultural and religious divides in the State, as people who have been earnestly enmeshed in prayers are now rejoicing that their awesome and philanthropic Ada Anioma is back.

Hon. Joan Onyemaechi, a woman of God, politician and socialite of attractive delight has been in the kidnappers den for 11 days.

During the operation that led to her successful abduction at the King Jesus and I Fellowship Centre, one of her drivers and a police orderly were shot dead while the second police officer was injured and still being medically attended to.

Ada Anioma who grew from the cradle of politics to the level of authority in politics, became a renowned voice and unarguably one woman that stood out in politics for the people of Delta North Senatorial District (Anioma) by the positions and assignments she has handled in government.

She started off as a PA to former Governor, two terms State House of Assembly member, one term House of Representatives member and then Director General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency where she made her mark by changing the face of Asaba against all odds, just before her last appointment as Commissioner for Technical Education.

While we await details of her release, the state is in jubilant mood over her freedom.

Gov Oborevwori Not Moved By ill-Motivated Propaganda – Bureau Chief

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Hill Nigeria
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…Says prudent management of sources, mega projects ‘ll be sustained

Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, will continue to pay priority attention to infrastructure development, quality healthcare, agriculture, education and other key sectors of the state economy through the ongoing implementation of his MORE Agenda.

Chief Executive Officer of Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, gave the assurance in a statement on Saturday, while responding to a trending media propaganda by the spokesperson of the major opposition party in the state.

He said governor Oborevwori is a visionary leader, a meticulous planner and prudent administrator whose main objective is to build a virile economy, through various star projects across the three senatorial districts, adding that the ongoing implementation of the MORE agenda is already creating thousands of jobs and wealth for skilled and unskilled Deltans.

Dr Latimore stated that no amount of name calling, deliberate blackmail and media propaganda that would distract governor Oborevwori from doing the needful to Advance Delta, saying that loans and credit facilities obtained by previous administration were transparently spent to develop and upgrade infrastructure, upscaled socioeconomic development, and wellbeing of the People.

He pointed out that the immediate past governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, served the state meritoriously for eight years, noting that the state under him published annual financial reports in the official website of the state government, to enable citizens and stakeholders freely access the reports anywhere in the world.

Dr Latimore disclosed that the present administration under the leadership of governor Oborevwori neither violated the Nigerian Constitution nor acted illegally by repaying and servicing legitimate debts and credit facilities obtained legally by the previous administration, especially where the loans had been transparently utilized to develop infrastructure, and well-being of the people.

He assured that Oborevwori administration will continue to acknowledge the good governance strides of the immediate past governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, CON, saying that the state financial resources was never used to prosecute the 2023 vice presidential ticket of the immediate past governor of the state.

He charged the spokesperson of the major opposition party in the state, to reflect on the ongoing END-BAD-GOVERNANCE nationwide protest, occasioned by the abysmal performance of the federal government under his party, and compare same with Delta State where the governor is allergic to loans and anti people economic policies, but rather supporting small and medium scale businesses though financial grants to fast track economic growth under the MORE Agenda.

“The Spokesperson of the major opposition party in Delta State, is obviously not abreast with the numerous achievements of governor Oborevwori.

“Constructive criticism anchored on accurate data and verifiable evidence is necessary to checkmate any government in power, Delta inclusive. However, misinformation, disinformation, fake news, deliberate blackmail and propaganda amounts to politics of bitterness.

“Obviously, the Spokesperson of the major opposition party goofed. His allegations amounts to frustration, occasioned by the landmark achievements of governor Oborevwori in the past fourteen months and counting.

“On a daily or regular basis, the media reported actions and inactions of the governor; contracts awarded, those completed and commissioned. Everything is in public domain, and accessible via Google search, and in all traditional and social media platforms.

“Well meaning Deltans are daily commending the governor over his prudent management of resources and for embarking on several job and wealth creation mega projects that is already impacting positively on the state economy.

“Since 1999, all states in Nigeria borrowed money from financial institutions and banks to fund major projects, and Delta is not an exception. Borrowed funds were deployed judiciously and the results abound across the three senatorial districts.

“Loans or credit facilities obtained by the previous administration were utilized transparently for the benefit of all Deltans and the state. This administration is comfortable with the achievements and economic advancement of the state under the immediate past governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

“Governor Oborevwori will continue to repay and service debts legitimately owed by the State, and at the same time sustain good governance until Delta is rated number one economically. The MORE Agenda is designed to achieve uncommon results that would advance Delta beyond 2027.

“The highest debtor state in Nigeria is Lagos, where Mr President held sway as defacto leader, and the Delta Spokesperson of the major opposition party in Delta is aware of this development. Delta is moving forward.

“We don’t want to join issues with the opposition spokesperson, but it is crystal clear that his allegations amounts to mere propaganda, illogical, baseless and ill-motivated.

“All available records locally and internationally; including the National Bureau of Statistics, NBC, and the federal government Debt Management Office indicated that Delta state is solvent, and in good standing economically.

“Our amiable governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori is working very hard to consistently position Delta in the front roll of fast developing states in Nigeria, and shall remain focused to deliver on his electioneering campaigns promises to the people,” Oghenesivbe assured.

Hardship: Royal Father Ebelle Advises Tinubu on Economic Reversal

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Hill Nigeria
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…Inducted into CIISM Hall of Fame, commends Gov Oborevwori’s achievements

Secretary General, Urhobo Council of Traditional Rulers, and Ovie of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Oghenevwogaga Richard Ebelle, has advised President Bola Tinubu, to quickly resolve the problem of high cost of living and the acute poverty in the country, through policies reversal.

The royal father gave the advise on Friday, during his investiture as a Distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management, CIISM, held at the royal.palace in Agbarha-Otor, saying that the level of hardship remain unbearable, which is why it requires urgent solution through deliberate actions and inactions of Mr President and members of the Federal Executive Council.

He said all economic policies which directly or indirectly invokes high inflation, low life and extreme hardship should be revoked immediately, noting that hike in pump price of petrol, and the weak Naira prompted high cost of food items, medicine, transportation by land and air, among others.

Ovie Ebelle noted that the deliberate lack of maintenance of the country’s refineries led to the importation of fuel, wherein those in charge of the highly lucrative deals in successive administrations finds it difficult to allow the four refineries to work for Nigerians.

He passionately appealed to President Tinubu to do whatever it takes to break the jinx by ensuring that the nation’s four refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri commences the refining and distribution of fuel, and other range of petroleum products without further delay tactics and unpatriotic conspiracy theory.

The royal father commended Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, over his good governance strides, especially in the area of mega road infrastructure projects, and prudent management of resources, among other superb leadership qualities.

He noted that for the first time since the creation of the state, construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, is handling the construction of three flyovers and pedestrian bridges at DSC Roundabout, PTI junction, Effurun Roundabout and Enerhen junction up to Marine Gate at a cost of N78 billion, adding that Deltans and royal fathers in the state are pleased with the governor’s numerous achievements, and his genuine determination to Advance Delta in all sectors.

King Richard Ebelle, thanked the Governing Council of the Charted Institute of Information and Strategy Management, CIISM, for sustaining professional integrity and ethical standards over the years, saying that his investiture as a Distinguished Fellow and induction into the Institute’s hall of fame has opened a new page in his life, and service to humanity.

He urged the Institute to open a regional office in the South-South geopolitical zone, so as to expand her membership base, adding that it would enable information and communication professionals in the region avail themselves of the numerous training, capacity building and membership development Programmes of the Institute.

Registrar and Secretary of Council of CIISM, Dr Adelanke Oyintoke, while performing the investiture ceremony, described Ovie Richard Oghenevwogaga Ebelle, as a distinguished traditional ruler and a shining example of royal dignity, class and selfless service to humanity, and to his subjects in Agbarha-Otor Kingdom.

He noted that Ovie Ebelle had fast tracked unprecedented growth and development in his kingdom, fostering a culture of peace, unity, and progress, adding that the Institute decided to honour him with the Distinguished Fellow due to his inestimable contributions to community development and information management within and outside his kingdom.

“His Royal Highness, Ovie Richard Ebelle is a shinning example of a visionary and consummate leader, a political scientist, and was also a public servant before he ascended the ancient throne of his forefathers.

“The Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management, CIISM, is pleased to honour you with the the Distinguished Fellow membership, the highest in the institute.

“It is our prayer that His Royal Majesty shall continue to wax stronger in good health and wisdom, continue to contribute meaningfully to the development of his kingdom, Delta State and the country.

“You are a role model to so many people, because of your super pedigree, unblemished character and dignified self esteem,” Oyintoke said.

The investiture ceremony was witnessed by senior Chiefs of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom, a fellow of the Institute and illustrious son of Agbarha-Otor Kingdom, Dr Amos Napoleon Saviour, and other dignitaries from all walks of life.

Ovie Ebelle is a proud alumnus of the prestigious Delta State University, where he bagged a degree in Political Science. He has massive experience in the public sector, where he worked for a number of years in the Area Council Service Commission, Abuja after his youth service.

Agbarha-Otor Kingdom under his rulership has witnessed significant advancement in education, healthcare, infrastructural development and economic empowerment.

His Majesty’s commitment to the welfare of his people is evident in his numerous initiatives and programs aimed at improving the quality of life of his people

Police, Others, Working Round-The-Clock To Ensure Adequate Security In Delta State – CSP Okadike Assures

By
Hill Nigeria
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By Dorathy Mbasen Uba

The Chief Superintendent of Police in charge of Operations, Delta State Police Command, CPS Ukadike Chuks has assured Deltans that the Commissioner of Police together with other security agencies are working round-the-clock to ensure that there is adequate peace and security in the State.

CSP Ukadike gave this assurance following security updates from CPAs LPAs and other security actors during the monthly meeting of the Delta State Peace Architecture (DSPA), a state-level dialogue platform which was held on Monday, July 25, 2024 at Asaba, the state capital.

Several security issues ranging from armed robbery, vandalization, kidnapping, herdsmen, drug abuse, cultism, land disputes, human trafficking, prostitution, cyber crime as well as unrest in oil and gas communities were reported by both Communty Peace Architecture and Local Government Peace Architecture for immediate intervention by related authorities.

He said that the fight against violence and all forms of criminality is all-inclusive and not restricted to security operatives alone, adding that security issues still persist despite their efforts due to lack of communication and collaboration between the public and security operatives.

According to him, communication barrier is a major issue affecting the war against insecurity in the state as the police is not usually involved as most people do not know the right channels to report crime. He emphasized the need for the public to always involve security operatives whenever the need arises.

The Delta SPA Coordinator Dr Ngozi Mogbolu, who had earlier in her opening remarks welcomed stakeholders to the monthly meeting while furnishing participants with the overall objectives of the meeting; tasked them to make positive contributions that would go a long way in promoting and sustaining the already existing peace in the state.

Mrs Mogbolu, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Youth Development, said that the purpose of the SPA platform was to enable stakeholders from the state, local and community levels to patrol and report security happenings in their domains for immediate response.

The SPA Chairman also promised to convey the delibrated issues to the appropriate authorities for necessary actions, while appealing to the residents of the state to be security conscious and stay safe in regards to the planned nationwide protest and report any violence to the group platforms for timely intervention by the security agencies.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, Retired Maj. Gen. Felix Mudjakpero, commended SFCG for the initiative in the Niger Delta adding that the involvement of SFCG had tremendously assisted in lifting the burden of human management off the shoulders of monarchs in the region.

Gen. Mudjakpero, who is the Oroje of Okpe Kingdom, was represented by Obi Charles Anyasi, the traditional ruler of Idumuje Kingdom in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state said the meeting could not have come at a more auspicious time.

In his words, “It is coming at a time when happenings within Nigeria and particularly the Niger Delta region call for optimum engagement aimed at fostering endearing peace and stability within our region. Thankfully, it is hoped that the synergy arising from the collaborative engagement of the Ministry of Youth Development, SFCG, Academic Associate Peace Work and Partnership Initiative for Niger Delta will yield germane dividends.

“Our confidence is especially derived from the fact that this initiative is being coordinated by no less a formidable organisation than SFCG. The organisation in the last couple of years has continued to generate impressionable footprints in the area of peace and conflict resolution, especially on the firm pedestal of Alternative Dispute Resolution.’’

“As kings, we are daily encumbered with protest after protest, litigation after litigation, which is why we hold the tenets of Alternative Dispute Resolution dearly to our hearts. Whether we are talking of international conflicts or rumblings in the remotest villages, royal fathers can truly testify that there is scarcely a better alternative than alternative dispute resolution. It is also our genuine prayer that you continue to search and achieve the desired common ground in your holistic engagement for peace within our region, he said.’’

The monarch further called on governments at the federal, state and local levels to institute people-oriented economic policies that would alleviate the suffering of the masses, noting that such policies would go a long way in effectively addressing crime and criminality in the Niger Delta region.

On his part, the SFCG-Programne Manager, Joshua Chorbe while responding to the issues thanked Delta State for hosting the first SPA meeting after its formal inauguration on the June 27, 2024 and urged the SPA to think outside the box to derive means that would address the emerging issues.

He noted that security matters are very complicated and as such there are certain advisory strategies that need to be taken by SPA to widen its network of security contacts like training of more security personnel such as the local vigilante which has been known to assist the police to combat crime rather than waiting on government.

Commenting on the risks associated with reporting crime, Mr Chorbe disclosed that Search For Common Ground in partnership with Partnership Initiative on The Niger-Delta (PIND) and others have a system called Community Monitors where issues are being reported directly and aninamously.

According to him, it is a system that helps in generating information to protect the interest and lives of community members noting that people are often victimazed for sharing sensitive information due to lack of confidentiality and trust on the part of some security operatives who are presumed to dish out information to criminals who in most cases come after the sources.

Based on these perceived risks, the SFCG Coordinator explained: “We look at those risks especially in terms of risks analysis, and we look at the issue of confidentialit, we look at the issue of trust. What we do with this information is that PIND send the data to EWER and when it is received, EWER communicates the same data to security agencies for immediate action.

Mr Chorbe however said that there are certain activities that the community members can do on their own which include; the dialogue, the sensitisations which are also some of the check-in conversations with the traditional leaders and those in authority especially at the local government level.

The SFCG Representative urged the SPA to consider addressing these issues and strategise on how best the security operatives within the Communities and LGAs can improve on confidentiality and operate within the means of professional standards; while calling on participants to support security agencies with relevant information to assist them in combating crime in the state.

The Delta State Peace Architecture (DSPA), is a special platform that targets participants from key government agencies, security agencies, civil society, media, academia, practitioners in the oil industry as well as key community leaders to brainstorm and formulate achievable actions that would curb violence and criminality in the Niger-Delta.

Established by Search For Common Ground, an international nonprofit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflicts and its consortiums and funded by the European Union; the platform seek to approach peace building in a non confrontational means yet achieving greater peace.

 

Blessing Peter Sets To Wed Her Heartrob Tomorrow

By
Hill Nigeria
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A serving Usher in God’s vineyard at Gods Covenant Tabernacle Prayer Ministry, (GCTPM), Sis Uche Blessing Peter will tomorrow climb the aisle say ‘I do” to her heartrob, Mr Nzubechukwu John Ezeanyagu.
The solemnisation of their Holy Matrimony will take place at the church premises in Asaba.
According to information disclosed to The Hill Nigeria, the union between the families of Mr and Mrs Ogboli of Obior in Aniocha North and the families of Late Mr and Mrs William Ezeanyagu of Umunchu in Aguata in Anambra State will witness the presence of friends and families of the bride and groom.
It also revealed that the wedding which will commence at 10am will have it’s reception at same venue.

UNIDEL VC Commends DOPF For Coverage Of Varsity’s  Activities, Seeks Greater Partnership

By
Hill Nigeria
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Delta Online Publishers Forum, on Thursday, visited the University of Delta, Agbor, to rub minds with the authorities of the institution on possible areas of collaboration that will benefit both parties.

Receiving the DOPF delegation, led by the Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Enebeli, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Stella Chiemeka, commended the online publishers for adding value to the visibility of the institution through effective reportage. .

Prof. Chiemeka said she was impressed with the wide publicity the Forum was giving the activities of the University, which she noted had helped to popularize the institution and make it the preferred choice of admission seekers.

The professor of Computer Science pledged the readiness of UNIDEL, known for academic excellence and good sporting records, to partner with DOPF in taking the institution to greater heights, expressing optimism that the synergy would work.

While saying that the admission quota of the University was dependent on the limit set by JAMB, the VC revealed that the number of applicants seeking admission to the University had increased from about one thousand to over eleven thousand, while all the 74 programmes of the institution had been accredited by the National Universities Commission ( NUC) in the past three years.

She added that the institution’s medical courses were currently undergoing accreditation, with bright prospects of being fully accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, pointing out that the State Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, had approved the use of the Trauma Centre, Agbor, for the teaching of medical programmes to boost the quality of products of the College of Medical Sciences.

Speaking on behalf of the Forum,  the Chairman Mr Emmanuel Enebeli congratulated the Vice Chancellor on her appointment and lauded her for the monumental achievements recorded within three years of her administration.

Mr. Enebeli solicited a more robust DOPF partnership with UNIDEL through the publication of stories on the activities of the University community, assuring the VC that the institution would be better for it.

The visit featured the presentation of souvenirs to the DOPF delegation.
Present was the Director of Communication of the University of Delta, Mr Edward Ogwude,

I Will Channel My Youthful Energy To Youth Devt, Says Trakiriowei

By
Hill Nigeria
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Delta State Commissioner for Youth Development, Barr. Trakiriowei Thankgod Harry has promised to channel his youthful energy in ensuring youths in the state feels the impact of the MORE agenda of the State Governor.

Trakiriowei made the promise during his first visit to the ministry, in Asaba

He said the ministry in line with the MORE agenda of the state governor will ensure Youth in the state, benefits from the human capital development of the ministry as well as empowerment programmes that will make them productive.
While thanking the governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori for the opportunity given to him to be amongst his cabinet, he assured Youths across the state of benefiting from the dividend of good government.


Trakiriowei while calling for synergy from staff in the ministry, said he will operate an open door policy, adding that he was prepared to work together with them for the growth of the ministry as thier support will make him succeed in office.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ngozi Mogbolu has promised the Commissioner of the staff synergy with his office.

Mogbolu said with the Commissioner’s wealth of experience on youth activities, she was optimistic that the ministry will attain greater height under his watch.
While commending the state governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for giving them a youth as Commissioner, Mogbolu said Hon. Thank Godgod will help empower and developed youths in the state.

She expressed confidence in the Commissioner’s swift action towards consolidating on the existing programmes of the ministry.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of the Ministry’s budget and a tour to the offices in the Ministry.

Just In: Full Text Of Bola Tinubu’s Nationwide Broadcast

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Hill Nigeria
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BROADCAST BY HIS EXCELLENCY BOLA AHMED TINUBU, PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED
FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE NATIONWIDE PROTEST

DATE: SUNDAY 4TH AUGUST 2024

My fellow Nigerians,

1. I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states.

2. Notably among the protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive country where their dreams, hopes, and personal aspirations would be fulfilled.

3. I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.

4. I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.

5. As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.

6. Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation. To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.

7. Our democracy progresses when the constitutional rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected. Our law enforcement agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in a responsible manner.

8. My vision for our country is one of a just and prosperous nation where each person may enjoy the peace, freedom, and meaningful livelihood that only democratic good governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian people.
9. For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of now and our unborn generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove fuel subsidies and abolish multiple foreign exchange systems which had constituted a noose around the economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our economic development and progress.

10. These actions blocked the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made. They also blocked the undue subsidies we had extended to our neighbouring countries to the detriment of our people, rendering our economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the decades of economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the governance to the people – good governance for that matter.
11. In the past 14 months, our government has made significant strides in rebuilding the foundation of our economy to carry us into a future of plenty and abundance. On the fiscal side, aggregate government revenues have more than doubled, hitting over 9.1 trillion Naira in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023 due to our efforts at blocking leakages, introducing automation and mobilising funding creatively without additional burden on the people. Productivity is gradually increasing in the non-oil sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the opportunities in the current economic ambience

12. My dear brothers and sisters, we have come this far. Coming from a place where our country spent 97% of all our revenue on debt service; we have been able to reduce that to 68% in the last 13 months. We have also cleared legitimate outstanding foreign exchange obligations of about $5billion without any adverse impact on our programmes.

13. This has given us more financial freedom and the room to spend more money on you, our citizens, to fund essential social services like education and healthcare. It has also led to our State, and Local Governments receiving the highest allocations ever in our country’s history from the Federation Account.

14. We have also embarked on major infrastructure projects across the country. We are working to complete inherited projects critical to our economic prosperity, including roads, bridges, railways, power, and oil and gas developments. Notably, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway projects will open up 16 connecting states, creating thousands of jobs and boosting economic output through trade, tourism and cultural integration

15. Our once-declining oil and gas industry is experiencing a resurgence on the back of the reforms I announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act. Last month, we increased our oil production to 1.61million barrels per day, and our gas assets are receiving the attention they deserve. Investors are coming back, and we have already seen two Foreign Direct Investments signed of over half a billion dollars since then.

16. Fellow Nigerians, we are a country blessed with both oil and gas resources, but we met a country that had been dependent solely on oil-based petrol, neglecting its gas resources to power the economy. We were also using our hard-earned foreign exchange to pay for, and subsidise its use. To address this, we immediately launched our Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (CNG) to power our transportation economy and bring costs down. This will save over two trillion Naira a month, being used to import PMS and AGO and free up our resources for more investment in healthcare and education.

17. To this end, we will be distributing a million kits of extremely low or no cost to commercial vehicles that transport people and goods and who currently consume 80% of the imported PMS and AGO.

18. We have started the distribution of conversion kits and setting up of conversion centres across the country in conjunction with the private sector. We believe that this CNG initiative will reduce transportation costs by approximately 60 per cent and help to curb inflation.

19. Our administration has shown its commitment to the youth by setting up the student loan scheme. To date, 45.6billion Naira has already been processed for payment to students and their respective institutions

20. I encourage more of our vibrant youth population to take advantage of this opportunity. We established the Consumer Credit Corporation with over N200billion to help Nigerians to acquire essential products without the need for immediate cash payments, making life easier for millions of households. This will consequently reduce corruption and eliminate cash and opaque transactions. This week, I ordered the release of an additional N50billion Naira each for NELFUND – the student loan, and Credit Corporation from the proceeds of crime recovered by the EFCC
21. Additionally, we have secured $620million under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a programme to empower our young people, creating millions of IT and technical jobs that will make them globally competitive. These programmes include the 3Million Technical Talents scheme. Unfortunately, one of the digital centres was vandalised during the protests in Kano. What a shame!

22. In addition, we have introduced the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA); the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); and the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP).

23. Also, more than N570 billion has been released to the 36 states to expand livelihood support to their citizens, while 600,000 nano-businesses have benefitted from our nano-grants. An additional 400,000 more nano-businesses are expected to benefit.

24. Furthermore, 75,000 beneficiaries have been processed to receive our N1million Micro and Small Business single-digit interest loans, starting this month. We have also built 10 MSME hubs within the past year, created 240,000 jobs through them and 5 more hubs are in progress which will be ready by October this year.

25. Payments of N1billion each are also being made to large manufacturers under our single-digit loans to boost manufacturing output and stimulate growth.

26. I signed the National Minimum Wage into law last week, and the lowest-earning workers will now earn at least N70,000 a month.

27. Six months ago in Karsana, Abuja, I inaugurated the first phase of our ambitious housing initiative, the Renewed Hope City and Estate. This project is the first of six we have planned across the nation’s geopolitical zones. Each of these cities will include a minimum of 1,000 housing units, with Karsana itself set to deliver 3,212 units

28. In addition to these city projects, we are also launching the Renewed Hope Estates in every state, each comprising 500 housing units. Our goal is to complete a total of 100,000 housing units over the next three years. This initiative is not only about providing homes but also about creating thousands of jobs across the nation as well as stimulating economic growth.

29. We are providing incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices. I have directed that tariffs and other import duties should be removed on rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, drugs, and other pharmaceutical and medical supplies for the next 6 months, in the first instance, to help drive down the prices.

30. I have been meeting with our Governors and key Ministers to accelerate food production. We have distributed fertilisers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what we eat. The Federal Government will provide all necessary incentives for this initiative, whilst the states provide the land, which will put millions of our people to work and further increase food production. In the past few months, we have also ordered mechanized farming equipment such as tractors and planters, worth billions of Naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the equipment is on the way.

31. My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.

32. But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.

33. The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilising our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.

34. My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.

35. Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
36. Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!

37. In conclusion, security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in our country following the necessary conventions on human rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. The safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount.

38. Thank God — and Thank you for your attention, and may God continue to bless our great Nation. Thank you very much.

Omu Dunkwu’s Mentee, Courage Ayovuata Wins Wole Soyinka’s Award In Leadership

By
Hill Nigeria
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By Patrick Ochei

Delta born CEO of a fast rising Non Governmental Organization – Courageous Girls Women and Children Initiative (CGWCI) and Mentee of Her Royal Majesty, Obi Martha Dunkwu of blessed memory, Lady Courage Uyoyou Ayovuata has won the Prof. Wole Soyinka’s Leadership Award in the category of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Lady Ayovuata who is also the Managing Director of Rainluz Nigeria Limited became winner of the coveted Wole Soyinka’s award by her dint of hard-work, consistency in activism and loyalty to her brand and mentors.

Amongst her well adorned children who are into various NGOs and charity works that adopted her as mother, mentor or patron, Lady Courage Ayovuata occupied a reasonable soft space in the heart of Omu Martha Dunkwu because of her story.

Lady Ayovuata is not just into NGO to hold seminars and workshops to mentor women and girls in leadership, but she has continued to teach them skills for production and self dependency.

In the past couple of years, Lady Ayovuata has trained and empowered hundreds of women and girls in various skills and enterprises, including installation of solar energy panels.

Additionally, apart from regularly visiting prisons and providing the female inmates with sanitary materials, she equally offers free advocacy and legal assistance to those deserving of it.

She held the legendary Omu Anioma in high esteem whilst she was here, for the support and encouragement she rendered her to be able to bring out the best in her to fulfil her dreams in humanitarian services.

In a telephone chat with Lady Ayovuata on how she felt after her receipt of the award, she gave credence to Omu Martha Dunkwu for the role she played in inspiring the best in her.

Her words, “I give God the praise for this accomplishment of my life. I also will like to remember and appreciate our Royal Majesty, Obi Martha Dunkwu in absentia. My beloved Mother,
Mother of all Mothers,
Mother without Borders
Igwe!!!
I know she will be smiling right now in heaven.

“Image is everything, boldly written, was the first thing that spoke to me the very first time I entered into Omu’s palace. It changed my perception about who I am, how I talk, act, dress and who I want the world to see in me. I will keep appreciating her posthumously for all her support and encouragement”, Ayovuata affirmed.

Lady Ayovuata also has adopted the legendary Desert Warrior, Chief (Dr) Newton Jibunoh as her father and mentor, being one of the few that has continued to encourage her to success against all odds; and to him also, she dedicated her profound appreciation for his inspiration and support.

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