[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Health has given the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) the go ahead to carry out necessary procedures for the assessment of a plant-based cough mixture as a possible treatment for COVID-19.

The directive was contained in a memo with REF no. TCAM/077/I/65, by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mashi Abdullahi, which was addressed to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye.

Dated April 28, 2020, the memo was titled ‘Formulation of a Phyto-Medicine-Based Cough Mixture/Syrup for the Management of COVID-19 Patients by Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine Department of the Ministry’.

The memo reads thus, “As you are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic is currently ravaging the world with no definite treatment or vaccine.

“This has necessitated countries to look for solutions from within and Nigeria is no exception. It is worthy to note that Nigeria is blessed with medicinal plants which could be exploited.

“It is heartwarming to note that the Department of TCAM has taken the pains to research into scientific materials to come up with a formulation intended for the management of cough in COVID-19 and other cough-related infections.”

According to Abdullahi, the formulation is a Cov-herbal cough mixture.

He said, “Interestingly, all the ingredients that make up the formulations are medicinal plants that are widely used as food materials and medicines.

“They include Allium sativa (garlic); Allium cepa (onions); Zingiber officinale (ginger): Piper guineense (West African Black Pepper); and Adansonia digitata (baobab fruit). The innovation here is the composition of the formulation.

“These medicinal plants have documented scientific evidence of long use for the management of cough and other respiratory infections, with medicinal properties of mucoIytic, antitussive, expectorant, soothing, demulcent, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects,” Abdullahi added.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he tussle for the rightful occupant of Odogwu Ibusa left behind by the late odogwu about three years ago, is drumming up worrisome beat for the Otu Odogwo family and the Obuzor of Ibusa.

The High Chief,Onowu Micheal Emeshie, the Diokpa of Otu Odogwu in Ibusa,Delta State has again emphasised the need for peace in the lingering Odogwu title thrown tussle, that is tearing brothers apart in Ibusa, Delta State,He spoke to Tony Okwunebe of Grassroots Publishers online, chronicling the genesis of the tussle and other issues concerning the chalking of the new Odogwu. …Excerpt.

Recently, there was a squabble over a traditional stool of Odogwu title in Ibusa, what actually is the bone of contention after you have chalked Chief Charles Okonkwo?

I have acted as Ibusa custom and tradition demands. The person that the entire Otu Odogwu nominated for the position of Odogwu of Ibuzor is Chief Charles Okonkwo ,I have chalked him as the diokpa of Otu Odogwu. He was selected by his quarter and nominated by the entire Otu Odogwu and as the traditional Diokpa, i have perfected my duty by chalking him as custom demands. As it stands now Ibusa have gotten  Odogwu in the person of Charles Okonkwo. Ibusa people know already that they have an Odogwu from my endorsement traditionally. They already know because I endorsed him publicly. From the day I endorsed him, he has automatically becomes the Odogwu of Ibusa.

The Odogwu title is it by age, appointment, heredity or elective? 

It’s never hereditary. It’s not by appointment, age or otherwise. The community (Otu – Odogwu knows where, how and when to choose the Odogwu. It is not  hereditary.  The Otu- Odogwu decides who they want to select, not the Obuzor. The Obuzor has no traditional right in appointing who becomes the Odogwu of Ibusa. It is  only the Otu- Odogwu that has spiritual and traditional  right  to select and endorse  the next Odogwu of Ibusa.  It is after we have selected and chalked the person  that we can now present the person to the most  senior diokpa of Ibusa and obuzor.  That is how it’s done.

We learnt that the Obuzor of Ibusa wrote a letter to Otu-Odogwu rejecting the endorsement of Charles Okonkwo as the Odogwu of Ibusa. Between you the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu and the Obuzor of Ibusa, who has the right to endorse the Odogwu of Ibusa?

Obuzor is the King of Ibusa, he is my son, he belongs to Otu-Odogwu, Umueze as well as Mgboko community. The Mgboko  is where Otu-Odogwu emanates and it is this same Mgboko community that brought out Charles Okonkwo to be the next Odogwu of Ibusa. It is only the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu that has the traditional power  to endorse and chalk  the person for the title of Odogwu of Ibusa. After  nomination  at the village level, like they did now, it is the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu that will endorse the person with the traditional native chalk.  Its about three years now when the last Odogwu of Ibusa died. They were trying to play the politics by imposing people who lives in abroad as our Odogwu. I then told them that their decision was wrong. That somebody who stays 10,000 miles away from the community can’t be the Odogwu of Ibusa. The person that must be the next Odogwu of Ibusa must be resident in Ibusa. The reason is when there is an external attack from neighboring communities for instance, to the extent of turning into war, do we need to phone the Odogwu who  is outside the country to come to our rescue?  It is not done. Odogwu must be resident here. That was what I told the Mgboko Community  of which the Obuzor himself is from Mgboko  that selected Charles Okonkwo for the title.

Diokpa,recently Obuzor wrote you another letter rejecting the person Otu Odogwu nominated for the Odogwu title, what is your stand on this issue?

The Obuzor of Ibusa , Obi(Prof.) Louis Nwoboshi cannot select nor nominate our Odogwu for us , he has no traditional  right to do so , we nominated Charles Ositadinma  Okonkwo,(Akulua Unor of Ib’uzor)as our next Odogwu of Ibusa and I have already chalked him and no other living person can be chalked again by me. I am happy that in his letter dated 5^th of Dec.2019 with reference number OBZ/ABU/6.10/019/002 he said  “we  do not contest your custody of Odogwu title but the Prescribed Authority is vested with the responsibility of conferring the title to a worthy son of Otu Odogwu”. I wish to state here that we followed the stipulated guidelines to ensure the best candidate emerges, we picked Chief Charles Okonkwo as the most qualified person because he met all the requirements for the position and this same Chief Charles Okonkwo was conferred with Chieftaincy title as the (Akulua Unor of Ib’uzor) in 2008 by the Obuzor of Ibusa  (Eleven years ago because he is a worthy son of Ibusa).so he cannot reject our candidate because he is the most qualified person for the position.

Now that you have endorsed Charles Okonkwo as the Odogwu of Ibuzor,is there anybody that will change that decision?

Nobody can change that decision or endorsement again because I am the Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu. Except if there is another Diokpa of Otu-Odogwu like me, that is when the person would have the power to endorse or change my decision. I am not struggling the Diokpa of  Umueze, the Diokpa of Otu- Odogwu  with anybody ,  the entire Umueze community in their meeting of 28^th October 2019  nominated Charles Okonkwo  for the Odogwu  title and Obuzor of Ibuzor is a member of this Umueze community in respect of the fact that he does not attend Umueze meetings, our decisions are bidding on him so also are the decisions of Otu Odogwu  Community. Which one are we going to argue who has right or who do not have the right? The right is mine spiritually and traditionally. Unless Obuzor is trying to usurp my traditional powers because he is the king, but in Ibusa traditional “OKPALA KA EZE”. Was he not chalked and crown by the Diokpa of Ibusa for him to be crown the Obuzor of Ibusa? Did Obuzor crown himself King alone? I don’t like things like these.

Diokpa, what is your advice to Otu-Odogwu and the new Odogwu -Elect Chief Charles Okonkwo that you have endorsed?

Chief Charles Okonkwo is the only person I have endorsed and chalked for the title of Odogwu Ibuzor no other person. Any other person coming as Odogwu is looking for problem in Ibuzor. It is the Diokpa Otu-Odogwu that has the full right to endorse him as the Odogwu of Ibuzor. And as it stands today, Chief Charles Okonkwo is the Odogwu of Ibuzor elect , he should go ahead and meet Ikwele of Ibusa to start the processes of IKWA Agana (Ikpu Ogbu).

Thank you.

Attached below are letters from Diokpa otu Odogwu and Obuzor:

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he 5th of May 2010 was a sad day for every Nigerian; I mean patriotic citizens of this country because it was a day that Nigeria lost one of its best.

Late Umaru Yar’Adua was one of the best; indeed, very best that happened to the country since its return to democracy in 1999. Yar’Adua was that leader who had Nigeria at heart; he came with a vision and mission of transforming this country to greater heights. His track record as Governor of Katsina State and as the President of this country is a good testimony to that.

I happened to serve him as a Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters, I can strongly testify to his courage and zeal of moving this country forward, but because of his ill health, a dream that did not come to reality but the patriotism and the good intention he had are enough reason for every excellent citizen to celebrate him and pour tribute on finest man. He was a very simple man; he fondly calls me ‘The Hon. Cairo of Africa’ with a huge smile in his face…

Yar’Adua was results oriented and goal driven, in one of his manifesto during campaign, he said; “if I become the President of Nigeria, my priority will be to ensure adequate peace and security, power and energy, human capacity development and physical infrastructural development that are critical to the development of a modern economy”.

That was what Umaru Musa Yar’Adua stands for, that’s what he advocates for and that’s the dream he died for Nigeria. Not only that, he was the only Nigerian President that admitted the irregularities that brought him to power during elections; and that is what committed him to constitute the Uwais electoral reform committee which Nigerians benefited from.

For instance, the super honest President Buhari’s electoral was stolen for several time, but Yar’Adua’s electoral reform are among other things that brought one of Nigeria’s most loved leader into the leadership mantle.

Yar’Adua will be remembered for his uprightness, integrity, dedication and patriotism to the Nigerian cause. His seven-point agenda were critical to the development of this country which had it been it was continued by his successor, as such Nigeria is on the right cause to its greatness. They were:1. Power and Energy 2. Food Security and Agriculture 3. Wealth Creation and Employment 4. Mass Transportation 5. Land Reform 6. Security 7. Qualitative and Functional Education.

1. POWER AND ENERGY – The infrastructural reforms in this critical sector through the development of sufficient and adequate power supply will be to ensure Nigeria’s ability to develop as a modern economy and an industrial nation by the year 2015, which was neglected, until recently President Buhari signed an agreement with German government to supply Nigeria with required power.

2. FOOD SECURITY – This reform is primarily agrarian based. The emphasis on the development of modern technology, research, financial injection into research, production and development of agricultural inputs will revolutionalize the agricultural sector leading to a 5 – 10-fold increase in yield and production. This will result in massive domestic and commercial outputs and technological knowledge transfer to farmers.

3. WEALTH CREATION – By virtue of its reliance on revenue from non-renewal oil, Nigeria has yet to develop industrially. This reform is focused on wealth creation through diversified production especially in the agricultural and solid mineral sector. This requires Nigerians to choose to work, as hard work by all is required to achieve this reform.

4. TRANSPORT SECTOR – The transportation sector in Nigeria with its poor roads networks is an inefficient means of mass transit of people and goods. With a goal of a modernized industrialized Nigeria, it is mandatory that Nigeria develops its transport sector. While the reforms might take some time to take effect, it is a need that must be addressed.

5. LAND REFORMS – While hundreds of billions of dollars have been lost through unused government-owned landed asset, changes in the land laws and the emergence of land reforms will optimize Nigeria’s growth through the release of lands for commercialized farming and other large scale business by the private sector. The final result will ensure improvements and boosts to the production and wealth creation initiatives.

6. SECURITY – An unfriendly security climate precludes both external and internal investment into the nation. Thus, security will be seen as not only a constitutional requirement but also as a necessary infrastructure for the development of a modern Nigerian economy. With its particular needs, the Niger Delta security issue will be the primary focus, marshaled not with physical policing or military security, but through honest and accurate dialogue between the people and the Federal Government.

7. EDUCATION – The two-fold reforms in the educational sector will ensure firstly the minimum acceptable international standards of education for all. With that achieved, a strategic educational development plan will ensure excellence in both the tutoring and learning of skills in science and technology by students who will be seen as the future innovators and industrialists of Nigeria. This reform will be achieved through massive injection into the Education sector.

May the soul of Late Yar’Adua rest in peace, Nigerians shall continue to remember him as one of their great leaders with golden heart. I am happy that our dearest Buhari is bringing great happiness to the greatest number.

Yar’Adua in his peaceful repose will be thinking of how Nigeria is doing! I say to my late boss, Nigeria is in the right hand – Buhari is in-charge…

Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Executive Director, Projects, NDDC writes from Port-Harcourt.

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday approved the appointment of a former Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the approval was in Pursuant to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Establishment Act 2019.

The President also approved the appointments of the Executive Secretary and members of the Board.

The statement read: Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto is the Executive Secretary while Mr. Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri is to represent the Ministry of Police Affairs. The Inspector-General of Police is representing Nigeria Police Force.

“The Ministry of Justice is being represented by Usman Bilkisu, the Director General, Budget and National Planning, Mr. Ben Akabueze will represent the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning.

“ Engr. Mansur Ahmed is representing Organised Labour while Dr. Michael Bamidele Adebiyi is representing the Civil Society Group.

“The above appointments are in furtherance of the Buhari administration’s commitment and drive to retooling Policing Architecture in the country by emplacing the Police Trust Fund to meet the aspiration of a well-funded, equipped and highly professional Nigeria Police Force in line with international best practices.”

[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has announced a 24-hour total lockdown and a dusk-dawn curfew on Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas as part of the State Government’s measures to check the spread of coronavirus.

In a broadcast on Monday, Governor Wike said: “Consequently, we have decided on the extreme measure of placing the entire Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas under a 24 hours total lockdown from Thursday 7thMay 2020 until further notice.

Governor Wike said with the declaration, all residents of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas must stay at home.

He said: “On no account should there be any vehicular movements or gathering of more than two persons in these Local Government Areas, except those on essential services with appropriate authorization;

” All shops, trading or business activities, including currency exchange, in these Local Government Areas must also remain closed until further notice.

“All Landlords are advised to ensure that no shop or trading activity is opened or carried out in or around their premises or risk the confiscation of their property by the Government.

“Any person, group or institution that violates the lockdown and curfew in these Local Government Areas will be made to face the full wrath of the law. “

The Rivers State Governor directed the immediate arrest and prosecution of Chief B.A. Worgu and Mr. Isaiah Abraka for sneakily organizing night markets in defiance of existing ban on such activity.

Governor Wike said given the threat posed to the State by oil and gas company workers, it has reviewed all entry waivers and permits earlier granted to Oil and Gas Companies .

The Rivers State Government declared:

“(i) from now on, requests for waivers and entry permits from oil and gas companies will be considered on a case by case basis;

“(ii) all inward-bound vehicles and flights into Rivers State from oil and gas companies with workers for crew change or other essential operations must first submit details of their manifests to the State’s taskforce on COVID-19 for proper vetting of their virus status before they can be allowed to enter the State;

“(iii) all operators of chartered flights into Rivers State for oil and gas operations, especially Bristow and Caverton Helicopters, should please comply with this directive and refrain from jeopardizing the lives of our people for the sake of making profits.

Governor Wike sternly warned the Chief Medical Director of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital to stop politicalizing the issue of coronavirus in the State with his rascally, irresponsible and ill-motivated utterances.

He said: “This Government is focused and therefore will not allow itself to be distracted on its battle against COVID-19. However, we will neither tolerate nor hesitate to deal anyone who dares to fabricate lies to rubbish the hard work and sacrifice we are making to save the lives in our State just to advance parochial partisan interests.

” I wish to reiterate that the hard choices we have to make as a Government and as a people over the COVID-19 pandemic are all premised on upholding the sanctity of human life.

“As a Government, we cannot abdicate this compelling responsibility and abandon our people to chances in the midst of this much dreaded and ravaging pandemic.”

The Rivers State Governor pointed out that the latest of these positive cases was the 14th case that was flown in to Port Harcourt by Bristow Helicopters from an offshore oilfield facility in Akwa Ibom State on the 29th of April 2020.

He said these positive cases have shown and confirmed our fears that unvetted entry of Oil and Gas workers from Lagos, Abuja and elsewhere remains a potential source for the importation and spread of COVI/D-19 in our State.

He said: “We have also observed with disappointment the persistent disobedience to the State Government’s lawful orders and or directives on COVID-19 by a number of communities and residents, especially in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas despite repeated warning.

“On the whole, we can all see that COVID-19 cases confirmed across the country are growing in numbers, meaning that the situation in our State, although still relatively low, can change for the worse, if we relax our measures or become complacent.

“In view of the foregoing, Government has resolved to impose additional measures by the Executive Order, I have just signed, which are targeted at reinforcing our efforts toward stopping the spread of the virus in the State, as follows:

“(i) All residents must wear face masks before stepping out of their homes to the public space;

(ii) The operations of all private motor parks, taxi ranks and loading bays throughout the State is hereby prohibited;

(iii) No commercial taxi driver should carry more than three passengers in his vehicles per trip;

(iv) No commercial bus driver should carry more than 40 per cent of full capacity of his vehicle;

(v) All tricycles (Keke NAPEP) must limit their passengers to two persons only;

(vi) No private vehicle should carry more than three persons in the car;

(vii) All drivers, persons or passengers in commercial and private vehicles, including tricycles, must wear face masks and observe the use of sanitizers;

(viii) All hotels, guest houses and beer parlours must remain closed;

(ix) A task force has been set-up to:

(a) arrest and prosecute any person without wearing face masks in public places or inside vehicles;

(b) impound and auction any vehicle with persons or passengers without wearing facemasks;

(c) arrest and prosecute any driver loading or off-loading passengers at any private motor-park, taxi rank or loading bay;

(d) impound and auction any vehicle loading or off-loading passengers at any private park, taxi rank or loading bay; and

(e) confiscate and auction any hotel and guest houses operating in defiance of the ban.”

(f) Government will give N100,000.00 to any whistle blower who gives out relevant information leading to the arrest and prosecution of any person, hotelier or motorist that violates these directives.

The Governor said all hoteliers must provide the State Task Force on COVID-19 with the manifest of those already lodged in their hotels before the coming into effect of this directive.1

Governor Wike noted that while the State Government is battling the importation of this virus, the greatest threat to people’s lives is posed not from outsiders but by those residents who are refusing to comply with the established directives and change their behaviour to conform to the new experience.

By: Chidi Joe Elueme

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration on Sunday accused the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of allegedly violating the restriction on large gatherings to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

It said despite the state government ban, Oshiomhole has been holding large political meetings  with a faction of the party in the state under the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) to undermine the fight against deadly virus.

In a statement noted that the ‘illegal meeting termed APC faction mock primary’ allegedly organized by Comrade Oshiomhole does not only go against the directives of the state and federal government, but also jeopardizes efforts to contain COVID-19, thereby endangering the lives of Edo people.

They said the former governor’s actions are not only reprehensible but callous and selfish, as he has continued his quest to cause crisis in the state and destabilise the state’s chapter of the APC amid COVID-19 pandemic.

According to them, “It is not surprising that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has continued his doom-fated attempt to destabilise the Edo State chapter of the APC. But what is most unconscionable is that he is propagating this move at the expense of the safety and wellbeing of Edo people.

“By organizing the supposed mock primary on April 30, 2020, with more than 50 persons in attendance, he is undermining efforts of different stakeholders in containing the spread of the virus and also dishonouring all those who have died from this virus. Those who organised the political gathering initially held at Lucky Imasuen’s residence in Benin City later moved to different locations to continue their inglorious show of shame, in perpetuation of the wishes of their puppet master.

“The antics of Comrade Oshiomhole are well-known, but it bears repeating that he is on a mission to re-enact what happened in Rivers, Zamfara and Bayelsa in Edo State. He has continued to perpetuate the factionalising of the party in the state, with an intent to cause the party to lose its opportunity to participate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.”

Noting that the actions of the former labour leader have compromised government’s efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus in the state, they urged the Presidency and the leadership of the APC at the National level to reign in Adams Oshiomhole from destabilizing the Edo State chapter of the party.

“The President should know that Oshiomhole’s orchestrated disharmony is a testimony of his desire to re-enact Rivers and Zamfara in Edo State.

“The action is not only anti-party, but a confirmation in some circles of a deliberate decimation of our great Party for clandestine ambitions.

“It must be said that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, not shown remorse for the persons lost to this invisible enemy.

“While Nigeria was losing eminent sons and daughters to the pandemic, for instance, he released videos of himself in a gym house, performing aerobics, as if mocking the dead.

“This was at a time the entire country was mourning the death of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.

“This, among other, indiscretions have painted Comrade Oshiomhole in the most despicable light and leaves much to be desired of his humanity,” they added.