[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hat’s happening in Edo State today was similar to what took place in the 2004 US Presidential election which as you will recall was a polarizing time in in the country. Everything was reduced to red and blue. John Kerry was the devil incarnate to Republicans, while George Bush was the devil incarnate to Democrats, and there was no room in the debate to consider each man on his own merits, nor each issues on its face.

It was as if the fate of the World was hung in the balance just as the fate of Edo State is hung in the balance between two political gladiators today. Leaders of each party whipped Americans into such a hyperventilated frenzy that otherwise, intelligent Republicans started to believe that if John Kerry won the White House would cease to exist, while Democrats felt that if George Bush retained the White House we were all doomed. So it is today in the eyes of the storm of this blind partisanship Etsako born analyst.

The fate of Edolites are locked in this forth coming experiment of influence called election. The only thing expected of them is to pray, hope and wait for the outcome of the gladiator’s battle particularly with the Covid 19 pandemic not everyone can participate in the election be it direct or indirect system of primary for fear of being infected. Indeed, many are the challenges militating against the prosperity of Edo ahead of the coming election.

All the aspirants in the forthcoming Edo Governorship primaries are not greenhorns in the political arena. They have tasted power and so know what it is. The election will pit the incumbent Godwin Obaseki against a familiar foe that were on the trenches with him in the 2016 general election. This is not unexpected though but one thing that is certain is that whatever becomes of the Edo APC primary election, the incumbent Godwin Obaseki is sure to be in the race in the platform which will be obvious at that time but if the others didn’t arrive at a consensus then the tide is sure to favor the incumbent on same platform of the APC. Despite the crowded aspirants jostling for the APC ticket it will soon be clear how many will remain in the party by the time the party fenced out other aspirants after one candidate has emerged.

The political ideology of a party ought to be a binding force that keeps politicians together in their chosen political party whether they lose out in an election or not. But because personal interest reign majesty over political ideology that doesn’t even exist in our party system in Nigeria, it becomes difficult to control desperate aspirants after every failed election.

After four years of Obaseki’s reign with tough political battle, all of the previous aspirants and new entrants are back to the trenches. Have things changed? Would Obaseki second coming be embraced by all Edo people? Or will Ize-Iyamu who was the opposition candidate in the 2016 election be given a nod? A better question will be the issue of zoning. Former Governor Lucky Igbenedion from Edo South governed for eight years. Comrade Governor from Edo North governed eight years. The tenure of former Governor Osunbor from Edo Central, was terminated by the Court ruling that brought in comrade Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North who completed a two term of eight years.

Incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki from South is almost completing his first four years. But the forces that brought him into the political scene seem to be against his return for a second term as the tradition had been. The implication is that, the political calculation would be sustained only if Obaseki is allowed to return for a second tenure. However a change of government will short change other zones in the existing zoning formula. This is because a new governor from Edo South will be a political suicide to Edo Central and Edo North. Those Senatorial district have to wait for another eight years before their zoning can return to them. Obviously, no new governor would do single term irrespective of the vows and covenant that he would sign before swearing in. Once in power, the language are never the same. Will the new governor be willing to do only one term? Did you remember our incumbent president was supposed to do one term? Will Edo North and Edo Central be willing to supervise Edo South for a straight 12 years as governor of Edo State? These questions have their answers tucked in the womb of time.

The more worrying fact about Edo election will emerge after the primary election of both the APC and the PDP. Politics is not totally predictable because, human behaviour is involved, there can be no direct cause and effect among the Political variables. One touching Concerned to me about the events that would be happening after the Edo State Primary Elections would be the high level of double allegiance that will characterise the political scene. Am not a prophet but a political scientist. The science of Politics will play out in Edo State, where it will become obvious that humans are not Scientific materials that can be predicted to produce same results consistently over time. There is no Circumcise hands in politics. No sacred hands that can’t fail in political predictions because human are changeable molecule unlike scientific elements.

The people of Edo State should not be carried away by the ongoing Cloud-lessness political battle. They should not allow themselves to be manipulated to believe that 2020 Governorship election would be the most important election of their lifetime, which it would may well have been, but we can be certain that when the 2024 election rolls around it will also be the most important election of our lifetime. The news flash is that even in the year 2028 governorship election in Edo, it will be the same story all over again.
To expect to see an Edo that would have lesser conflict in the future is to wait forever. Can you remember the game that played out in Akwa- Ibom between Former Governor Akpabio and his own former Aide who is now the incumbent Governor? The deepening divide between our leaders are not purely for our interest. Because as a political science graduate and a Broadcaster am aware that the currency of politics is power and influence. How they get it is not as relevant as getting it. The masses are merely the guinea pig for these power hustlers, so it couldn’t have been for our collective good. Our founding fathers got it right, and within the frame work of our democracy there is room for leadership and courage and vision and all those good things that makes the old Bendel and Mid- Western region great and strong.

The Political pendulum swings back and front in the heart beat of Nigeria. Currently, we are at the troubling end of its arc. I have spent all my adult life working with various level of politicians i can’t say have seen it all but i know when power is abused and when limits are exceeded. The Lucky Igbenedion and the PDP era veered Edo off a principled course of development, then Comrade Adams Oshiomhole surface as the Messiah to return the State back to the path of development as envisaged by the founding fathers but today we are forced to ask if the same Messiah is out to return the State back to the hands of those he had previously claimed it from. The opposition are definitely praying for this moment to come for the APC for them to leverage upon. We must not forget that it was this same kind of crisis that removed PDP from power.

Whether politics failed or succeed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Comrade Philip Shaibu are from Etsako. Politics will not change their history. If we are conscious about this fact then we would discover that we are not fighting an enemy but ourselves. I have always work with politicians outside Edo State. My attraction to Edo my own state was the Unity and comradeship that existed between Adams Oshiomhole and Philip Shaibu as far back as 2007.

Conflict is indeed not in the best interest of Anyone. Many things that Governor Obaseki did in his first year in office that the entire state commended for taking everything in their stride and worked like a charm with all Edo adoring his administration, my disappointment today, is that all of a sudden no one seem to see anything good about the same Obaseki anymore. We only sees his weaknesses and not his capacity anymore. The quality that made him the most preferred aspirant in 2016, it is amazing to note that those same quality that made him the most qualified are no more seen in him. “How has the gold become dim? the bible once ask. Shall the prey be taking away from the mighty? The Holy scripture also ask. But who will provide the answers to those soul touching questions? Because conflict is in favor of the strong and never the wise. But has the worst happened? Can we not still salvage this situation in Edo State? Is there no third party that can come to settle this crisis in Edo State? Have we run out of alternative options? Has Diplomacy failed? It is only when Diplomacy fail that war usually breakout. Diplomacy has not failed at this point because no one is patient to listen to the view of the other.

Indeed Edo State is soaked in tension and anxiety. The State has a fragmented political class. All aspirants are busy dissipating their energy on Obaseki and rarely addressed issues. First it was Obasek’s certificate, later it was his style of leadership, his neglect of party structures and many other issues reared their heads. The ongoing consultation by politicians is more about abuse and war of words with hire media mercenaries to do a media hatchet job against both the incumbent Governor and his deputy. They have been malicious, relentlessly uncouth and deliriously loquacious stigmatizing the Deputy Governor of Edo State as a Covid 19 patient an allegation they later regretted by tendering apology to the Radio and Tv station they raised alarm. What a primitive way of seeking relevance in a civilised society like ours? How do a pot confront his potter? Have we run out of human resources as we seem to have run out of ideas? Where else can a son who has been disowned by his parents who seeks to skin him lay his head? This was why Bob Nesta Marly said ‘’ You can fool some of the people all the time and all of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time ” We can’t all have been wrong at the same time.” The truth is that it is the media handlers of this aspirants that has created unnecessary tension as if the State was on fire when there was no spark anywhere. Caution must start from the media handlers. We must not talk because others are talking. The sea of Edo political waters could appear to be calm but deep. This you won’t understand until you attempt to trouble the waters. The polity has been heated almost to a boiling point. It is as if some people are determined to waste the state away if they cannot have their way. So much hate and venom have been spewed in the mass media and social media, not by the aspirants themselves but by their mercenaries. We have witness governorship primaries in Edo State before, none has been divisive and hate filled as this ongoing campaign. The aspirants themselves are not the problem but their media Aide who are seeking relevance and undue favour from their pay masters. Only few went beyond decent and acceptable limits. In their struggle to undermine one another, real developmental issues that affect the people of our state were relegated while wars of words are given prominence. The polity will in the next few days will be turbo-charged.

Nigeria Politics has become a blood sport; its all about winning, and only little about governing. Good candidates are discouraged from even seeking office because they have not lived campaign perfect lives while weak candidates are propped up by party leaders as best and the brightest when in truth they might just be the least objectionable. This is true because in 2007 and 2011 Primary elections, PDP rigged out incumbent Senator Francis Alimikhena to give their ticket to candidates that they couldn’t stand up to defend publicly all in their bid to show and display influence. We need true and effective and inspiring leadership. For Edo to have a governor that can unite the state, we must all come together to resolve the ongoing differences before the primary election of the APC in June. This is because the State will be deeply divided should we continue in this manner to the general election. The issues are not unresolvable. The Governor of Edo State should as much as possible make the public move for reconciliation with his ex Boss. It is not an insult but statesmanship to steal the show. What is life without compromise. Every issue can be compromised i don’t believe that compromise is inevitable at this stage. We loss some and gain some. In politics the rule is to draw your friends close and our enemies closer.

To compromise doesn’t mean to sell out. It doesn’t mean that you sacrifice your principles. It doesn’t mean that you bend to every special interest other than your constituents. It means listening to the opinion of others and respecting those opinions and recognizing the value in searching for solutions built on consensus and yet it is within this great divide that we find many of the root ills of our Political system. We’ re all driven by our own impulses, and there are as many different justifications to seeking office as there are candidates doing the seeking, i observe that majority of the people doing the seeking for a career in politics do so with reasons that are noble and admirable. Its what happened next that got me so concerned. Business of government should be a value business just like any other. Politics is not winning. It’s doing the right thing. That to me is success. If you get re-elected, that’s great and if you don’t get reelected you can move on. There are worse things in life than losing an election. Life goes on. It is hard for God not to work when useable vessels are available. Politicians have to ask themselves how they want to be remembered, and to accept that they may likely won’t be remembered at all. What do you want that snapshot to be? This is so because most politicians have their footprint washed away by the next wave of politicians.

ENGR. CHRIS OGIEMWOYI

He was a former Governorship aspirant with the incumbent Governor in the 2016 primary election. Though couldn’t secure the party’s ticket but remained in the party after the primary election. Ogiemwoyi is known for his integrity and moral uprightness. He’s mature and responsible to bear leadership burden based on his experience both in the oil industry and public service. He is not new in facing political pressure as a former minister of works. One thing going for him is his steadfastness. He is an ideal faithful party Stewart. He dedicated himself to his party the APC despite other available options. He is indeed a mature politician. If politics is a game where faithfulness counts then Ogiemwoyi is the man to look out for.

DR. PIUS EGBERANMWEN ODUBU

A refined gentleman happily married. Immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State. He is a man who exhibited complete loyalty to Adams Oshiomhole while in office. He was a former Governorship aspirant in the 2016 race with the incumbent while he was still the deputy to former Governor Oshiomhole. Pius Odubu is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court. He also has B. A in Political Science. A thoughtful politician never envious of others and ready to suffer persecution than to compromise his believe. Though he had tough running battle with his former Boss over his ambition but Pius Odubu was never found wanting. He is never a desperate Politician and self satisfactory. His ambition set him against his former boss but there was indeed no law that stop him from aspiring. A careful monitor of his utterances withing the period shows that Dr Pius Odubu was a thoroughly breed politician. He was never seen in the media exchanging words with his Boss despite the cold war that characterised the last part of their tenure. He displayed Statesmanship when he abandoned several personal and official responsibility to join the incumbent Governor in campaigning during the main election. In a clime where humility and Service is acknowledge no doubt Pius Odubu would’ve been the man to beat.

GENERAL CHARLES EHIGIE AIRHIAVBERE (Rtd)

Former Army general with skill and uncommon appetite for knowledge and self development. He spent better part of his life to serve the nation despite multiple options. He is service prone and result oriented. It’s a way of life for general Charles in displaying outstanding leadership quality inherent in him. These quality granted him speed in his service where he grow to become Director of studies, Nigeria Army School of Finance and administration. Deputy Director Commander CFO among many others. General Charles is a member of Several prestigious Professional bodies like : Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) Institute of Certified Public Accountant of Nigeria (ICPN) etc. General Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd ) is an exposed and well travelled international resource person who has delivered lectures at various conferences on National issues and security matters. It is painful we are living in a society where intellectuals are assume not to have a campaign perfect life. If our society is concern about the future of this generation to wet the appetite of the Youth with creativity and education, then general Charles is the best hand among others to handle such sacred task.

OSAGIE IZE-IYAMU

Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu is the most controversial Politician Edo State has ever produced. He is either quoted out of context or mention in every dispute. Any Political analysis since 1999 that didn’t carry the name Osagie Ize- Iyamu is yet a complete analysis. That’s the extent of his influence in Edo politics. Ize- Iyamu was former Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Edo State Government during the lucky Igbenedion era between 1999 and 2007 Under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) He was the Director General of Oshiomhole 2nd term Campaign Organization and Coordinator of the Goodluck Jonathan / Sambo Campaign Organization. A brief review of his profile shows a high level of inconsistency. He has deserved an award for decamping from one political party to the other. He was once a National Chairman South -South of the defunct Action congress of Nigeria (ACN). Defection is a major Characteristics of a core Nigeria Politician. Ize-Iyamu is definitely not a learner in politics. He is indeed one of the oldest and most consistent in Edo Political affairs. He has massive supporters and loyalist. He is tough but harmless. If the Political calculation is to handover the state to a core Politician that has taken politics as a career then Osagie Ize- Iyamu is the game master to consider.

GODWIN OBASEKI

Immediately after taking the oath of office Governor Godwin Obaseki declared his intentions to hit the ground running in delivering on his campaign promise he made. I remembered he did promise to increase the revenue based of the State. Reduced the State dependence of crude oil. He did promise to make the State an economic hub through increase in small and medium scale business, Agricultural activities as well as technological environment for industry to thrive. This he said was possible through his police on ease of doing business. He did promise to expand the infrastructural based of the State to be able to carry skyscraper with a vow to build a robust human intellectual capacity. The creation of 200,000 employment and supporting the growth of over 20,000 micro small and medium enterprises with further creation of 50,000 associated jobs were prominent in his resolve among many others. How far was he able to achieve all he promise would play out in the forth coming primary election. If the lives of the people have been impacted the people would speak in his favour. The Man Goodwin Obaseki is a decendant of the famousely illustrious Obaseki families in Edo. He is well educated and attended school in New York where he obtained First degree and Masters. He has an impressive career spanning over 30 Years. He is a serious minded technocrate and an economic Manager per excellent. He has been accused of not playing politics but no one has ever accused him of corruption or mismanagement of the State economy. That is a key factor that may work for the return of Governor Godwin Obaseki. Those were also the qualities that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole saw in him that made him prefer Obaseki above all the above aspirants in the 2016 election. But what has change is left for historian to dig out. But if Edo State is interested in a corrupt free Governor who will not play politics with public interest, then Governor Godwin Obaseki is the best man for the job. Several quality made him to stand tall because i serve in his media team in 2016 but the much i know about him couldn’t be expressed for fear of biased.

There was a time in Nigeria when Nigerians actually enjoyed politics. The rules were clear. The players were matured men as Bisi would say, ‘who knew the worth of material wealth as against the value of humanity. They made their choices and each left their mark. These gentlemen have different kinds of fellowship from whom they drew strength. But today, rather than aspirants drawing courage and strength from their supporters, their supporters are engaged unguided utterances. This was why former President Jonathan emphasised that his ambition or the ambition of any politician is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. The Nigerian Politicians do not demand for blood, it is the Nigerian youth themselves that usually make their blood available for politicians in search for stomach infrastructure. Our youth must not forget that those, whom they are willing to die for; are not ready to die for themselves. And soon as they get into power, everything about them will change. Promises will change, acquaintance will change, language will change and all the weaknesses they are seeing on the incumbent will suddenly become inherent in them. That’s why there is series of falling out between close associates and friends as we have witness in Edo State and other parts of the country. If this is the trend, the Nigeria youth should bear in mind that they got no place in the scheme of things. The Edo people are familiar with all the aspirants in the state and they have enough information to consider in making their choices. They know those who are out for them and those who are coming to test their influence. For those who believe that money will determine the winner in the forth coming Edo Primary election, remember that some of the money that was shared in the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in the last 2016 primary election, some of the dollars and naira did not fall on fertile ground. Some may have fallen on stones and thorns and did not bear any fruit or else Obaseki would not have won in 2016 if their money fell on fertile soul; because those that were against Obaski in 2016 are more than those that are against him today. The game is just starting whether the four other aspirants will arrive at a consensus to battle the incumbent is still an unfolding game because the variable of Political Science are not as predictable as the natural sciences.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he question is now ringing louder and louder with the passing of each week. Was His Royal Majesty, Obi Albert Nwoko lll murdered ? What actually happened the day he died ? Was he sick ? Did anyone see him just before his death was suddenly announced ?

For the wives of the king, the answer to these questions is not anecdotal. Their husband was murdered in cold blood. And they want to unravel the mystery behind this cruel barbarity.

But how did this rustic village arrive at this tragic point where a king well over 90 years of age could be allegedly murdered ?

Before August, 2015, Idumuje-Ugboko, a village in Aniocha North Local Government Area, LGA, was a serene forestry settlement. It was indeed in an unusually gay mood in 2015. This was because a distinguished scion of the village was going to build a university and a golf course at the village. The king, His Royal Majesty, Obi Albert Nwoko lll, JP, MON, and his Obi-in-Council had given their approval. A meeting of the four federating villages known as Izu-Ani also attended by the community’s development union had also been held on Saturday, April 4, 2015 and endorsed this project.

Still, on Saturday, July 11, 2015, the Idumuje-Ugboko Development Union under the leadership of its President-General, Mr Bennet Odor plus former Presidents-General in attendance gave their nod to the University and golf course establishment in Idumuje-Ugboko after a presentation by Prince Ned as he is fondly called. These full approvals by all the important organs of the kingdom inspired HRM Obi Albert Nwoko lll to write Prince Ned Nwoko through his company, Linas International Ltd on Friday, April 10, 2015, to communicate the kingdom’s approval.

But on Wednesday, August 12, 2015, Idumuje-Ugboko rumbled. A strange letter had been circulated all over the village and even read in church. The letter claimed HRM Obi Nwoko lll had repudiated the approval given for the establishment of the proposed university to be called Star University and the golf course. The whole village was jolted by this volte face.

It soon came to the knowledge of everyone that the letter emanated from the son of the king, Prince Justin Chukwunonso Nwoko often referred to as Prince Nonso. The village suspected foul play and demanded to see the Obi to authenticate the letter as even the signature on the letter looked suspicious. However, Prince Nonso backed by Princes Ejimofor Fredrick Nwoko , Richard Obiajulu Nwoko and Dennis Uwadiegwu Nwoko among others had already fortified the palace with some youths and suspected thugs and blocked every attempt of the leading traditional figures to see the king. They allegedly went as far as seizing the Obi’s phone so that Prince Ned or any other person against their self centred mission might not be able to speak to him.

Unable to continue tolerating this impunity, Prince Walters Eziashi who was the community’s President-General,2008-2012, petitioned the Commissioner of Police , Delta state Command on September 14, 2015 to investigate the veracity of the letter that purportedly came from the king.

The police swung into action, investigated the case and came out with an indictment of Princes Nonso, Richard Obiajulu and Ejimofor for forgery. And with the approval of Delta state Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Nonso and his co-travellers were subsequently charged before the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Asaba in a Suit No. SMC/420C/2016.

Although they were granted bail, it was revoked later as Prince Nonso Nwoko and his indicted gang failed to appear in court. They have since then remained fugitives from justice .

But they had also ruptured the peace of the Kingdom because the indictment did not make them sober. Instead they seemed determined to permanently fracture the unity of the hilly kingdom as desperation set in. Fast forward to 2017.

AND THE KING SUDDENLY DIES

On the morning of Monday, February 6, 2017, Idumuje-Ugboko kingdom froze in shock . The news filtered into homes and spread fast. Their king , Obi Albert Nwoko III had gone to join his forebears. The news came as a bruising bump. Many had seen the king the previous night. Though old and weak, he came out to greet his guests. And this morning, less than two hours before his death was announced, one of his aides had seen him. Said the Assistant who didn’t want to be named, ” I saw him around 7am before I left for my farm. He sat up , answered my greeting and wished me well before I left. So , you can imagine my shock when they called me to tell me he was dead. How ? How, I screamed. I rushed to the palace and went straight into his room as I was one of the very few people that could enter there”, the Assistant narrated. ” When I saw his body, he was looking very fresh. To tell you the truth I immediately suspected foul play. Because there had been tension. Prince Nonso was already acting like king in the palace and he was somebody the father did not approve his ways at all . And in fact, the way some of the people in the palace were making the so called death of the king a secret affair increased my suspicion “, he said.

A young Princess Chidinma Nwoko threw more light into the tragic scenario. ” My dad came out to eat that morning. Then he went back to the room. About 30 minutes later, my uncles, uncle Ejimofor and uncle Obiajulu Nwoko came into the palace “. According to Princess Chidinma, these two gentlemen who were close allies of her elder half-brother, Prince Nonso, went straight to see the king in his room. She continued, “about 45 minutes later, they came out and told me casually that my dad was dead. Even though I was young then, I felt so pained, I was like how, how possible, my dad, just like that ? No, it can’t be true. My world collapsed. I became hopeless.Honestly I felt like killing myself or killing those my uncles that minute because they just broke the news like one animal just died. It was painful”, she groaned. They had forced my mum out of the palace and they had also chased out my dad’s second wife. It was like I was now left alone in the midst of sharks. I cried till I broke down completely because I was hopeless. My senior brother, Nonso didn’t even look at me. I was like where do I go from here.

But thank God, I thank God because he sent us a helper, he sent me, my mum and my siblings a messiah during the worst crisis of our life. God sent us uncle Ned Nwoko. He had actually been doing everything for my dad including paying for his medical checkup and all that. But this time, he changed our lives forever “, she narrated now smiling as tears blurred her eyes during our video call interview.

Now, nobody seems to have a factual evidence about what killed a prominent king like Obi Nwoko III. Everything remains a conjecture. This naturally should have compelled the family to carry out an autopsy. But this was not done. This stark omission in addition to series of abhorrent acts that culminated in the internment of the king’s body the very day he died and the obnoxious news of Nonso installing himself king, barely an hour after his own father was buried made the wives of the Obi, Queen Faith Okwikwe Nwoko and Queen Ifeoma Nwoko to petition the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Zone 5, Benin, Abubakar Mohammed, now Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, to investigate the mysterious death of their husband.

Even some innocent villagers were now querying why Prince Nonso should be so desperate to crown himself king if indeed he was the rightful heir to the throne . Why would he brazenly violate the kingdom’s rites and rituals before burying a king.

More importantly, why would Prince Nonso go to court to stop to a laudable quest to get the police to unravel what killed his own father ? Shouldn’t he in good conscience join forces with his father’s wives to resolve the suspicious death of an eminent dad , they asked. Indeed , Nonso’s alleged many conflicts with his father from very early in his life and the detestable and alarming role he played immediately after the king’s death compelled the king’s queens, eminent Chiefs and people of the kingdom to start the current increasing cry and agitation for the body of the late king to be exhumed for an autopsy to be done.

ARE PRINCE NONSO’s HANDS CLEAN ?

Prince Nonso made himself a prime suspect in the alleged mysterious death of his father, the king ,when he buried the man the very day he died contrary to the dictates of their tradition which stipulates that the death of a king should be kept secret for three months before it is announced, with certain critical rituals performed. And if he could not be put in a mortuary then he should be buried after 24 hours.

As Prince Walters Eziashi, an Idumuje-Ugboko elite based in the village captured it, ” Prince Chukwunonso buried our king without recourse to the customs, tradition and culture of the Idumuje-Ugboko clan as embedded in the 1937 Intelligence Report of Idumuje Clan by R.B Karr”. But Nonso did not stop there. He buried the Obi accompanied only by Prince Fred Ejimofor Nwoko and Prince Richard Obiajulu Nwoko, two major suspects who visited the reportedly healthy king that morning only to come out to announce his death . A third person was Prince Mbanefo Nwoko, his brother. Nonso’s alleged despicable acts stretched further. He did not allow most of the brothers of the Obi like Princes Martin, Akaba and Somayina Nwoko to see the Obi’s prompting suspicion that the king’s body was tempered with. And Prince Walters threw more light into these brazen acts of abomination , this time in an alarming tone ” He did not only bury his father the same day he died, he did so accompanied by only his collaborators without the king’s five principal chiefs. He also appointed himself king within an hour of the purported burial forcing a 90 year old man from Atuma , another village entirely, one Mr Odinfono , to sit him on a chair he claimed was his traditional stool as king. This action is not only a taboo but an abomination not only in Idumuje clan but in the entire Anioma land “, he stressed.

The custom and tradition of the people according to Prince Walters is that ” when our king makes the ultimate transition, that is when he passes on, it is kept secret for three lunar months before it is announced and then the rituals for the burial would commence . But Prince Nonso didn’t care about this because of his personal ambition. He gave our king a secret burial the very day he died”. Said another man, ” Believe me my brother, that is the kind of act that brings unfathomable atrocities upon a people. Only God and our fore- fathers will judge Nonso and his cohorts for denigrating the throne of our Idumuje-Ugboko clan “, added the man who says he hails from the same village as the Odogwu of Idumuje-Ugboko. ” And if you know Nonso, if you engage him in a discussion for 15 minutes, just 15 minutes, you will know that something is already going wrong with him. But that is a matter for another day “, he enthused.

MORE CURIOUS REVELATIONS ABOUT NONSO’s ACTIONS.

Another palace Assistant, a man of about 51 recalled what he described as one of the most evil acts of the night the king died. According to him, the late king had a written note he described as a Traditional Will. The king he said told palace insiders that this note must be read before his interment. Once the Obi’s death was muted, Onwudinjo Nwobi, the mouth-piece of the king called ‘ Onu Obi’ demanded that the note be read. As revealed by this Assistant, the king stated in the note in clear terms why Nonso was not qualified and not fit to be king of Idumuje-Ugboko.

But having glimpsed the content of the note, Prince Obiajulu requested that if the letter must be read, then it should be read jointly but silently by everyone. In their native language, Obiajulu said ” ka anyi gu akwukwo-a na obi anyi”.

After this silent perusal of the content of the note, Prince Nonso shut down any further discussion of the note. And the king was hurriedly buried.

What however heightened the people’s worry about their Prince was his reaction to the police investigation of the king’s demise. The king’s wives had petitioned the police to investigate the mysterious death of their husband. The whole people of Idumuje-Ugboko applauded this quest seeing it as an audacious move. But shockingly, Prince Nonso and his allies went to the High Court in August 2017 to apply for the order of mandamus to stop the police investigation of their king’s death. And even in court they did everything and applied every tactic to frustrate and delay the court process and by extension the police investigation. “Our people were dumbfounded by Nonso’s action. We felt ashamed of ourselves, we felt like outcasts when we visited neighbouring villages”, said Peter, a man from Ogbe-Ofu, one of the four federating villages.

It was not until June 3, 2019, two whole years later, that the application which ordinarily shouldn’t last for more than three months was stuck out by Justice C.N Ogadi of High Court, Agbor, Delta state who got fed up with their rascality and antics.

Now, the police has unfettered opportunity to continue their investigation, a popular mission to resolve all issues surrounding the death of HRM Obi Albert Nwoko III.

Last week, the Queens of the late king vowed to return to the police to urge them to re-open the investigation. There is now hope for the Idumuje clan. And there is anxiety and fear in some quarters . Importantly, there are nagging questions begging for answers .

Why did the king, Obi Nwoko III state that his own son is not qualified and not fit to be king ? Why does Nonso seem desperate to be king ? What is his grouse with his billionaire philanthropic cousin , Prince Ned Nwoko , a soft spoken lawyer celebrated not only in Idumuje-Ugboko but nationwide, across tribes and religions in Nigeria for his unquenchable thirst for charity and philanthropy ? These questions are begging for answers.

Culled from Vanguard Newspapers.

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n their resolve to rid the Oshimili North Local Government Area of the activities of criminal elements, the Authorities of the Local Government in Delta State have given a seven day ultimatum to owners of illegal camps and farm settlements within the area to vacate them and take up residence among the people.

This was communicated through an Executive Order signed by the Executive Chairman of the Local Government, Hon. Louis Ndukwe and made available to newsmen on Wednesday at Akwukwu-Igbo, the administrative headquarters of the Local Government area

In the Executive order which was addressed to all Serikis and Igbo camp owners as well as the various communities within Oshimili North Local Government area,    the Council Chairman said that the action was geared towards ridding the area of criminal elements who have converted camps in the various bushes into criminal sanctuaries.

Hon Ndukwe directed the concerned camp owners to move from the various bushes and take up rents in the various communities whereby they will live among the people as well as build permanent structures that will be properly registered by the Oshimili Local Government area.

He therefore warned that non adherence to this order after seven working days of its communication to the concerned camp owners; will be followed up with forced evacuation and demolition of such settlements.

The Executives order reads in full:

Attn: All Serikis/Igbo Camp Owners

Akwukwu lgbo/Ibusa/Okpanam/Illah/Ebu/Ukala/Ugbolu/Atuma/Aninwalo

Re: Immediate vacating of all illegal structures within Oshimili North Local Government Area.

Be informed that due to the security challenges we recently face as a Local government and the urgency of the need to rid our area of all secret hideouts where criminals use as safe heavens, we herewith communicate that you vacate, advise others considered your wards within our LGA to move  and take up rents with our people, live with our people, or build permanent structure that shall be registered and owned by you, your proxies or wards like every other Nigerian who live and do business in our LGA.

Take note that after seven working days of this notice, all camps and unapproved structures in our LGA shall be totally declared illegal and destroyed. Recourse shall only be given to structures approved by the Oshimili North Local Government and the Delta State Government.

All inconveniences are regretted as this remains the only way we have resolved to enable us account for our residents and fish out the bad elements who only live in our bushes and shanties in the LGA.

You may wish to quote this message as EXECUTIVE ORDER II in lieu of the SECURITY ALERT in the LGA!

Your utmost cooperation is expected.

Yours faithfully,

Hon. Ndukwe Louis

Executive Chairman

Oshimili North Local Government

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is a cynosure of all eyes, the tallest architectural masterpiece in the South/South region of Nigeria, the most ICT compliant intelligence structure, the 21 storey smart office complex, located in the central business district of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, set to host any known corporate organization or world class company in the Nigeria Oil and Gas industry.

With the Tower as high as 108.8 meters, the 21 storey Five Star business accommodation occupies a construction area of 18, 639.50 meters square on a massive site area of 48,200.00 meters square, making room for a 500 capacity car park.

The visionary Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, burning with the desire to attract huge volumes of Foreign Direct Investments, FDI, to Akwa Ibom and catapult the state into an investment hub of Nigeria, undertook the 21 storey building, a flagship of his government, as a major catalyst in his envisioned economic renaissance.

For years, Akwa Ibom suffered from dearth of international standard office accommodations for world class corporate organizations as well as International Oil Companies, IOCs, some of which operate in the state but with operational base and headquarters in other cities, a situation which deprived the state of huge internally generated revenues, IGR.

As a leader committed to the overall development of the state in all sectors, Governor Emmanuel saw the turn-key high rise office building as a bait for the oil companies which hitherto laid claims to lack of suitable business accommodations as the major hindrance to the relocation of their headquarters and operational base to Akwa Ibom State.

This much may have accounted to the near lack of presence of any substantial Federal establishment in the oil and gas sector in Akwa Ibom State since creation over 33 years ago. As the hen that lays the golden egg, Akwa Ibom, the largest oil producing state in Nigeria contributing large chunk of revenue to the Federation account from its crude oil, could not boast of a single oil depot, an office of the Directorate of Petroleum Resources, DPR or the head office of any of the oil companies exploiting the State’s rich oil reserves.

Coming with all the attractions and safety mechanism expected of a smart building anywhere in the world, the 21 storey building is a dream come true in the sustainable infrastructural drive of the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration. The project which kicked off on 17th January, 2018 with a two year work term is scheduled for completion by the end of this year, precisely on 17th December, 2020.

The Mega project handled by a Turkish construction company, VKS, is a magical architectural design on land, the first of its kind in Nigeria which ongoing work is providing direct and indirect job opportunities to the people of Akwa Ibom State and which on completion will not only generate employment – skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled, to the teeming youths of the state but will contribute to the area development as well as house oil and gas companies and serve as a ready haven for investors.

The Tower which has added aesthetics to the landscape of Akwa Ibom will run with 24 hours power supply and contains all necessary facilities and equipment of a smart building including: 4 elevators, 2 emergency exit, fire protection sensors and aviation wing. The ground floor is designed to accommodate banks and canteens while the mechanical floor controls sewage and takes care of waste disposal.

From the second to the twentieth floor seamless office accommodations are provided to end – users while the twenty-one floor is a terrace where guests, tourists and investors can stand to have a glimpse of the beautiful landscape of the capital city.

It is worthy of mention that, the smart building has an access control with such components like, the card reader, biometric control keypads, central stand-alone server workstation, electric lock hardware cabling for doors, boom barrier for cars, automated cards, automated turnstiles, fire protected doors and time attendance readers.

For the fire system, the tower boasts of: fire electric pumps, diesel pump backup, Fire extinguisher hose real, technical rooms E30 cabling for S90 fire, protection sprinkler system, intelligent smoke detectors and fire alarm panel connected to the CCTV room. The state-of-the-art communication gadgets of the intelligence building are in place with all accessories of a public address system including: speaker, combine audio+media via sms for evacuation, control station, UPS and amplifiers.

Other unique features of the super imposing edifice are the Led lighting, Touchscreen control KNX occupancy and motion sensors, Digitally addressed lighting interface(DALI), network switch for outdoor lighting motion sensor, Solar fitted nano type facade panel to power facade light at night as well as Perimeter fence light.

Quite expected of a Five Star business environment, the 21 storey smart building makes room for video conferencing, thus putting in place necessary cameras and efficiently managed workstation. With a chiller system of chilled water sensor, infrared toilet system, automated facade sprinklers and cleaner and automated Rain gage.

With Humidity and temperature sensors in all the floors, the smart office complex stamps out itself as truly an intelligence building with no comparison in the south/south region of Nigeria.

Already, Governor Udom Emmanuel has put up Akwa Ibom as first among equal in all sectors such as, Agriculture, Aviation, Healthcare, Education, Human capital development, Power, entrepreneural development and even in the current fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

It is notable that with the very friendly government policies, so many investors have been attracted to Akwa Ibom while some others such as ExxonMobil and Black Rhino have gone ahead to register their intent to share in the opulence of the 21 storey commercial business accommodation.

And so, with a peaceful environment, coupled with warm and friendly people, rich cultural heritage, internationaly acclaimed cuisines, abundant natural endowments and resources, mega projects, including the 21 storey smart building, it can only be concluded that, Akwa Ibom is ready and set to host world businesses.

© Grace Akpan, Ministry of Information, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, May 2020

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BASPHCDA), Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, said on Saturday at least 41 persons had died of Lassa fever in the state.

Mohammed, who disclosed this in a statement in Bauchi, noted that Lassa fever was more deadly than COVID-19.

He added that the fatality figure was recorded from January to date.

The BASPHCDA chief stressed that a COVID-19 infection that was reported early had greater recovery rate.

He said: “We just recorded another two deaths resulting from Lassa fever. This has brought the total number of deaths from the disease to 41.

“Coronavirus has been with us since March 23 this year. However, we have only recorded three deaths as a result of the virus

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he House of Representatives has moved against the position of the 36 state governors to suspend further consideration of the controversial Infectious disease Bill and warned the governors to mind their business and allow the legislators at the national level to carry out its role of making laws for the country without control.

The lawmakers insisted that the public hearing will go on and culminate into the final passage of the Bill with an invitation to the governors to make a presentation during the public hearing Reacting to a communiqué issued by the Governors requesting the national assembly members to discontinue the consideration of the Bill, the legislators warned that the House of Representatives, nay the National Assembly was independent of the control of the governors or any governor for that matter and therefore they should mind their business .

They spoke through Honorable Ben Kalu, House spokesman, pointing that the House of Representatives and indeed the National Assembly are independent of the control of any state governor. This they argued has been a well known the case, except the constitution is about to be changed. “Let it be known that the House of Representatives, and indeed the National Assembly, are independent of the control of any state governor or former Speaker, except if we want to change that now. Even at that, it has to be by a constitutional amendment sponsored by the citizens and not by the personal view of one Governor and former speaker” Kalu said in a statement Reacting to the declaration by the governors to suspend the consideration of the Bill, the lawmakers expressed concern that rather than engage the leadership of the house on the Bill, the Governors relied on their colleague who in the opinion of the lawmakers is partisan and an opposition to the emergence of the current leadership of the House, given his role in the leadership elections in 2015 and 2019 The statement reads in part:

“It has come to the attention of the House of Representatives that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has, through a communiqué at the end of its virtual meeting held on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, asked the House to step down the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020, which public hearing is already scheduled. “In the communiqué, the NGF noted that “Following an update from the Governor of Sokoto State and Vice Chairman of the NGF, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020 introduced by the House of Representatives, Governors raised concern with the lack of consultation with State governments who are at the forefront of the epidemic.

” The House however warned that Bills like the contentious infectious disease proposed piece of legislation does not need the states assemblies and their over-lords governors’ concurrence but as critical stakeholders it is ready to work with the governors or the committee it raised to interface with the House but with a caveat that the membership of the Sokoto Governor be reviewed. “Notwithstanding, the House expresses its readiness to work with the Committee raised by the NGF to meet members of the Green Chamber on the Bill.

The Governors are our critical stakeholders in nation building, and we understand the importance of working with our Governors at critical moments such as this pandemic period.” The House is also concerned that the presence of the Sokoto State Governor in the NGF’s consultative panel may not guarantee a smooth interface, since in his capacity as a former Speaker he could not guide the Forum appropriately on the matter, and he appeared to have already taken a biased position. Thus, the House calls on the NGF to review the membership of the consultative committee so as to achieve the desired objectives with the unbiased members during their engagement with the leadership of the House