Innocent Ojefia Blog

I do not know the author, but it makes common sense. "There are times I can't seem to shut these talks up. Moslems are trying to Islamize Nigeria because Christians are not Christianising Nigeria. How did the white man evangelise Nigeria through the CMS, RCM, SIM, Methodist, Baptist and other agencies? By building schools and hospitals and offering their services at subsidized rates. Some years ago, my mother needed eye surgery to remove a cataract. We brought her to Lagos and were informed by a consultant at Nigerian Ports Authority Clinic that the best eye hospital in Nigeria is the ECWA Missionary Eye Hospital in Kano. I took my mum there and met with highly qualified expatriates working right in the heart of Kano. The Chief Medical Director, Dr. Kiru had more degrees than a thermometer, the equipment was the best available in the country; despite the hustle and bustle of the city, the atmosphere within the hospital premises was serene. A female, German sur...

Fellow Nigerians, I’m sure you’ll agree with me that this is a season of acute paranoia and schizophrenia in our dear beloved country. But we must not give up. We have more to gain in an atmosphere of peace and unity and more to lose in a condition of war and lawlessness . The past few weeks have brought out the  bitterness  and abject bigotry in some of us. I once read somewhere that “anger beclouds reasoning.” Seriously, nothing could be truer. I’m happy that a few  bold  and courageous Nigerians have risen up to the occasion in an effort to avert the cataclysmic fall and demise of the great country called Nigeria. Some great writings have since emerged from Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in other African  countries . Before I go on, I must  pause  to salute a great leader, visionary and lover of dialogue and peace. I am talking of none other than Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who has tirelessly engaged Nig...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele and others have identified Micro, Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) as the fastest way for Nigeria’s economic growth. While identifying MSMEs as great employers of labour, they observed that investing in such would not only boost Nigeria’s economy but, will ensure speedy technological development of the country. Their positions were made known Saturday at the maiden edition of Ika Economic and Investment Summit organised by the Ika Village Square at Agbor. The summit had as its theme, “exploiting the economic potentials of Ika nation through strategic partnership.” “As it concerns MSMEs, we have done a lot to encourage our people to be entrepreneurs but, a lot more needs to be done; a lot of our people are not knowledgeable enough and as such, they make a lot of mistakes, we are not only training our people to acquire skills as government but, we a...

La Palombara and Weiner put forward a functionalist characterization and asserted that in whatever type of political society a political party is found, it appears to perform some common functions: it is expected to organize public opinion and also to communicate demands to the centre of government power and decision making; it must articulate to its members the concept and meaning of the broader community; and the party is constantly intimately involved in political recruitment.   The party system in Nigeria is far short off the mark from the above outlined common functions that party perform in a thoroughgoing political society. Unlike the first and second republics, even the ruling All Progressive Congress is not to convincingly a functional political party in terms of mobilizing and aggregating the interest of the citizens. Instead of harnessing its much-vaunted strength, the APC shows a lot of weakness, even in its South-West strongholds. The APC is an amalgamation...

A Mammoth crowd of supporters and members of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, today, came out en-masse to witness the Delta central mega rally at the Sapele township stadium. The Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowaw was accompanied by other top government and party functionaries to grace the occasion, which witnessed massive decamping from the APC. Some of the decampees include Chief Paulinus Akpeki,  the Ugo of Okpe Kingdom, Honourable Evance Ivwurie   , Hon Uviejitobor Peter, House of Assembly Members and other leading APC chieftains, including thousands of their supporters. The highlight of the occasion was the endorsement of Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for second term by the good people and members of PDP Delta Central Senatorial district. Speaking at the occasion, Governor Okowa noted that it is time to begin to prepare for the local government elections.

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has called for urgent actions to sa ve Nigerian youths from the adverse effects of cultism and drug abuse. The Governor made the call in Asaba when he received on courtesy visit, the Chairman, Delta State Chapter of the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Kenneth Okorie, and members of the executive committee. According to the Governor, “there has been a lot of cultism and the use of drugs and it is ravaging our youths, wherever we find ourselves, we should kick against it (cultism and drug abuse).” “Cultism has become active even in secondary schools and outside the walls of our schools, we need to carry out advocacy among our youths, so that we begin to rethink these ills, we cannot destroy ourselves, we need to reach out to the youths early enough so as to save them from self-destruction,” the Governor emphasised. While disclosing that his administration through the Directorate of Orientation was curr...

Out of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Igbo have by far the worst politicians. Among the different ethnic groups in Nigeria, the Igbo are without a doubt, one of the most remarkable. So remarkable, indeed, that some have even traced their ancestry to biblical Israel, as the far-flung descendants of Jacob, the Jewish patriarch. ADVERTISING Gad, Jacob’s seventh son, is said to have had three sons who settled in South-eastern Nigeria. These sons; Eri, Arodi and Areli, are believed to have fathered clans in Igbo-land and to have founded such Igbo towns as Aguleri, Arochukwu, Owerri and Umuleri. Even the bitterest adversaries of the Igbo cannot but admit that, as a people, they are very resourceful and ingenious. Indeed, this has often been the cause of their envy and dislike by others. However, more enlightened non-Igbo Nigerians see this as a cause for celebration. While today, the centre-point of Nigeria’s manufacturing is situated in the Lagos/Ogun axis, there is no...

The meeting of Governors elected on the platform of the PDP ended yesterday at the house of Ekiti state Governor, Chief Ayodele Fayose in Abuja, Nigeria. In attendance were: Chief Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, Gombe, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta, the Deputy Governor of Rivers state and Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State. The meeting also had Professor Jerry Gana, former Governor of Abia state, Chief T. A. Orji, former Governor of Imo State, Mr. Achike Udenwa, former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina and Hajiya Inna Ciroma, other members of the National Assembly and some Party stalwarts. Speaking on behalf of the Governors, Chief Fayose, the Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, informed the media that the essence of the meeting was to assure Party members across the country that the PDP is one and united. He was hopeful that the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment will further unite the Party. ...

A member of the moribund Board of Trustees BOT of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Sir Olisaemeka Akamukalem is dead. Akamukalem, who hailed from Delta state died on Tuesday in Gwarinpa, Abuja after a torrential rainfall which swept his car. He was aged 57. Eye-witnesses said they watched helplessly as the flood swept the party chieftain and his car to their end. In the meantime, APC said it received the news of the death of one of its  “respected leaders, Sir Olisaemeka Akamukali with shock”. In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, APC recalled that the late Akamukali was the former National Chairman of the Democratic Peoples’Party (DPP) that merged with others to form the APC in 2013. He had also served as the first Assistant National Secretary of the All Peoples Party (APP). “He was the Director-General of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Campaign for President and thereafter served a...

It is important to make it clear that the Federal Government has not disbursed N27billion to Delta State as Paris Fund Club Loan Refund. The level of lies, deceit and negative propaganda by the Federal Government has reached an embarrassing level with this fake information. The Federal Government should publish the account where it paid N27billion in respect of the Paris Club Loan Refund due to Delta State. The Federal Government released N14billion as Paris Club Loan Refund to Delta State. It should be noted that the Federal Government deliberately short-changed Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta States by ignoring the original approved payment plan. Since last week the federal government has been bandying figures on the pages of newspapers and online that Delta State received the refund of the Paris Club to the tune of N27billion.  It must be categorically stated that, that is not correct. The President approved that every State and local governm...

What did he expect Jonathan to have done, do what Buhari is doing by the lopsided appointments? This is what is killing Nigeria.  Perhaps  Amaechi had expected Jonathan to have appoint more Igbos to office than he did to have made Igbos feel the kind of impact being talked about – what an arrant  fall guy . Amechi's comment is uncalled for and patently disrespectful to former president Jonathan . Chibuike Amechi’s politics is perplexing because he does not apply tact into it, he just practices raw politics which does not make a statesman. only lasts not long for a political career. Amaechi's success in politics so far has been due to the grace of God and godfather-ism (of Odili); the later give him the foothold that has carried him so far.  Chibuike Amaechi could be president of Nigeria if he would refine his political operational method. To start with, he should be less vindictive, less combative, and not too direct. He should learn to use metaphors ...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said his administration will continue to patronize contractors that has track records of delivering quality projects. The Governor gave the assurance today during the commissioning of Okpe-Olomu/Umolo road, in Ughelli South local government area of the state. Governor Okowa accompanied by his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, top government o fficials and political office holders also, carried out inspection and commissioned roads in Ughelli South and Uvwie local government areas of the state. Some of the projects commissioned or inspected by the Governor and his team include, Ewu-Orere road, Ovwor/Effurun-Otor bridge, Rehabilitation of Ekakpamre/Ekrokpe/Usiefurun road, construction of Ugbomro road and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources junction, Osubi Airport road dualization project, and commissioning of Obodo Avenue, Shaguolo area, off Refinery and Petrochemical Company, Ekpan. "I am impressed with the...