The History of Saint Paul’s Catholic Parish Umuodagu Ntu

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Umuodagu Ntu in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area L.G.A is one of the
two parts into which Ntu town is traditionally divided. It is made up
of Umuogba, Umuaku, Umuolokoche, Umuokpo and Umuhoko villages. The
other part of Ntu is known as Umuneche, and is composed of Umuogbo,
Uvuru and Umuhitte village. Umuocham, which is part of Umuneche is
predominantly protestant with very few families of Catholics that
prefer to worship at Umuodagu Ntu. The traditional division of the
town has played a very important role in the sharing of amenities in
the town and also in determination of alliances during politics and
crises. It is interesting to note that the two sides are now two
parishes.

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH:
In
the early twentieth century the people of Umuodagu Ntu were
predominantly idol-worshippers. What was known as Christian Church in
the place came into existence early in 1929. It was called the Delta
Church. Only very few relatively enlightened persons embraced it.

Later in the same year, one Mr. Ukaulor Asonye married from Umuaga
Nguru in Ngor Okpala L.G.A where the Catholic Church was already in
existence. Impressed and enthused with what he saw of the church, he
came home and summoned young men in the village. He explained to them what he saw and sold the idea of establishing the church in Umuaku. He
then led a deputation of young people to Umuaga to request for a
Catholic teacher to establish a station in Umuaku Ntu. The deputation
consisted of Ukaulor Asonye, Obasi Obikaram, Stephen Nwaorgu, all
late. The request was finally granted and one Mr. Micheal Nwagu was
sent as a teacher. He established the Catholic Church at Umuaku Ntu
inside the compound of one Nwaeke Odu. By then the station, like
Umuaga Nguru was under Emekuku Parish. Notable among those who
worshipped there were: Dennis Nwoko, Matthias Obikaram, Christian
Eshie, Joseph Nwaorgu, Livinus Amadi and Innocent Echebiri.

As years progressed teachers were posted and transferred out. However,
they were known as catechetical teachers and they taught catechisms
and prayers only; they were also known as station teachers. The name,
St. Paul, was given to the station right from the onset. It is
pertinent to mention that two Mary League girls of the 1930s and early
forties. Namely Miss Maria Nwaorgu and Bernadette Eletuo. They were
outstanding and exemplary in character.

THE RELOCATION OF THE CHURCH AND THE EARLY CHRISTIANS:
After few years of
existence, the population of worshippers increased and could not be
contained in the little mud house erected in Pa Nwaeke Odu’s premises,
the church was relocated to a site in Umuogba Ntu village which was
central to all the villages of Umuodagu Ntu. The relocation of the
church to a central venue brought about further increase in the
population of worshippers.

Prior to the establishment of Mbutu Okohia Parish in 1942 many of our
early catholic members had been baptized at Emekuku Parish, and a
handful had wedded there. The following were the early faithful who
married in church then: Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Onyeuche (1936), Mr. and
Mrs. Joseph Nwaorgu (1937), Mr. and Mrs. Christian Eshie (1938), Mr.
and Mrs. Silvanus Nwoke, Mr. and Mrs. Matthias Obikaram and Mr. and
Mrs. Livinus Amadi, all late.

Of particular mention among the above named couples was the family of
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Onyeuche. Dennis became the God father of most of
all that married in church after him and the wife, Agnes, became their
God mother. The wife, Agnes, was indeed the spark that kept the
Christian women in motion in church affairs. She gave the women all
the necessary information on what was expected of them, spearheaded
actions and went to the parish centre as often as her strength could
carry her. She liaised between the women members and the station
teachers and even the parish priest. No wonder, she was the daughter
of Chief Gabriel Ekpe, one of the key persons who opened up Mbutu
Okohia Parish.

St. PAUL’S UMUODAGU NTU AS A STATION UNDER MBUTU OKOHIA:
In the year 1942, St.
Paul’s Umuodagu Ntu became a station under Mbutu Okohia Parish, the
very year Mbutu Okohia parish was created. The Parish Priest then was
Rev. Fr. Doyle. The following Irish priests of blessed memory
evangelized the catholic faithful in Mbutu Okohia Parish; Rev. Fr. PJ
Doyle, Rev. Fr. Thompson, Rev. Fr. Shepherd, Rev. Fr. Reynald who died
in a motor cycle accident at Ohekelem, Rev. Fr. Gorman etc. St. Paul’s
Umuodagu remained as station under Mbutu Okohia Paris up to 1963, when
Rev. Fr. Gorman was the parish priest. Later in the early forties, the
station attracted a primary school. Both church and school grew side
by side adopting the same name and operating in the same building
until 1976.

THE CRISES IN NTU TOWN AND ITS IMPACT ON UMUODAGU CATHOLIC CHURCH:
In 1963, an internal crisis broke
out in Ntu and tore the town into its two traditional parts. The
crisis was of such a proportion and seriousness that the church and
schools in Ntu were affected and there was insecurity of life.

The strife rendered impossible, the movement of the faithful from
Umuodagu to Mbutu, Okohia Parish Centre as they had to pass through
Umuneche before getting to Mbutu Okohia. The alternative route to
Mbutu Okohhia which was through Okpala was a long way expensive. The
faithful could not attend sacrament as before and some were in danger
of falling away from the catholic faith. Our people withdrew all their
children who were attending school at Pa Patrick’s Central Ntu which
was located within Umuneche zone.

The above was the situation that impelled the members of St. Paul’s
Umuodagu to request His Lordship Bishop JB Whelan to be allowed to
join Okpala Parish which was safer for the people. The parish priest
at Mbutu Okohia did not take kindly to the request. On 11 April 1964,
the Bishop’s reply was received granting us the request to join Okpala
Parish. The reply came through Rev. Fr. Doheny, the then Parish
Priest/Rector of Okpala Seminary. On the same date, Saturday 11/4/1964
Fr. Doheny held the first confession in Umuodagu Station and on the
following day 12/4/1964 he said Mass and declared Open to join Okpala
Parish. The parishioners hived a sigh of life. Thanks should be given
to the following that fought relentlessly to ensure that separation
from Mbutu Okohia was a success. They are Mr. Paulinus Nwaorgu, late
Mr. Akanabu Augustine, late Mr. Livinus Amadi, late Boniface Agomuo,
late Innocent Echebiri, Mr. Vincent Eletuo and Sir. Bonaventure Okere.
It is now a self-evident truth that tore Ntu town apart, over the
years, has now been resolved and peace restored.

ACQUIRING LAND FOR A CHURCH BUILDING:

Hitherto the church has been worshipping in a mud house, which it
shared with the Holy Rosary School which is located in the same
premises. At this point in time the population of the church has so
increased that the building became so small for the number. In 1974,
the Church acquired a piece of land from late Pa Livinus Amadi and
Bernard Njoku C. from Umulokoche and Umuogba Ntu respectively. On 8
April 1974, work started on the construction of a new church building.
It is the building that is still serving the parish.

The church made tremendous progress under Okpala Parish. The C.M.O and
C.W.O members as well as the youths in the church knew no second
position in any competition in the parish. They were exemplary.
Inspired by the feat so far achieved and the great population some
members of the station started to nurse the idea of a separate parish.

Considering the station as qualified for a parish status, members on 3
February 2001, applied to the Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr.
A.J.V Obinna for separate existence for a parish. The struggle for a
parish was by Mr. Augustine Akanabu, Dr. Titus Okere, late Mr. Patrick
Ikeagwuonu, late Boniface Ihesiolu and some others. To ensure the
success of application, members were asked to start a Rev. Father’s
House which was embarked upon immediately. By then, Rev Fr.Ononiwu the
then Parish Priest of Okpala was directing affairs. On 13 April 2006,
St. Paul’s Umuodagu was granted a Parish Status by the amiable
Archbishop A.J.V Obinna. After date the church still operated under
Okpala Parish until the Rev Fr’s. House was ready. Mr. Michael Anaele
was appointed the Parish Council Chairman.

On 20 February 2007 the church had full autonomy and the first parish
priest Rev. Fr .Bethrand Osinachi Ujunwa arrived. He celebrated a
thanksgiving mass on 21 February 2007. Being Ash Wednesday.On Sunday,
25th February we celebrated a thanksgiving mass and a reception of the
pioneer parish priest. Then Sir Bonaventure Okere was appointed the
parish council chairman and comrade Maria Eke the secretary. The C.W.O
was manned by an indomitable woman, Mr.Anthonia Amadi who with her
then secretary, Mrs. Cecilia Okere saw to the smooth transition from
station to parish.

The first parish priest Rev. Fr. Ujunwa is still with us and is
someone loved by every member of the church,old and young. His
reputation as an ideal and exemplary priest spreads over to our
protestant neigbours, some of who occasionally attends his masses and
come to him for resolution of their problems. Fr.Ujunwa knows every
member of the parish by name. The parish also boasts of an
indefatigable catechist by name Mr. Vincent Eletuo who has been in
that post for decades. He has been the official catechist of St.
Paul’s Catholic Church since the end of the civil war, assisted by Mr.
Augustine Akanabu. Never to be forgotten is Pa Paullinus Nwaorgu, who
has guided the youth right from the forties and early fifties when he
was a student of CKC Onitsha. He has never relented in church affairs
and is presently the parish C.M.O president and parish treasurer.

At is early stage and in its own way, the church contributed in
abolishing the killing of twin babies. It fought and succeeded in
destroying idol worship and converted a number of juju priests to
Christianity. Educationally, the church established St. Paul’s
Catholic School Umuodagu where all the children born in Umuodagu
acquired early education, though the school was later taken over by
the government. The parish, under the present parish priest Rev. Fr.
Bethrand Ujunwa has recently established its own Nursery and Primary
School which will eventually metamorphose into a bigger institution.
Importantly, the church through the current parish priest has been at
the forefront in restoring peace among some families’ members and
villages. Worthy of mention and a case in point was the role played by
Rev. Fr.Thomas Agaziem and Rev. Fr. Bethrand Ujunwa in the case that
tore Umuaku Ntu Village apart. The church in the recent past, gave
thousands of naira to support the less privileged to enable them set
up small scale business. It is has become a tradition of the church to
take care of the indigent as it provides bags of rice, rappers and
cash at end of every year especially during festive periods. The above
philanthropic gestures and assistance to the indigent was made
possible by friends of Rev. Fr. Bethrand Ujunwa; prominent among is
Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Agbachi owners of A.O.EMMACO GLOBAL (NIG.) Ltd.

Given the remarkable contributions of the church in the areas of
civilization, conflict and dispute resolution, education of children,
abolishment of the killing of twins, conversion of idol worshippers to
Christians, assistance to the less privilege among others, the sky is
not only St. Paul’s Catholic Parish Umuodagu Ntu ‘s limit but its
starting point. To God is the glory.

Produced by the elders of the church; assisted by the Parish Priest.

Tragedy, Father, Two Sons Drown In Mystery Lake

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*priests say prayers against unnatural occurrences

From Chuks Collins, Awka

It was a very sad situation for the family of the Okoyes of Irefi village, Oraifite in Ekwusigo council of Anambra state when their father and breadwinner, Mr Augustine Okoye drowned in the local Omelu Lake in the neighbourhood along with two of his sons.

The incident which occurred on the Dec 28, 2011 almost marred the community’s mass-return activities and prayer rally scheduled for Dec 30.

The late Okoye was said to have gone to the lake as he must have routinely done all his life to do some laundry for his family alongside his two sons-Chibueze, an Junior Secondary school 3(JS3) student and Chinemerem, also a Junior Secondary school 1(JS1) student.

His wife and the other children stayed back at home to prepare breakfast and to tidy up the premises. It was while Okoye and Chibueze washed the clothes that Chinemerem strayed into the deeper part of the water and got swept off. An attempt to rescue him by his elder brother unfortunately didn’t work out as both of the got stuck, more so when the younger one held tightly unto him in addition to his seeming resolve not to let his brother go.

Their father on seeing the unfolding incident reportedly quickly dived in by ended up being stuck also. Their mysterious disappearance was not immediately known until late in the day when the family reported to the village head and the local vigilante.

More so, barely anyone fetches water from the lake now as boreholes were sunk in most homes. So a search party was dispatched which turned in no tangible report, except that their items-fetching buckets and clothes were seen littered all over the bank of the lake.

According to a community leader and former chairman of Nnewi North Council, Chief Azuka Okwuosa who confirmed the sad incident, “such thing has never happened in the community before. Though the lake was regarded as mysterious, but it had never drowned anyone from the community. This is sad, it’s unusual”, he stressed

One of the local divers who teamed up with some divers that were eventually brought in from Onitsha the next day, Dec 29, said they were able to recover the corpses after some rituals and rites were performed in the lake.

According to the man who gave his name simply as Chiedu, “it was amazing that even after being inside the water for more than 24 hours none of the victims’ stomach got swollen from water intake. They were all extracted from one particular hole inside the water”.

At the prayer rally held as part of the community mass-return activities, Venerable Okwuosa who flew in from London for the event prayed fervently against futher negative occurrences.

Uduaghan Signs N437billion Budget Into Law

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Dedicates Appeal Court Victory to Deltans

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan hassigned the 2012 appropriation bill of 437 billion naira into law andpromised to pay special and prompt attention to the Transport,Education  and power sectors.

Dr. Uduaghan  who signed the budget in  Asabasaid  the transport sector would enjoy prompt attention to cushionthe effect of  fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

He said his administration has already takendelivery of over 200 buses and was expected to receive more by April thisyear.

His words “We are paying special attention tothe transport sector because we are providing palliatives to reduce thehardship the removal of fuel subsidy would cause the people”.

The governor said the energy sector would enjoyspecial funding so that there would be uninterrupted supply of electricity andreduction on the use of generators.

Dr. Uduaghan explained that the state governmentwould take delivery of 300 transformers in a few months time and promised toinstall them to increase electricity supply.  “We are expecting about 300 transformers andwe hope to use them to boost electricity supply. Once this is done, people willreduce the use of generators and consequently fuel,” he said.

He assured Deltans that his administration woulddo better this year and accelerate infrastructural development so that peoplewould enjoy more dividends of democracy.

He therefore called on Deltans to support hisadministration and provide useful and constructive criticism ratherthan destructive and injurious ones.

“My administration welcomes constructivecriticism and not destructive ones. We need constructive criticism from theopposition and all other camps but not the criticisms that  willdistract us and lead to the distraction of the state. We are focused andneed positive advise,” Governor Uduaghan said.

 

 

The governor who said that his election victoryat the court of appeal Benin City would spur him to greater achievementsenjoined Deltans to trust him.

Dr. Uduaghan described the victory as victoryfor the people, for democracy and for development. “This victory is for all our people for the truth and for makingthe votes count,” he said.

The governor who commended the state House ofAssembly for promptly passing the appropriation bill described it as a recordin the history of the state.

Dr. Uduaghan promised to work harmoniously withthe House to enable it make good laws that would improve the living standard ofthe people.

Presenting the bill to the governor the Speakerof the state House of Assembly Engr. Victor Ochie said the House decidedto make a difference and pass the bill in a record time.

Engr. Ochie promised to continue to keep to thetrend   over future bills.

Oil Subsidy: Ohaneze Bows to Jonathan, Okonjo and others

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The Ohaneze Ndigbo Nigeria on Thursday January 5th 2012 rose from a meeting of its Youth Wing in Enugu, the capital of Enugu State following deliberation on the State of the Igbo indigene resident in Nigeria [Ohaneze claims to be the apex Igbo organization in Nigeria]. As 247ureports.com gathered, the said meeting, which saw the attendance of the entire State Chairmen from across the Nation, sanctioned against the deliberation on the resultant effects of the shocking hike in petrol prices.

Aggrieved sources within ruling council of Ohaneze disclosed that the Chairman of Ohaneze, Uwechue, had issued a directive to the executive council of the Ohaneze to remain silent on the supposed oil subsidy removal. It is understood that the Chairman of the Ohaneze enjoys a cozy relationship with the President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan. For this reason, the source explained that the group has chosen to direct their efforts to addressing the menace of the Boko Haram rather than oil subsidy.

One of the State Chairmen representing Ndigbo resident in one of the northern states espoused that the ruling council of the Ohaneze has lost teeth and has longed been sedated by her blind support for the Jonathan administration. The State chairman expressed gross disappointment in the Chairman’s silence over the hardships imposed by the Jonathan administration on the people of Nigeria.

247ureports.com made efforts at reaching the National Chairman of Ohaneze. Several calls were placed to his MTN line [0803 310 8763]. One of the calls placed at 8:09am on January 6, 2012 was answered by a voice claiming to be his aide – who indicated that the Chairman was still asleep- and so could not answer the call.

At 9:15am another call was placed and the ‘aide’ answered again. This time he stated that the Chairman was taking his bath and would return our call later.  But when the aide was asked why the Chairman gave the Ohaneze ruling council a directive to stay mute on the issue of oil subsidy, he retorted that the Chairman “was not even in the Enugu meeting. He is not even in Abuja or Enugu”.  This he stated without denying the allegation.  The Chairman did not return our call or answer his phone as at 12:30pm.

Allegations are that the Chairman of Ohaneze bowed to the candidacy of the then presidential candidate of Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan in return for monetary rewards and some input into contract awards.  Knowledgeable observers of Ohaneze’s activities point to the sedated nature of the group towards to the present administration as indicative of his inability to mount a critical response to the Nigerian federal government.  They cite the contrast in the group’s sturdy utterances against the bombings and killings by Boko Haram and that of the 100+% over night increase in the price of petrol from N65 per liter to N140 per liter – as a testament against the group’s integrity.

Apologists for the Chairman discard the allegation against the Chairman stating that the chairman has no business reacting publicly to the fuel price hike – that the threat of Boko Haram is more important to the group. And that the Chairman has made public the group’s stance on Boko Haram without being critical of the federal government. They added that Ohaneze’s scope of activity does not cover oil subsidy removal.

The Ohaneze is scheduled for a general meeting at the home of the Chairman of Ohaneze in Delta State on January 16, 2012.

Stay tuned.

Oil Subsidy: Protest Within Jonathan’s Cabinet

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Information available to 247ureports.com through sources housed in Abuja indicates the President’s executive cabinet may have been unsettled by the sudden hike in petrol prices by the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan through an announcement made on the first day of January 2012.

“There is a split within the President’s executive cabinet” stated an authoritative source. A majority of the cabinet members are uneasy over Jonathan’s management of the internal affairs of the Cabinet . Top on the list is the sectionalization of the cabinet team by the President. Information points to Jonathan’s blind embrace of three cabinet members [Okonjo Iweala, Allison Madueke, and Maduakwe] as the principal factor causing the split.

The Presidency had turned its powers  to the trio – thus disabling the President into following the dictates of the trio.

Some of the other cabinet members are understood to be unhappy – and have begun ‘talking’ among themselves. Many within the cabinet have complained of not being carried along in the deliberation of policy matters.

On the heels of a fledgling loyalty within the cabinet – the sudden hike in petrol prices – which many within the cabinet were not in-the-know prior to the announcement, precipitated “a protest” within the Jonathan cabinet.

Our sources state that the Attorney General of the Federation, Adoke [SAN] as amongst the aggrieved cabinet members. He recently told our source that “he is not in support of the sudden hike in fuel prices” implying that he may resign if Jonathan decides to stay the course. Other cabinet members have also expressed their displeasure.

A segment of the cabinet are also aggrieved by the rush to set a board to handle the re-investment of the monies to be made from the hike in fuel prices. Ihe two board was set up without consultation with the cabinet members.

The Federal Executive Council [FEC] meeting presided over by President Jonathan today saw glimpses of the unsettled nature of the assembled group. The meeting was a sobering one, according to our source. The members did not talk much but listened to the President as he reeled out palliative measures to placate the Nigerian masses against sudden increase in prices.

Stay tuned

Sudan shuts third newspaper in media crackdown

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Sudanese security officials on Sunday evening confiscated Monday copies of Rai Al Shab,the third newspaper to be suspended in recent months by the government.

Rai Al Shab (The People’s Opinion) is published by the Popular Congress Party (PCP), one of Sudan’s largest opposition parties.

Known for its outspoken editorials and uncompromising journalism, the newspaper has been suspended many times in recent years, most recently from May 2010 to October 2011.

The  pro-government Sudanese Media Center (SMC) quoted the head of the Media Department at the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) saying  that the newspaper violated Sudan’s “professional and ethical standards,”

The NISS has many journalists last year including nine working with Radio Darfur. Also arrested was Abu Zar Al Ameen, the deputy editor-in-chief of Rai AlShab, who was released after more than a year in detention. The cases provoked an international outcry.

“The officers came to the our premises after 5 pm and they occupied the place; the editor-in-chief asked us to gather our personal belongings and leave,” said Mustafa Ibrahim, one of the journalists working at Rai Al Shab.

Trial

Ibrahim added that at least 15,000 copies of the newspaper were confiscated on Sunday night. In recent months, copies of independent newspapers have been confiscated in an attempt to harm the newspapers that depend on sales since many opposition newspaper struggle to get advertisements.

Last week, a journalist working at the newspaper was called for interrogation at the National Press and Publications Council following two news pieces he published, in November and December respectively.

Abia State: Youths Battle Rep Member, Soldiers

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Nkeiruka_Onyejeoch

Still smarting from a certificate scandal, the House of Representative member for Isiukwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejiocha is in the news again.

Apparently, Onyejiocha has been in the news in recent times for all the wrong reasons and this time around the people of Isuochi have accused her of masterminding the attempt by armed soldiers to disrupt an annual soccer fiesta in the community simply because it was sponsored by her perceived arch-rival during the 2011 general elections, Chris Odinaka Igwe.

 

The Chris Odinaka Igwe Football Tournament for Umunneochi Youths is an annual soccer fiesta that is designed to unite kinsmen during the yuletide and help channel the energy of youths towards productive ventures.

With the trophy worth N1m; with added incentives of N50,000 each for every participating community and overseas soccer trials for the Most Valuable Player, community sources told correspondent that the tournament over time has become the centre of activities during the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the area.

 

However, what transpired last Thursday at the football field of Peace Comprehensive Secondary School , Amuda Isuochi, venue of the tournament reflects the extent politicians could go to demean and discredit their perceived rivals.

 

Between the hours of 3.30pm and 4pm on Thursday, the 29th of December, 2011; while youths of Ngodo and Amuda villages in Isuochi were getting set to engage themselves in a soccer duel, five truck loads of fully armed, combat-ready soldiers stormed the venue of the tournament in commando style and set about flogging and dispersing members of the community with reckless impunity.

 

The crowd of villagers who had gathered to watch the football match were forced to flee the match ground.

 

The villagers however gathered from the soldiers that their representative at the lower chambers of the National Assembly, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha had mobilized the soldiers to disperse the villagers who had gathered in their hundreds to watch the annual soccer tournament, on the ground that Mrs. Onyejiocha had bought the land around the secondary school including the soccer pitch.

 

The said claim by Onyejiocha infuriated the youths who regrouped and resisted the soldiers daring them to shoot with such chants as: ‘Kill us for playing football if you can’, ‘Onyejiocha and her likes cannot stop this tournament’, ‘Has football become politics’.

 

The agitations continued, attracting hundreds of youths until the incident turned into a full-blown protest.

To press home their grievances, the youths stormed the roads barricading the major roads, disrupting traffic flow, turning back vehicles that bore government or political inscriptions and even blocking off the exit of the soldiers who watched helplessly as the incident careened out of control.

 

According to some of the leaders of the irate youths who spoke to our correspondent, they heaped all the blame for the military action against Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha.

 

Angry and clutching a palm frond, Udoka Ekenasi who said he hailed from Amuda, Isuochi fumed: “She could not even restrain her desperation to undo Chris Odinaka Igwe whom she robbed of his mandate in the last election in spite of the fact that her own kinsmen of Ngodo, Isuochi were scheduled to play today. Why is she threatened by Igwe’s rising profile in the community? She tried and failed to prevail on her Ngodo kinsmen to boycott the competition, now she thinks soldiers would do it for her. This is our land and we would happily die here rather than allow her to abort the goodwill we share through this annual competition. You can go and tell Onyejiocha, this competition must continue.”

 

Victor Igwe, a member of the community and brother to the sponsor of the tournament also bared his mind. Said he, “The memories of the last election are still fresh in our mind and we do not want to lose any more lives. If Onyejiocha truly bought a land from the church, she should be able to sort it out with the church and in doing that, there should be no need for brute force but dialogue. Most importantly, it is a civil matter and the military has no business wading into civil disputes. We just want peace to reign in our land.”

 

Efforts to get reactions from Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha proved abortive as she did not take calls put through to her mobile phone. A text message also sent to her mobile by our reporter was not replied.

 

On the issue of land ownership, Pastor Emeka Onwuazombe, the District Minister of the United Church of Christ (UCC), owners of the Peace Comprehensive Secondary School where the tournament holds annually said the church is not aware of any sales transaction of land with Mrs. Onyejiocha. He recalled that a former minister of the church who was sacked for misconduct had a private arrangement with Onyejiocha to the effect of leasing the school land to Onyejiocha for five years.

According to Pastor Emeka Onwuazombe, “The deal between the two was not with the consent, knowledge or approval of the church and no payment whatsoever was made to the church. Think of it, our host community gave us the land for free in which we built the church and the school, how can we sell the land. So it is unthinkable for us to sell a land freely given to us by our host community without their consent.”

 

On the other hand, the Army Commander in charge of the area, General Audu regretted the action of the soldiers, noting that soldiers have no business in civil disputes. The General hinted that he has received information of the incident though no official complaint has been lodged against the said soldiers. He however assured that necessary machinery has already been put in place to unravel the soldiers involved in the act adding that appropriate measures would be taken against any soldier found culpable.

 

Also commenting on the development, a human right activist, Dr. Jude Ohanele of Development Dynamics condemned in very strong terms the action of the soldiers advocating for punitive measures to serve as a deterrent for other soldiers that may find it pleasurable to delve into political adventurism.

 

Hear him: “If indeed, Nigerian soldiers allowed themselves to be dragged into civil matters as land disputes, it simply points to the level of idleness, indolence and lack of professionalism on the part of the Nigerian Army. It is a shame that while Nigerians cry out against the rising insecurity in the land to which the security agencies seem clueless, that five truck-loads of soldiers could afford the time of day to attack and intimidate unarmed, harmless, law abiding villagers over unfounded civil claims.”

Anambra: Mixed Reactions Trail Subsidy Removal

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From Chuks Collins, Awka

Mixed reactions have continued to trail the new price regime in the oil sector which came into effect on New Year’s Day, in major cities in Anambra state.

 

Chief Morris Ebo, the National President of the Fish Farm Estate Developers Association who threw the support of his organization to the new federal government policy wondered why Nigerians always like fighting themselves on new policies irrespective of how well-meaning the intentions were.

 

According to him, “the subsidy removal will change the lives of an average Nigerian citizen for the better. It will mark the beginning of financial wisdom for the nation.”He noted that all the organs of government that manages its information and publicity should immediately go to work to create enough grassroots awareness. This would enable and prepare Nigerians to adjust themselves to the initial ripples of the effect of the new policy.

 

He also want the government to come open with the people all the short term projections of the gains of the subsidy removal, including job creations from more refineries to be built and licensed and so on.  How the new open market would benefit all in the long run. He strongly believes that the pump price of products would eventually be determined by the market forces based on demand and supply. Whereas the present high prices of N150 and above might end up not being tenable after all due to market forces just like the GSC communication sector.

 

He therefore urged Nigerians to allow President Goodluck Jonathan and his Economic Team to bring out more information on how the proceeds from the subsidy would be adjusted to the salaries of civil servants and the common man on the street.

 

He lamented that a lot of damage could have been done in the strike action already declared by the labour before the government effect a one-on-one discussion on it for clarification.

Fr Martin Onukwuba, who is the coordinator of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, said “as far as I know every government has to subsidize something. United States of America pours money into motor manufacturing while European countries have areas they subsidize too. So if the FG removes the oil subsidy what other area again would he subsidize in? Mr President has lived in Nigeria all these years and has seen the plight of the people. He knows what we know. We do not want to regret voting for his emergence”.

 

The national coordinator of the National Association on Women and Gender and Education (NAWOPEG), Grace Nnadozie said her group’s apprehension was on the government’s sincerity on what it intends to do with the proceeds of the deregulation. She said it would have been better carried out when all the existing refineries in the country have been put to optimal uses, and all avenues of leakages in the sector tackled.

 

Okey Onyeka of the Civil Rights Concern described the future as gloomy for the nation as it’s not only through excruciating pains for the masses that the Rev government makes money.

419 Land Scammers Bags 7yrs In Prison

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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced Abdulkadir Ntiem who was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to seven years imprisonment for defrauding one Mark Anthony Ugochukwu to the tune of N4.5 million (four million, five hundred thousand naira). Ntiem was arraigned on March 2, 2011, with a five count charge before Justice Balkisu Bello Aliyu.
According to the prosecution counsel, Fatsuma Mohammed, Ntiem’s ordeal followed a petition to the EFCC by Ugochukwu where he alleged that Ntiem told him he has a land at plot 1127B11 located at Kaura District, Abuja for sale.
Ntiem told Ugochukwu that he was working with the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA. He produced his supposed FCDA identification card and even took him to FCDA where he showed him a table which he claimed was his. It was after all these that he offered Ugochukwu a forged statutory offer letter. Convinced that Ntiem was a staff of the FCDA,  Ugochukwu started paying the agreed sum of N8 million for the land.
Ugochukwu gave Ntiem, the sum of N5.5 million as advance payment but at the end of the day, he neither saw the land nor was he refunded his money. All efforts to reach Ntiem on phone proved abortive as his GSM lines were also switched off.
In the course of investigation, the EFCC sought from Abuja Geographical Information Service, AGIS, and FCDA authorities the staff status of Ntiem, but both agencies denied having him as a staff.
The accused had told the court that the offer letter he gave to the complainant was not forged and that the land existed. “It was the surveyor who identify the land using a G.P.S which is an instrument used by surveyors to locate particular area of land. I got the plot No. 1127 at Kaura District. We agreed on N8 million as the cost of the plot”, he told the court during cross examination. He however admitted that he collected the sum of N4.5 from the complainant.
After listening to the prosecution and the defence counsel, the judge ruled that it was her view that the prosecution has proved the case of obtaining by false pretence the sum of N4.5 million against the accused person, purporting to be part payment for the purchase of a parcel of land within Kaura District in Abuja which the accused knew is false; contrary to Section 1 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Related Offences Act 2006 punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The Judge said that Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act has provided for the minimum sentence of seven years without an option of fine. “Though I have considered the plea of counsel to the accused, by those provisions I cannot give lesser than seven years. Therefore, the convict is sentenced to seven years imprisonment for offence of obtaining money by false pretense contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Offences Act 2006”. The term of imprisonment will however commence from March 29, 2011 when accused was first remanded in prison custody.“I hope the accused will learn from this experience and find a legal means of subsistence instead of crime of deceit”. 
The judge also ordered the convict to pay Mark Anthony Ugochukwu the sum of N4. 5 million (Four Million Five hundred thousand naira) which is the proceed of the crime.
Wilson Uwujaren Ag. Head, Media & Publicity 4th January, 2012

Petitioners in dilemma as Appeal court president, judges frustrate cases

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By Our Reporter

 

Barely five days for all the 2011 election cases pending at the Court of Appeal, Benin city, Edo state to elapse, petitioners of such cases, their political parties and supporters who besieged the court this morning have accused the Appeal court President Justice Dalhatu Adamu and judges of frustrating the cases before them.

 

The appeal cases filed by candidates of states and National Assemblies after the lower tribunal had struck out the cases and by the electoral law; the cases will elapse on January, 9th, 2012 having completed its 180 days as stipulated by the law.

 

At the court of appeal, Benin City, this morning, petitioners with their political parties and supporters who stormed the court were today disappointed again when they were told the court is billed to hear only the governorship case and every pending states and National Assemblies cases billed for today, January, 4th, 2012 would not be held due to the inability of the Appeal court President to constitute a new panel to hearing the petitions.

 

It was reliably gathered that after the removal of the former panel led by Justice R. C Agbo, the President has deliberately refused to constitute another panel for the court of Appeal sitting in Benin City.

 

Following this tactics, impeccable court sources confided in this reporter in Benin that several cases elapsed today because there was no panel to hear the pending appeal cases before the court.

 

Some petitioners and political parties’ faithful who spoke under anonymity at the court accused the judiciary hierarchy of playing a script written by the ruling party to the detriment of the petitioners. “The Judiciary hierarchy is denying us justice and they are playing a script by the ruling party. We are therefore calling on the Appeal court President to as a matter of importance follow the path of justice and honour to constitute the panel and hear all the pending cases for the interest of peace and justice before they elapse on the 9th, January, 2012. By this action, the Appeal court President is sending a wrong signal to Nigerians.”

 

Investigations revealed that this is the sixth times the pending cases have suffered a serious setback following the matter and way they are been put off thereby creating the atmosphere for expiration of such cases.

 

In a press statement issued at the court premises in Benin a group which called it name as “Vanguard for Good Governance” signed by the national President, Comrade Obioma Clement and Secretary General, Comrade Ahmed Danjuma Ahmed and made available to newsmen expressed disappointment over what they called deliberate attempt by the Appeal Court President to deny the petitioners justice and their rights to fair hearing.

 

While accusing the President of playing pranks, the group urged him to as a matter of urgent and importance constitute the panel for the pending cases to be held. “If nothing is done, then what we are suspecting and been rumoured about the Court president, will be considered to be nothing but the whole the truth. Constitutionally every Nigerians have rights to fair hearing and justice but when this is been threatened then so many waters must have passed under the bridge. By January 9th, 2012 all the pending cases must have elapsed so; we are calling for the immediate constitution of the panel now and let all the cases be tried once and for all.”

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