₦airaland Forum

PROFESSOR PAT UTOMI AT 70: A LIFE THAT CHOSE MEANING OVER COMFORT

There are people whose birthdays invite applause. And there are people whose birthdays invite reflection.

As Professor Patrick Utomi turns 70, I find myself doing more of the latter.

I am thinking about conversations. About books that arrived at the right moment. About public stands that required uncommon courage. About private encouragement that never made the news. About a life that consistently chose meaning over comfort, conscience over convenience, and purpose over popularity.

Professor, your 70th birthday is not just a personal milestone. It is a national moment.

Because for over four decades, you have insisted, and persistently, that Nigeria can be better, and that those who know better must live better.

Long before I ever met you, I encountered you through your ideas. In boardrooms and classrooms, in late-night reading and early-morning reflection, your voice was already present. You taught many of us, without even knowing us, that leadership is first a moral responsibility before it is a professional achievement.

You showed us that profit without principle is poverty in disguise. That growth without values is hollow. That success without service is incomplete. Those lessons stayed.

And when life later gave me the privilege of getting to know you better, I discovered that the man behind the message was even stronger than the message itself. Thoughtful. Disciplined. Gentle in manner, firm in conviction. Measured in tone, rigorous in thought, yet never hesitant to speak truth when it mattered.

What has always distinguished you, Professor, is not just intelligence, but courage. The courage to enter uncomfortable spaces. The courage to challenge powerful interests. The courage to refuse easy applause. The courage to remain intellectually honest in seasons when compromise was fashionable.

In politics, you do not arrive as a seeker of power. You arrived as a servant of ideas. You brought substance into spaces addicted to spectacle. You offered depth where noise was easier to handle.

You modelled a politics anchored in policy, ethics, and human dignity. Even when outcomes were uncertain, you never abandoned standards. Even when the road was lonely, you never abandoned conviction.

That consistency has been your signature.

As a mentor, you have shaped more lives than statistics can capture. You never imposed yourself. You never manufactured loyalty. You lived in a way that made people want to rise higher.

Your counsel has often been simple, but never shallow. Your encouragement has been firm, but never flattering. You have taught many of us that leadership is not about being admired. It is about being accountable.

Through the Centre for Values in Leadership, through your writings, through public engagement, through private mentorship, you have built institutions, and in the process, you built something more enduring. You have built conscience.

You have built a community of men and women who think before they act, who question before they follow, who serve before they demand.

At 70, Professor, you are not slowing down. You are deepening. Your voice remains relevant. Your perspective remains necessary. Your faith in Nigeria, even when tested, remains intact.

Your faith in Nigeria has sustained many of us. It reminds us that cynicism is easy, but hope is courageous. That criticism is cheap, but construction is costly. That complaining is typical, but nation-building is rare.

Your life stands as evidence that ideas, when carried with integrity and persistence, eventually outlive opposition.

Personally, I am grateful.
Grateful for your friendship.
Grateful for your example.
Grateful for the moral companionship you have offered on this challenging journey of leadership and service.

You have reminded me, and many others, that it is possible to be ambitious without being selfish, visible without being vain, and influential without being compromised.

As you enter this new decade, my prayer is that God will strengthen your body, sharpen your mind, deepen your joy, and extend your reach. That your remaining years will be marked not by fruitfulness, but by greater impact.

Thank you, Professor, for choosing the more challenging road.
Thank you for choosing depth over drama.
Thank you for choosing truth over trends.
Thank you for choosing Nigeria, again and again.

Seventy years well lived.
A legacy still unfolding.
A conscience still speaking.

Happy Birthday, Sir.

With profound respect,

Valentine Ozigbo

Real-Time Transmission Is Not the Question; Electoral Credibility Is

By Chinedu Anselem Nebeife -- Ikenga Agunkwo

Nigeria’s electoral reform conversation has once again circled back to a familiar fault line; whether polling unit results should be transmitted electronically in real time as a mandatory statutory requirement.

The recent decision of the Senate to reject a clause that would have made real-time transmission compulsory has triggered predictable outrage. To some, it is evidence of elite reluctance to fully embrace transparency. And to others, it is merely a practical acknowledgement of Nigeria’s technological limitations.

Both readings, however, miss the deeper issue.

The true question before us is not whether results are uploaded in seconds or minutes. It is whether our electoral architecture inspires trust, withstands litigation, and functions reliably across 176,000 polling units in real-world Nigerian conditions.

Technology, by itself, does not create credibility; systems do. And systems fail when law outruns capacity.

There is a temptation in reform cycles to convert every desirable improvement into a legal obligation. It feels decisive. It signals progress. It satisfies public impatience.

But elections are not software demos. They are massive national operations conducted across creeks, mountains, and bandwidth deserts.

If the law mandates real-time transmission without exception, what happens when connectivity fails in thousands of locations?

What happens when devices malfunction?

What happens when presiding officers cannot comply for reasons beyond their control?

We would not have strengthened democracy, rather we would have created a litigation minefield.

A single technical failure could become grounds to challenge entire elections.

Mandatory technology, without guaranteed infrastructure, does not enhance legitimacy; it endangers it.

This is the operational reality policymakers must confront, even when it is politically inconvenient.

Still, dismissing calls for real-time transmission would be equally shortsighted.

Nigerians do not demand instant uploads out of fascination with gadgets. They demand them because trust has thinned.

For decades, results have appeared to change between polling units and collation centres. Delays have created suspicion. Gaps have created conspiracy theories. And ambiguity has created conflict.

Real-time transmission has therefore become symbolic, not merely technical. It represents certainty. It represents closure. It represents protection against manipulation.
And in politics, perception is often as consequential as procedure.

So while policymakers worry about feasibility, citizens worry about credibility; and both fears are valid.

This is why the current debate has been poorly framed.

It is not:
Real-time transmission versus no transmission.

It is:
How do we design an electoral process that guarantees transparency without creating operational or legal failure points?

That is a systems design problem, not an ideological one. And systems design requires nuance.

Rather than absolutist positions, Nigeria needs pragmatic safeguards that deliver transparency while preserving flexibility.

For instance:
▪︎ Mandatory electronic upload within a defined time window, not necessarily instantly;

▪︎ Automatic time-stamped audit trails for every result sheet;

▪︎ Public result-viewing dashboards with immutable logs;

▪︎ Backup transmission channels for low-connectivity areas;

▪︎ Strict penalties for unjustified delays or tampering;

▪︎ Stronger chain-of-custody documentation between polling units and collation centres.

These measures collectively may do more for credibility than a single real-time clause ever could.
Because what citizens truly seek is not speed; it is certainty. And not immediacy, but integrity.

Electoral reform should not be driven by outrage or by defensiveness. It must be driven by sober institutional thinking.

The National Assembly must avoid the perception of weakening transparency.

And INEC, on her part, must avoid overpromising technological capacity.

Futhermore, political actors must avoid weaponising reform debates for short-term advantage.

What Nigeria needs is not maximalist legislation, but resilient design.

Democracies are not strengthened by dramatic gestures, but by procedures that work every single time.
Reliably. Quietly. Predictably.

That is how trust is built.

Real-time transmission may be desirable, but desirability is not the same as durability.

And if we truly seek electoral credibility, we must move beyond slogans and engineer a process that is transparent, litigation-proof, and operationally realistic.

Because in the end, the legitimacy of elections will not depend on how fast results travel to a server, but on whether every Nigerian, winner or loser, believes the numbers reflect the will of the people.

That, and only that, is the reform worth pursuing.[url][/url]

carnal:
Sim, should embark on more low cost housing estate for low income earners/civil servants. Site one in each LGA. The funds are available now, he started well but I understand that issues with Wike and Co travellers has made things challenging.

He is doing wonderfully well despite the distractions. And he is poised to do even more.

Freshandfitpod:
The pictures are all looking old and disorganized for a purpose because it all a lie and just for propaganda campaign

It's obvious that you are not anywhere near the state or not properly informed.

The names of the projects and locations are well spelt out, take a tour please 🙏❤️

HE Gov Sim Fubura's projects in Rivers State

Gov Sim Fubura's projects in Rivers State.

Still on Gov Sim Fubura and Rivers State projects

Still on Gov Sim Fubura's projects in Rivers State

INAUGURATED & ONGOING PROJECTS EXECUTED GOV. SIM FUBARA

Still on Gov Sim Fubura and Rivers State

LIST OF INAUGURATED & ONGOING PROJECTS EXECUTED GOV. SIM FUBARA_

LIST OF INAUGURATED & ONGOING PROJECTS EXECUTED GOV. SIM FUBARA

LIST OF INAUGURATED & ONGOING PROJECTS EXECUTED GOV. SIM FUBARA

From Comrade Phils

Under the focused, people-centred and results-driven leadership of His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State continues to witness massive transformation across infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare, economic empowerment and human development.

Below are some of the inaugurated and ongoing projects executed by the Fubara administration across various LGAs in the State:

1. The 10.9 kilometres Aleto–Eteo–Ebubu Road (Inaugurated).

2. Emohua–Tema Road.
Egbeda Internal Roads (Inaugurated).

3. Trans-Kalabari Road Projects (Ongoing)

4. Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Ring Road (Ongoing)

5. The 33.5 kilometres Elele–Umudioga–Egbeda–Ubimini–Ikiri–Omoku Dual Carriage Road (Ongoing).

6. 5 kilometres Okania–Ogbogoro Road (Inaugurated)

7.Eberi–Umuakali–Omodu Road, linking Rivers and Abia States. (Inaugurated)

8.Rumukwurushi–Igbo Etche Road (Completed & Open For Use)

9. Omoku–Egbema Road (Inaugurated).

10. Andoni Section of the Ogoni–Opobo–Andoni Unity Road (Inaugurated).

11. Construction of the Ngo–Oyorokoto Atlantic Beach Road, Andoni (Ongoing).

12.Chokocho–Igbodo–Okpala Road (Completed and Open For Use)

13.Kalaibiama–Epellea Road.

14. 10.8 kilometres Egbeda–Omerelu Road (Completed)

15. Old Port Harcourt Road, Ahoada (Ongoing)

16. Ahoada–Omoku Road (Phase 2) - Completed

17. Construction of Bori Internal Roads (Inaugurated)

18.Okehi–Umuola–Eberi Omuma Road (Inaugurated).

19. Emohua–Ogbakiri Road Dualisation (Completed)

20. Emoh/Iyak/Ighom/Elok and Emoh–Egbolom Roads in Abua/Odual LGA (Completed and Open for use).

21. 10.4 kilometres Uyakama–Obodhi–Ozochi Road and. Bridges (Completed)

22. Okocha Internal Roads, Rumuolumeni (Inaugurated)

23. Rukpokwu Flyover (Ongoing)

24. TAP Flyover leading to Oyigbo (Completed)

25. Construction of the Palace of the Eze Apara Kingdom (Completed).

26. Construction of the Palace of the Eze Akpor Kingdom (Completed)

27. Construction of the Nyeweli Rebisi Palace, PHALGA (Ongoing)

28. Completion and Furnishing of the Model Secondary School, Ataba Town, Andoni.

29. Construction of Bori, Omoku, Ahoada and Degema Zonal Hospitals(Bori and Ahoada have been inaugurated and are open for use).

30. Implementation of ₦85,000 Minimum Wage for Rivers State Workers.


31. Payment of Promotion Arrears.

32. Launch of ₦4 Billion Soft Loan for SMEs and ₦1 Billion Re-capitalisation Fund.

33. Ongoing Construction of Buguma–Tema–Degema–Abonnema Road.

34. Rehabilitation of GRA Internal Roads.

35. Employment of 1,000 Children of Fallen Heroes and Veterans into the State Civil Service.

36. Inauguration of Permanent Secretary Quarters, Elimgbu.
Recently Inaugurated

37. Ihuowo–Ihuama Road.

38. Ongoing Construction of Commissioners Quarters, Amadi-Ama

39. Greater TAF City 20,000 Low-Cost Housing Project (Phase 1).

40. Rehabilitation of 12.2 kilometres Igwuruta–Airport Road.

41. Flag-off of 7.1 kilometres Ipo–Igwuruta Bypass.

42. Ongoing Renovation of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex.

43. Payment of backlog of pensions and gratuities, with pension payments now made promptly and consistently.

44. Rehabilitation of 105 Health Centres across the State.

45. Extension of Retirement Age for Community Health Practitioners from 60 to 65 Years.

46. Rehabilitation of Okrika Grammar School

47. Construction of Judges Quarters

48. Rehabilitation and Equipping of 3 Rivers State Fire Stations;
a). Mile 1 Fire Service Station
b). Borikiri Fire Service Station
c). Rumuodumaya Fire Service Station

49. Donation of a helicopter to the Nigerian Air Force.

50. Construction of two (2) bungalows and BFORs accommodation for the Nigerian Navy.

51. Donation of six (6) Abitto gunboats to the Nigerian Navy to strengthen maritime security.

52. Construction of six (6) blocks of Nigerian Air Force prototype residential quarters.

53. Purchase of one hundred (100) utility vehicles for the Nigeria Police Force, Rivers State Command.

54. Donation of twelve (12) Hilux vehicles to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

55. Donation of a fire service truck to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Commissioning of Government House Staff Quarters.

56. Release of Rivers State University, Kira Campus, for the take-off of the Federal University of Environment, Ogoni Land.

57. Ongoing construction of the 12.3 kilometres Egwi–Afara–Mba Road.

58. Employment of 2,000 health workers, comprising 1,000 doctors and 1,000 primary healthcare workers.

59. Employment of 1,000 teachers, with approval granted for the recruitment of an additional 5,000 teachers.

60. Opobo Ring Road (Completed)

61. Construction of hostels and an administrative block at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic.

FEBRUARY NEW MONTH MESSAGE: BECOMING WHO THE FUTURE REQUIRES

I begin this month with sincere gratitude to God for life, strength, and the gift of another beginning. Each new month reminds us that time is not merely something we pass through. It is a trust placed in our hands and how we steward it shapes the story of our lives.

February arrives with a gentle but demanding question: Are we becoming the kind of people our future will require?

Many people have good intentions. Many carry carefully written plans and beautiful visions in their hearts. Yet only a few develop the discipline required to translate intention into daily action. Preparation matters—but preparation alone does not build a life. Only execution does.

In "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People', Stephen Covey admonishes us to begin with the end in mind. But he is equally clear that vision must be anchored in habits. A future imagined without routines to sustain it remains fragile—it collapses under pressure.

Robin Sharma teaches that small daily improvements lead to stunning results. Excellence, he reminds us, is not forged in moments of excitement but in quiet mornings, disciplined evenings, and consistent choices. Great lives are shaped in ordinary hours.

Similarly, Vishen Lakhiani urges us to live by design, not by default. Too many drift into the future. Too few consciously build toward it. Without intention, life becomes reactive; with intention and structure, it becomes purposeful.

These ideas converge on a simple truth: Growth without action is wasted potential.

We live in a world that celebrates talent and possibility. But potential is only a starting point. What matters is practice. What matters is follow-through. What matters is the willingness to do the unglamorous work when no one is watching.

Progress rests on three quiet foundations: character, competence, and consistency.

Character shapes who you are in private. Competence determines what you can deliver in public. Consistency decides whether you will still be standing when enthusiasm fades.

Talent may open doors. Integrity keeps them open.
Skill attracts opportunity. Discipline multiplies it.

Many lives stall—not for lack of intelligence or opportunity—but because of postponed decisions, broken routines, and unkept promises to self. We wait for motivation when what we truly need is structure. We wait for perfect conditions when progress only requires faithful steps.

Great futures are not built through sudden breakthroughs. They are built through small choices repeated daily.

Choosing to read instead of scrolling. Choosing to learn instead of complaining. Choosing to save instead of waste. Choosing to improve instead of settle.

No single day transforms a life. But faithful days, carefully stacked together, always do.

February invites us to move from talk to traction—from planning to building, from imagining to executing. Ideas are common. Discipline is rare.

This month, let each of us take responsibility for our growth. Build one productive habit. Strengthen one critical skill. Improve one weak area. Honour one long-standing commitment. Act on one delayed decision.

Do not underestimate small beginnings. Preparation creates opportunity. Execution creates results.

The future does not belong to those who merely hope for it. It belongs to those who prepare for it—and act on that preparation with courage and discipline.

Let us therefore commit this month to becoming more intentional, more focused, and more faithful to our own potential. Let us become the kind of people our tomorrow will require.

My prayer is that God grants us clarity of purpose, steadiness of mind, discipline of spirit, and the wisdom to choose well. May we find grace to remain faithful to the work of our hands, so that our lives may bear fruit that endures.

Happy New Month. May February favour you.

God bless you.

Valentine Ozigbo

Execution Speed, Social Trust, and the Second-Order Test of Reform in Enugu

By Chinedu Anselem Nebeife

Governor Peter Mbah’s administration has distinguished itself by the clarity of its ambition and the velocity of its execution. In a political environment often slowed by hesitation, Enugu has moved with uncommon decisiveness, setting targets, compressing timelines, and treating governance as a delivery problem rather than a rhetorical one. That orientation is a strength.

However, high-speed reform environments face a second-order test that is easy to underestimate precisely because first-order performance is strong. It is social absorption.

When reform velocity outpaces social processing, a gap can emerge between what government knows it is achieving and how citizens experience the transition. This gap does not always express itself as protest or opposition. More often, it appears as quiet hesitation, informal resistance, or delayed buy-in, particularly in economies where informal livelihoods and organised labour remain central to social stability.

This is not a question of intent or competence. It is a structural feature of rapid transformation.

Technocratic systems succeed by setting clear benchmarks and enforcing consistency. Social systems respond to patterns of predictability; how rules are applied over time, how enforcement accommodates transition, and whether reform signals inclusion rather than acceleration alone.

In such contexts, communication volume matters less than behavioural coherence. People do not merely listen to announcements; they watch for continuity between policy, enforcement, and adjustment. Where that continuity is visible, trust consolidates quietly. Where it is unclear, even successful reforms can carry latent fragility.

Enugu’s opportunity at this stage is not to slow down, but to anchor speed within social confidence, ensuring that reform is experienced not only as progress, but as stability. Administrations that master this second-order challenge are the ones whose reforms endure beyond momentum cycles.

The difference between reform that delivers and reform that lasts is rarely policy design. It is the management of trust during acceleration.

NOTICE OF RESIGNATION FROM LABOUR PARTY

Compliments
I bring you the good wishes of my family and to formally inform you of my resignation from labour party effective from 26th of January 2026.

Let me also thank the party for providing me the opportunity to use the labour party platform to contest the last Governorship election in our state.

Please accept as always the assurance of my sincere regards.

Sit-at-Home, State Authority, and the Limits of Force in Anambra

By Chinedu Anselem Nebeife

For years now, the South-East has lived under an unusual political and economic rhythm. Every Monday, economic life pauses, not by statute, but by fear, habit, and prolonged uncertainty. What began as a protest tactic by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has gradually hardened into a social norm, one that now tests the limits of state authority, public trust, and economic governance.

The yesterday closure of Onitsha Main Market by the Anambra State Governor, following traders’ continued observance of the sit-at-home order, has brought this long-simmering crisis to a head. It raises difficult questions that go beyond the legality of executive power into the deeper terrain of legitimacy, security, and state capacity.

At its core, this crisis is not merely about markets opening on Mondays. It is about whether a modern state can compel economic normalcy in the absence of credible security guarantees.

From a strictly economic standpoint, the sit-at-home is undeniably destructive. The South-East effectively forfeits one full trading day every week. For commercial hubs like Onitsha, Aba, and Nnewi, whose markets serve national and regional supply chains, the cumulative losses are staggering. Tax revenues decline, investor confidence erodes, and the region’s competitiveness suffers.

Seen through the lens of state responsibility, any sustained disruption of economic life enforced by non-state actors qualifies as economic sabotage. No government can accept the normalization of parallel authority over commerce without risking its own relevance.

Yet this framing, while analytically sound, is politically incomplete.

Most traders are not saboteurs. They are not withholding labour as a form of protest against the state. They are responding rationally to a security environment in which the perceived cost of opening shop outweighs the benefit. Fear, not ideology, has become the primary enforcement mechanism. In this sense, the economy is being sabotaged without the people consciously acting as saboteurs.

This distinction matters. When government rhetoric collapses economic damage and citizen intent into the same category, it risks misdiagnosing a security failure as a discipline problem.

Governors, under Nigeria’s constitutional framework, possess broad authority to regulate markets, maintain public order, and issue directives necessary for economic governance. In principle, therefore, the Anambra State Government has the power to declare that markets should operate on Mondays.

What the state does not possess, at least not legitimately, is the power to compel individual traders to conduct business under conditions they perceive as life-threatening. There is no law that mandates commerce on a particular day, nor can fear be criminalised in the absence of demonstrable protection.

Power, in governance, is not merely about what can be ordered. It is about what can be enforced sustainably and accepted socially.

The decision to shut Onitsha Main Market as a punitive measure for traders’ non-compliance is legally contestable and strategically flawed.

First, it amounts to collective punishment. Traders who stayed away did not do so out of defiance of state authority, but out of concern for personal safety. Penalising them does not address the root cause of the problem.

Second, the logic is self-defeating. Closing a market to punish people for not opening it reinforces the very economic paralysis the government claims to be fighting. The state ends up replicating the effect of the sit-at-home in the name of opposing it.

Third, it reframes a security crisis as a confrontation between government and citizens. This is politically risky in a region where historical grievances already complicate state-society relations.

Force may demonstrate authority, but it rarely restores confidence.

The persistence of the sit-at-home underscores a structural reality -- fear is decentralized, while security is not. The state must guarantee safety everywhere, every Monday. Those enforcing compliance only need one incident to reassert control.

Declarations, inspections, and threats cannot overcome this asymmetry. Until traders believe that opening their shops is safer than staying home, compliance will remain reluctant, symbolic, or entirely absent.

Ending the sit-at-home requires a shift from performative authority to credible governance.

First, security must be visible, predictable, and sustained, within markets, not just on highways. People respond not to announcements, but to patterns.

Second, engagement must replace confrontation. Market unions, transport operators, religious leaders, and traditional institutions should be partners in a structured return to normalcy.

Third, incentives should complement enforcement. Reduced levies, temporary tax reliefs, and symbolic recognition can lower the psychological barrier to reopening.

Most importantly, the state must clearly separate criminal enforcement from the broader population. Collective punishment and rhetorical overreach only strengthen the narratives of those who thrive on alienation.

Ultimately, the sit-at-home phenomenon is a symptom, not the disease. It reflects unresolved questions of trust, inclusion, and security in the South-East. Even if IPOB were to disappear tomorrow, the underlying fragility would remain unless these issues are addressed.

Governance is not proven by how loudly authority is asserted, but by how quietly normalcy returns.

The task before Anambra State, and indeed the wider South-East, is not to win a confrontation with frightened traders, but to restore the conditions under which fear no longer governs economic life. Only then will Mondays return to what they should be -- just another working day.

Sen. Uche Ekwunife charges APC members to embrace massive e-registration as the party’s winning formula.

Sen. Uche Ekwunife charges APC members to embrace massive e-registration as the party’s winning formula

Sen Uche Ekwunife charges APC members to embrace massive e-registration as the party’s winning formula.

Sen Uche Ekwunife charges APC members to embrace massive e-registration as the party’s winning formula.


The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State has reaffirmed mass e-registration and effective grassroots mobilisation as the surest path to electoral victory, as party leaders and stakeholders met in Awka for a high-level strategy session.

Addressing the gathering, APC State Chairman, Hon. Basil Ejidike, reviewed the party’s outing in the last Anambra governorship election, noting that the APC recorded over 90,000 votes to place second. He explained that the state leadership deployed substantial logistics to support party structures during the election, despite the absence of significant financial backing from outside the state.

Ejidike commended members who worked tirelessly for the party and urged those who underperformed to learn from the experience. He further disclosed that party officials and structures that demonstrate outstanding performance in the ongoing e-registration exercise would be rewarded.

The event climaxed with cash rewards for the best-performing local government areas, as ₦500,000, ₦300,000 and ₦150,000 were awarded to first, second and third positions respectively.

Statistics released showed Njikoka topping the chart in registered voters, closely followed by Awka South and Onitsha South.

Convener of the meeting and APC Deputy Governorship Candidate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, CON, described e-registration as the backbone of future electoral success, calling on stakeholders to intensify mobilisation efforts at the grassroots. She specifically called for the immediate onboarding of more registration officials to accelerate the exercise and ensure wider coverage across the state.

In a strong motivational charge, Ekwunife pledged to personally reward her immediate local government area, Anaocha, if it emerges as the overall best-performing LGA in the e-registration exercise, urging other LGAs to emulate the spirit of healthy competition.

She stressed the need for unity, sacrifice, and strict adherence to resolutions reached at the meeting, noting that voluntary contributions and personal commitment remain critical to party growth. According to her, this conviction informed her decision to convene and sponsor the stakeholders’ meeting as part of efforts to attract new members and reposition the party for victory in subsequent elections.

Ekwunife urged party faithful to remain loyal to the APC, stating that “no one abandons his goods in the market to sell another person’s product.” She also appealed for maximum support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, ahead of future elections, particularly the next presidential contest.

She commended the APC governorship candidate, Prince Dr. Nicholas Ukachukwu, for his goodwill gestures to the party during the Christmas period, describing the move as a morale booster for members and stakeholders.

The senator assured APC members of the House of Assembly present, Hon. Paul Obu (Orumba North), Hon. Pat Okafor (Onitsha North), Hon. Patrick Udeoba (Anambra West), and Hon. Augustine Ike (Nnewi North), that their future within the party remains bright.

Notable stakeholders at the meeting included Barr. Chukwunonso Chimaobi (State Legal Adviser), Chief Augustine Muomife (Vice Chairman, Central), Engr. Samuel Oraegbunam (Assistant State Secretary), Hon. J.C. Okeke (State Organising Secretary).

Others are Chief Chris Udenze (State Publicity Secretary), Chief Joe Obidike (Director of Finance), Hon. K.G. Enemuo, Hon. Ezeatu, Chukwudi Aronu, Obi Ndigwe, Onyebuchi Nwafor (Leader, Persons With Disabilities), Hon. Okeoma, Amaka Akpaka, Hon. Callista Nwachukwu (State Women Leader), ans others.

👇👇👇

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsUnCJhlqME?si=-Wi9z8BB9DatFFSp

Nigeria will not be rebuilt by complaints alone

A few days ago, in my home in Amesi, I had the joy of hosting the 2024 and 2025 winners of the Unusual Entrepreneurs for a day I will not forget — a sacred convergence of faith, enterprise, and community.

We began the day with Holy Mass celebrated by His Eminence, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, alongside other priests. It was a powerful reminder that the truest kind of progress is not only economic; it is spiritual. It is when purpose meets discipline, and grace meets responsibility.

What followed was not a ceremony. It was a mentorship encounter — a day of knowledge transfer, honest conversations, practical guidance, and the fulfilment of my pledged support.

As we spoke, a few truths kept echoing in my heart, and I shared them again with our young builders:

“Enterprise is not merely economic; it is spiritual. It is part of the salvation journey — where work becomes stewardship, purpose becomes assignment, and destiny becomes service.”

“Entrepreneurship is not first about starting a company. Entrepreneurship begins with responsibility.”

“Integrity is capital. Trust is capital. Discipline is capital.”

“Do not chase capital before traction.”

And perhaps the most personal reminder of all:
“The biggest project you will ever work on is not your business. It is you.”

Listening to these brilliant young entrepreneurs share their journeys, their grit, and their visions, I felt genuine hope. They are not merely business owners; they are builders of dignity. They are architects of the future.

The Unusual Entrepreneurship Program is part of the annual Unusual Praise — a divine initiative of the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lagos, now extended to Anambra State. My support is only one piece of a larger collective effort, but it flows from a commitment I made over 15 years ago: to live a life of purpose and impact, and to serve God by empowering others.

My gratitude goes to everyone who made the day meaningful: His Eminence for his pastoral presence and guidance; the Parish Priest of St. Vincent Catholic Church, Amesi, Rev. Fr. Christ Ezeonyemalu; the Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Amesi, Rev. Fr. Martin Ezeiruaku; the other priests present; and every supporter of this mission.

One truth remains clear: Nigeria will not be rebuilt by complaints alone. Nations rise when people choose to build.

#UnusualEntrepreneur #KaAnambraChawapu #Empowerment

👇👇👇
https://youtube.com/shorts/xnoVgThhIEY?si=286MlzEO0hc0xtgM

Divine Rays British School

A Display of Humility and Leadership: Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma Inspires Divine Rays British School Community"

By Nwabude Chukwuebuka Collins (Bukatti)

In a remarkable display of humility and servant-leadership, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, the proprietor of Divine Rays British School Obosi, Anambra State, donned a student's attire during the school's assembly on Friday, January 16, 2026.

This powerful gesture sent a strong message about the importance of humility and approachability in leadership.

A Message of Hope and Inspiration

As the students, staff, and parents gathered for the assembly, Rev. Fr. Obimma's presence was a breath of fresh air. He prayed fervently for the school community, handing over the activities and aspirations of the school into the able hands of God.

The atmosphere was filled with a sense of collective prayer, reflection, and renewed commitment to divine guidance.

Empowering the Next Generation

In his message, Rev. Fada Ebube Muonso urged the students to embrace the spirit of hard work, discipline, and excellence.

He admonished them to remain spiritually grounded and focused on their goals, emphasizing that these values are essential for achieving success in life.

A Testament to Effective Leadership

Rev. Fr. Obimma's actions are a testament to his character and commitment to creating a nurturing environment that allows his students to thrive.

His humility and willingness to connect with his students on a personal level have undoubtedly made a lasting impact on the school community.

A Legacy of Excellence

As Divine Rays British School continues to strive for excellence under Rev. Fr. Obimma's leadership, his example serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of humility, hard work, and dedication in achieving greatness.

The school community is indeed blessed to have a leader who leads by example and prioritizes the well-being and success of his students.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GBqzqfwkMU?si=ZaPMcQmVzt6XBF_C

HON OBIMMA SHOWS APPRECIATION TO SUPPORTERS, UNVEILS NEW INITIATIVES: A PROMISE KEEPER DELIVERS _PART 2.

..... As NWANYI BU IFE INITIATIVE is birthed by his amiable wife, Mrs Patricia Obimma!

With a bold gesture, Mrs Patricia Obimma, wife of Hon Charles Chinedu Obimma, has unveiled the NWANYI BU IFE INITIATIVE, a bold new chapter in the Obimma family's commitment to empowering women in Ayamelum and Oyi Constituency.

Speaking at a festive gathering organised to reward Obimma Foundation members who worked for the husband's choice candidate during the just concluded 8th November election, Mrs Obimma assured the members that the women of both Ayamelum and Oyi will experience a lasting smile when things get fully set, as NWANYI BU IFE INITIATIVE rolls out its plans. "This is just the beginning," she declared. "We'll show them that we're well prepared... what we've come to do is not a child's play."

Mrs Obimma assured attendees that NWANYI BU IFE INITIATIVE, an organization independent of Obimma Foundation, will showcase the Obimma family's readiness to uplift women, and that results will speak volumes.

She stated that for a start, NWANYI BU IFE INITIATIVE would be used to show a glimpse of what they've prepared, assuring that the big things ahead would be mind-blowing.

Chibuzor from Nkwelle Ezunaka was overwhelmed with joy and expressed appreciation for Hon Obimma's efforts in fulfilling his promise. She said they were grateful for his magnanimity, and that they were willing to respond with the speed of light to future summons.

Egodi, woman leader of Obimma Foundation, felt greatly blessed by the Hon Obimma's promise-keeping gesture and prayed God to bless him for keeping his promise. She looked forward to more goodies from the Honourable.

Onyinyechukwu Nwankwo was filled with prayers for Hon Obimma's' success. "May God bless our Honourable abundantly! May he go and come back in peace, and may his efforts to help the less privileged continue."
She assured of their readiness to promptly respond to the Honourable's call.

Catherine Onyegwu, DG Ochiora, summed up the mood, affirming that Hon Obimma didn't break his promise, but rather kept to his word.
She stated with every assurance that they would always stand by him for being a promise keeper, rounding it up with a prayer for the Honourable's continued success and progress.

The announcement of NWANYI BU IFE INITIATIVE has sparked excitement among supporters, solidifying the Obimma family's commitment to community empowerment.

.....To Be Continued...
Stay tuned for Part 3 and more updates on this inspiring story of leadership and service!


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https://youtube.com/shorts/JBSkdg9wh0o?si=y4Siox1yoWyaBXiB

FR. EBUBE MUONSO STANDS IN THE GAP AS A FATHER 🔥
And with the authority of Christ, he breaks every ancestral curse contending with our destinies in 2026!

Every chain of inherited affliction _ SHATTERED.
Every pattern of delay — BROKEN.
Every altar speaking against your bloodline — SILENCED.
Every generational limitation — CANCELLED!

This year, you will not repeat battles.
You will not inherit sorrow.
You will not carry what you didn’t create.

WELCOME TO YOUR SEASON OF FREEDOM & DIVINE OVERTAKE! 🔥

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6XaBU1FDGs?si=cH1h4nz3MJ3t_LEV

Ten set of young millionaires emerges from Umuchu courtesy of Engr Johnbosco Onunkwo

Ten New set of young millionaires emerges from Umuchu courtesy of Engr Johnbosco Onunkwo.

In my continuous drive to promote youth empowerment and economic self-reliance in Umuchu, I recently empowered ten young men and women from our great community with ₦1 million each to support the growth or establishment of their businesses.

This initiative came shortly after my installation as Ike Umuchu by the esteemed Igwe-in-Council of Umuchu Kingdom. It is a humbling reminder of the responsibility and trust our people have bestowed upon me, and a reflection of my deep commitment to human capital development and community growth.

While presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, I made it clear that my vision is to build a future where every determined youth in Umuchu has a fair chance to succeed—without being limited by lack of funds or opportunity.

I said to them:
“I am determined to ensure that no capable and hardworking youth in our community is hindered by lack of funding. Every young person with passion, creativity, and commitment deserves a fair chance to succeed.”

This latest empowerment effort is only one step in a long journey. Over the years, I have remained steadfast in my belief that sustainable community development begins with empowering our young people—because when we raise them up, we raise the entire Umuchu family.

Together, we are building a future where hope meets opportunity and where the dreams of every youth can truly flourish.

Today, I join thousands around the world in extending warm birthday wishes to an extraordinary statesman and revered father-figure, His Excellency, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, as he marks his 93rd birthday anniversary.

Happy birthday to a man whose life has been a masterclass in service, diplomacy, and an unwavering commitment to the unity and progress of Nigeria, the African continent, and humanity at large. With a distinguished career that includes a sterling tenure as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Anyaoku has shown what becomes possible when intellect, integrity, and compassion guide leadership. His legacy continues to affirm that true statesmanship is not merely about office, but about impact.

On this special day, I join your wonderful family, the many protégés you have mentored, admirers across the globe, and all people of goodwill, to thank God for the gift of your remarkable life. Your wisdom lights our path, your dignity elevates our shared humanity, and your counsel remains a treasure for generations present and those yet to come.

I am particularly grateful for the work you and other respected elders continue to do through The Patriots. My prayer is that a reimagined and renewed Nigeria emerges in your lifetime, so that the national ideals you have lived for — and the vision you have consistently championed — may find tangible expression and help to further cement your legacy here on earth.

Dear Sir, may this new year of your life be filled with divine grace, robust health, and enduring joy. You are a true icon, and we pray for many more years in good stead.

Happy 93rd Birthday, and may God bless you abundantly.

Valentine Chineto Ozigbo

HON UCHENNA ELEODIMUO ATTENDS THE SOLEMN DEDICATION OF THE ASUMPTA CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, NNEWI DIOCESE.

HON UCHENNA CLEMENT ELEODIMUO ATTENDS THE SOLEMN DEDICATION OF THE ASUMPTA CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, NNEWI DIOCESE