₦airaland Forum

Yorubas should avoid the shameful acts of armed robbery, use of hard drugs, fraud , thuggery and tribalism which is high in south west Nigeria

.

Everyday new firms and factories are established in south east. Any wise investor should invest in south east Nigeria for quick returns and growth. The southeast governments has alot of incentives to encourage investors in addition to the very business friendly environments and economy

@ ABAGWORO; I AM NOT A FOOL !!!!!! You should never say Enugu Airport won,t be viable. It is ours and we should make it continously viable. Enugu Airport has all it takes and will get all the patronage and support for it to be viable both in the short and long run.

@ ABAGWORO; You can't find a flight in Port Harcourt that is going to Asia, USA, middle east or other African countries and Asaba Airport is not an international Airport. Ethiopia Airline would fly to over 75 destinations from Enugu while Emirate and Quatar Airline would soon commence their flights to and from Enugu. NDI IGBO WOULD USE ITS MIGHT TO ENSURE THAT ENUGU AIRPORT IS NOT ONLY VIABLE AND PROFITABLE IN THE SHORT RUN BUT ALSO IN THE LONG RUN AND EVIL AND DUMB PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO TRIES TO HINDER OR BADMOUTH THE PROGRESS OF NDI IGBO WOULD BE CRUSHED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those of you out of Nigeria should inform others on the need to travel straight to Enugu instead of flying to Lagos or Abuja.

You people should stay here and argue while savy travellers are already booking all the seats in Enugu bound and return ethiopian airline for their self, Family and friends. People are booking online already. I JUST HOPE YOU GUYS WOULD BE LUCKY TO SEE SEATS AFTER YOU FINISH ARGUING.

Enugu international airport is VERY viable and profitable.

This is a welcome development. This company would grow and develop

I have noticed that any bad news from the SE makes it to the front page rapidly while the numerous evils and crimes from the South West are rapidly hidden or deleted. The mods in Nairaland are very bias. The federal government should close down this website in order to stop the continious seed of hatred sowed in this site among the youths facilitated by biad mod.

@Mekaboy; Our Enugu brothers have been matured in stating their positions unlike kogi people who are bound to fail in their evil quest to snatch what doesnt clearly belongs to them out of envy. The oil deposits may extend to Enugu state but not to Kogi state who are propagating all forms of falsehood to deceive the gullible public into believing their lies. ALL HISTORICAL, LEGAL, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL EVIDENCES SHOWS THAT THE PRODUCING OIL WELLS BELONGS TO ANAMBRA STATE; ALTHOUGH, ENUGU HAVE SOME OIL WELLS WHOSE EXPLORATION BY ORIENT PETROLEUM HAS GOTTEN TO AN ADVANCED STAGE. Nothing should be done to jeopardise to operation of Orient Petroleum in the anambra basin.

It was Armageddon yesterday night at the Hausa settlement, Iseri Olofin area of the long bridge linking Lagos and Ogun states, as a raging inferno consumed no fewer than 50 shanties, belonging to Hausa traders. The inferno, which eyewitnesses said started at about 8:00p.m, was said to have been caused by an exploded cooking stove.

In a bid to avoid an outbreak of fire, the owner of the stove was said to have flung the burning stove outside the shanty, which unfortunately fell on a generating set and caused explosion. The impact was said to be serious as the lines of shanties went up in flame simultaneously and lasted over two hours. The incident caused some traffic build-up on the six lanes expressway.

An eyewitness, Mrs. Adebusola Adekoya, who lives around the area said she saw the billowing smoke and ‘big fire’ from Berger Bus-Stop on her way from the church. “It was a serious incident. I had to call the emergency line, but I was told that they already knew about the incident and were on their way to the scene,” Adekoya said. It was not certain, as at the time of filing this report, whether any life was lost during the inferno.
0
Email Share

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/fire-consumes-iseriolofin-hausa-settlement/#!prettyPhoto

EXCERPTS OF THE PRESS BRIEFING BY HRH EZE C.N. IDIGO IV, (OGALAGIDI, EZE AGULERI), WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19, 2012,@ ISABANKA (THE ROYAL PALACE), AMAEZE, AGULERI.

The historical Commissioning of the Orient Petroleum Resources Plc / Anambra River Oil Wells at Aguleri-Otu, Aguleri, on August 30, 2012 by the President and the proclamation of Anambra State as an Oil-Producing State in Nigeria, has unexpectedly awakened the ‘Oil Producing appetite’ of Anambra neighboring States of Kogi and Enugu. Both states are now separately jostling and laying claims to the ownership of these Oil Wells which are indisputably located in Aguleri land. As if the spurious claims by the governments of Kogi and Enugu States were not enough, a few days ago, some youths of Kogi State embarked on a protest march, just as some youths of Enugu State had earlier threatened to stop the Orient Petroleum project, all in their effort to buttress their claims.

Ordinarily, Aguleri Community would have allowed the State Governments to sort out themselves believing, that the extant boundaries between the three States, namely: Anambra and Kogi States on one part; and Anambra and Enugu States on the other hand, are properly delineated. As a people known for always standing on the path of truth, honour and justice, Aguleri would always fight back whenever our liberty is threatened or our land is encroached upon. More importantly, we acknowledge the need to straighten the records and allay further misinformation on the matter, for the Nigerian public, and the world at large. We therefore present the historical as well as legal facts on this matter with the view to settling this contest on the rightful ownership of the Anambra River Oil Wells (OPL 915). Having said as much, the fact remains that the Orient Petroleum Resources Plc’s Anambra River Oil Wells – Anambra River 1, 2 and 3 in OPL 915 are located in Aguleri land precisely, Aguleri-Otu, the north-eastermost riverine settlement of Aguleri.

It is a historical fact that Aguleri occupies the longest stretch of settlement along Anambra River – starting from Otuocha Aguleri to Inalo River at the border of Kogi State. Aguleri People live on both sides of Anambra River from Otuocha Aguleri up to Igbakwu Town in Ayamelum LGA on the east bank of Anambra River. Igbakwu Town itself is opposite Enugu-Otu Aguleri on the west bank of Anambra River. From Igbakwu Town northwards is Ifite-Ogwari, followed by Umueje, all in Ayamelum LGA and thereafter Igga and Ojor towns , then to Ogurugu, all in Enugu State. Clearly from Igbakwu, Anambra River has been the natural boundary between Aguleri and all the other towns on the east bank of Anambra River up to Ogurugu in Enugu State. It is also a historical fact that none of the communities on the east bank of Anambra River from Igbakwu to Ogurugu has farm lands on the west bank of Anambra River, and this is as expected, as Aguleri occupies the entire west bank of Anambra River up to Inalo River at the border of Kogi State. Aguleri people have been living in the locations of the Oil Wells known as Agu-Igbili, Agu-Ovo/Okpalia, Ngene-Ejo, Okpa-Nkwocha and Nnobi Aguleri right from time immemorial and have engaged in farming and fishing in these locations from historical times to date.

Historically, Odeke, the Headquarters of Ibaji Clan in Igala land of Kogi State trace their origin to Aguleri and because of this ancestral connection, they lived very close to Aguleri and shared common boundaries with Aguleri. At cultural fiestas, where successful men usually have the opportunity to display their bravado or prowess for instance, it was commonplace to hear popular slogans and shouts of Odeke Agulu..ue! Odeke Agulu kwenu!! Settlements such as Uchuchu Anocha, Uchuchu Anapiti, Echonwa, Obale, etc are all farm settlements of Odeke people. Before the advent of Colonial Administration, we lived together as a people of common stock. However, with the regionalisation of Nigeria by the Colonial Government, Odeke, together with its farm settlements were placed in Northern Nigeria as part of Idah Division.

GOVERNMENT ADIMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS
Given the topography of the entire West Bank of Anambra River basin, which presently consists of Anambra West LGA and Aguleri-Otu in Anambra East LGA, the lands were acquired by the Government to establish the Anambra Forest Reserve in 1931. Consequent upon this Government action, an Agreement dated 28th April 1931, made in that behalf, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 (ii) of Cap. 95 of the Forestry Ordinance 1931. The communities that entered into the Agreement with the Government were eight ( – namely: Nzam, Inoma, Nnani, Obodolu, Mmiata, Umuoba, Enugu-Otu and Oroma-Otu (now Eziagulu-Otu) Aguleri – all in the present day Anambra State. Another Agreement was made in that behalf on 12th Day of February 1932, also by the same eight ( communities aforesaid. The Forestry Ordinance was published in Nigeria Gazette N0. 20 Vol. 20; notice N0.316, dated 30th March 1933. An ADO of the then Onitsha Division was appointed the Reserve Settlement Officer, to supervise the Forest Reserve, on behalf of the Government of Eastern Nigeria.
It is also important to note that the Oil Wells under discussion i.e. Anambra River 1,2&3 inside OPL 915 is located within the Anambra Forest Reserve, which is in Aguleri.

BOUNDARIES
The boundary of Anambra Forest Reserve is very clear and unambiguous. Whereas Enugu State communities of Igga, Ojor and Ogurugu are on the Eastern Bank of Anambra River, the Anambra Forest Reserve is on the Western Bank of the river (Anambra River) up to opposite Ogurugu community. So, Anambra River has always been and is still the natural boundary between Enugu State communities and Anambra Forest Reserve.
Earlier in 1927, the boundary between Aguleri and Kogi State was settled through an Arbitration jointly chaired by Captain Joel and Mr Macabe, both Assistant Divisional Officers representing the then Onitsha Division and the then Idah Division respectively. HRH Eze R. A. Idigo II represented Aguleri, while Chief Ocholo of Olu Ibaji represented the Ibaji Clan. At the end of the sittings, the Arbitrators adopted the boundary lines as represented in the Map of Nigeria in 1927 as the boundary between Aguleri and Ibaji land in the present Kogi State. It is instructive to note that far back in 1927, the official Map of Nigeria recognized the Anambra Forest Reserve as part of Eastern Nigeria. And so, as the Chairman of the Orient Petroleum Resources Plc, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, said, the “misconception that the Oil Well was not entirely in Anambra State has been resolved through the Map of Nigeria”
The boundaries are also contained in Anambra Forestry Reserve (Amendment) Order, 1950, and Legal Notice N0. 126 of 1954; the Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region (Definition of Boundaries), 1954 Appendix ’B’ and ‘E’.
It is also pertinent to mention here that the Tripartite Point of intersection at the mouth of Inalo River which is the boundary between Kogi and Anambra State is quite far away and clearly long after the Anambra Oil Wells location.

ACTS OF OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION
All the settlements and people in possession before the establishment of Anambra Forest Reserve were named after the Aguleri people who were in possession, which explains why till date what you have are such enclaves as Oguejiofor’s Enclave, Chizua’s Enclave, Menkiti’s Enclave, etc; reflecting the founders of these settlements. Also, the fishing ponds scattered all over the entire land are owned by Aguleri people and they fish in them till date.
Other acts of ownership include the establishment of Migrant School at Okpeze which is well beyond the location of the Oil Wells by the Anambra State Government, to serve the primary education needs of the people. For long, a number of church groups have been established in the area. They include St. Philip’s Anglican Church of Anambra/Niger West Diocese, the Catholic Church of Onitsha Archdiocese Outstation Parish, just as a number of Pentecostal Churches are also located in the area. For the pagan community, their ‘Aro’ deity is prominently located there. Above all, the Forest Quarters built for the Forest Reserve Staff by the Eastern Nigeria Government, now maintained by the Anambra State Government is at the heart of the Settlement.
For all Federal Elections in Nigeria, INEC Polling Booth located at Ngene Ejo which is part of the Anambra Forerst Reserve, administered by Anambra Office of the Commission, supervised the conduct of such elections for Aguleri people living in the area.
It is also pertinent to mention briefly that Royalties accruing from the products of the Anambra Forest Reserve have continued to be paid as agreed by the people of Aguleri and the then Governor of Nigeria, Sir Thompson, in 1932. Till date, Aguleri Community have been collecting the said Royalties from the Forestry Department.

COURT RULING
In 1967, the Igga Community of Enugu State brought an action against SAFRAP Nigeria Limited – an Oil Company & 2 others; and Chief A.E.Idigo & 3 Others (For and on behalf of the people of Aguleri), claiming, among other things, a declaration of title to the land and an injunction restraining the aforesaid company and the people of Aguleri from committing further acts of trespass and waste of economic trees and crops on the land in question. The Igga Community, being Plaintiffs in the suit filed a Motion of Discontinuance, after they had finished their evidence and Aguleri Community opened their defence. In the Court’s Ruling, their application was refused. The case dragged on from 1967 to 1973 and all subsequent appeals made by the same community were similarly refused. This means, as per the Court Order, that the Igga Community cannot bring any action on this matter again in any Court of competent jurisdiction – per res judicata. The implication of that Ruling is that the Igga community has been estopped and cannot go to Court over the radical title or ownership to Anambra Forest Reserve. See the case of Chief Fabian Ukuta v. SAFRAP (Nigeria) Limited & 2 Ors and Chief A.E.Idigo & 3 Ors – Suit No. E/50/67.
It is also instructive to note that some Odeke indigenes of Kogi State testified as witnesses in this suit in favour of Igga Community, supporting the claim that the disputed land belonged to Igga Community. Is not a contradiction that today, same Kogi people are claiming ownership of the said land? Also, Kogi people never came against SAFRAP Nigeria Ltd or Elf when the two companies were prospecting for Oil in the area.

CONCLUSION
The Igga Community of Enugu State knows that they have no title to the Anambra Forest Reserve, and so have no claim to make on the land. They came in 1967 and demanded compensation from SAFRAP (Nigeria) Limited, which ended in Court, and they lost out. Similarly, in 1984, when Elf Nigeria Limited came for the Oil wells, they quickly demanded compensation, but could not succeed. Now that Orient Petroleum Resources has taken a bold step to commence operations, Igga Community has come again, but, as in the past, they are bound to fail, as they neither have any title to the aforementioned Anambra Oil Wells nor any further claim to make, having been estopped by a Court of competent jurisdiction. In fact, their case was at best considered not only as misconceived or mala fide.
For the people of Kogi State, the combined effect of the Arbitration of 1927, the Legal Notice N0. 126 of 1954 - the Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region (Definition of Boundaries), 1954; the Forestry Reserve (Amendment) Order, 1950, which clearly defined the Anambra Forest Reserve as part of Eastern Nigeria (now Anambra State) and the various unchallenged acts of ownership by the Governments of Eastern Nigeria/Anambra State; and the fact that the people of Aguleri have remained in possession of the said land from time immemorial unchallenged, have effectively estopped the people of Kogi State from any claim to the land. From all indication, Kogi people, like the Igga people of Enugu State, will also fail in their claim of Anambra Oil Wells at Aguleri-Otu.
Finally, from the foregoing, it is true and clearly established beyond any reasonable doubt that the Anambra Forest Reserve has the usufractuary title over the land in question, and can use the land at its pleasure and can permit


whosoever it pleases to fish, farm, and hunt or even cut produce of the forest. This is in accordance with the principle of alienation of land; but the position of the true owners enures, remains untouchable, indispensable and superior to any other title.
In conclusion, the people of Aguleri are the true owners of the land in question – that is – the Orient Petroleum Resources Oil Wells, otherwise known as Anambra River Oil Wells.
Thanks and God bless you all.

PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE IGNORANT THE OIL WELLS BELONGS TO ANAMBRA STATE AND MAYBE ENUGU STATE.

@ABAGWORO PLEASE INFORM US OF THE PACE AND STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IN IMO STATE WITH PICTURES WHEN YOU VISIT. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE PROGRESS REPORT ON OGUTA BLUELAKE OF TREASURE. @ Asha, I am not in Imo state but i know there is peace, although i smell foul play in the impeachment saga.

Diamond Bank Plc has invested more than N30 billion in a geometric power project in Aba that will generate sustainable power supply for the industrial city all year round.

Alex Otti, group managing director/chief executive officer of the bank, disclosed this in his opening remarks as chairman of the First- Made- in Abia Products Exhibition which opened last week in Umuahia, the Abia state capital.

The theme of the exhibition was promoting made in Abia products for accelerated economic development.

The plant would ensure entrepreneurs in Aba and environs can produce goods at full capacity and at a reduced cost and it will be commissioned before the end of the year. He said: “I’m aware that there are well over 60,000 shoe makers in Aba but they have challenges of producing at full capacity because of irregular supply of electricity”. He added that as soon as the new plant is commissioned, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) would switch off in the area because the new plant would be able to generate sustainable electricity for 365 days yearly.’’

Otti, who commended Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji for the initiative, observed that with this exhibition, ‘Abia has shown itself as a producing state,’ remarking that Rome was not built in a day and that if the exhibition was sustained over time, there would be significant improvement in some of the inventions made by the people.

The GMD said that people used to look down on products from China, Japan and Korea as inferior, but today everything they use in their homes are made in those countries, adding that there is need to encourage and support the enterprising people of Abia to achieve this same feat because no society can develop without production.

He said the best type of trading is value-chain trading, whereby people sell what they produce and not just buying and selling, remarking that it is necessary to encourage entrepreneurs in the state to showcase their products.
In his keynote address, Governor Theodore Orji commended the initiative put together by the office of his wife that culminated in the public-private partnership to holistically address the issue of industrialisation of the state which is also tied to his administration’s legacy projects.

He also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubike Ihejirika and other well-meaning Nigerians for helping to restore peace to the state and free them from the clutches of kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals.

The chairman of the exhibition planning committee, Frank Ibe said the idea of the exhibition was conceived by the wife of the executive governor of the state, Mercy Orji in a bid to expose the economic potentials of the state to the global economy for patronage.

The state commissioner for Commerce and Industry Sampson Orji commended the exhibition planning committee for putting together necessary machinery that has ensured the success of the exhibition.
He also commended the state governor for addressing the security challenges which marked the state as a safe haven for investment.

http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/markets/companies-and-market/52360-diamond-bank-invests-n30bn-in-aba-power-plant

@ NDU CHUCKS; YOU NEED TO ENROLL IN ONE OF THE NUMEROUS ISLAMIC ALMAJIRI SCHOOLS BUILT BY JONATHAN TO REDUCE THE HUGE NUMBER OF ILLITERATES IN THE NORTH FOR FREE. I AM GLAD YOU SPOTTED THE NUMEROUS GRAMMATICAL BLUNDERS IN YOUR PREVIOUS POST. GO BACK TO SCHOOL, YOU ISLAMIC BIGOT. NONSENSE !!!

[quote author=ndu_chucks]If I didn't know better, I'd conclude that you are brainless buffoon, but I do know that you are suffering from bigory(BIGOTRY) and extreme tribalism, so I'll continue to believe that that(WHY THE REPETITION OF THAT ?) is the reason for your poor judgement and interpretation of my posts. Stop pretending to be a dummy, dummy!



If these prisoners were indeed prisoners of war, then we should apply the approriate(APPROPRIATE) rules when we deal with them. The problem here is that, our commander in chief is yet to declare a war, let alone employ overwhelming force needed to win any war. The people in those prisons, majority of who were arrested and detained for many months withou (WITHOUT) a single charge, are Nigerian citizens whose rights are being violated. The hardship the imprisonments have caused on the families of these youths, is simply fueling more attacks by BH and creating more BH sympathizers. The government's approach in dealing with the BH problem is ineffective and continues to result to more loss of lives than the saving of the same.

I personally believe that we are at war and prefer that the president acknowledges the same, declare state of emergency in hot states, send thousands of troops there and cleam (CLEAN) the place up once and for all!! In the absence of such an action, GEJ should seek to isolate the hard core BH members, by providing Amnesty to those who will lay their arms down, employ their commanders towards the maintenance of security in the region, provide needed economic development into the region - much like they are doing in the MEND situation in the SS.

In my view, we must do everything possible to put an end to this bloodshed.



I disagree with you that there is a reduction of the attacks - the Kano suicide bombing and the subsequent explosions only today is no reduction but escalation.

GEJ's national security policies are a failure by any standard - average performance my black asss. Imaging how GEJ and his team reacted to the recent "BH" arrest in Lagos. They rounded up 500 "foreigners", locked them up without charges in a knee jerk reaction. In the meantime, more than 85% of the arrested people who will be mistreated in detention are innocent Nigerians. Who will they sympathize with after they are released in a few days or weeks? GEJ or Boko Haram? This is how GEJ's policies breed more terrorists. GEJ's approach is simply wrong.

If we are indeed at war, and the charge that many of the governors in hot states are BH sponsors, then declare state of emergency, install military governors, and clean up the mess, once and for all. Enough is enough!![/quote]ISLAMIC BIGOT

Achebe: Writer in whose company the prison walls fell down – Mandela
On March 22, 2013 · In News
5:07 pm
1

LAGOS – Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, the revered “father of modern African literature’, has died aged 82, his family said on Friday.

Best known internationally for his novel “Things Fall Apart”, which depicts the collision between British rule and traditional Igbo culture in his native southeast Nigeria, Achebe was also a strong critic of graft and misrule in his country.

“One of the great literary voices of his time, he was also a beloved husband, father, uncle and grandfather, whose wisdom and courage are an inspiration to all who knew him,” his family said in a statement.

Local media reported that he died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

He had lived and worked as a professor in the United States in recent years, most recently at Brown University in Rhode Island. A 1990 car accident left him in a wheelchair and limited his travel.

A statement from the Mandela Foundation in South Africa said he passed away Thursday and quoted Nelson Mandela as referring to him as a writer “in whose company the prison walls fell down.”

“The world has lost one of its finest writers and Africa has lost a literary gem,” said Mike Udah, spokesman for Nigeria’s Anambra state, where Achebe was born.

Apart from criticising misrule in Nigeria, Achebe also strongly backed his native Biafra, which declared independence from the republic in 1967, sparking a civil war that killed around one million people and only ended in 1970.

The conflict was the subject of a long-awaited memoir he published last year, titled “There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra.”

In 2011, Achebe rejected a Nigerian government offer to honour him with one of the nation’s highest awards — at least the second time he had done so.
Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe

South African writer and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer called Achebe the “father of modern African literature” in 2007, when she was among the judges to award him the Man Booker International prize for fiction.

“Just as we read Shakespeare, it is not possible for any English student to graduate without” reading Achebe, Adeyemi Daramola, head of the University of Lagos’ English department, told AFP recently.

“For Achebe to have been away for so long, we have indeed missed him,” Daramola said.

But while he was widely lauded worldwide, Achebe never won the Nobel prize for literature, unlike fellow Nigerian author Wole Soyinka, who became the first African Nobel literature laureate in 1986.

Achebe was born the fifth of six children in 1930 in Ogidi in southeastern Nigeria, where his Igbo ethnic group dominates, and grew up at a time of Christian missionaries and British colonialism.

He described his parents as early converts to Christianity, with his father becoming an Anglican religious teacher and travelling the region with his mother to preach and teach.

In an interview with The Paris Review, he said his reading evolved and he slowly became aware of how books had cast Africans as savages.

“There is that great proverb — that until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter,” he said.

“That did not come to me until much later. Once I realised that, I had to be a writer.”

After graduating from the University of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, Achebe worked with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation before publishing “Things Fall Apart” — his first novel — in 1958.

It met with positive reviews, and its legacy has grown since then. According to his publisher, more than 10 million copies have been sold in 50 different languages. Four more novels would eventually follow.

“‘Things Fall Apart’ turned the west’s perception of Africa on its head – a perception that until then had been based solely on the views of white colonialists, views that were at best anthropological, at worst, to adopt Achebe’s famous savaging of Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’, ‘thoroughgoingly racist’,” the London Guardian wrote in 2007.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with some 160 million people, won independence in 1960 but it has experienced coups and conflict since then due to the country’s ethnic divisions and corruption.

In 1967, Achebe’s native Biafra region declared independence largely in response to massacres of Igbos in the country’s north, sparking a brutal civil war.

Achebe strongly backed Biafra and toured to speak on its behalf. Echoes of the conflict emerged in his writing, including his collection “Christmas in Biafra and Other Poems.”

Achebe also grew frustrated with the huge corruption that has plagued Nigeria, where most of the country still lives on less than $2 per day despite its oil wealth.

He wrote about such issues, and the first sentence of his widely read 1983 essay on governance is still often cited here.

“The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership,” it reads.

Achebe had limited such commentary in recent years amid health troubles.

However, during January 2012 protests in Nigeria over a fuel price hike, Achebe issued “A Statement of Solidarity with the Nigerian People” that gained attention back home.(AFP)

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/achebe-writer-in-whose-company-the-prison-walls-fell-down-mandela/

Killer Kid Shoots colleague with dad’s gun over N100 bread

From NGOZI UWUJARE, Ibadan

A suspected kid from hell has been arrested in Ada, a village near Oyo town for allegedly shooting to death his friend over N100 loaf of bread. The alleged killer kid, Issah, 12 years old was said to have shot dead Victor Akinlabi for refusing to give him part of the N100 bread he and his brother were eating.

According to investigation, tragedy struck on March 4, 2013 when the deceased elder brother, Maliki Nurudeen went to collect alleged N100 debt from Issah’s father Ismaila Hassan in respect of a service rendered. However, Hassan was said to have refused to pay the N100 debt and left them to relax.

Both Victor and Malikid, CrimeWatch gathered were eating bread while still in Hassan’s house. He was alleged to have approached them for a slice, but was refused. Angered and frustrated by the refusal to give him part of the N100 loaf of bread, Issah allegedly went inside his father’s room, took a loaded dane-gun and shot Victor at a very close range.

By the time the smoke cleared from the nozzle of the gun, Victor was down in the pool of blood. The villagers rushed him to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead.

The villagers immediately reported the matter at Jobele Police Station. The police arrested both Issah and his father Hassan, suspected owner of the gun.

The suspects were immediately moved to the Oyo State Police Command, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Iyaganku, Ibadan for further investigation. The Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of State CID, Mr. Galadanchi Dasuki told CrimeWatch that the two suspects and the recovered dane-gun from them were in police custody.

The principal suspect, Issah explained his role in the alleged crime to CrimeWatch: “Maliki and his deceased brother came to our house to collect N100 from my father who owed them. When they came to our house they came with N100 bread and I told them to give me part of the bread but they refused to give me.

They used our plate to eat their bread and the deceased Victor dropped the plate later Maliki started to smoke in our house and told him not to smoke cigarette in our house and later I saw where my father kept his dane-gun, which has been loaded. It was when we were struggling with it that suddenly the bullet triggered and hit Victor.”

Ismaiila on his part said: “I came from the farm and I was sleeping deeply and it was when I was sleeping that I heard the voice of the villagers and that woke me up and they carried the deceased to the hospital and the doctor was giving him treatment before he later died. “It is true that I owed Maliki a debt of N100. I didn’t know what transpired between them and my child.

The only mistake I made was that I loaded my gun and kept it in one corner of the house,” he said. The family of the deceased said that it was a big loss.

Maliki Nurudeen said: “I came with my younger brother, Victor to collect N100 that was being owed me by Ismaila Hassan but he refused to give me and when we were eaten our bread his son, Issah came and started begging us to give him part of the bread but we refused. Suddenly his son, Issah went to the house and brought out a dane gun and shot my brother at the back and my brother Victor was struggling before the villagers came to rescue and rushed him to the hospital and he gave up; the ghost later.”

The commissioner of Police Oyo State Police command, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa said that the incident was quite unfortunate. “It is bad that a life was lost on N100 bread which they refused to give the suspect’s son. CP Indabawa said that the two suspects, son and father will soon be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/entertainment/trending/killer-kid/

We should not forget that a 15000 barrels of oil per day flow station have been completed and the feasibility studies for the building of a new refinery in the area completed. IT IS A WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT.

@DIBIACHUKWU I UNDERSTAND UR CONCERN BUT THE EGBEMA GUYS ARE NOT STUPID; HAVE YOU WONDERED WHY IT IS THE ONLY MARGINAL OPERATOR THAT HAVE MET 70% OF IT'S AGREEMENT WITH THEIR HOST COMMUNITY? DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY IMO YOUTHS HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED, DO YOU KNOW ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE STATE REVENUE? DO YOU KNOW THE EFFECT OF THEIR CURRENT AND FUTURE INVESTMENTS ON IMO STATE? MY BROTHER IT WAS SHELL PETROLEUM THAT HANDED OVER THE IBIGWE FIELD TO WALTERSMITH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FEDERAL GOVT IN 2008 NOT ROCHAS. IT IS GOOD THEY INVEST IN IGBOLAND AFTERALL IGBOS ARE ALREADY DEVELOPING THEIR LANDS. NDEWO!!!

Waltersmith Completes Phase 1 of Ibigwe Field Development

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

Waltersmith Petroman Oil Ltd, a wholly indigenous operator of the Ibigwe marginal field, has successfully completed the first phase of the oil field development.

The Ibigwe field, located in the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 16, was awarded to Waltersmith Petroman in 2003, with a farm-in agreement with the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) signed in April 2004.

Currently, the field produces 4,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) and expects to inch higher to 7,000 bpd after the ongoing production optimisation process is concluded.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Waltersmith, Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa, who briefed journalists on the company’s field development programme yesterday, in the company of the vice-chairman, Mr. Danjuma Saleh, and other senior management members, said Waltersmith invested about $180 million in a five-well drilling and one work-over campaign, which included the commissioning of a 15,000 bpd-capacity flow station.

Isa said the first oil from the Ibigwe field was attained in March 2008, after initially putting in place an early production facility, which included a 20,000-barrel capacity crude storage tank.

He said: “In 2009, Waltersmith embarked on the first phase of its drilling campaign with the objective of appraising and developing the shallow reservoirs in the C and D sands.
“After obtaining the relevant approvals from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the company engaged the services of reputable international and local oil service companies, including KCA Deutag, Schlumberger, BJ Services, Baker Hughes, Matpatson, Atlantic Fluids, etc, for the exercise, which culminated in the drilling and completion of two appraisal and development wells.”

He continued: “Ibigwe-Well 4 appraisal was drilled and completed in the D2.0 and C4.0 sands as a vertical well at the crest of the structure, while Ibigwe-5, a development well, was drilled with a 133-metre horizontal section in the C2.0 sands to optimise the production of heavy and high viscosity crude in the field.

“Both wells were drilled 2,533 metres and 2,408 metres respectively. Due to the high viscosity, low gas to oil ratio and low API (American Petroleum Institute) gravity oil characteristics of the Ibigwe field, the company initiated a gas lift operation with installation of a 200hp, 3 –stage compressor to gas lift the wells, which further boosted production to 2,200 bpd.”

Isa said the operation also enabled the utilisation of the associated gas resources available at the field, which otherwise would have been flared, thus contributing significantly to the Federal Government’s no-gas flare policy.

He said following the approval by the DPR, the company commenced the phase of the drilling campaign and the development of the field with the planned work-over of Ibigwe wells 1 and 2 and the drilling of three additional wells.

“The Ibigwe-2 suffered a blow out at the summit of the well completion during the work-over to produce the gas reservoir in the C3.0 sand. The American company, Boots and Coots, was immediately engaged to carry out a surface intervention to quell the fire stemming from the blow out.

“However, the effort was unsuccessful and the company commenced the drilling of a relief well to kill the blow out well. Despite the seeming setback, the company continued its field development by drilling and completing four wells in 2012, three of which were successful (Ibigwe 1, 6 and and one was unsuccessful (Ibigwe 7)”, he added.

Furthermore, he said Ibigwe-6, which is predominantly a gas well, currently produces about two million standard cubic feet (mscf) of dry gas, thus increasing the gas available for the gas lift operations.

“The well was drilled to 2,487 metres and completed in C7.0 sand in 39 days. Ibigwe-8 was drilled as a development well to a total depth of 2,424 metres and completed as a dual producer in the C4.0 and C1.0 reservoirs in 60 days.

“Both completed intervals have the capacity to produce about 2,000 bpd. Ibigwe-1 was re-entered and recompleted in the C4.0 and C6.4 sands in December 2012.
“Both intervals are producing and are presently undergoing statutory testing, with expected production of 1,800 bpd,” he stated.

He disclosed that the Ibigwe-7 was the second well drilled at the crest of the F-sand series and it turned wet. The upgrade and commissioning of the 15,000 bpd flow station, he added, were completed in 2012.

“This involved the installation of low and high pressure separators, an additional gas compressor, oily water theatre and expedition pumps,” he said.

Isa noted that the company achieved a milestone cumulative production of 2.5 million barrels in 2012, adding that the field currently produces 4,000 bpd, with a forecast production for Ibigwe field put at 7,000 bpd after the completion of the ongoing production optimisation process.

The CEO also noted that the company enjoys excellent support from the SPDC, its farmor, with whom it maintains a crude handling agreement and crude sales and purchase agreement.

On the future plans by the company, he said over the next 24 months, it intends to undertake a full evaluation of the field by re-interpreting available seismic data or acquiring new seismic data from the concession area with a view to identifying potential leads for exploration, appraisal and development.

He further disclosed that the company was evaluating the feasibility of installing a 5,000-bpd capacity at Ohaji-Egbema in Imo State, where the Ibigwe field is located, to provide an alternative income stream, especially in the wake of very frequent disruptions in export schedules caused by pipeline vandalism.

According to him, based on the feasibility study undertaken by the company, the cost of a proposed refinery project would be in the range of $40 million.

On corporate social responsibility, he said the company was the only operator among seven others producing marginal fields that has met more than 70 per cent of the agreement it reached with its host communities, under a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) it signed with the communities.

He added that Waltersmith was the only marginal field operator that made its host communities shareholders in the company.
Waltersmith Petroman is a member of the ND Western Consortium that invested $600 million to acquire 45 per cent equity in OML 45 sold by Shell and its multinational partners, Total and Agip, last year.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/waltersmith-completes-phase-1-of-ibigwe-field-development/142667/

I HOPE MORE GOOD DEVELOPMENTS FOLLOW SUIT

@ Austine E; pray that God gives Anambra another governor that is far better than Mr Peter Obi.

@ Mr Globe; i appreciate your acknowledgement.

THAT'S RIGHT

@BESTVIEW ARE U SURE U HAVE A HOUSE AT NGOZIKA ESTATE? LOL. I HOPE PEOPLE ARE STILL BUILDING HOUSES IN THAT ESTATE

NICE DEVELOPMENT

http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/markets/companies-and-market/52661-portland-paints-commissions-new-factory-in-awka

Portland Paints commissions new factory in Awka
Thursday, 07 March 2013 00:00 Modestus Anaesoronye
E-mail Print PDF

Determined to reach its client base in the eastern part of the country, paint manufacturing giant, Portland Paints &Products Nigeria plc has commissioned a state of the art factory in Awka, Anambra State.

The factory which has computerised production, delivers outstanding paint finishes in a wide range of colours with over 15, 000 options, colour (s) choice mixed in two minutes while customers can also create their own colours.

Portland said the factory offers great value incomparable to anyone around because of its high coverage capacity.

With its opening in Awka, all users of decorative paints, including painters, architects, decorators, home owners and all individual customers, will enjoy a full range of exceptional benefits including highest standards of customer satisfaction, washable finish, quick drying, colour retention as well as easy application.

The services is accompanied by extra value , as there would be free insurance cover in the Portland Mutual Extra (with Mutual Benefits Assurance) to cover burglary, fire and break-in for purchases in excess of: N30,000 for Tenants providing insurance cover up to N1m for 1 Year; and N300, 000 for Landlords to providing insurance cover of up to N4m for 1 Year.

The state of the art factory which is known as “Sandtex Paint Colour Boutique” is located on, Zik Avenue, Agu-Awka Industrial Layout, Awka, Anambra State, which provides great accessibility for customers within and outside the metropolis.

The Colour Boutique was commissioned by Emeka Ndubuisi Sibeudu, deputy governor of Anambra State who was represented by chairman, Anambra State Branch of Architects, Peter Okpala.

“We look forward to serving Nigerians and our esteemed customers in the East, while partnering with them for a more colourful life and more profitable business,” the company’s management assured.

“We are an exceptional company aiming at adding value, comfort and colour to our environment with our high class experts in all our departments. This makes us a dominant player in our line of business”.

Portland Paints & Products Nig. plc is a leader in the Nigerian paints Industry. The Company was incorporated as a Limited Liability Company on 3rd September 1985 and became a Public Company on 3rd April 2008 and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Thursday 9th July 2009.

PEOPLE ARE COMING TO ABA DUE TO ITS LARGE MARKETS AND CLOSENESS TO LARGE MARKETS UMUAHIA, PORT HARCOURT, OWERRI, UYO, YENAGOA, ONITSHA, ENUGU, AFIKPO, CALABAR BACKED BY A HUGE DEMAND AND AFFORDABLE WORK FORCE.