₦airaland Forum

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has finally forwarded the names of Commissioner designates and Special Advisers in the state to the State House of Assembly for screening putting to rest weeks of speculations after the previous State Executive Council was dissolved.

SEE FULL LIST BELOW:

1. Mr Paul Alexander Udo
2. Arc Ime Okon Ekpo
3. Nse udo Essien, PhD
4. Prof Eno Ikpe
5. Mr Idorenyin Sunday Udo
6. Mr Linus Akan
7. Uduak Charles Udoinyang, PhD
8. Mr Charles Udo
9. Hon Orman Esin
10. Dr Iniobong Essien
11. Dr Dominic Ukpong
12. Bar Uwemedimo Nwoko
13. Hon Victor Antai
14. Hon Monday Uko
15. Mrs Glory Edet PhD
16. Hon Udo Ekpeyong
17. Mr Akan Okon
18. Mr Ephraim Inyang

SPECIAL ADVISERS

1. Bar Ekong Sampson
2. Mr Ekemini David Umoh


SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/breaking-gov-udom-sends-new-exco-list-to-akha-full-list/

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has declared Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, as the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the Ondo governorship election billed for Saturday.

In an unanimous judgment, the Justice Ibrahim Saulawa led three-man Special Panel of the appellate court, vacated the June 29 judgement of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognise Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as PDP gubernatorial candidate for the poll.

Jegede had approached the appellate court to challenge the high court verdict which ordered INEC to only relate with the Ali Modu-Sheriff faction of the PDP.

Justice Abang had on October 14, also re-affirmed his decision, even as he warned the electoral body against accepting any candidate nominated by the Senator Ahmed Markafi-led National Caretaker Committee of the PDP.

Acting on the strength of the order, INEC, promptly removed Jegede’s name from the list of candidates for the Ondo gubernatorial poll, and replaced it with Mr. Ibrahim.

It will be recalled that whereas Jegede emerged from primary election that was sanctioned by the Markarfi-led NWC of the PDP, Ibrahim on the other hand, secured his ticket from the Modu-Sheriff faction of the party.

Meanwhile, in its verdict on Wednesday, the appellate court, held that Justice Abang’s refusal of to grant fair hearing to Jegede, “rendered the entire proceedings before his court a nullity”.

According to Justice Saulawu, “Indeed it is obvious from the records that the appellant’s name had been duly published as the governorship candidate of the 11th respondent (PDP) for the November 26 Ondo governorship election”
Eyitayo Jegede and Jimoh Ibrahim

It held that the lower court was in grievous error when it ordered the publication of Ibrahim’s name.

It said the decision of the high court was in total breach of the provision of section 36 of the 1999 constitution, which it said forbade any court from denying fair hearing to a party likely to be affected by final decision of the court.

Justice Saulawa, said the action of the court violated the legal doctrine of audi altarem partem.

“The tenets of natural Justice entails that a party ought to be heard prior to determination of case against them”.

The appellate court also noted that Justice Abang ordered INEC to “immediately” recognise Mr. Ibrahim who was never a party in the suit that culminated to both the June 29 and October 14 judgments.

“The Court below had no jurisdictional competence to make such order. I have no restriction in the circumstance in resolving the second issue equally in favour of the appellant”.

It said that Justice Abang “unilaterally”, raised issues that were not included by the plaintiffs, an action it said amounted to “a violent attitudinal disposition to the rule of law”.

Besides, the court said the primary election that was conducted by the State Chapter of the PDP loyal to Modu-Sheriff, which produced Mr. Ibrahim, was a nullity.

It said the law was very clear on which organ of a party should conduct governorship primary elections.

“It is worth reiterating at this point that any primary election by state chapter of a party, be it the PDP or any other party, is undoubtedly, in the eye of the law, an illegal contraption that carries with it no legal or equitable right at all. It is in its entirety a nullity”, the appellate court held.

Prior to delivery of the judgement, Justice Saulawa, said the panel was at a time, “subjected to a very intimidating and brow-beating treatment by counsel the Respondents”.

“Most regrettably, the Respondents have deemed it expedient to shoot themselves on the foot. Instead of adhering to the wise counsel of the Court to file brief within the time limit, even the extra day that was granted to them, they refused to do so.

“The consequences of the Respondents failing to file their brief by virtue of Order 18 of the Court of Appeal Rules is very obvious and we have made it clear in our judgment”.

Justice Saulawa noted that instead of filing their brief of argument, the Respondents insisted that the appellate court had lost its jurisdiction to entertain Jegede’s suit by virtue of the appeal they lodged at the Supreme Court.

“I have most critically appraised the preliminary objection by Nwufor, SAN, and I found that it is most grossly lacking in merit and it is accordingly dismissed.

“Having effectively dealt with the preliminary objection, I now proceed to determine the appeal on its merit”.

The court noted that Jegede filed his appeal on November 11, which raised seven issues for determination.

The issues included whether it was proper for the high court to order INEC to jettison Jegede’s name after he had already been nominated by the PDP and his name published.

Olanipekun argued that the high court lacked jurisdiction to determine who should be the candidate of a political party.

Relying on decided case-law in Lado vs CPC, Olanipekun, stressed that the issue of nomination of candidates for an election is a domestic affair of a political party which no court has the jurisdiction to meddle into.

He said Justice Abang was wrong when he held that he had the requisite jurisdiction to determine the matter.

The appellate court, in arriving at its decision, said it was necessary that it determined whether or not the appellant was denied fair hearing by the lower court.

It consequently resolved all the seven issues in Jegede’s favour.

“There is no gain saying that this appeal is grossly meritorious and is hereby allowed”.

An initial three-man panel that was headed by Justice Jummai Hanatu-Sankey earlier recused itself from resolving the dispute, following allegation that it collected N350million bribe from Governors Olusegun Mimiko and Nyesom Wike of Ondo and Rivers States, respectively.

The allegation was contained in a petition that PDP Chairman in Ondo state, Prince Biyi Poroye wrote against the panel wherein he insisted that they were compromised.

Sequel to withdrawal of the Justice Hannatu-Sankey-led panel, the PCA, constituted the fresh panel which Poroye and five other PDP Chieftains from the South West loyal to Modu-Sheriff, also wanted the Supreme Court to disband.

In their application that was refused by the apex court on Tuesday, Poroye’s group, contended that the new panel was set up in breach of their right to fair hearing guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.

They prayed for an order, returning “case files relating to the appeals and the application for leave to appeal as an interested party (against the decision of the Federal High Court of 14th October 2016 in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/395/2016) – filed by Eyitayo Jegede (factional PDP candidate of the Ondo PDP), to the Registry of the Court of Appeal to take its normal course and turn in the docket of the court.”

The appeals that would have been affected by their motion were CA/A/551/2016 filed by Ahmed Makarfi and Ben Obi against Biyi Poroye and 10 others, CA/A/551A/2016 filed by Clement Faboyede and another against 10 others; CA/A551B/2016 filed by the PDP against Biyi Poroye and 9 others and CA/A/551C/2016 filed by Eyitayo Jegede against Prince Biyi Poroye and 10 others.

They argued that not only did the PCA acted without hearing from them, they said the case, being a pre-election matter, did not warrant any urgency to require the constitution of a special panel.

They added that those who filed the appeals against the June 29 and October 14 decisions of Justice Abang, including Jegede and Markafi, were not joined as parties at the trial court.

It was equally their argument that no orders were made against any of those behind the appeals, and that they (the applicants), who were plaintiffs in the suits, were not informed when the PCA acted solely on the request by the appellants to constitute the panel on the grounds of urgency.

However, the Supreme Court, on Tuesday, cleared the coast for the appellate court to deliver the verdict which it suspended on November 18.

The apex court, in a unanimous ruling by a five-man panel of Justices led by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, declined to disband the Special Panel constituted by President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, to resolve the Ondo PDP dispute.

Aside dismissing motions to stay proceedings of the appellate court, filed by the six PDP Chieftains, the Supreme Court, awarded a cumulative cost of N3million to each of the three Justices of the appellate court.

Poroye and his group had joined the three appellate court Justices, Saulawa, Igwe Aguba and George Mbaba, as 5th to 7th Respondents in the appeal before the apex court.

The Acting CJN, Justice Onnoghen who delivered the lead ruling, ordered that counsel to the appellants, Chief Beluolisa Nwufor, SAN, should personally pay the cost from his pocket.

The apex court further ordered the appellants to pay N500, 000 cost to the four other Respondents in the matter among whom included Jegede.

Justice Onnoghen held that it was wrong for Poroye and his group to drag the appellate court Justices into the matter knowing that they were only carrying out a judicial duty that was duly assigned to them.

“The 6th to 7th Respondents who are Justices of the Court of Appeal were constituted by appropriate authority to hear and determine the case were not parties before the lower court and whatever they did was in their official capacity as judicial officers.

“Judicial officers enjoy immunity in the performance of their duties and are not liable to be subjected to this kind of intimidation”, Justice Onnoghen held.

He stressed that joining them as Respondents in the matter “was not only an attempt to intimidate and scandalise the judiciary, but to put it in a mild way, an action in bad faith”.

Justice Onnoghen also noted that the appellants (Poroye and his group), had also petitioned a previous panel of Justices of the appellate court that handled the case.

“If the applicants are allowed to continue with this prank, there will be no end in sight and it will not augur well. In the circumstance, there is no merit in this appeal and it is hereby dismissed”.

While concurring with the lead ruling, another member of the apex court panel, Justice Kumai Akaahs, held that action of the appellants was “capable of bringing anarchy”.

Nevertheless, the apex court panel fixed Thursday to hear the substantive suit challenging leave that was granted to Jegede to appeal the high court judgement that recognised Mr Ibrahim as PDP flag-bearer for the election.

The Appellants had lodged 14 different appeals before the Supreme Court.

Their counsel, Chief Nwufor, SAN, on Tuesday, withdrew 10 motions that forced the appeal court panel to suspend further proceedings on the Ondo PDP crisis.

Nwufor said his decision to withdraw the applications was to enable the apex court to hear the substantive suit challenging the competence of entire appeals before the Justice Saulawa led Special Panel.

In its ruling dismissing motions for stay of proceedings at the appellate court, the Supreme Court awarded N250,000 against the applicants in each of the 10 withdrawn motions.

The applicants were directed to pay a cumulative N2.5m to the respondents.

The six PDP chieftains had among other things, urged the apex court to determine whether the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Bulkachuwa, was right when she constituted a special panel to hear cases filed against Justice Abang’s judgement, by Jegede, Senators Markarfi and Obi.

Poroye and his group contended that the panel had in a ruling it delivered on November 16, okayed Jegede’s appeal, despite being aware that the Supreme Court was already seized of the facts in dispute.

The Justice Saulawa-led panel had on November 18, adjourned sine-die (indefinitely), further hearing on the matter.

The panel handed-off the dispute, barely 48 hours after it reserved judgment on Jegede’s appeal.

Justice Saulawa said the panel took the decision after it was served with a motion from the Supreme Court for the proceeding at the appellate court to be suspended.

“We were served a motion in suit No CA/A/551b/2016, which was filed in the Supreme Court on November 17”, he stated.

He said the motion had among other things, prayed the apex court to invoke its disciplinary powers against the appellate court panel.

The Poroye led group, who are Respondents in Jegede’s appeal, further prayed the apex court to not only set aside proceedings of the appellate court, but to also restrain the special panel from further adjudicating on the dispute.

Besides, they equally applied for an order disqualifying/recusing all members of the special panel on the ground that they betrayed there Oath of Office by their refusal to be bound by laid down judicial principle of staris-decisis.

Determined to stop the appellate court from delivering its verdict, the group asked the Supreme Court to halt further proceeding at the lower court.

While dismissing the motions after they were withdrawn, Justice Onnoghen directed the appellate court panel “to continue its proceedings forthwith”.

The appellate court panel had initially refused to hands-off the Ondo PDP dispute, even as it allowed Jegede’s lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, to adopt his processes in the appeal to enable it to deliver judgment on the matter.

Olanipekun had argued that the court had a constitutional responsibility to do justice in the case, saying the appellate court would be abdicating its duties should it allow itself to be stampeded into handing-off the matter.

The panel had on September 8, suspended hearing on two other cases relating to the Ondo governorship crisis, following appeals also pending before the Supreme Court.

The two cases were filed by members of the PDP, Benson Akingboye and Ehiozuwa Agbonayiwa.

Nwufor, SAN, had insisted that allowing the appellate court panel to hear either Jegede or Markafi’s appeals would amount to an act of “judicial rascality” since the matter was already before the apex court.

He argued that in line with the legal principle of lis-pendis, the appellate court ought to hands-off the case to avoid a situation where it would conduct a parallel proceeding with the Supreme Court on the same subject matter.

“In view of the unchallenged facts brought to the notice of this court that an appeal against the ruling granting leave to the appellant to appeal the high court judgment, which this court made on November 10, is already before the Supreme Court and has been entered.

“It is therefore our position that this court has lost its jurisdiction to continue with this matter. By order 5 Rule 11 of the Supreme Court Rules 1985, as amended, the Supreme Court is now seized of the whole of this proceeding as between the parties herein.

“It is also an undisputed fact that a motion on notice for staying of all further proceedings and further hearing in this appeal is pending at the Supreme Court and has been drawn to the notice of this court.

“We thus maintain that this panel cannot entertain further proceedings until that motion is decided by the apex court, one way or the other.

“Proceeding to hear this appeal will amount to an effort in futility. It will amount to judicial rascality and judicial impertinence.

“I submit that this court should not conduct parallel proceeding with the Supreme Court regarding the same case, but should allow the apex court, in line with the dictates of the hierarchy of courts established by the constitution, which places the Supreme Court above this court, to take a decision regarding the pending motion for stay of proceedings already before it.

“I urge you to follow your own earlier rulings in CA/A/402/2016 and CA/A/402a/ 2016, delivered on September 8, concerning this same Ondo PDP crisis”, Nwufor submitted.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/breaking-jegede-wins-appeal-court-court-floors-abangs-judgement/

Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel has called on Nigerian Engineers to revamp the nation's electricity infrastructure and make the service affordable and available for the consuming public.

Governor Emmanuel made the call while declaring open the African Engineering Conference on Energy organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers at The Tropicana Conference Centre, Uyo.

According to him "electricity is the spark that ignites ingenuity in small business, a key tool that drives down the cost of production and whose steady availability will engender a Domino effect on the society and the net result cannot be quantified"

"...one the factors that have negated our march to sustainable development has been the epileptic supply of electricity and I am glad that this conference has singled out this important issue as its main area of concentration" The Governor remarked.

He spoke of the conference as the largest assemblage of engineers under one roof in recent times saying that theme of the conference “Adequate, Reliable and Sustainable Energy in Africa” is apt in view of the important role of energy in industrialization and sustainable development.

Governor Emmanuel noted that several strategies have been adopted to resolve the energy crisis in the country for the promotion of economic growth and urged the professional Engineers to evolve action plans with relevant professionals to provide the technical know how that would encourage policy makers to bring about sustainable development.

"We must do all we can to conquer our parlous state of electricity supply. Nigeria’s growth and development would have exploded and our economy would have been roaring if we had found solutions to this huge national problem. "

"It is sometimes depressing to see countries that are not half as endowed as we are, but they have overcome in significant measures their energy challenges. I believe this conference will make solid recommendations and come up with a blueprint that may help us light our nation, expand our growth and consequently improve the quality of lives of our people," He stated.

Earlier the President Federation of African Engineering Organisation Engr. Mustafa B. Shehu said that the objective of the Federation is to establish appropriate standard of Engineering education that would be acceptable within and outside African Continent, build Engineering resource capacity in every country, support the work of each member organisation in it own territory amongst others.

He spoke of the urgent need to propel Nigeria's economy in the direction of raising the bar of the living conditions for the citizens stressing that manufacturing is a critical tool at this moment of global financial meltdown and pointed out that provision of adequate energy is the panacea to achieving set goals.

While lauding the symbiotic alliances between Nigeria, China and other Asian Nations Engr. Shehu expressed optimism that with the calibre of resource persons at the Conference solutions to energy crisis would be proffered.

He thanked the state government for the hospitality accorded them and for granting the body an opportunity to host the Conference in the state.

At the event Fellowship award were conferred on some distinguished members of the Engineering profession.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/gov-udom-charges-engineers-on-improved-electricity-infrastructure/

The wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel has commended the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Spouses Forum for initiating and completing a Solar Borehole Project at the Primary Health Center, Ikot Ayan Ikono, Uyo Local Government Area.

Mrs. Emmanuel, who commissioned the project, gave the commendation while playing host to the members of the Forum at the state banquet organized in their honour at Government House.

The Governor’s wife, who described engineering as a great profession, also applauded NSE Spouses Forum for their complementary role in harnessing and promoting family values, adding that it was in-line with the mission of her pet-project, Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme, (FEYReP).


She said “It is common knowledge and accepted fact the world over including Akwa Ibom State that Engineers and their Spouses play a key and crucial role in infrastructural development of any country. Here in Akwa Ibom state, this assertion is manifestly seen at the Primary Health Center, Ikot Ayan Ikono, Uyo Local Government Area where a Solar Borehole Project was initiated and completed by the Nigerian Society of Engineers Spouses Forum, this is indeed a welcome development.”

While noting that the laudable project of the organization is an eloquent testimony of the sound support given to them by their spouses, Mrs. Emmanuel called on spouses in other professions to emulate the wonderful gesture of the NSE Spouses.

The Chairperson of the State chapter of the Forum, Mrs. Abasiemek Udoikpong while welcoming her colleagues to the state, informed the governor’s wife that the Forum creates opportunities for spouses to socialize, interact and learn more about the profession and also serve as a window for tourism and relaxation.

Speaking earlier at the commissioning, the National President of the group, Dame Nkechi Anyagi in her address, thanked the governor’s wife for hosting the group and also appreciated her for honouring the group’s invitation to commission the borehole project.

She said the project was initiated as part of the social responsibility of the group to give back to the society, adding that the hallmark of the organization is providing complementary role of supporting their husbands in building a virile nation.

Also speaking, the Paramount Ruler of Uyo Local Government Area, His Royal Highness Edidem Silas Bassey appreciated the NSE Spouses Forum for locating the area to construct the borehole, saying the Health Care Center had been in need of water for such a long time. He also thanked the governor’s wife for coming to the area to commission the project, praying that God will replenish their labour of love.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/akwa-ibom-first-lady-commissions-solar-powered-borehole/

According to Mr. Essien Ndueso, the Special to Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State on Media who shared this on Facebook.

He said, "Could it be that the man loved eating fish, or he was a fisherman or came from the great 'Iyak' family?

I witnessed this scene on Nwaniba road this morning around St Luke's Hospital.

Note, I didn't say the man turned into a fish o, I only saw a fishlike casket.. perhaps my friend Uwemedimoh Umanah who owns a fish farm and also loves fisherman soup can explain this better why a man would choose to swim to eternal glory.

Happy weekend folks"

This is one of the most awesome caskets we've ever seen. Recall that earlier this year, a man in Akwa Ibom was buried in a massive shoe-casket.

SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE >>
http://www.ibomreporters.com/akwa-ibom-man-buried-fishlike-coffin-photos/

The Grand Finale of Mr/Mrs Culture Akwa Ibom 2016 grand finale holds today 1th November, 2016 at La Sien Events Centre, Edet Akpan Avenue, Uyo by 7pm.

We bring to you exclusive camp pictures of the 2016 finalists. It's all about #BringBackOurLanguage.



SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE >> http://www.ibomreporters.com/must-see-camp-photos-of-mrmrs-culture-akwa-ibom-2016-finalists/

HannyHouse entertainment in collaboration with Tilapia Island Resort Abak brings to town "One Akwa Ibom tour concert" slated to hold on the 11th November 2016 @ Tilapia Island Resort under Abak new bridge.

The event will feature performances by top artists across the states including M.c Prof. Pop Don X, Brown Edu, Lakrim, Emjay de Rapper, G'wiz Jones, Prokki, Paragon Basil, and so many more.

Other faces to grace the event includes:

S.A to Governor on Entertainment,
S.A to Governor on Agriculture.
2015 Queen Most Beautiful Girl in Akwa Ibom,
2016 king and Queen of Akwa Ibom Teen. M.C Spinoski and many more.

Proudly supported by "Lets Talk, Ibomreporters.com Southjamz.com Premiumnaija.com and more...

Be there. No let them come gist u later oh!

Source: http://www.ibomreporters.com/the-one-akwa-ibom-concert-tour/

By Ededet Nyong |

History is replete with numerous accomplished media professionals who hearkened to the call of their people to ditch their pens and microphones to storm the political arena. British wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, United States of America former Vice President, Albert Al-Gore, among other high-profile world leaders fall into this esteemed category. Even the Republican Party nominee in the upcoming US Presidential elections, Donald Trump owns a wide range of media related outfits and businesses.

Nigeria also boasts of a fat list of journalists who have ventured into the murky waters of politics. The like of Chief Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State, Senators Smart Adeyemi, Ayogu Eze and Chris Anyanwu all cut their professional teeth churning out news stories and reports in some of the leading national dallies while the late Dr. Clement Ebri, former Governor of Cross River State and the sensational Abike Dabari-Erewa who after serving two terms in the House of Representative is currently serving as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Matters, started out as commanders of the tube and pen

In Akwa Ibom state, the story is not different as a cross section of individuals have had the rare privilege of working in both divides. But perhaps like none other, the recent appointment of the thorough-bred broadcaster, journalist, accomplished media entrepreneur and stylish talk show host, Mr. Itoro Columba as Chairman, Ikono Local Government Caretaker Committee elicited rave reviews both within the media industry and the larger society.

This was understandable because for over a decade, Mr. Itoro Columba had set the agenda in the state through his professional calling as a broadcast journalist. Using his independent production, the Bridge TV Show and The Bridge On The Radio, the ace producer and presenter hosted not a few high net worth individuals on the shows. From successive State Chief Executives, Ministers of the Federal Republic from the state, numerous members of both the National and the State Assemblies, State Executive Council members to many other political office holders, the erstwhile Bridge Media Ltd boss drilled them on the democratic deliverables they had bequeathed to their kith and kin. And in his incisive probes and analytic opinions often portrayed him to his numerous fans and admirers as one with an incredible knowledge of the defects in the system and the right pathway out of the labyrinth. Hence, the appointment presented the media professional huge opportunity to not only jaw jaw but to walk the talk. And 100 days on after his appointment, the journalist turned politician has not disappointed his enormous fan base.

While his colleagues in other local government areas were busy trying to find their feet, the Ntippe Ibibio born professional in politics was already moving with the speed of light to deliver tangible democratic deliverables to his people. Upon assuming duties, the long cherished Christian virtues of the Caretaker Chairman played out as he hearkened to the biblical axiom, “cleanliness is next to Godliness” by making the entire Ikono Council Secretariat clean and habitable without waiting for any allocation to drop. The Caretaker Chairman engaged the services of skilled artisans to mow the thick bush which the council’s Secretariat had become. Also, public power supply has been restored to the Secretariat which had hitherto remained in darkness for over a year.

After years of advocacy behind the tube, the Ikono Council boss seized the moment provided by the appointment to add real value to the lives of the natives of the cradle of Ibibio civilization. His first target was to turn the vast oil palm reserves in the area into wealth. So he swiftly moved into the Afaha Ediene axis of the local government to re-activate a non-functional oil processing mill which had been neglected by successive administrations in the area and which had completely broken down for over eight years. The council repaired the broken down electricity generating set, replaced the worn-out equipment in the mill and reactivated the long neglected borehole water scheme. Today, the oil processing-mill is bubbling with life once again and the appreciative women of Afaha Ediene have not only been saved the laborous trouble of lack of handy water supply, their means of livelihood has been boosted.

After empowering the women, the Ikono Caretaker Chairman turned his attention to the traders in the area. He did not merely bemoan the deplorable conditions of a cross section of the local markets, he moved into one of them, the Edet Mbat market located in the two communities of Ikot Akpa Edet and Aka Ekpeme to re-construct twin blocks of open market sheds made up of a total of 24 stalls.

Only recently, when the Chairman of council visited the market to inaugurate the two newly reconstructed blocks, the natives of the communities could not contend their joy as they reeled out series of eulogies on their number one citizen. Infact, one of the Chiefs, Eteidung Isong Udoessien of Ikot Akpa Edet revealed that the day marked the first time the communities were benefitting from any government project of any kind for over 45 years.

Conscious of the critical role Internally Generated Revenue, IGR plays in the success or otherwise of any administration especially at a time like now, the Caretaker Chairman is thinking outside the box to improve the revenue base of the local government. The council is exploring a public private partnership, PPP model to build a world class motor park at Nung Udoe Itak. Already the Itak Clan Council under the leadership of Etebom Emmanuel Ekpeyak Udofia had donated the site of the old NIPOST office for the project and the council, working in concert with the state Ministry of Works and other private investors, is fine-tuning finishing touches for the smooth take-off of the project, which upon completion, will create jobs and wealth as well as boost the economic base of the community.

Aside from laying a solid framework for the economic rebirth of the Cradle of Ibibio civilization, the Ikono Council helmsman has also used every available forum to drum support for his boss and mentor, the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel. In what has been described by many pundits and gaffers as both novel and noble, the Caretaker Chairman recently launched what he called “Ward Sit Out on Gov Udom Emmanuel”.

The idea is to afford him the opportunity to interact with his subjects in the eleven wards and maximally educate them on the daring achievements of the Governor even in the midst of economic recession. His argument is that whatever bill he picks in the course of such converges is on the Governor by default.

Speaking in one of the ward sit outs, hosted in Itak Ward II, the Caretaker Chairman reeled out the uncommon strides of the Governor that necessitated the sit out. He used the occasion to move a motion for the action-soaked Governor to remain in the Hilltop mansion till 2023. Suffice to say a thunderous “Ayes” greeted the popular motion.

In answer to the call by his Principal, Gov Udom Emmanuel on communities to donate land to government for mechanized agriculture in exchange for job and wealth creation, the Ikono Chairman recently led some of his cabinet members and officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to the Palace of the Village Head of Edem Iyere, Ediene, Eteidung Okuku Udo Ben Akpan. The visit was so fruitful that in a matter of days, some senior officials of the Ministry and some private investors will be returning there to take delivery of tens of hectares of land for the said mechanized farming.

Mr. Itoro Columba has also demonstrated capacity to empower his people even in the midst of recession. At the moment, even with the dwindling fortunes of the Council, he has enlisted no less than 13 youths in his payroll even as he has maintained a robust relationship with the Party, elders, women and the enlarged youth population in the area.

The Publicity Secretary of ALGON in the state has also opened a new vista in synergy and constant effective communication with his subjects. For instance, he has become the first Chairman to not only attend an event at the only tertiary institution in the area, the College of Arts and Science, Nung Ukim but also play host to the management team of the College on a courtesy visit, where issues of mutual benefit were discussed.

The Ikono Council boss has also flung his doors open to other groups to see him and explore avenues of working together to better the lot of the people. Some of the groups that have so far visited include the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the leadership of the Zonal office of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) led by the Zonal Director, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in Ikono, the Market Traders Association, Ikono Chapter, among others.

The Columba-led administration has also consciously boosted the moral of Council workers. For the last two months for instance, staffers of Ikono Local Government Council have been the first to receive salaries in the state, thanks to the swift and timely disposition of the ace broadcaster/journalist to his duties of leveraging on the worker-friendly posture of his Principal, the Governor.

Another area the people of Ntippe Ibibio are smiling is from the angle of the First Lady of the local government, Mrs. Ekaette Itoro Columba. The wife of the council boss has through her warmth and hospitable disposition galvanized the women of the area into one united front. Only recently, the First Lady played host to the entire women of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District who came to Ikono for their meeting under the aegis of the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Women’s Forum. Such a meeting would not have been possible if the women of the Ntippe Ibibio were not happy and united under the guidance of their First Lady.

This was prior to a Stakeholders Meeting she organized to brief the women of Ikono on the landmark achievements of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Her Excellency, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel who has defied the economic odds of the state and has through her Pet Project, FEYReP empowered many women, children, youths and the less privileged.

These pragmatic moves at putting the women of Ikono together and her general show of love, warmth and empathy to the women must have informed an Award of Excellence conferred on her recently by the Women of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

Indeed, the magical and record-breaking strides of the action-soaked Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council, Mr. Itoro Columba has given more credence to the 40 years cycle of change as is recorded in numerous portions of the Holy Bible. Like the Israelites waited for 40 years to arrive the promise land, the people of the Cradle of Ibibio Nation have endured a 40 year wait for a Council Chairman of Itak extraction and with the heart of gold. The excited people of Ikono have Governor Udom Emmanuel to thank for discovering this progressive young leader who is breaking the jinx of under-development in the area.

We salute the Caretaker Committee Chairman for using his wide network of contacts as well as his unparallel wits and intellect to reposition the Cradle of Ibibio nation for good.

Mr. Columba has undoubtedly proven that it is not how long but how well. If he could do this much only within three months and in the midst of dire financial stress, it is better imagined the transformation he will bring to Ikono given a longer period of service and improved financial inflow.

The ALGON spokesman has not only acquitted himself on the job, he has vindicated his boss the Governor who invested so much of trust and confidence in him, hence his appointment. Itoro is to Gov Udom what a good make of car is to world-acclaimed auto manufacturers, Toyota; “good thinking, good product”.

To God be all the glory.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/the-daring-strides-of-itoro-columba-in-100-days/

…As Ikono Endorses Gov Udom Emmanuel For 2nd Term


By Ededet Nyong

The immediate past Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang has described the Chairman, Ikono Local Government Caretaker Committee, Mr. Itoro Columba as one with the capacity to deliver democratic deliverables to the people of Ntippe Ibibio. The immediate past Commissioner made his feelings known while inaugurating twin blocks of open market sheds accommodating a total of 24 stalls renovated by the Ikono Local Government Caretaker Committee at the Urua Edet Mbat in Ikot Akpa Edet and Aka Akpeme communities.

Speaking through the Chairman, Uyo Local Government Caretaker Committee, Barr. Mfon Ben, the immediate past Commissioner noted that the completion of the twin blocks of open market sheds was a testimony of the vision of the Itoro Columba led administration in Ikono Local Government. He said, “If within just three months in office and with the meager resources available to the council, you have been able to do this, then you have proved your capacity for more responsibilities”. The thoroughbred administrator also praised the Ikono Council boss for not disappointing the trust and confidence reposed in him by the State Governor and urged the people of the area to remain steadfast with the present administration as more democratic deliverables will be their lot.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of ALGON and Chairman, Eket Local Government Caretaker Committee who was represented by his wife, Mrs Bright Archibong described the day as one of joy and conviviality in the communities. He extolled the Ikono Council boss and his administration as shining examples of people-oriented leadership and appreciated the youths and elders of the area for opening their doors to embrace development which the twin block open market sheds will bring.
When the Ikono Council boss spoke it was to return all gratitude to the State Governor for finding him fit to lead the Cradle of Ibibio Civilization at a time like now. He said the day marked a watershed in his annals as he had proved himself to be a true son and ambassador of the State Governor. “When we were sworn into office, the Governor charged us to prove our capacity by creating wealth and thinking outside the box to bring development to the grassroots, I believe this twin blocks each made up of twelve open stalls is a demonstration of our capacity,” the council boss told the mammoth crowd of dignitaries, community leaders and youths who turned up for the event.

“A good son must resemble his father. I have a father in Gov Udom Emmanuel who is doing uncommon things at a time like this. Only in Akwa Ibom are we seeing jobs and wealth being created, roads being constructed, industrialization going on and workers entitlements being settled promptly in a period of economic recession. This can only happen in Akwa Ibom where Governor Udom Emmanuel is the Governor. As a true political son of my father, I must be like him. And so whether there’s free flow of money or not, Ikono must be transformed”, the ace broadcaster posited.

He informed the mammoth crowd of the Governor’s love for Ikono Local Government as demonstrated in his award of contract for the construction of the 6km Mbiafun Nkwongo-Nung Ukim road which traverses the local government. He also added that plans were underway for the construction of another road, the Nung Udoe Itak-Ikot Odung-Nkara-Abak road and posited that with these and many more which are in the pipeline, Ikono natives stand to benefit more if they invest their support to the State Governor for eight years.

On the two blocks of open market sheds renovated by his administration at Urua Edet Mbat, the accomplished broadcast journalist turned politician stated that he was moved by the debilitating trading environment to re-construct the open sheds for the market women. He appreciated the market management for their sincerity and commitment in overseeing the market and urged them to reciprocate the council’s gesture by taking care of the facilities.

He proceeded to move a motion for the continuity of Gov Udom Emmanuel in office till 2023. “Whereas the Governor has so far acquitted himself and vindicated the almost 1 million Akwa Ibom people who voted for him; whereas since 1999, there has been an established political precedent where a Governor does two terms of 8 years. Whereas what is sauce for the goose should also be sauce for the gander, I hereby in my capacity as Chairman and custodian of the social, economic and political norms of Ikono, the Cradle of Ibibio Nation move and let it be so moved that the magical, performing, record-breaking workers-friendly and people-centred Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel shall remain in the Hilltop Mansion till 2023. Those in support of the motion, stand on your feet and say “Aye”, he moved. In response, there was a thunderous and overwhelming shout of “Ayes” by the excited Ikono people.

Responding to the requests made by the Chiefs and natives of the two communities who share ownership of the market, the Caretaker Chairman stated that if he could construct the twin open sheds without their prompting, then they should rest assured that the council would in no time respond to their requests for more open market sheds and other amenities. He disclosed that his administration had also completed the renovation of a borehole water scheme and electricity generating set at an oil palm processing mill at Afaha Ediene which had broken down for eight years and called on his kith and kin to brace up for more as he was working on a PPP model to build a world class motor park in the Itak axis of the local government to replace the old one which had been overtaken by the Uyo-Ikot Ekpene dual carriage way.

The Chairman concluded by thanking the Secretary and members of the Ikono Caretaker Committee for showcasing true comradeship and co-operation, traits he said were responsible for the numerous achievements recorded by the barely three old months administration in Ntippe Ibibio.

Others who witnessed the inauguration of the twin open market sheds were the Chairman’s wife, Ekaette, Chairman, Itu Caretaker Committee, Mrs. Elsie Esara, her Ibiono Ibom counterpart, Mr. Samuel Eka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Demographics/Economic Planning, Dr. Anthony Usoro, the Secretary, Ikono Caretaker Committee, Barr. Ekemini Uba, members of the Ikono Caretaker Committee, the PDP Chapter Chairmen, Chief (Barr) Moses Akpan represented by the Chapter Secretary, Barr. O. B. Akpan, the village heads of the two benefitting communities, Eteidung Isong Udoessien of Ikot Akpa Edet and Eteidung John Effiong Essien of Aka Akpeme, numerous women and youth groups and the ecstatic stakeholders and natives of both communities. They showered praises on the council boss for ameliorating their plight and ending their over 40 years wait for government presence of any kind in their communities.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/eulogies-for-ikono-council-chair-as-he-inaugurates-market-stalls/

Akwa Ibom State Governor Mr Udom Emmanuel says he would be meticulous and transparent in the reconstitution of the next State Executive Council.


Governor Emmanuel dropped the hint at Ibom International Airport while fielding questions from Government House Correspondents on arrival from Lagos State where he went for official engagement.


The Governor said " the administration under his watch is committed to ensure that his campaign promises are fulfilled and the programmes of the administration vigorously pursued base on need assessment."

He added that the next State Executive Council would comprise persons that would sustain the drive for the industrialisation of the state.


Mr Emmanuel indicated that his administration was not relenting on efforts at ensuring the realisation of the vision of the present government to justify the mandate given by the people.

He solicited the cooperation of the entire people of the state on issues of governance, assuring that in no time the state Executive Council would be reconstituted.

On hand to receive the Governor were his Deputy Mr Mosses Ekpo, Director General Divine Mandate, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, Secretary to the State Government Sir Etekamba Umoren, Head of Civil Service Mrs Ekerebong Akpan, Permanent Secretaries and Aides to the Governor.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/just-in-new-exco-on-the-way-gov-udom-emmanuel/

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has made a case for subsidy to be granted to the Agricultural sector of the economy to enhance food sufficiency in the country.

Governor Emmanuel made the advocacy at Government House, Uyo during a courtesy call on him by the Course 25, Study Team of the National Defence College (NDC), currently on tour of the state.

He said “it is better to subsidize Agriculture than crude oil in view of the fact that coconut, palm and kernel oil attract more income in the international market than crude oil.”

Governor Emmanuel also stressed the need for financial institutions to give long-term loans to farmers to aid in the development of agriculture beyond the subsistent level and observed that the tour which is anchored on the theme “Enhancing Food Security for National Development” is in response to needs of the time especially now that globalization has changed the perception of sovereignty.

Governor Emmanuel wondered why Nigerians would abandon agriculture in pursuit of oil wealth saying that the time has come for all to rise to fill the gap in agricultural development for employment generation, sustainability and wealth creation.

He thanked participants of the Course 25 Team for the visit and urged them to use their research findings to advise government on National security issues and to address food security issues.

Mr Emmanuel who used the occasion to draw the team’s attention to activities of pirates and Gendarmes from the Republic of Cameroon said “they have made life difficult for fishermen to do their businesses” and called on the security service to re-invent approaches that would ensure peaceful coexistence with neighbouring countries .

He also condemned the imposition of tariff by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture on importation of crop seedling such as coconut and other crops, saying this hinders sincere commitment to agricultural development.

He listed the strides recorded by his administration for the enhancement of food sufficiency to include investment in a special fertilizer blend that would be compliant to the soil and crops for improved yield.

The Governor stated that many youths have been sent on training in various fields of agriculture and that the state has entered into partnership with a U.S-based firm for the provision of sweet corn and tomatoes seedlings to replace the variety that is available in the country.

He said the state has made considerable investment in Cocoa cultivation and that in a short while Akwa Ibom would become one of the largest producers of cocoa in the country.

Earlier the Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade said the Course 25 Team of the College are on a study tour on the role of states towards the achievement of food security in the country.

Rear Admiral Alade said the theme of the study “Enhancing Food Security for National Development ” is to enable the participants research on the methods used by the states to achieve the set objective and to proffer solution at the end of the visit.

The Commandant lauded the industrialization policy of the present administration and its keen investment in the agricultural sector and expressed optimism that Akwa Ibom would be able to achieve reasonable success in agricultural development.

Rear Admiral Samuel Alade expressed appreciation to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his team.

The Course 25 participants include Brig. General A.E. Ahtu, Brig. General Olatunde, Air Commodore S. Makinde, Col. A.T. Adelija, Col. W.O. Etuk; Col. A. Y. Duke, among others.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/udom-emmanuel-solicits-interest-free-loan-farmers/

By Inibehe Effiong

The State Security Service (SSS) embarked on an unprecedented "crackdown" on allegedly corrupt judicial officers across the country over the weekend. Among the judicial officers whose houses were searched and thereafter arrested and detained are two Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria; Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro.

READ >> Judges Arrest: APC Exonerate Buhari, Cautions PDP, Security Agencies

As expected, the action has polarised lawyers, commentators, the media, civil society and the public. Differing views have been expressed on the constitutionality or otherwise of the steps and procedures adopted by the SSS. Sadly, the public has been deprived of opinions that are rooted in law owing largely to the belligerent and sentimental posturing and aggressive grandstanding that has impaired commentaries on the issues in controversy.

My task in this essay is simply to offer a legal opinion on the following four issues: First, are judicial officers in Nigeria immune from the criminal justice system?; Second, is it mandatory for security agencies to seek the consent/intervention of the National Judicial Council (NJC) before investigating, arresting, detaining or prosecuting a judicial officer over alleged crimes?; Three, did the SSS act within its statutory powers and acceptable legal procedures? Four, is evidence that is obtained illegally admissible in law?

The above questions or issues are in my considered view the crux-es of the matter.

Before I proceed further, may I respectfully issue a caution: This op-ed is one of the longest that I have written in recent times. It is not for the lazy mind or for those who are easily irriated by long essays and exposition. The nature of the issues under consideration necessarily made it a detailed essay. I solicit the indulgence of readers.

Resolution of the issues:

First, are judicial officers in Nigeria immune from the criminal justice system?

The only constitutional provision relating to immunity from civil and criminal proceedings and prosseses for certain public office holders in Nigeria is Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) (hereinafter referred to as the Constitution). Based on that provision, only the President, the Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors are shielded from civil and criminal proceedings and prosseses in limited circumstances.

It is an elementary rule of interpretation that the express mention of one person or thing is the exclusion of another. The maxim is expressio unius personae vel, est exclusio alterius. In the case of Ehuwa v. O.S.I.E.C. (2006) 10 NWLR (Pt.1012) 544, the Supreme Court stated the position thus:

"It is now firmly established that in the construction of a Statutory provision, where a statute mentions specific things or persons, the intention is that those not mentioned are not intended to be included..." Per OGBUAGU, JSC.

The implication is that every person apart from the four public officers expressly mentioned in Section 308 of the Constitution are subject to investigation, arrest, detention and prosecution. Judicial Officers from the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to High Court Judges do not enjoy any special protection from criminal proceedings and prosseses. Immunity cannot be inferred, it must be specifically granted.

Those suggesting that judicial officers in Nigeria are entitled to special protection or immunity should be kind enough to cite the enabling constitutional or statutory provision that supports their position. The truth is that there is none.

Second, is it mandatory for security agencies to seek the consent/intervention of the NJC before investigating, arresting, detaining or prosecuting a judicial officer over alleged crimes?

The NJC is one of the institutions established by Section 153 of the Constitution. The power of the Council is provided for in Paragraph 21 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution. The NJC is empowered inter alia, to recommend the removal from office of judicial officers and exercise disciplinary control over them. By virtue of Section 158 (1) of the Constitution, the NJC is guaranteed constitutional independence and is not subject to the control of any other authority or person when exercising its disciplinary control.

There is no dispute on the disciplinary control of the NJC over judicial officers. What is disputed by some legal commentators is the extent of the disciplinary control. Is it correct to aver that no criminal proceedings or action can be initiated or taken against a judicial officer except on the invitation/directive of the NJC?

At the risk of repetition, where a judicial officer is alleged to have committed a crime, is it mandatory for law enforcement agencies to go through the disciplinary instrumentality of the NJC before taking actions against the erring judicial officer?

There is nothing in the provisions of Paragraph 21 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution that precludes law enforcement agencies from investigating, arresting, detaining or prosecuting a judicial officer in Nigeria for alleged corrupt practices or for other sundry offences. It is my view that a contrary interpretation will have the inescapable effect of conferring an extra-constitutional immunity on judicial officers.

In rule seven (7) of the famous twelve (12) point rule of constitutional interpretation propounded by OBASEKI, JSC in the celebrated case of Attorney-General of Bendel State vs Attorney-General of the Federation (1981) 10 SC. 1; (1981) 1 FNLR 179, the Supreme Court declared thus:

"A constitutional provision should not be construed in such a way as to defeat its evident purpose."

The purpose of Section 308 of the Constitution as evidently enshrined therein is to protect ONLY the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors from arrest, detention and prosecution. I submit that any construction on the disciplinary power of the NJC that tends to shield judicial officers from arrest, detention and prosecution will automatically defeat the purpose of Section 308 of the Constitution.

It is my humble view that where the wrongful act of a judicial officer is merely a misconduct and nothing more, the NJC is vested with the power to recommend such offending judicial officer for removal from office and exercise disciplinary control over him. The NJC's independence from control guaranteed and envisaged by Section 158 of the Constitution does not, and cannot be construed to mean totality or absoluteness of control over judicial officers where the misconduct complained of also constitute a crime.

Before concluding on this point, there is a widely propagated misconception that needs to be corrected.

It has been argued by some persons that the procedure on how erring judges should be dealt with requires that even when a judge is found or alleged to have committed a crime, a petition must first be written to the NJC and that the petitioner and the law enforcement agencies like the police, the EFCC, the SSS and others must patiently wait for the determination of the petition by the NJC before activating the criminal process. With respect, that cannot be the correct position.

Ostensibly, this misconception stems from a misunderstanding of the relationship between the constitutional procedure for removal of judicial officers and the liability of judges for criminal offences committed by them.

The procedure for removal of judicial officers in Nigeria is as contained in Section 292 of the Constitution. In brevity, the provision is to the effect that the NJC may recommend to the President or Governor, as the case may be, the removal from office of erring judicial officers for inability to perform the functions of their office due to infirmity (whether of the body or mind) or misconduct or contravention of the Code of Conduct. Note that the NJC only recommends, it does not and cannot remove any judicial officer solely on its own.

There is nothing in Section 292 of the Constitution that makes the removal of an erring judicial officer a condition precedent to his investigation, arrest, detention and prosecution by law enforcement agencies.

No law enforcement agency can usurp the disciplinary powers of the NJC by recommending a judge for removal or suspending a judge or exercising other form of disciplinary control over a judicial officer. Likewise the NJC cannot and should not usurp the constitutional cum statutory functions of the law enforcement agencies to investigate crimes, arrest, detain or prosecute any person, including judicial officers, for alleged crimes. Both causes of action can either run concurrently or separately depending on the circumstances of each case. Where for example a judicial officer is accused of corruption which is both an act of professional misconduct and a crime, the aggrieved party and or law enforcement agency may elect to petition the NJC for the removal of the judicial officer from office or proceed directly to subject the erring judicial officer to the criminal justice system or pursue both causes of action at the same time.

The NJC is not a court of law under Section 6 of the Constitution and has no supervisory jurisdiction over law enforcement agencies.

Third, did the SSS act within its statutory power and acceptable procedure?

The SSS is a creation of the National Security Agencies Act of 1986. The power of the SSS as stipulated in Section 3 of the Act is as follows:

(3) The State Security Service shall be charged with responsibility for-

(a) the prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria;

(b) the protection and preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning the internal security of Nigeria; and

(c) such other responsibilities affecting internal security within Nigeria as the National Assembly or the President, as the case may be, may deem necessary.

Going by the provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) supra, it is apparent that the SSS stricto sensu ( in the strict sense) has no power to arrest judicial officers for alleged economic and financial crimes. However, a dispassionate attention should be paid to the wordings and purport of paragraph (c) above. Clearly, that provision (paragraph C) gives the President the power to enlarge the scope of responsibilities of the SSS relating to the internal security within Nigeria. Section 6 of the Act goes further to empower the President to issue an Instrument, a subsidiary legislation, on the manner the SSS should exercise its powers, etc.

In exercise of the power in Sections 3 and 6 of the National Security Agencies Act 1986, former Head of State, General Abdusalam Abubakar in 1999 promulgated the State Security Service Instrument One of 1999. By virtue of that Instrument, the responsibilities of the SSS was extended to include the prevention, detection and investigation of economic crimes of national security dimension, among other things. It is important to emphasize that the National Security Agencies Act has a special constitutional flavour being one of the four federal enactments listed in Section 315 (5) of the Constitution. The consequence is that it cannot be altered like ordinary Acts of the National Assembly. It has the same alteration procedure like the Constitution as laid down in Section 9 (2) of the Constitution.

According to the SSS, the affected judicial officers were arrested based on allegations of corrupt practices and professional misconduct. The SSS in a statement said that raw cash of different denominations, in both local and foreign currencies, assets worth millions of Naira and documents affirming "unholy acts of these Judges" have been uncovered through a sting operation. The summary of cash allegedly recovered during the "raids" conducted in the homes of the Judges was given as follows: Naira - N93,558,000.00; Dollars - $530,087; Pounds - £25,970 and Euro - €5,680.

The question is, does the grave allegations levelled against the Judges and the alleged offences committed by them constitute "economic crimes of national security dimension" to bring same within the purview of the additional powers of the SSS pursuant to Instrument One of 1999?

It is advisable for us to examine the role of judicial officers in nation building. A corrupt judge is not only a threat to justice and the rule of law but to the society and the nation. Judges are by their calling empowered to make binding decisions on behalf of the rest of the society. When judgments are obtained fraudulently, the society and the nation are endangered. A corrupt judge is more dangerous than a kidnapper or an armed robber. The worst form of corruption is judicial corruption.

Though the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is the specialised and coordinating agency for the detection, prevention and prosecution of economic and financial crimes, economic crimes committed by a judicial officer is far more serious and damaging than those of other categories of persons and there is some wisdom is categorizing same as "economic crimes of national security dimension" for which the SSS can act upon.

On the manner the searches and arrests were conducted, I concede that the SSS acted in a rather brash and indecorous manner. However, facts are sacred and the law should be separated from sentiments. It is reported that the SSS obtained both search and arrest warrants. What is in dispute is whether the warrants covered all the affected judicial officers and the somewhat "undemocratic" manner they were executed, particularly the time.

The relevant principal law on the issuance of a search/arrest warrant is the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA). Part 18 of the ACJA is devoted to search warrants, Section 144 thereof allows for the issuance of a search warrant on any house. The warrant may also authorize the officer or other person to arrest the occupier of the house or place where any incriminating item or thing is found during the search. Where this is specified in the search warrant, there would be no need to obtain an arrest warrant separately. By Section 146 of the ACJA, a search warrant shall be under the hand of a Judge, Magistrate or Justice of the Peace issuing it and shall remain in force until it is executed or cancelled by the court which issued it.

One important provision under Part 18 of the ACJA that those criticizing the SSS should note is Section 148. It states unequivocally thus:

"A search warrant may be issued and executed at any time on any day, including a Sunday or Public Holiday."

However, under Section 151 of the ACJA, a search warrant cannot be executed outside jurisdiction of the court or Justice of the Peace issuing it except with the consent of the court within whose jurisdiction the search is to be made. It is doubtful whether the SSS complied with this requirement before embarking on the search at the houses of some of the judges located outside the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja where the search warrant must have been issued.

It has been argued by some lawyers, including some Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) that the ACJA does not apply throughout the federation and that the SSS was bound to follow the provisions of the enabling procedural laws in the States where they executed the search, especially as it pertains to the time of execution of the search warrants. This argument with respect is misleading.

Under Section 111 of the repealed Criminal Procedure Act Cap. C41 LFN 2004, the time for executing a search warrant in the South was between the hours of five o'clock in the forenoon and eight o'clock at night of any day of the week, including Sundays but the Magistrate had the power to direct otherwise. The repealed Criminal Procedure (Northern States) Act Cap. C42 LFN 2004, was however silent on the time. Both Acts have now been repealed by Section 493 of the ACJA 2015 and are no longer laws in Nigeria. Section 2 of the ACJA makes the ACJA applicable to criminal trials for offences created by an Act of the National Assembly, like economic and financial crimes, and to other offences punishable in the FCT, it is the ACJA and not the various laws of the States where the "raids" were conducted that governs the procedure adopted by the SSS. Accordingly, it is misleading for anyone to suggest that the SSS was wrong to have executed the search warrant(s) at night.

It is reported that the SSS forcibly broke into the house of one of the judges. Section 149 (1) of the ACJA states thus:

"Where any building liable to be search is closed, a person residing in or being in charge of the building, thing or place, shall on demand of the police officer or other person executing the search warrant, allow him free and unhindered acess to it and afford all reasonable facilities for its search."

By the combined effect of Sections 9, 10, 12, 13 and 149 (2) of the ACJA the person executing a search warrant and or arrest warrant is empowered to "break open any outer or inner door or window of any house or place" where unhindered acess is denied upon demand. If the SSS had requested for unhindered access into the house of the affected judge and they were denied, the breaking of the door of the judge's house was lawful as expressly stated in the ACJA.

Four, is illegally obtained evidence admissible in law? In other words, where evidence is recovered in contravention of the procedure for search of houses and places, will the court admit same?

Every lawyer in this country that is worth his salt knows the answer to this question. The answer is YES - illegally obtained evidence is admissible. The Supreme Court held so in unmistakable terms right from 1968 in the case of Musa Sadau & Anor v. The State (1968) NMLR 208. Also in Kuruma V. R. (1955)1 All ER 236 at 239-240, the Privy Council stated, inter alia, thus:

"The test to be applied in considering whether evidence is admissible is whether it is relevant to the matters in issue. If it is admissible.....the court is not concerned with how the evidence was obtained".

It is an elementary rule of evidence that what determines admissibility is relevance and not how the evidence was procured. See Section 1 of the Evidence Act 2011 and the cases of Torti v. Ukpabi (1984) 1 SCNLR 214 AT 236 - 237 and 239 24O and Lasun v. Awoyemi (2009) 16 NWLR (Pt.1168) 513 at 553.

READ MORE >> http://www.ibomreporters.com/crackdown-judicial-officers-separating-law-sentiments/

The people of Itak ward 11 in Ikono Local Government Area have been urged to remain loyal and faithful to the Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel led administration in the state. This charge was handed down to the people by a son of the soil and Caretaker Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council, Mr. Itoro Columba when he hosted a mammoth crowd of PDP faithful in the ward in what he termed “Ward Sit Out On Gov. Udom Emmanuel”.

The Chairman asserted that the ward had many reasons to remain loyal and thankful to the State Chief Executive, one of them being his decision to end their 40 year wait for one of their own to become the Chairman, Ikono Local Government Council.

He said, “We are extremely happy today that 40 years after the creation of Ikono Local Government Area, God Almighty has worked through the State Governor to make me the first son of Itak Clan to be Chairman of council in Ikono Local Government and this is why we must remain eternally grateful to God and our beloved Governor”.

The Chairman also promised on behalf of his kith and kin to ensure that the State Governor succeeds himself in office come 2019. “Uyo and Ikot Ekpene Senatorial districts had their eight years in office respectively as Governor, so what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Now is the turn of Eket Senatorial district to stay in office as Governor for eight years, more so as the Governor has acquitted himself and has been focused and daring in his achievements even in the midst of biting economic crises”, the Ntippe Ibibio born media entrepreneur told the mammoth crowd of PDP faithful.
He called on the people to join hands with him so as to deliver the ward which has the 3rd largest concentration of votes in Ikono Local Government area to the Governor in the 2019 elections. He further reeled out the list of achievements the administration has recorded as evidence that it deserves a second bite of the cherry, prominent among them being the construction of some roads in the area. ' I say it whereever I go. I don't know what would've been our fate if we did not have a Governor in the mould of Mr Udom Emmanuel at a time like now. Go to other states and you'll be amazed that the regular payment of salaries to civil servants and pension to retirees which we take for granted, is a luxury worthy of celebration', Mr Columba added.

On his activities in office, the Caretaker Chairman revealed that he had refused to be overwhelmed by the paucity of funds in the local government administration. He stated that he was thinking outside the box to ensure that he leaves some tangible dividends of democracy to the Cradle of Ibibio civilization at the end of his tenure. “Already, in tune with our resolve to look for all avenues of partnership, I had invited the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-eyen to Itak to see how we can partner to build a functional motor park here, and the amiable Works Commissioner has elected to partner us alongside some private investors to have the project done”, the Chairman said.

He added, “The entire monarchy, the Clan Council and the people have donated a land around the former NIPOST Post Office for the project and in no time, the project will commence through a Public Private Partnership, PPP model. The Chairman listed the multi-faceted benefits the proposed motor park would attract to the area and warned those planning to resist development to desist henceforth or face the full wrath of government.

The Chairman also revealed that he was using his wide network of contacts in government to ensure that a public secondary school is opened in the Clan as it was unthinkable that a people with sixteen gazetted villages would be without a public post -primary institution to call their won.

The accomplished broadcast journalist turned politician also promised his people that he was working in concert with the state Ministry of Works to ensure that the State Governor visits the area to formally kick-start work on the Nung Udoe Itak-Ikot Odung Ikono-Abak road and urged them to remain loyal to the PDP to ensure that all the laudable projects come to fruition. He hinted on some other projects he had embarked upon in other wards of the local government which were to be inaugurated during his first 100 days in office.

He reminded his kith and kin that if he could attract development to the area in the form of an electricity project to six villages in the clan and free medical services to over 300 natives among others while he was a private person, they should rest, assured that as the public Relations Officer of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Akwa Ibom State Chapter and the Secretary, Forum of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Chairmen, he would attract more development to the clan and the local government in general. ' I remain eternally grateful to our Leader, the Legal Adviser of our great Party at the state level, Obong (Barr)Goddy Umoh and the Senate Minority Leader, His Excellency, Dr Godswill Obot Akpabio for the effective leadership they have given us. I pray God to continue to keep them for us', he waxed grateful.

Mr. Columba used the occasion to formally present the two aides he had appointed from the Ward, namely the immediate past PDP Ward Chairman, Mr. Isong Okon Ibanga and Mr. Ekemini Essien

Speaking earlier, a former Councillor in the Ward and Dean of Students, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Hon. J. J. Ekiko , encapsulated the warm feelings of the Itak ward 11 people to the state Governor for appointing their beloved son and brother, Mr. Itoro Columba as Chairman, Ikono Caretaker Committee. He promised on their behalf to support the re-election of the State Governor and the election of Mr. Itoro Columba as the substantive Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council.

Others who spoke at the event included the Ward Chairman, Mr. Okon Effiong Akpan, a former Vice Chairman of Ikono Local Government Council, Hon Godwin Mark, a former Transition Committee member of Ikono Local Govt Council, Elder Friday Ubeng, the Pioneer PDP Ward Chairman, Elder Gregory Michael, the PDP Women Leader, Mrs Glory Abam, the President, Itak Youth Council, Mr. Ubon Udofia, the widow of a frontline Politician in the area, Mrs Mfonobong Udosen, the PDP Ward Youth Leader, Mr. Nsikak Ikpe, the Chapter Publicity Secretary, Mr. Idongesit Ukaetuk, among others.

They all congratulated Mr. Itoro Columba on his appointment and modest achievements, thanked the Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel and Obong (Barr) Gody Umoh for remaining great leaders that Itak people would continue celebrate. They promised to stand with the Governor and their son, Mr. Columba through thick and thin.

The parley featured free flow of food, drinks and others “packages”. Present were the Ward EXCO members of PDP, Elders, Youths, Women and other categories of the people of Itak Clan.

SOURCE: http://www.ibomreporters.com/gov-udom-broken-jinx-ikono-chair-kinsmen/

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State says the economic downturn in the country will soon fade out for a vibrant economy in view of the diversification policy that has witnessed investments in Agriculture and in the non- oil sector of the economy

Governor Emmanuel stated this when he worshipped at his country home church, United Evangelical Church (founded as Qua Iboe Church ) Ikot Idem Udo Superintendency, Awa- Iman in Onna Local Government Area of the state.

According to him “God has a purpose in the affairs of this country because the recession has challenged all to diversify investments to Agriculture, tourism, solid mineral and non Oil sectors of the economy for employment generation, wealth creation, food sufficiency and sustainability.”

He added “This administration is committed to providing a value chain in agro- businesses to enable farmers derive commensurate returns for their investment. Also the cooperative for outgrowers scheme is to ensure that the farm produce are bought at International price index”.

The Governor said ” three Garri processing plants will be innaugurated and put to use to reduce capital fight in the processing of the staple food” and called on the people to engage in agriculture for self sufficiency.

Mr Emmanuel urged the people to embrace the empowerment package of the state government in which three hundred thousand naira is doled out to women and traders on interest – free basis to enable them grow their businesses.

On the various road construction projects in the state, Mr Emmanuel explained that the projects were not abandoned as speculated and that the delay was caused by the on set of the rains , He therefore urged the contractors to take advantage of the dry season that is approaching to speed up the work and ensure early completion.

He said his desire to worship at his home church was to connect with his roots and address issues affecting his kith and kins.

Reverend Sunday Udoh who preached on the theme “Jesus the hope of the hopeless” said that when situations turn difficult and frustrating, Jesus always come to the rescue.

He took his text from the gosple of Luke Chapter 7 verses 11 to 17 and admonished that faith in Jesus turns around hopeless situations and that the economic situation in Nigeria would be addressed with hope through the saving grace of our Saviour – the Lord Jesus Christ .

The Cleric noted that God uses persons to bring about a change in bleak circumstances and cited the resurrection of the survivng son of a widow, the use of lepers to deliver Samarians from Syrian siege and assigning of Gideon to deliver Isreal from the coalition forces of Amalekites and Hittites in which case God intervened.

He said God brought Governor Emmanuel at a time like this to salvage the state from economic recession and launch the state into an Industrial hub in the country.

The service which was attended by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly Barister Onofiok Luke, Secretary to the State Government, Sir Ettekamba Umoren, State Chairman Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Mr Frank Archibong, House of Assembly members for Onna, Obot Akara, Ukanafun, Oron State Constituencies and other personalities featured prayers for the country, state, the Governor and his cabinet.

Source: http://www.ibomreporters.com/gov-udom-to-commission-three-garri-processing-plants/

The calmness he exuded didn’t translate to his driving though. He drove like a cheetah in pursuit of prey through the free roads and they were in the Surulere hospital Derin used for his HMO in no time. On the way to the hospital, the contractions had gotten more frequent, more intense. When they got to the hospital Derin’s composure was nearly gone. He hurried her in and the nurses who were familiar with their story saw what was going on and quickly took over from him, stretching her to the labor room.
They had endured a grueling two weeks after his birth before the doctors finally pronounced the baby okay. Coupled with the huge bills incurred on the incubator, they were on the edge. They were so unsure, and their faith so battered by years of loss that they chose not to share the birth of their baby with anyone, not even close family and friends. They waited to be sure, and it had taken two weeks. Those two weeks had been the longest in her life. When the doctor finally told them that the  baby was out of the woods, she had seen Derin shed silent tears for the first (and the last time) in their marriage. After that, they had called and told everybody. Her whole family, including her father had flown in from wherever in the world they were. Derin’s mum too had come, along with his only sibling, his younger sister. Their father was late by then. Awazi relished the look on her mother in-law’s face when she held the baby. It was a priceless look of someone who now had to eat very big, hurtful words she had said over the years. But she couldn’t deny the pure love she saw shinning through the old woman’s eyes whenever she looked at the baby. In that, they were together. So, after toying with all manner of names of exceedingly great length in her head (she even came up with OluwaVindicateMi), she simply named her baby Isaac, like the biblical Sarah.
“Finally!” Derin exclaimed, bringing her back into the present. “The annoying thing about all this traffic is that you get to the end of it, and find the road free.” True to character, the rest of the journey to Ibadan was smooth. It was when they got to the outskirts of Ibadan that Isaac began to cry uncontrollably. Not the normal baby cries. Piercing, ear shattering cries. But for the mother, it was more than ear shattering, every cry ripped at a shred of her soul’s fabric. Suddenly, he became quiet, and she noticed he stiffened and his little arms and legs began to twitch spasmodically and his breathing became irregular.
Letting out a low gasp, she picked him out of the baby car seat he had been in. She nearly dropped him back into the seat. In the short time it had taken to get to Ibadan from the point where they escaped from the traffic, his temperature had risen dramatically. He was blazing hot. Ever vigilant, Derin had heard her gasp and noticed his wife’s reaction through his rear view mirror and he quickly pulled over. A mob of youths selling all manner of breads and chargers mobbed their car in the hope of making a quick sale but he ignored them all, unshackled himself from the seat belt and twisted around to face her. The baby had started crying again by now, even louder than before.
“What is wrong with him?” he asked, above the cries of the baby.
“I don’t know,” she responded, bewildered. “He seemed perfectly okay in Lagos and I even breastfed him while we were in traffic. This started rather suddenly.”
“We’ll stop by at a hospital I’m familiar with before going to my parent’s place,” he said.
They had agreed that they would not be staying at his parents’ place to forestall friction. They would go visit, but would lodge in a hotel.
He quickly pulled out onto the road, narrowly missing one of the hawkers who hadn’t moved quickly enough. He swore under his breath.
Twenty minutes later, amidst incessant heart wrenching cries from Isaac, and repeated occurrences of the spasms, they arrived at the hospital he had spoken of, one he had been familiar with since he was a boy. It was a white two storey building with well paved lawns and a low fence. Even though there was a sign on the main road, indicating they were at the hospital, they had to turn off the main road into a smaller side road to get to the big black gate that was its entrance. The sign announced that they were welcome to Omega Clinic. Like an expert robber, he parked, unlatched his seat belt and opened the door in one movement. Awazi was still trying to gather all the lose baby things in the car together when he opened the door impatiently. He reached over her and picked the baby up and left the door open. The baby was so hot now he felt his arms warming up uncomfortably as he cradled him in his arms. He quickened his pace to a quick trot. By the time he got to the see through glass door, his wife had caught up with him, with one item or the other falling out of her hands with every step. She didn’t stop to pick any of them. Derin rammed his shoulder in the door to open it.
The hospital reception area was filled with all manner of people. Old, young, healthy looking, and obviously sick. It was a busy day. He cursed his luck as he meandered his way to the mighty looking mahogany receptionist’s desk. Isaac was still crying at the top of his little lungs, the volume of his wailing quite the opposite of how little those lungs must be. The smell of drugs hit him in the face like a punch. It nauseated him but he took no notice of it. There were two nurses at the desk, one middle aged squat woman with rabbit-like teeth visible even when she closed her mouth. The other was a wiry looking nurse. Both were unsmiling, unwelcoming.
“Yes…” the older woman whose name tag said her name was Mercy asked. The question sounded more like a rebuke and her face remained as unwelcoming as it could ever be. She spoke with a slight lisp, no thanks to her teeth.
“My son, he suddenly developed a high fever, is having spasms and is crying uncontrollably, on our way from Lagos. All this started within the last one hour.”
Kaffy, the younger nurse hissed. “So because you are from Lagos now, you think you can come here and jump the queue. Abi you did not see that all the people you passed were waiting since ni?” she clapped her hands together and shook her head “all you these Lagos people sef!”
“Abi o,” Mercy chipped in.
“Ladies,” Derin said impatiently, “if it was not such an emergency, I would have joined the queue. But as it is, this is the first time Isaac here has been sick, and it seems pretty bad.”
Kaffy again eyeballed him and turned away to some paperwork.
Mercy was a bit less hostile “Oga, do you have a card?”
At this point Awazi lost it. “Iskanchi! How can we have a bleeding card! He just clearly said we came here straight from the road. We are not Ibadan people; we came in from Lagos with an emergency involving our only child, a six month old baby. You are a woman and a nurse, and should understand how urgent this is. The infant cannot even say what is wrong with him; the earlier he’s attended to, the better. We will pay whatever it is, just let the baby see a doctor immediately.”
Now Mercy was just as angry as Kaffy. Really, all these Lagos people that would come to Ibadan with all their pomposity. She was used to their type. They would walk in with all their airs and graces with the assumption that Ibadan was some kind of backwater inferior town to their big Lagos. I mean, even Johnson, her younger brother who was thirty before he left Ibadan for Lagos now came back preening around like a cock whenever he was in town from Lagos. Nonsense somebody! What did she mean by “Ibadan people”? And who was she to question her womanhood? And why was this woman giving her orders. She hissed loudly.
“Madam, we don’t attend to anybody that does not have a card in this hospital. Take the corridor to your left to our admin department to go and buy a card and register. And then you will join the queue like everybody else.” And then she too turned her back and joined Kaffy at the paperwork.
Derin considered his options – stay here and spar with these clowns and waste precious time or go in to get the card and by any luck run into a doctor. Doctors were known to act better than nurses in most hospitals.
He quickly made his decision. He handed Isaac over to Awazi and dashed down the corridor like a rabbit down a hole. Seconds later, he had located the admin department. It seemed empty.
“Is there anybody here?” he shouted. Silence
“Is there anybody here!” he shouted louder.
“Oga, you don’t need to shout now, this is a hospital!” someone shouted from within the admin room. The owner of the shouting voice that had told him not to shout emerged from the shadows. How ironical. It was a dark man with thick glasses on.
“How may I help you?” the man queried.
“I need a family card,” Derin responded.
The man slowly turned around and went to get a bunch of keys from a nail on the wall. Then he methodically selected one of the keys, wasting seconds that seemed like hours to Derin.
“Would you please hurry it up Mr.” he said to the man, clearly irritated.
The man ignored him and continued at his unhurried pace. He opened a safe and went through a blue, then green and red card, before finally separating the green card from the three. He then went about putting the other two cards back into the file, locking the safe, putting the bunch of keys back on the nail before returning to Derin. He seemed to be deliberately taking his time and nothing Derin said hurried him up.
Five minutes later, he had paid Three Thousand Naira and filled out loads of forms. Then and only then did the man hand the precious card over to him. Derin bolted from the place back to the reception area.
Apparently, while he had been gone, Awazi had gotten into a shouting match with the two nurses, and had attracted a more senior nurse and a doctor. She was angrily explaining the situation to the doctor when he returned, interjecting her English with a sprinkling of Hausa now, like she did when she was exasperated.
He held the card triumphantly in his hands towards the doctor, and addressing the doctor, he said “sir, now that we have a card, can you please take a look at our baby?”
“Ha, gentleman,” the doctor said, I would love to, but I have about three patients waiting to see me right now, and they are my personal patients.”
Derin did all he could to keep his calm as he explained “Doctor…” he said, looking inquiringly at the doctor who obliged by supplying his name “Hakeem,” he said.
Derin smiled his most beseeching smile “Doctor Hakeem, I understand that these patients have been waiting to see you, and they are important. But you see, this happens to be an emergency…”
Hakeem waved his hand dismissively and interrupted “Mr. Banwo,” he said in a bored voice as if he was explaining a more than obvious point to a dimwit, reading his name off the card “as I have told your wife here, I understand perfectly. But the truth is that every patient feels their own case is an emergency, even the ones with mere headaches and tries to influence us to break protocols for them. It is the Nigerian way, but it is one of our jobs to maintain this order. Hence…”
This idiot was comparing this to a mere headache? Derin couldn’t control himself any longer. “What the Bleep are you saying dude! Are you not a doctor? Do six month old babies develop boiling point temperatures over thirty minutes for regular ordinary ailments? You could do your job with some sense and at least take a frigging look at the baby!”
“Mr. Banwo, that is no way to talk to me, I am doing my job by being here and sorting the hullabaloo that you and your equally uncultured wife have raised here. I will not be insulted by your likes. Mr. Banwo…”
“Do not Mr. Banwo me! You are an insensitive clod of cold steel, the whole lot of you. This is not the hospital I remember this place to be as a kid.”
“Well, it is not the hospital you came to as a kid. Things have changed since my father handed over the running of the place to me. I have made some changes and run this place differently now, Mr. We are now modern and orderly, and we have systems and protocols we follow strictly. Now if you don’t mind, I have real work to do.”
As if on cue, everyone went quiet. And it was in that sole moment of quiet that they noticed what had eluded them. For as they shouted and quarreled amongst each other, Isaac had become quiet. And he wasn’t having spasms this time, he was still. Awazi screamed.




source: facebook.com/cassymagazine

Broken Mirrors – Episode 1
Tooooot! Tooooot! The trailer’s blaring horn cut rudely into Awazi’s thoughts. “Oh my days!” she exclaimed. Today, of all the immeasurable number of days in time, Lagos-Ibadan expressway had chosen to be the meeting point of the world union of traffic inducing demons. As her husband would say, the traffic tie wrapper, come wear bandana join dey dance atilogwu. Even a slither of water would not find its way through this bumper to bumper traffic mess, and expectedly, they had passed a generous sprinkling of vehicles that had coughed and given up whatever ghost cars possessed parked by the roadside. The one hour journey from Lagos to Ibadan on a normal day had taken them four hours today. And they had just barely gone past Ogere trailer park. Her only consolation was that her husband Derin had just changed his car. If it had been their old Honda, the air conditioning would have done nothing to alleviate the searing heat. She balanced in the rear seat (popularly called Owner’s Corner) of Derin’s new Kia Sportage jeep. The fact that this was an automatic transmission car also kept him in high spirits during the trip. Had it been their old manual transmission Honda, he would have been a grumpy grouch by now. Derin had done well for the family. He had finally made that move from his old generation, meager salary paying bank to an oil servicing firm whose name eluded her now. And voila, within a year of that move, they had been able to change the car, and had now moved away from Shomolu to finally go to that nice spot behind E-Center in the Sabo area of Lagos she had always wanted them to go to. Life was looking up.
“Your ogo looks very knock-able from behind” she said, playfully rubbing his clean shaven head now. Derin laughed without taking his eyes off the road, trying to inch ahead of the minibus that was trying to reenter the road from the red sands of the patch between the road and the bush beside it. “You this Eggon woman from the bushes of Nassarawa wants to slap a full grown Yoruba man’s head. Abomination! We Ibadan men require the liver of a male snail as sacrifice for such atrocities o.”
They both laughed as she rose to kiss the back of his head “how about that kind of head slapping, Mr. full grown Yoruba man?” she asked smiling naughtily.
“Haaaa,” he said in mock horror. “This woman, you want to cause an accident abi? And you are doing bad thing in front of the baby, you want to teach him bad bad things?”
As she collapsed into the seat laughing again, the baby chuckled out aloud, seemingly joining her in laughter. She felt a surge of love rise through her being as she looked at him. The baby. Her baby. Their baby. Her, and Derin. It had taken a heart wrenching twelve years for him to come. She had cried, prayed, fought, despaired and nearly given up. It hadn’t been an easy marriage, from the beginning. She was a Hausa speaking, Eggon woman who had spent all her life in Nassarawa. She could hear her father drilling it into her head from when she was old enough to understand the word ‘marry’.
“Awazi, my daughter,” he would say, giving her one of his carefully selected serious looks. “Ours is a small and close knit tribe, and we enjoy peace with ourselves. When you are of age, we will find you a nice Eggon man, and you will marry him.” She remembered rolling her eyes internally, but nodding obediently as she was expected to.
NYSC came and for the first time, it had taken her out of her cul de sac in Nassarawa. Her father had repeated the warnings when she was leaving but she hadn’t heard them. He was the proper Ibadan Yoruba boy and they had met when he came to work in Calabar, while she was serving there. Both parents didn’t want the marriage. Her father had exploded in rage when she brought the matter up. But Derin was a charmer. By means she could never understand, Derin managed to win his affection and his blessing to take his daughter as wife. She was elated. So, marry, they eventually did, and she had settled with him in Lagos. That had been the number one wahala. Lagos was simply too close to Ibadan, and her mother in-law didn’t think much about barging in on them. Shebi she would have preferred her son to marry a proper Yoruba Yoruba woman like her. After three years without having a child, her mother in-law turned the heat up. She visited every weekend, and spoke Yoruba all through her stay. The only English words she spoke were directed at her and they were a sarcastic “one day you will confess what you have used all your unborn children to do, you this man we have married,” or something of the sorts. As the assault got more serious, the relationship between her and Derin deteriorated. It was only a matter of time before the explosion came, and when it did, it nearly blew her marriage to smithereens. She had repeatedly heard rumors that Derin had fathered a child in Ibadan and the child was with his mother, and when the rumors got too much, she had decided to confront him. After all, she had reasoned, there was no smoke without fire. It eventually turned out to be false news, planted by Derin’s mum to incite to act exactly as she had done. Derin had rejected the suggestion when his mum had brought it up, but the woman still found a way to make it hurt. And before it was exposed to be false, it had destroyed the thin fabric that was holding the marriage together.
They had been separated for six months, but Derin (bless him, she thought) came after her, and won her for his wife a second time. It was then they agreed to the ruse that preserved their marriage. They had gotten a new apartment in Shomolu, far from the Abule Egba where they had been staying. Derin then told his mum that he had been transferred to the bank’s regional office in Abuja. They had forged a letter on the bank’s letterhead that Derin brought home, and she had coined the letter to mean a promotion. Overjoyed at her son’s promotion, the woman believed they were really moving to Abuja. They then arranged for some correspondences to be sent to her from a friend in Abuja to her impersonating Derin, sealing their ruse completely. And so they had lived, more happily for five years, while searching for a child.
There had been pregnancies in all those years, but she had lost them all. Seven times, she had had miscarriages. Seven times she had hoped, only to have her hope shattered when she had begun to find hope in her hope. When she had become pregnant for him, she had refused to allow herself hope. As the pregnancy had advanced, the fear and foreboding within her had grown, expecting to see the now familiar telltale blood between her legs at anytime. But the months had passed and he had grown within her. One day, within the eight month, she felt a sharp spasm run through her body. She instantly recognized it for what it was – labor pains. She was beginning labor premature. Forgetting everything she had been taught in antenatal, she panicked. “No,” she had said. “No!” she had screamed. No, it couldn’t not go perfect. Why would she be having a premature child?
Thankfully, it had been a weekend and Derin had been at home. He always hovered around her protectively when she was pregnant anyway, so he wasn’t far off. He had rushed in when she screamed and assessed the situation without a word. With quiet efficiency, he gathered the kit he had practiced putting together over and over again with her, and then gently led her to the car.

****

is this a movie?