Aguele Felicities With Muslims At Eid-El-Fitri

By The9jaTrend

              Hon. Peter Iziogie Aguele

             Immediate Past Chairman

      Esan South-East Local Govt. Council

Immediate past Executive Chairman of Esan South-East local government council, Hon. Peter Iziogie Aguele has felicitated with Muslim faithfuls across the local government area as they celebrates  Eid-El-Fitri today Thursday 13th May 2021.

In his message to Muslims faithful, Hon. Aguele opined that Islam is a religion of peace and therefore admonished Muslims to at all times live above board by emulating Prophet Muhammad whose teachings were anchored on love and peaceful co-existence but expressed reservations on situations where certain groups who professed Islam could criminally adopt fellow Muslims for ransom at prayer ground in the holy month of Ramadan and claimed responsibility to same and therefore called for sober reflection and total devotion to the commandments of God.

Hon. Aguele reechoed the doctrine of necessity towards loving one another irrespective of religion, ethnicity and political affiliations noting that "we must adopt the principles of tolerance and forgiveness among ourselves and demonstrate true patriotism towards building a united Nigeria of our collective dreams and wished all Muslim faithfuls  Happy Eid- El- Fitri celebrations. 

Illegal Possession Of Palace Land: Report To BTC Secretary Office Or Face Ejection

By The9jaTrend

                   His Royal Magesty

                       OBA EWUARE II

                  Oba of Benin Kingdom

Secretary to Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Mr. Frank Irabor and President, Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide, Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo has called on residents in Benin Kingdom to desist from encroachment into Oba of Benin Palace land and those in Ogiso Street and environs should report at the Oba of Benin Palace to regularize their documents as all machineries have been put in place to retrieve all Oba of Benin Palace land that has been encroached into by land grabbers.

Addressing newsmen in Benin over the encroachment into Oba of Benin Palace land across Benin Kingdom most especially in Ogiso Street Area, Off 3rd East Circular Road, Benin City, Edo state capital, President, Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM), Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo warned land grabbers to desist henceforth.

"I want to use this medium to inform the general public that our Royal Father, the Oba of Benin KINGDOM has mandated Mr. Frank Irabor and my team to ensure that land grabbers that has encroached on any Oba of Benin Palace land are brought to justice, and we advice residence in Benin Kingdom particularly those in Ogiso Street, Off 3rd East Circular Road in Benin metropolis that have encroached into the Oba of Benin Palace land and has been served accordingly to report to the Office of the Secretary to the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) with immediate effect, starting from Monday 17th May, 2021. 

"The Oba of Benin Palace are in the possession of records of all landed properties belonging to the Palace across the Kingdom.

"In view of this development, any land grabbers, wherever you are from should  be ready for us because we are coming and we will make sure we retrieve all Oba of Benin Palace land that has been encroached into by anybody no matter the personality involved.

"You cannot come into Oba kingdom,  tempered into Oba of Benin Palace land and go free because you want to do business in the Kingdom, we won't allow that in Benin Kingdom," he warned.

            Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo

             President, BSM Worldwide 

Going further, Elder Ugbo said, "I am using this medium to tell those perpetrators that have entered or encroached on Oba of Benin Palace land to quickly come to the Palace of the Oba of Benin and regularised their documents with the Office of the Secretary to the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) as from Monday 17th May, 2021 by 12 noon prompt.

"Any land grabbers in Benin Kingdom should have a rethink and relocate elsewhere as we are ready with all apparatus in our disposal to reclaim all Oba of Benin Palace land that has been encroached into by them", Elder Ugbo opined.

Disconnecting My Building From Your BEDC Supply Is Unacceptable - Elder Ugbo

...My Payment Is Up To Date

By The9jaTrend

             Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo

Owner of a residential building of  39 Imuetinyan Street, Off Ihama Road, GRA., Benin city has cried out following the action of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to cut off his power supply without informing him non anybody in the house.

Speaking to The9jaTrend, owner of the building, Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo said, "Few days ago, the Benin electricity Distribution Company staffs came and cut off this light and went away with the wire which cost about One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naria without telling any body in the house, or to check his bill, it was a passersby that saw them and told us it was a BEDC staff that cut my light. I don't know the reason they cut off my Light because I am not owing BEDC at all.

"Two years ago when I took over the ownership of the property, I discovered that the house has no  light, I went to meet BEDC for the reconnection of  the house, and they reconnect us, they brought the bill and we discovered that the house was owing  about Four Hundred Thousand Naira, and I told them I am just coming into the house, BEDC staff told me not to worry that I should go on with it, that I should pay my bill from when I started which I did that  every month, since them l have not stop to pay my bill so I don't know the reason they came and cut off my light," he noted.

When asked the circumstances that led to the disconnection of the building, Head of Public Affairs of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Tayo Adekule said that BEDC staffs has the right go visit any house to cut off power supply of any resident without informing anybody when there is problem arisen from such building.

"Owing to that circumstances that warrant such activity, such action can be taken without the customer be performed, first, if the connection that the customer has is found to be dangerous to the connection of others or that can affect the lives and facilities of other people that are using the electrify, the customer can be disconnected  without any notice.

"Second, if the connection too is given problem as such that the customer cannot even enjoy the electricity and we be advised to come and disconnect, we will do so. For instance, if a customer is connected under a high tension line, he will be disconnected without notice.

"More importantly, if a customer is found to have engaged in illegal connection, taping wire; somebody who is using a single face line having three face connection and it is seen on the pole, so as to avoid danger to the electrical appliances within that neighbourhood, such customer will be disconnected.

                          Tayo Adekule

           Head of Public Affairs, BEDC

"Importantly, is customer is found to have compromised the mental or by-pass, directly or indirectly such customer will be disconnected without notice. The other one that look like if a customer is indirectly stealing energy, that is if a customer from the record in the system is seeing not  to have vended inspite of higher availability, it seeing not to have vended regularly, then it means the customer is stealing energy and the customer will be disconnected.

"The only two cases that the customer can be alerted is that, if we don’t have access to the customer mental if it is a post-paid customer, the customer can also be alerted that we have not have access to his mental to do the normal mental reading and if the customer is owing after the disconnection notice have been pasted, if the customer is be found to substantially owing, then he could be disconnected.

"However, if a customer feels he has not committed aforementioned infractions or is in doubt as the basis of he or she has been disconnected, he or she is advised to go the nearest BEDC Office."

Edo State Govt. Should Respect The Rights Of Its Citizen - BSM Advises

By The9JaTrend

Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide, a socio-cultural group has called on Edo State government to respect the right of its citizens not like what the statement issued by the Ministry of Education signed by the Permanent Secretary, Stella Maris Imasuen portrayed.

In a statement issued and signed by the President of the Movement, Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo frown at the Ministry of Education announcement insisting that teachers are to be compulsory vaccinated against the Civid-19.

Elder Ugbo warned that the decision is against the rights of Edo State citizens and called on Edo State government through the Ministry of Education to stop further decision that may infringed on the fundamental human right of its citizens.

.            Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo

            President, Benin Solidarity

                 Movement Worldwide

"We view this as a misnomer and we reject such draconian directives from the Edo State Government; definitely something is wrong with this government announcement which sound very authoritarian.

"We thought that the Covid-19 vaccine can only be administered on people who wanted it.

"Should people be forced to take the vaccine against their wish? Of what use is the vaccine which doesn't guarantee any cure or stop the usage of the facemask?" the statement asked.

Going further, BSM president added: "This notice is against the rights of the civil servant and the people of Edo State. Edo State Government should have a rethink to avoid a backlash which could include litigations by some people or violent confrontation by others.

"Why was the Covid -19 palliatives of 2020 which included food, materials and even stipends not forced on Edo State people even when the food stuffs got spoilt where they were hidden faraway from people's reach?"

The BSM further advised Edo State government to act with a lot of wisdom if really Edo state government is the government of the people and should respect the rights of Edo citizens.

"The Edo State Government should act with a lot of wisdom. The government is the government of the people and should respect the rights of Edo State citizens not like what this notice seem to portray".

AGUELE FELICITATES WITH OGUN ON BIRTHDAY.

By The9jaTrend

The  immediate past Executive Chairman of Esan South-East Local Government Council, Hon. Peter Iziogie Aguele has felicitated with the Honourable Member representing Esan North-East and Esan South-East Federal Constituency, Hon. Barr. Deacon Sergius Oseasochie Ogun on his birthday anniversary today the 10th Day of May 2021.

Hon. Aguele in his goodwill message extolled the philanthropic gestures of the Federal Legislator, describing him as Father to the Fatherless and Husband to the Widow.

"I celebrate with you today my Leader, Brother and reliable friend on your Birthday Anniversary because you have been a pillar of strength to the downtrodden in the society, a philanthropist extraordinary, and beyond politics and religion, you have been an uncommon colossus among your contemporaries hence your consistent act of giving hope to the hopeless has inscribed your name with gold.

             Hon. Peter Iziogie Aguele

      Immediate past Executive Chairman

     Esan South-East Local Govy Council

"On this day I congratulate you and pray that God Almighty in His infinite mercy strengthening you and give you the grace to continue your humanitarian work to the less privilege in the society.

"Happy birthday and many happy returns to a great son of Esanland", Hon. Aguele opined.

Ologbotsere, Iyatsere, Go Home And Settle, Says Itsekiri Protesters

By The9jaTrend

Hundred of Itsekiri including old and young today stormed the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Police Zone 5 office in Benin City, Edo state capital where they protested the continued police involvement in the crisis rocking the Olu of Warri stool and requested that the police should allow all the chiefs go back to Warri and resolve the issues amicably.

With several placards with inscription - "We Say No To Destruction Of Our Heritage", "Peace Must Reign In Warri Kingdom", "Itsekiri Is Our Own And Not Yours", "Atabrata/Oji Please Go Home And Settle - Itsekiri", Itsekiri Is Tradition & Tradition Is Itsekiri", Ologbotsere & Iyatsere, Go Home And Settle", the protesters said the continued insistence that police should resolve the issue was a let-down on the custom and tradition of Itsekiri people.

One of the leaders of the protesters, named David Iwere said: “We are here as Itsekiri, we are tired of our matter being in the socio media all the time, what is happening in Itsekiri has never happened before, we are here to appeal to the AIG to send all the chiefs home and give them a time to come back and report the settlement they have reached.”

Also speaking to newsmen was Mrs. Okhere Amaju who said “We are here as  a group, we want peace, we are tired of crisis, we have come to appeal that they should take the matter back home and we can settle ourselves. Itsekiri issue is not for the police, we are a people with culture and tradition, we need to go and resolve our issues at home, we need peace in Itsekiri”.

Corroborating the position, Samuel Khalil appealed to all the chiefs and the ruling house to give peace a chance while on his part, Scott Anwani said, “We have gone round to most of the chiefs in Warri Kingdom and other stakeholders who are involved in all these issues, we have met one on one letting them know why we must ensure that there is peace in Itsekiri nation.

"They are our leaders, we are not supposed to be divided; the Ologbotshere, the Iyatsere, the Uji, Uwangue, the ruling house, the chiefs, they should all come to a round table and resolve this matter and make peace so that we can be happy."

In his response, the Zone 5 Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Tijani Momoh assured the demonstrators that their request would be conveyed to the AIG and whatever directive he gives would be communicated to them.

Military Continues Presence In Kolokolo Will Restore Peace, Says BSM President

By The9jaTrend

President of the Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide, a socio-cultural group, Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo has reiterated the need for military men to continues their presence in Kolokolo Community of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State as this he said will restore much needed peace back to the Community.

Elder Ugbo made the observation while reacting to a recent newspaper report specifically Vanguard Newspaper dated 4th May, 2021 where some individuals were complaining about the presence of military men in Kolokolo Community.

Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo claimed that those making the wild allegations must be the brains behind the spate of criminalities that pervade the community ranging from conspiracy, kidnapping, arson, robbery and murder which necessitated the stationing of military men in the locality to maintain peace and order.

         ELDER CURTIS EGHOSA UGBO

            President, Benin Solidarity 

          Movement (BSM) Worldwide

"We view with disdain the line of thought of these selected few individuals who are making an uproar against the military presence in Kolokolo Community. There is no doubt that the presence of the military men in the community has been a welcomed development as the residents of the now sleep with their two eyes closed.

"Where were these group of people when the law of the jungle pervaded the community not long ago where all sorts of criminality ranging from conspiracy,  kidnapping, arson, robbery and murder became the order of the day? To the extent that these crime lords murdered a community leader (Okhaegele), Sunny Eitche, for no justifiable reason.

"Presently, the case of the murder of the community youth leader has been under judicial adjudication with some elements standing in the dock as prime suspects in the deadly crime.

"It stands to reason that those claiming that the army drove them away from the community may have been deeply involved in these criminal activities that put the lives of innocent residents at risk and played various nauseating roles in the killing of the Okaeghele of Kolokolo Community, Sunny Eitche."

ASUP Will Continue Nationwide Strike, Says Ezeibe

By The9jaTrend

The National President of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Mr. Anderson Ezeibe has expressed joy over Auchi  Polytechnic branch of the union to continue with the national body's directive to continue their indefinite strike action embarked upon by the union. 

The ASUP president stated this yesterday during an emergency congress meeting at the Federal Polytechnic Auchi as part of his visit to polytechnics in the country for sensitization and the level of compliance. 

Mr. Ezeibe who commended members of the polytechnic union for complying with the directive to embark on the nationwide strike, said that until all their demands are met by the federal government, the strike will continue. 

He, however stated that the strike has yielded some positive responses from the federal government by appointing and inaugurating Governing Councils for polytechnics across the country, setting up of visitation panels, restatement of some dismissed members while offering to pay N15 billion revitilazation of infrastructures in polytechnics and payment of allowances among others are still pending. 

The president also expressed concern over the appointment of unqualified Rectors for polytechnics against the Polytechnic's Act, adding that to be qualify for Rector, such a person must be a Chief Lecturer with at least minimum of Five Years experience  in any of the polytechnics. 

Mr. Ezeibe further denied the alleged N20 billion collectively owned by 19 polytechnics staff as tax liability, saying that such money have already been deducted through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and paid to state internal revenue where they exist and vowed that the union would resist any attempt by relevant authority to deduct such money again from staff. 

The president urged members of the union to take their job seriously, according to him, whoever is being elected as Head of Department should take the responsibility of the department without blaming the Rector while the Rector should as well take the responsibility of the polytechnic without blaming the Governing Council for wrong decision. 

On his part, Chairman of ASUP, Auchi Polytechnic Chapter, Mr. Lawani Jimoh thanked the National President for coming to the polytechnic to reassure its members of the need for corporation. 

Mr. Lawani said that Auchi Polytechnic is committed to continue with the strike until there is a directives from the national body.

Brighter Future Awaits Women's Groups, Says Obaseki

By The9jaTrend

                   Mrs. Betsy Obaseki

                First Lady of Edo State

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has assured the people of the state of a brighter future in spite of the economic crisis in the country and the world, brought in by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Govenor said this in an interactive session with some women groups from across the state, during a discourse put together by the State Transition Committee and hosted by the Edo State First Lady in Benin.

Obaseki highlighted recent data showing the high economic activities in the state which he attributed to its strategic location and resilience of the people.

He further stated that the state is abundantly endowed with everything needed for economic development, and that his  administration is committed to building strong institutions to ensure that it happens as it does in more developed economies.

"When you go abroad everything follows the right order because there are strong institutions and that's what we're trying to do in Edo State." 

Responding, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, recalled the lessons of the last EndSars protests, and called on the women to show commitment to good governance by supporting the Edo State Government Economic Development Plan.

She reminded the governor to ensure more women are given positions in his second tenure.

In their various responses, the women declared their willingness to pay taxes and support government revenue generation strategies just as they appealed for more innovative ways to ensure that the revenue generated goes into government coffers.

Govt Alone Can't Fund Universities, Says Obaseki

By The9jaTrend

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has called on universities in the country to deploy new technologies in upgrading teaching and learning outcomes so as to meet up with the demands of modern societies.

Obaseki noted that they must evolve and become more viable, as the government alone cannot fund their operations.

He gave the charge while addressing members of the Presidential Visitation Panel to the University of Benin (UNIBEN), led by the Chairperson, Mrs. Amal Pepple, during a courtesy visit to Government House, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

According to him, “With the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, the whole process and method of learning and impacting knowledge has changed or is changing radically globally. Therefore, the way we think about university and the purpose of university must also change.

“We have seen the role of technology in education and the role of technology in transforming lives. We cannot ignore that fact and continue to believe that it is not relevant.

“The other challenge I am sure you will have to deal with is that of funding the university. Realistically, I don’t think the government alone can fund universities. I think we should explore other means to make our universities viable.”

Going further he added, "As far as we are concerned, the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has produced more manpower than any other institution in the state. So, we have an interest and a stake.

“We don’t see it as a federal university; we see it as our own university. We will always do everything we can to support the institution. We have our own universities and we are going through the same challenges you just mentioned.

“I received the result of the visitation panel of Ambrose Alli University, so I can imagine the kind of work you will have to deal with. Your track records speak for itself; if anyone can do the job, it’s you. We have no doubt that you are going to do a thorough job,” the governor noted.

He charged the panel to come up with recommendations that will help in strengthening the university to be more viable, adding that “all our institutions have suffered from a lack of a sense of accountability. It has disappeared from our universities. It is disappointing to see the level of corruption in some of our universities.”

Earlier, Amal Pepple said that they have a huge task ahead of them, as they have a 60-day duration to submit their report.

Pepple, however, thanked the governor for the rehabilitation of some of the link roads within the campus and the renovation of the university hostels, which was used as the Games village for the just concluded National Sports Festival, tagged Edo 2020.