Author: Saint Augustine

The ancient kingdom of Aguleri exploded in a kaleidoscope of colours last weekend to mark its 115th Ovala Festival. It was a feast of culture and opulence as the illustrious sons and daughters of Aguleri turned up in their largest number to celebrate with their Igwe – Eze C. N Idigo IV (Ogalagidi) as he marked yet another great year on the throne of his fathers. The 4-day cultural festival began on Friday with a rich display of the once dreaded Ada Masquerade which drew a mammoth crowd of youths from the neighbouring towns. There was also a ceremony for…

“We are gathered here today to open up the floodgates of our national memory and spare some thoughts on the numerous sacrifices that the members of the Nigerian Armed Forces have made to protect our freedom and preserve our nationhood”. These were the striking words of the governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano at a special ceremony held on Tuesday to launch the sale of emblem to mark the 2015 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Conference Hall, Government House, Awka. The governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the State, Dr Nkem Okeke in appreciating the…

Nollywood actresses and Pampers ambassadors, Dakore Egbuson Akande and Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, on Tuesday visited the ‘First Baby of the Year’ 2015 in Lagos State. The Pampers’ First Baby of the Year visit, which took place at EKO Hospital, is Pampers’ way of celebrating the baby and mother who among several women awaiting delivery pulled through the pain and delivered the first baby in Lagos State,” said Iphie Chuks-Adizue, Brand Manager for Pampers Nigeria. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Dakore Egbuson-Akande, popular Nollywood actresses and Pampers brand ambassadors congratulated Mrs Enilolobo Temitope, on her safe delivery and presented a full year’s supply…

By Ngwu Nweze Looking at the rising profile of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, one cannot but marvel at the aptness of the Igbo saying that when a child washes his hands clean, he joins his elders at the dinner table. It is very much in evidence that in less than nine months, Chief Obiano has made a fast job of washing his hands and now sits comfortably at dinner with the elders of the clan. What may never stop fascinating most people might be perhaps, how someone who was dismissed as a political jellyfish, a stooge of the…

The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has disagreed over the success or otherwise recorded by Nigerians under the cabotage regime eleven years after implementation. Speaking in a chat with Primetime Reporters in Lagos, the Secretary of the association, Comrade  Julius Efokpor adduced that cabotage regime had failed as it had not met the expectations of Nigerians who saw the law as coming to their rescue. Efokpor pointed out that the waiver component of the law which they kicked against as working against the interest of Nigerians was still there wondering how Nigerians which the law…

The Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has called on the Federal Government through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to expedite action towards correcting the anomaly which saw Nigerian Certification bearing the Near Coastal Vessel (NCV) status. The Assistant Secretary of the Association, Aleakhue John Okpono who made this know in an interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos stated that with the NCV certification, Nigerians would hardly secure major marine jobs which were mainly offshore. He said,” we are saying by implication, somebody looked at it, near coastal certificate; the person will just…

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has assured that the funds earmarked to empower Nigerians acquire vessels under the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) was intact. Akpobolokemi who made this known while interacting with the maritime reporters in Lagos stated that the agency had developed modalities for the collection of the fund and that disbursing banks had also been selected. According to him,” the first recipients have been shortlisted and sent to the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT) for approval. We are confident that in due time, the operators would start…

Mr. Emeka Akabogu is an expert in the field of maritime law and policy in Nigeria and is the Principal Partner at the law firm, Akabogu and Associates. He holds a Masters degree specialising in Maritime Laws from the University College London. His book, “Maritime Cabotage in Nigeria”, was the first published work on the subject matter in Nigeria. Mr. Akabogu is the Convener of the globally acclaimed OTL Africa Downstream, a leading initiative for downstream petroleum business in Africa. He is also a strong advocate at the bar and has anchored a string of seminal cases on Marine cargo…

A New Year message from the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency Chief Willie Obiano January 1, 2015 My dear Ndi Anambra, I bring you warm greetings as we enter into a new year.  We should be grateful, individually and collectively that God saw us through 2014 and ask for Divine guidance in 2015. Fellow citizens, the New Year presents us a chance to look inwards to re-appraise ourselves and look outwards and renew our faith in God. Indeed, it is a time to make resolutions and rededicate ourselves to the values that define us and the challenges and struggles…

The wife of the governor of Anambra State, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano has described the birth of the first baby girl in Anambra State in the New Year as a good omen for the people of the state. Chief Mrs Obiano who showered the new born who was delivered at 12am on New Year’s Eve with assorted gifts also observed that women bore good tidings which according to her were an indication of a positive outlook for the state and the people in the New Year. Mrs. Obiano made the observation when she visited the new born on January 1,…