By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

The newly installed Attah Igala of FCT and the Olimene of Attah Igala Chief Dr. Umar Faruq Goodman Akwu has been described as an honest and God fearing individual whose elevation to that revered position did not come as a surprise.

This revelation was made by an aviation expert Alh Zubairu Ndanusa Suraj, in a congratulatory message to the traditional ruler, a copy made available to Newsmen in Minna Thursday the 8th, January 2026.

He noted that the noble elevation was not by chance,but by destiny,merit,and the recognition of his virtues by the custodians of his cherished traditions.

According to him, the stool of Olimene of Attah is one of honour, dignity and responsibility, reserved for men of proven character, wisdom and outstanding contributions to the progress,unity,and cultural heritage of the Igala Nation.

“ Your installation marks a proud moment not only for your lineage but also for the wider traditional institutions that value harmony, honour,and service.

“ It reflects the deep confidence reposed in you to serve as a guardian of tradition,a source of wise counsel,and a pillar of strength to the throne and the people

“ I humbly and respectfully convey my Heartfelt Congratulations to you on your historic installation as High Chief Olimene of Attah Igala, a revered Igala Kingdom” he stated.

Alhaji Ndanusa pointed out that as a Nupe man of Agaie Kingdom in Niger State,” I wish to expressly affirm my readiness and unwavering willingness to work with you in the spirit of mutual respect, brotherhood,and inter-kingdom cooperation.

“ The historic ties between our people (the Nupes stand as a reminder that unity among traditional institutions strengthens peace, understanding and progress across the Nupe lands”

While praying for Allah’s guidance and protection on his installation in his position the Aviation expert prayed that may his days as High Chief be guided by ancestral wisdom,crowned with peace,and blessed with strength,good health and longevity.

By Magnus Chukwudi

The traditional ruler of Umuobom Ancient Kingdom in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, His Royal Majesty, Eze Anayo Calistus Mbionwu, Odenigbo III, has lauded the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, for the massive infrastructural development in the state.
He used the occasion of his first Ofala and Thanksgiving Ceremony in Umuobom Kingdom to advocate for good governance and support for the administration of the Imo State Governor, Senator Uzodinma.
Eze Mbionwu, who had just received his staff of office, praised Governor Uzodinma for his administration’s significant infrastructure development, particularly the extensive road construction across the state. He expressed satisfaction with the governor’s performance, highlighting the positive impact of the projects on rural communities.
The monarch assured that the Umuobom community under his leadership would work closely with the government to maintain the pace of development, and that in appreciation of the Governor’s performance, his community would redouble its support and loyalty to the government.
The colourful Ofala and Thanksgiving Ceremony was remarkable and historic in the kingdom’s traditional and cultural life, especially as it celebrated Eze Mbionwu’s reception of an official staff of office from the Imo State Government.
Speaking to journalists during the event, His Royal Majesty, Eze Anayo Mbionwu, reflected on the legacy of his late father, highlighting the numerous achievements recorded during his reign. The monarch assured the people of Umuobom that he was committed to building on that legacy and doing even more to promote peace, development, and progress in the ancient kingdom.
The royal father expressed gratitude to God for his emergence and thanked his people for finding him worthy to continue where his father left off.
He promised not to betray the confidence reposed in him, adding that he would serve them selflessly with humility and the fear of God.
Eze Mbionwu applauded the Imo State Governor, whom he said was eager to transform Imo State. “He has accomplished numerous remarkable achievements in various parts of the state, and we are convinced that he has indeed come to change the narrative in the State. Given his current trajectory, we are confident he will make Imo State a source of pride for the nation.
“I call on my fellow traditional rulers and the entire people of Ideato Local Government Area to be law-abiding and support the present administration in the state. The Governor has performed very well in infrastructural development.
“My prayer is for God to imbue us with wisdom and strength to discharge our responsibilities credibly. I urge my people to join hands with me in moving the Umuobom community to greater heights.”
As part of the ceremony, some deserving sons of the community who had contributed immensely to the growth and advancement of Umuobom were honoured with chieftaincy titles.
Among those honoured was Chief Ikechukwu Onyekaonwu, who was conferred with the prestigious chieftaincy title “Ubazuruoke of Umuobom.” The title, which signifies that his wealth and generosity are for the benefit of the entire community, recognises his selfless service and contributions to the people.
Chief Ikechukwu Onyekaonwu, while speaking to the press, highlighted his past contributions to the community and expressed gratitude to the traditional ruler and the people of Umuobom for the honour. He also pledged to do even more to advance the kingdom’s development in line with the responsibilities of his new title.
The occasion attracted people from all walks of life, from the community and beyond, featuring the Umuobom Council of Chiefs, cabinet members, founding fathers of the community, and leaders of various groups within the kingdom.
Also in attendance were prominent political figures from Ideato South and Imo State at large. Among the dignitaries present was the distinguished honourable member representing Ideato North/Ideato South federal constituency, Imo State, Hon. Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, popularly known as Ikenga.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

Across Africa, in the pantheon of Pan-African heroes, the story of liberation is never written in ink but in courage. Nelson Mandela’s steadfast walk, Kwame Nkrumah’s clarion call for independence, Patrice Lumumba’s fearless truth in the Congo, Aline Sitoé Diatta’s resistance in Senegal; there stand sons and daughters who shape not just their borderlines but the soul of their people. So does the struggle of the Niger Delta remember Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha: more than a governor, he was an idea incarnate, a Pan-Niger Deltan, a proud voice of the Ijaw Nation, and a man who turned the pain of his people into a movement.

Alamieyeseigha

Ten years have passed since his voice fell silent, yet the creeks still echo his convictions. Alamieyeseigha arrived on the stage of governance not as a politician in the usual sense. He was Governor-General, not merely because the title suited him, but because he earned it in sacrifice, in vision, in love for the creek-born child who dreams. He was a storm against silence, and a shield for the oppressed.
As the Niger Delta Progressive Alliance (NDPA) reflects, “Alamieyeseigha may have spoken the tongue of the Ijaw, but the soul of his message was multilingual. Ibibio heard him. Efik heard him. Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ogoni heard him. He spoke the language of justice, dignity, and self-determination, and everyone even beyond Niger Delta, understood.” From Niger Delta’s creeks, he lifted the shout of resource control, of equity, of an Ijaw people who would no longer wait for crumbs. And under his watch, Bayelsa found its pulse. The Niger Delta University rose as a lighthouse of learning. Roads crawled out of the mangroves. Youth who hungered for purpose were empowered. And he awakened culture where shame had taken root.
For the NDPA, his life remains a compass for a region at a crossroads. “The time for sentimental remembrance is over,” the Alliance declared. “We must now embrace an ideological rebirth, one that shifts our energy from protest to purpose, from grievance to governance, from rhetoric to results.”
With Alamieyeseigha, unity never frayed under self-interest. As leader, he never forgot that true power is not the paltry sum of offices, but integrity in the storm and compassion in scarcity. The words of NDPA echo not in the silence of what was lost, but in the cadence of what can still be forged: a Niger Delta united by purpose and vision.
If the Niger Delta is to build its future on bedrock and not on shifting sand, we must reclaim Alamieyeseigha’s ideals: resource justice, collective purpose, courage over ease. Youth must rise not just with demands, but with strategy; traditional rulers not just bearing heritage, but catalysing renewal; political actors not just seeking votes, but building pathways of schools, roads, and culture that endure.
“Let remembrance not be a flower laid at his grave but a seed planted for the future. Let the creeks sing again with enterprise, education, and equity. Let this anniversary be the blueprint for the next chapter of our destiny.” Amb. Nse of NDPA urged. Remembrance should neither drown in nostalgia, nor be an echo of what was, but a drumbeat for what must be. The silence today is louder than Delta’s waters and his voice may have remained his alone these 10 years; retired, sacred in its silence, but the future is birthing voices of equal heart and unshakable resolve. They will walk the shores of our creeks and carry the title of Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation.
NDPA’s confidence lies in the truth that the Governor-General of the Ijaw Nation may rest beneath the soil he served, yet his ideals still rise with the tide. Every ripple on the creek carries his name. and history does not forget such men. It simply waits for others brave enough to continue their paragraph. So, may his legacy guide us. May his footsteps illuminate every creek, every mangrove, every child who looks past the horizon and sees a Niger Delta free, unified, just.