The State Governor, His Excellency, Sir. Ben Ayade is set to commence full appointments. Consequently, His Excellency in conjunction with the State Council of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as well as the PDP campaign Organization has approved consultative meetings with all the critical stakeholders across the 18 local government areas of the state as follows:

NORTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT

1.    Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019        -    Obanliku Local Government Area

2.    Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019        -    Obudu Local Government Area

3.    Friday Sept. 20,2019            -    Bekwarra Local Government Area

4.    Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019        -    Yala Local government Area

5.    Monday, Sept. 23, 2019        -    Ogoja Local Government Area

CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT

1.    Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019        -    Boki Local Government Area

2.    Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019        -    Ikom Local Government Area

3.    Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019        -    Etung local Government Area

4.    Friday, Sept. 27, 2019        -    Obubra Local government Area

5.    Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019        -    Abi Local Government Area

6.    Monday, Sept. 30, 2019        -    Yakurr Local government Area

SOUTHERN SENATORIAL DISTRICT

1.    Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019        -    Biase Local Government Area

2.    Thursday, October 3, 2019        -    Akamkpa Local Government Area

3.    Friday, October 4, 2019        -    Odukpani Local Government Area

4.    Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019        -    Calabar Municipality

5.    Monday, Oct. 7, 2019        -    Akpabuyo Local Government Area

6.    Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019        -    Bakassi Local Government Area

7.    Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019        -    Calabar South Local Government Area

All meetings shall be held at the Peregrino Hall by 3pm prompt and those concerned are expected to be seated before the arrival of their excellencies on their respective dates

Christian Ita
Special Adviser Media & Publicity

Sandy

September 04,2019

The Cross River State Director General Of Due Process And Price Intelligence Bureau,Hon barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba ,has congratulated Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on his declaration by the Cross River  Elections Petitions Tribunal as winner of the 2019 Cross River Central senatorial district  Election.

Eba in a statement by his Media Aide on Wednesday  described Senator Sandy’s victory at the tribunal as “triumph over anti-democratic forces”.


Eba  lauded the judiciary for once again coming to the rescue, stressing that the people of Cross River Central didn’t make any mistake in voting for the PDP because of the party’s legacy of infrastructure and human capital development

Eba while commending the judiciary for upholding the sanctity of the peoples mandate, thanked the people of Central senatorial district for their support to the PDP and Senator Sandy Onor.


“On behalf of my political family, I congratulate our party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and  Senator Sandy Onor on our hard earned victory at the Elections tribunal today. Central senatorial district , her friends and neighbours waited with baited breath for this favourable judgment, adding “The Tribunal’s affirmation of your election is a fulfillment of the clearly expressed wish of the people Central senatorial district.

“The judgement of the tribunal in this case is a victory for our democracy and a reaffirmation of the divine mandate freely given to you and the PDP by the people of Central senatorial district  and commended the Tribunal for ensuring the sanctity of the people’s mandate,” he said.

"I pray that God grants you the enablement to lead your Central senatorial district and its people to greater heights and success.”

PRESS STATEMENT.
The election petitions tribunal    sitting in calabar has just delivered  her judgement  which our principal Sen Prof Sandy Onor was declared victorious.
We thank God Almighty for this judgement and the great people of central senatorial district for their resilience and steadfastness in supporting Prof Sandy onor.
This judgement is indeed victory for democracy and the people of central cross river state.
To our brothers who lost at this tribunal,we urge you to take it in good fate. Nobody is greater than the wishes of the people of central cross river state.
As Democrats we wish to extend our hand  of comradeship to our brothers who contested elections under other party platforms  and implore them to close ranks and work with  senator  sandy onor for the good of all the people and to move cross river central to enviable heights. May God bless you all.
Joe Obi Bisong
DIRECTOR GENERAL

Saying thank you is more than good manners, it is good spirituality.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Glory be to Almighty God YALA ACHIEVERS AWARD 2019 was a huge success....

I'm thankful to committee members Francis Finian Offionor Ogar Solomon Ogar  Ebriku John Friday @Barr Godwin Offiono Jesustina Ogar, board members,CEO and the management of MOJS ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED.

We are grateful to all the awardees for your support towards the award night.

Be thankful for everything that happens in your life,It's all an experience for a better tomorrow.

Let us be kind to one another,
We will keep working until YALA ACHIEVERS AWARD become the biggest award brand in Nigeria....

God bless yala
God bless you
God bless Cross River North..
God bless Cross River state...

For those who may not have the temperament, the patience to read down, the wisdom to understand and and the spirit of discernment, you may not be happy with me on this, but, the truth must be told at all times, other Aricans must leave South Africa, for South Africans.

I may not know how much other African countries contributed or spent to help South Africa during the apartheid regime, but one thing I do know is that, Nigeria as a country played a leading role morally, financially and otherwise. I have records that Nigeria spent about $64billion US dollars monetarily and our activists like Wole Soyinka and others devoted their time writting about the ills of the apartheid regime. These was all done in the spirit of Africanism and brotherhood, it was not given as loan that must be paid back, but as a contribution to freely help fellow Africans that were subjected to situations and conditions worse than the slave trade era, in their own land.

It is very common that most of our biological siblings we devote our time and money to help, will never come back to help us or our children  in future.  These are the lessons we need to learn and the reasons why all other Africans should leave South Africa for South Africans.

Nigeria at this point should learn from America whose foreign policies is, America first. It is not wrong to help, but in helping, we should also think of what we will get from it. Nigeria freely helped South Africa, accomodated Ghana in their trying times, sent soldiers to Liberia and Mali, still accomdating nationals of other African countries like Niger, Chad, Mali, Togo, Benin republic, Ghana South Africa etc and what are we getting back now?  the burning of our properties and killing of our citizens at slightest provocation. What have we done wrong?

We hear about South Africans saying other foreign nationals have taken over their jobs, women and some other flimsy excuses and to fight that is, to kill them and burn their properties. MTN, DSTV, SHOPRITE etc all belongs to South Africa and are located in other African countries. The press statement by South African deputy minister of Police that they can no more tolerate a situation where foreign nationals will become 80% of certain communities in South Africa is a pointer to the fact that, what we call xenephobic attacks in South Africa is a deliberate South African government policy to send all other African nationals out of South Africa. Though they may deny, but this remains the truth and must be taken as the situation on ground. If not, how will the South African police happily watch their foot soldiers burn humans with no human feelings to stop it?

WHAT WE SHOULD DO

I want to use this medium to advise that other African countries should immediately begin the process of evacuating their nationals from South Africa and as we do that, we must also send all South Africans out of our country. All South African assets in  other African countries must be seized and nationalized and we all return to a point where if we must continue to relate with them, the terms must be made known.

As a Nigerian, I advise all Nigerians in South Africa to immediately leave South Africa or begin a process of leaving South Africa. We must not allow ourselves to be killed by those lazy bones who wants to be fed with spones at all times on the grounds that out country helped them during the apartheid regime.

Ekpenyong Isaiah-isababa
Commander, Infantry Battallion
isacool4good@yahoo.com

Seun Opejobi Seun Opejobi

Five Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirants in Kogi State have stepped down, ahead of the party’s forthcoming primary election.

The five aspirants from Kogi East stepped down for the immediate past Governor of the State, Capt. Idris Wada (rtd).


The decision of the aspirants to step down was disclosed by the Vice-Chairman, Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) and former Minister of State for Health, Arch. Gabriel Aduku, while addressing journalists in Lokoja, the state capital, on Tuesday.

According to Aduku, the decision to ‘prevail on the other aspirants to collapse their structure into Wada was in the overall interest of the party and the state.”

Aduku listed those who stepped down to include: Mrs. Grace Iye Adejoh, AVM Saliu Atawodi (retd.), Dr Victor Adoji, Mohammed Tetes and Emmanuel Omebije.

By Jude Orji

RELATED TOPICS: Some Nigerians have attacked the popular Shoprite mall in Osapa, Lekki area of Lagos.
This is coming following the killings of some Nigerians in Xenophocic attack by south Africans.

Recall that South Africa’s High Commissioner to
Nigeria, Bobby Monroe, had denied reports of Xenophobic attacks in his country.

Monroe denied that the attacks in South Africa are xenophobic and targetted at Nigerians.
Buchi Laba Laba
@Buchi_smallzy
Exclusive Information about what is Happening at Osapa Shoprite.
1. Those leading the charge are those that lost their Families in south Africa.

2. The lady that the Brother was burn swore they will shut down all South Africa companies in Nigeria.
I don’t even know what to Say!
258 3:51 PM - Sep 3, 2019
Daddy AZMA (OMOKHUDU)
@MisterRedefined
Happening Now: Angry women disrupt sales at Shoprite #CircleMall Lekki in retaliation to the ongoing #XenophobicAttack against Nigerians and other Africans in
#SouthAfrica#Xenophobia
#XenophobicAttacks #EnoughIsEnough
845 3:00 PM - Sep 3, 2019
806 people are talking about this

Meanwhile, plans have commenced for President Muhammadu Buhari to travel to South Africa next month. The trip is tied to the raging attacks on Nigerians and other Africans in Johannesburg and other South African cities, the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa said in a statement Tuesday.

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BREAKING : Unical VC bags international appointment
                      Prof. Zana Akpagu
By Eje Peter, 
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Zana Akpagu has been appointed as Chairman of the U6+Consortium of African Universities.

The appointment was announced at the 7th U6 +consortium international conference currently holding in Unical.

The conference, which is the first of its kind, have over 200 erudite scholars and academics from America , Europe and Africa in attendance including renowned Professors Augustine Arukwu from Norway, Dina Burger from South Africa and Hilary Iyang from Ethiopia who presented the conference keynote address.

U6 Consortium was launched in March 10, 2012 by six African universities who initially came together as a collaborative platform but was later increased to eight and now known as U6+Consortium.

Read also:https://www.theeaglesvoice.com/2019/09/cross-river-subeb-to-distributes-farm.html?m=1

The U6+Consortium comprises of Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa; University of Eldoret, Kenya; Kwara State University, Malete, and The University of The Gambia, The Gambia.

Others are University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana; University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, Nigeria, University of Calabar, Nigeria and Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Nigeria.

The U6+ Consortium is aimed at fostering academic linkages and educational collaboration among these iniversities on many areas including facilitating and coordinating joint researches, human capacity and curriculum developments.

Others include organising seminars, academic interactive sessions, and other professional development programmes.

According the sub-publicity committee chairman, Dr Otoburu Okoiliya, the four-day conference is slated for Setpember 2-6, 2019 at UNICAL International conference Centre with the theme "Harnessing African potentials in science, technology and humanities."

TEV_media

C’RIVER SUBEB TO DISTRIBUTE OVER 2,000 FARM TOOLS TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS

By Uchino Amatey

As parts of efforts to encourage agricultural science amongst pupils, the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB) is set to distribute 2, 236 farm tools to primary schools across the state under the 2018 UBE intervention fund.

The Executive Chairman SUBEB, Dr Stephen Odey said these farm tools will enable teachers and pupils carry out  practical lessons which will give pupils a better understanding  of crop cultivation. He further urged teachers to put tools to good use and  protect tools against theft and vandalism.

Dr Odey thanked Governor Ben Ayade for providing the 2018 matching grant which he said has gone a long way in improving the standard of basic education in the state.

Some of the tools include, Watering cans, wheel barrows, hand hoes, spraying machines, measuring cylinders, fork shovels, amongst others.

September 2nd, 2019.

COF FOUNDATION STAGES PEACE WALK IN OKPOMA, RECEIVES ROYAL BLESSING

 The Charles Offoboche Foundation (COF) in partnership with PROJECT 1000 (a solution driven Citizenship forum) held its long anticipated peace walk in Yala Local Government of Cross River State.

The peace walk which was initiated by COF was to foster peace and unity between two former warring communities - Itega Okpame and Oba - in Yala.

The two communities
 Covered during the peace walk were Itega -Okpame and Oba kick started at itega Okpame and traversed through Oba community, had in attendance members of both communities and peace loving sons and daughters from other parts of Yala.

Speaking at the event, Mr John Ebriku Friday, the spokesman of the foundation, reechoed the need for peace and harmony in yala, urging both communities to sheath their swords and give peace a reign.

In his words, "There's no community that attracts development with unrest and war, we all are from Okpame and Oba as we share one ancestry"

The president of the foundation, Mr Charles Offoboche, while commending the people for coming out emass, emphasized the need for peace between the two sister communities.

Mr Charles said "I thank you all for coming out for this epoch making event, it is sad enough that our communities are highly underdeveloped and we can't afford to add destruction of lives to the  list of it's worries"

The peace walk delegation also visited  the palace of the Paramount ruler of yala, HRH Onah Ipuole, the monarch thanked the organizers for finding it necessary to hold such event at this critical point when the people needed to hear the peace message.

HRH Onah Ipuole lamented that the incident that happened was unfortunate and regretful.

The event terminated at the International peace house, okpoma, and heralded with the distribution of empowerment materials to young entrepreneurs from both communities who had been trained by the COF foundation.

Speaking at the event also was Dr Raphael Ogar of the Peace Foundation International, he lamented that development has been hampered because of the incessant crisis in the area.

He said"no organization will want to invest its money in a warring community, very soon we will have a community radio and we do not want fighting to chase away our investors, so we are begging you all to give peace a chance so that we can have more development"

In a similar vein, both communities when given the opportunity to speak about the walk 'speaking through their representatives, the both communities commended the organizers for the initiative. They said the walk will bring to maturation the peace already germinating.

September, 2nd 2019

PROJECT 1000 CONSTITUTES MAIDEN EXECUTIVE, ELECTS EBRIKU JOHN FRIDAY AS NATIONAL PRESIDENT.

Project 1000, a solution driven citizenship forum has elected its maiden executive members.

After a rigorous electoral process, the group which has its focus on Yala Local Government Area of Cross  River State for a start, comprises of young urban professionals from the region held its election in Okuku, Yala LGA on Friday 30 July, 2019.

In a statement made available to Journalists, a mediapreneur and Chairman/CEO, Ehub Media Nigeria Ltd, Mr Ebriku John Friday emerged as the National President of the group, while Mr Dough Onah of the University of Calabar and the publisher of VoiceofYala.com, Mr  Riwo Daniel were announced as National Vice President and Secretary General respectively.

Addressing candidates for the elections and members of the organization, the chairman of the Electoral committee, Comr Joshua Ogar, welcomed everyone and thanked them for their cooperation during the build up to the elections, he stated that the group was setting new standards in its dealings and will in no time, take the world by storm.

 He urged all candidates to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship and take the outcome of the elections in good faith for the growth of yala.

Giving a brief charge on leadership, Mr Ariel Greatness tasked all members never to forget that they were already leaders in their respective mights and should trade that on the alter of any portfolio whatsoever.

Ariel who highlighted the various forms and ways in which members can function maximally in an organization, urged every member of the association to continue in its supportive role and good spirit.

Also speaking, Mr Tony Ochelebe II of SERVICOM, in brief words, expatiated on the various kinds of members in every organization and urged every member to be the best he/she can.

He stated that, every individual's natural characteristics has a way of affecting performance of an organization.

During the election proper, the Electoral committee announced its voting guidelines and voting procedures which were both online and offline for all its registered members and an open secret balloting system.

Meanwhile, the Electoral committee declared the candidates for the office of the Assistant project manager and Calabar Coordinator disqualified for failing to meet up with its guidelines.

It also announced that only two positions were up for contest which were the Deputy National President and National Secretary general as all other positions and its candidates were declared winners having fulfilled all laid down stipulations as prescribed by the body.

The office of the Deputy National president had two candidates in the persons of Miss Mary Okwori and Mr Dough Onah while that of the National Secretary general had Mr Daniel Riwo and Miss Uche Faith Yefia as candidates.

 After the casting of ballot, Mr Dough Onah and Daniel Riwo emerged as Deputy national president and National Secretary respectively with Mr Dough defeating his opponent by 20-4 votes while Daniel Riwo scored 15 as against 10 scored by miss yefia.

Addressing the elected excos, the Eleco chair Mr Joshua Ogar lauded the candidates for their focus, sincerity of purpose, and tolerance. He commended the campaign DG of Cephas Ochelebe, Daniel Riwo and wonah Andrew, Mr Onah Clement aka triple DG and Miss Yefia's DG Mr Patrick for their constructive argument during the campaign.

The Eleco Secretary Miss Florence Onah, pleaded with the Elected National president Mr Ebriku to kindly carry women along in his adminstration. She said, as an advocator for gender balance, I will be happy if Mr president can fix the females in either vacant positions or include them in committees.

The newly elected National president while giving his acceptance speech, showered encomium on his campaign Director general, Mr Tony Ochelebe for a job well done and pledged total dedication to service.

 He said, "I wish to sincerely thank my DG, Mr Tony for such a fantastic job during the campaign, he indeed showed capacity, my applause also goes to the Electoral committee for a great job"

"I want to once again re- echo my total commitment to this huge task placed on my shoulder and assure you all that I will always give my best to the growth of project 1000 and yala, I will always be available for any leadership position even after my tenure in office"

"Yala is indeed blessed to have you all as i believe that this maiden executive body will change the narrative and bring more development to our land, I have no doubts that there's no better time to be yala than now, thank you all and may God continue to guide us."

See the list of Project1000's elected Executives...

1. *NATIONAL PRESIDENT*
 EBRIKU JOHN FRIDAY,

2. *DEPUTY NATIONAL PRESIDENT*
DOUGH ONAH,

3. *PROJECT COORDINATOR*


4. *DEPUTY PROJECT COORDINATOR*
WONAH ANDREW

5. *ABUJA COORDINATOR*
THOMPSON YECHE ,

6. *CALABAR COORDINATOR*


7. *YALA COORDINATOR*
EMMY2NICE,

8. *GENERAL SECRETARY*
DANIEL RIWO


9. *DEPUTY SECRETARY*
ROSEMEG EZE

10. *CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY  1*
CEPHAS OCHELEBE


11. *CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY II*
ADOGA MICHAEL OYI (Publisher of Theeaglesvoice.com)


12. *TREASURER*
JESUSTINA OGAR

13. *FIN SEC*
ODEY MARY


14. *PROVOST/CSO*'
OKO FRANCIS OFFIONOR


15. *SOUTH-WEST CO-ORDINATOR*
VINCENT IFONI

September 02,2019

The Cross River State Director General Of Due Process And Price Intelligence Bureau, Honourable Barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba ,On Friday, August 30, 2019, reiterated his foundation’s commitment to develop grassroot sports in Yala Local Government Area as part of the Yala New Yam Festival programs.

The Director General made this known at the finals and closing ceremony of the Okadigbo vanguard new yam festival football tournament , which took place at the Azana Sports Centre, Okuku.

He said his foundation will continue to sponsor the tournament, assuring that the gains recorded in the past will be improved upon.

“I want to also commit that the next four years, I will attract the state Government and other stakeholders to continue to sponsor this particular  tournament and for this reason ,I will contribute the sum of one million Naira as part of my commitment to make this dream a reality.

We are excited that the  administration  of Governor Benedict Ayade  has always focused on sports development.

One of the things, I had promised Yala Nation is that we would continue in the path of making Grass Roots sports attractive and make sure we take sports to the next level”, the DG said.


He said efforts will be made to expand the next edition to enable more Communities participate while the prize money will also be increased.

“Our administration is committed and we are signing on with other sports lovers and sponsors, that the next edition is better than this. My understanding is that we have over 20 Communities here present in this tournament and I know next year, we are going to expand it and then we would also increase the prize money and also ensure that the best of Sports comes to Yala”, he said.

The DG also said that his foundation 'Okadigbo Vanguard'will focus on sports, , entertainment, arts and hospitality sector as projects to engage youths so as to keep them away from social vices.

“What I’ve earlier promised in the course of this journey is that we are going to take sports in addition to tourism, entertainment and arts and hospitality, we would take them together and actually focus on them as one single project to promote our cultural heritage and extend our invitation to the people of Ukelle,Igede and Yache of Yala”.


Some of the dignitaries present at the event included Mr. Oko Sunday Ebeku the General manager waste management board cross river state,John odey the former Director General food bank cross river state,Okori Bernard Oko aka Bob Gana, the former SA youths northern senatorial district, Hon Aloho Agi former councilor of okuku  ward ,Solomon ogar the former PA to one time House of reps member Hon peter Igbodor  and other sports enthusiasts.

October 25,2018.

Economic Activities

For a living, the Okpoma have two major occupations: farming (which is strictly reserved for the men), and salt-production (which is under proscription in favor of the women). In the past, these two occupations made Okpoma self-supporting and contented.

The situation was such that even the presence of roads and waterways “did not seem to have engendered the habits of travel” in them (Odey Egbara 1992).

It is obvious from the position of the town that her alluvial soils would be rich. Yam farming, became so highly developed that a piece of land was under cultivation every year. Five months after yams are harvested, the land was cleared for planting the alternative crop .It is cassava that is alternated with yams. This attachment to yams continues now in spite of a boost in rice farming.

Salt production has supplemented Okpoma economics since the discovery of the so called Salt Lakes by two hunters, Odey  and Onah. Since then the women have produced salt by a process beyond the scope of this work.

According to Late Egbara Raphael Abriba of wogada  who made these research in 1992 found that the salinity is the highest in the South South Nigeria geographical zone.

Only recently did Okpoma people start long distance trade. They practiced inter-cropping and dairy farming. Rapheal Onah Eba, (1996) states that “records as recent as 1979  show that cotton was grown, spun and woven here.

 Cattle and other livestock: horses, pigs, goats, sheep, etc. were kept”.

Even when long distance trade began, the only market visited by the Okpoma themselves was Obahe in the now Abia state. People from other trading centers in Ogoja and Ezza rather visited Onugwankpo  markets for exchange of goods.

 It will be recalled that the salt scarcity of 1939 (after the Second World War) made every family in Okpoma rich. “In Olachor, three types of currencies, apart from barter, were used before the coming of the Europeans. They were: string currency , cowries and brass (Okpogo (Ikaba Okute 1978.

“Religious Belief

The hierarchy of Okpoma deities has at its apex, “Echieka Onokoku” who is too remote to be petitioned directly.

 He is sometimes individuated but his supremacy is still maintained by the fact that he is believed to see everything, though very far away. As such, there is no shrine dedicated to him. A helpless petitioner or (one offended by his superior) simply thrusts his or her arms forward and with open palms facing up and a slight look to the sky and pleads: “Owolicho , be my witness.”

There is however a shrine known as “Ate" which approximates the ark of covenant. It is owned communally by an extended family whose eldest male becomes the chief priest. Though very heavy, this shrine never touches the ground. Like the Roman Catholic alter, there must always be a glow of light where it is kept. During a yearly communion (compulsory for all male members), it is brought down, placed on some logs, and sacrifices are made unto it. Immediately after, it is solemnly taken back to its customary place near the roof of a house.

Next in the Okpoma pantheon is the spiritual replica (Owo licho) provided for every human by the Supreme Being. These spiritual replicas of human beings can be males or females.

A shrine dedicated to Owo licho is called "Owochi.” It is only when prayers at the “Owochi” shrine become ineffective that an attempt is made to approach “Owo” directly. This is done by a mystical pilgrimage (outside the scope of the present work) called “Ijieka” through which the petitioner gets to meet Owo licho face to face.

Briefly, the process requires placing the utensils of the petitioner on the usual heart of the spirits and then hiding. As the spirit comes upon these vessels, which he recognizes as his, he is shocked and exclaims. Then the hiding ward would come out and lodge his complaint. The spirit may explain he/she is also finding that same problem difficult but would provide immediate solution.

With regard to Okpoma , the practice described in the following statements by Odey Egbara is still pertinent. “At a town called Wogada, there is said to be a place where it is possible to go and talk with the dead.”

On earth the most important deity is the “Uhu” whose totem is “Spirit,” a particularly harmless tall being. For the whole of Okpoma, there is deity called “Ejieka-” at Ikor Okpoma market where twelve (12) flat stones are laid to represent “Okpma-” (Okpoma’s twelve villages) in order of village seniority. At the village level, there are other shrines of Ohite.” For instance,has  “Ayiepa”  Individual families also have at the centre of their compounds the cult of “Owochi” where prayers are often said especially before embarking on the search for a missing item.

Ancestral veneration is also strong. Odey (1992) observes: “Among the Itega, Olachor, Oba , the dead are called Oku and are said to live in Ahuicho … The principal sacrifice in their honor is given at the time of the final burial , when cows, goats, fowls are offered up.” Odey Egbara believes, and rightly so, that “Maw” (secret society or masquerades) does not exist in the world of the dead and there is no belief in witchcraft.

For the Okpoma, the above observations are in order. Only four months of the year are used for serious clearing, hoeing, planting and harvesting. Work is discontinued for some days in any of the other eight months and yearly feastings proclaimed in honour of certain gods.

The last month of the year August is exclusive to the ancestors. During this final festival, no man who has a farm would fail to slaughter at least a goat, unless he has made his will and is ready to pleased the gods in the next harvest season. At midnight of the feast day, a righteous priest attends, as it were, a meeting of the ancestors and after some heated debates, receives the program of events for the coming year.

Political Institutions

Before the coming of the white man, there was a form of government in Okpoma, which was quite representative in nature. The idea of kingship is only mentioned in woma. At the town level, representation is on “Ukpufie” basis. Ukpufie refers to any of the twelve broad divisions from where the name “Okpoma-” originates. In these twelve broad divisions, some smaller villages merge to form one.

The supreme council of this form of government is the mass meeting of the entire town. This meeting is called Ogleyi yalogla. Every male adult (rich or poor) has the freedom to express his opinion at the Ogleyi. The meeting is generally held at Ina market where every contributor would speak before the shrine of “Olija, otherwise called the chief priest.

To open the business of the day, the oldest man from the village in which the meeting is hosted offers kola nuts to the ancestors. In his prayers, he asks for peaceful deliberations and wise decisions. If a point of discussion requires secrecy or observance of certain restrictions by the attendees, they are sworn to an oath, which is pronounced while everybody in attendance stands barefoot facing “Owo chi”.

How are the decisions of the council enforced since there is no grade system and no masking culture in Okpoma? The responsibility for enforcing discipline is left to a group of selected middle aged men. Selection is done through the village representation system. Any adult male stands the chance of being selected, provided he has not committed adultery in the Okpoma sense.

The body constituted by selected males is called “Ache Ogabor” at town and village levels.

At the village level, representation is on extended family basis. Here the body acts as a lower court reporting to a council of elders called “Egabor” (Senate). The later invariably recognizes the fact that the final arbiter is the mass-meeting called “Ogleyi.”

This system which takes government to the grass roots so impressed Waddington (1933) that he described the community as “a republic in the true sense of the word, i.e. a corporation in which government is the business of all.”

Colonial administration came to Okpoma in 1927 when the native court was completed. In 1928, the most senior ogamode rose to the rank of paramount chief. But both incidents did not change the system which is still in use today.

Social Life

With yams always in the barn and salt and oil in pots, Okpoma hospitality became proverbial.

 Though the people love themselves, they will defend any visitor to the same extent they would defend a close relation. They will not, however, take kindly to anyone who takes their kindness for foolishness.

Social life is always enlivened by the monthly festivals and sometimes by a number of title taking ceremonies. Almost all these titles are connected with achievement in yam farming. The highest of them, “Ogamode,” which confers on the title holder the name “Ogabor” could cost up to five hundred pounds, dating back to 1952. (Odey Egbara 1991).

The Okpoma people are externally humble but internally proud. They would do anything to defend their prestige.

 Fighting ensues almost immediately in any circumstance in which an Okpoma man is called a thief. Murder is the town’s highest offence and it carries capital punishment. In any of the twelve divisions, any man who goes to bed with another’s wife commits adultery and is excluded from ritual ceremonies for life. Before the coming of the white man, he was stoned to death while kleptomaniacs were hanged.

From the foregoing, it has been shown that Odey and Onah, who founded Okpoma, came from Idoma in Benue State, and lived at Igede before coming to the present site (Okpoma) with a family raised at Igede. These people settled in twelve broad divisions which contain smaller villages.

 The pattern of settlement aided the type of political institutions at the apex of which is Ewa (age grade).

 Belief in the Supreme God does not exclude worship of other gods and the veneration of ancestors. The people are very hospitable but can also employ drastic measures to teach social offenders a lesson; the punishment for offenders range from capital punishment and excommunication to withdrawal of privileges. Through these measures, the people of Okpoma enforce law and order and maintain peaceful coexistence in the villages where they’ve built family compounds and individual houses.

Yala is the language spoken by the inhabitants of okpoma.

The people of Yala migrated from IDOMALAND of Benue state o the present location before 15 and 1600 AD. They're said to have their original homeland in "River benue basin" where the Jukuns now live.

Yala are of the offspring of Ala, the 7th child of Odey Idoma (otherwise known as Ochumode) that led the people to the new foundland. Hence Idoma people have always referred to Yala as their brothers in diaspora whose ancestry they trace to Idoma homeland.

Yala, under the leadership of Ochumode founded the first settlement Okpada within the vicinity of the present Itega Ekpudu from where they have spread to 30 autonomous communties covering a landmass of 2,878 square miles with a population of 500,000 inhabitants.

 They speak Yala, a variant of Idoma language widely spoken by Idoma in Benue, Alago in Nasarawa and Ette in Enugu states of Nigeria. There have been borrowng and loses in the original language text as a result of time snd distance separation as well as contact and education.

The people live in a clustered settlements with village squares (Ogra) in the centre that serve as venue for social activities.


Credit - Egbara Emmanuel Orubebe the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Cross river state director general for due process and price intelligence bureau.

Eden Hazard hasn’t had the greatest of starts to life as a Real Madrid player, and it appears that he might now have to deal with a cross locker room as well.
The Belgian suffered an injury in the lead up to the La Liga season, and hasn’t been risked by manager Zinedine Zidane as a result, though it was reported that he would be fit to play for Los Blancos this weekend.
But, as it turns out, the medical team at Real Madrid aren’t quite ready to allow Hazard for action after a thigh injury, though his insistence to move on to International duty with Belgium comes as a surprise.
“For everyone’s sake” – Zidane hopes Hazard doesn’t travel with Belgian national team

And Don Balon are reporting that this is why the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Sergio Ramos too are unhappy with the new signing, with the club preferring that he remains in Madrid to complete the treatment process.
“Legally he can travel with Belgium but at the moment he cannot play,” Zidane said on Saturday.
“He knows that, we do too and I hope he doesn’t play, for the good o
for everyone, including Belgium.”

“Obviously I’m not happy to see my players injured but unfortunately these things happen, they happen in every team, everywhere you look you see there are lots of players with injuries,” he continued.
“Our physios and doctors and everyone who works with the players are doing everything possible and I hope that everyone can return quickly.”

After 15 days in captivity, Rev. Elisha Numan of Baptist Church, Ungwan Makeri, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state has been released.

The Baptist Pastor was abducted in his house by gunmen on Wednesday August 14, 2019 at about 2:00am, alongside his son Emmanuel Elisha.

However, the bandits later freed the son to go home and raise money for his father’s ransom.

Family sources said the release of the clergyman followed series of negotiations with the bandits who had initially demanded for N20 million ransom.

The source said Numan was released on Saturday evening after the payment of an undisclosed amount of money as ransom.
“Our brother has been released by kidnappers on Saturday evening after we paid the ransom. We have been in trauma since he was kidnapped on August 14, considering the fact that he was not even feeling well.
“Since the security agencies seemed to be helpless in tackling these criminals, we can only pray to God to visit His wrath upon the criminals” the source said.
The source said the pastor returned home without any harm and was taken to the hospital for medical checks.
Chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, who confirmed the release of the pastor in a telephone interview, on Sunday, called on the government and security agencies to do everything possible to addressed the increasing wave of kidnappings in Kaduna state.
“Rev. Elisha Numan was released on Saturday night after two weeks in captivity. He was released after a ransom was paid following series of negotiations with the bandits on the ransom.
“We thank God for His mercies, we pray for God’s intervention in the calamity that seemed to have befallen us as a nation.
“We will also continue to call on the government and the security agencies to do everything within their powers to stop the increasing rate of criminality across the country, especially the increasing wave of kidnappings in Kaduna.” Hayab said.