Political aspirants are shouting, "I will do this, I will do that, this will not happen under my watch" and what not, Where the heck have you been all this while?

Just a reminder, if you have the people at heart, you would not need a political office to get things working.

Call to action: If none of you can answer to the prevalent light crisis in Ogoja / Bekwara / Yala before office, I put it to you, you won't get it done while in office (take it to the bank)

*Segalink* is quoted as saying, "whatever you can't make happen with a HND / BSc, you won't make happen with an MSc or PhD".
The idea behind these programs is to stimulate independent thoughts. If you still cannot think or apply yourself with your individuality or present degree well; that is why we have what we now have.

It is in line with the above notion, we the members of Project 1000 Yala Urban Professionals *YUP*, after due consultation have risen to this sole cause of action.

We urge all well meaning youth of Northern Cross River state, to rise to this clarion call and never rest until stable power supply is restored to the people.

What we cannot make happen for the people today, we cannot make happen in 10 years time.

We are all what tomorrow needs.

#Arise o' compatriot.

Project1000©

Signed:.

We need atleast 20 persons to sign this For immediate publication. Committing to this mean you will use whatever available means to restore power to the People.

#YesTogetherWeCan.

TEV_Media

Being feminine is not a crime; Bobrisky inspires me –James Brown
By Eje Peter 
For Obialor, popularly known as James Brown or ‘They didn’t caught me’, getting arrested a few months ago appears to be a blessing in disguise as the dancer shot into the limelight when he was paraded by the police on national television.

Soon after the video clip surfaced online, Brown became an Internet sensation because of the grammatical blunders he made.

According to the young dancer, he was at the venue because he was scheduled to perform at the party that day but unfortunately for him, he was arrested along with some other young men when he was just about to hit the stage to perform.

Recently, celebrity cross-dresser, Bobrisky, made a public declaration on his Instagram page about how he was inspired by Obialor’s video after it went viral.

He wrote, “James, I’m inspired by you, darling, because you came out to tell the world what you were going through. The day I saw your viral video, I was like who is this strong guy. Now, let me tell you, darling, ask me anything; I mean, your heart desire, I’m ready to support you. Let’s start from N100,000 cash first. Please find your way to my house tomorrow please (sic).”

In a telephone conversation with Saturday Beat, the 20-year-old dancer talked about how his meeting with Bobrisky inspired him and how he was arrested and accused wrongly.

“I was happy and inspired when I met Bobrisky. I was about to perform on stage at the birthday party when the police officials came to arrest some guys and girls. I didn’t even know my video would go viral like that. I had to talk back at the policemen because I was being accused wrongly and I had to defend myself.

“They accused me wrongly because I act feminine when I talk and being feminine is not a crime; I have always been like this since I was a child. I was about eight years old when I started dancing; I used to stay with my grandma and she was the only person that was supporting me at that time,” he told Saturday Beat.

Obialor’s video went viral locally and internationally, to the extent that American artiste, 50 Cent, posted the video clip on his Instagram page.

“I was happy when 50 Cent reposted the video because he said something nice about it. This new fame that has found me has opened many doors for me, but the sad thing is that my parents are not in support of what I am doing. I intend to use this avenue to start making income for myself.

“My dad doesn’t believe I can make a living from my fame; I need to convince him by becoming the real celebrity people want me to be,” he said.

Obialor made a shocking revelation when he disclosed his HIV status on the Internet and he further confirmed to Saturday Beat that he had been HIV positive from birth.

“I talked about my HIV status to make my case stronger; a policeman actually discriminated against me because of my status when I had to stay in police custody after the arrest. I told them I needed to take my medication because of my status but they talked down on me and made me feel bad.

“I was 12 when I discovered my status after my dad told me about it. I was born with the virus. After I came out to talk about my status openly, I have received love and sup port from people,” he said.

TEV_media

Cross River University of Technology, CRUTECH Alumni Association has lauded Governor Ben Ayade for offering automatic employment to all civil engineers from the state.
The association in a statement issued by its Spokesman, Comrade Inyali Peter in Calabar said that the Governor has shown his administration's huge confidence in local engineers by enrolling them into the state civil service.
While tasking those handling the recruitment exercise to be transparent, the association assured the Governor that he won't regret the decision to employ them especially those who are CRUTECH products.
The association said that the institution which almost became an orphan is gradually finding a father figure in Gov. Ayade.
"We want to profoundly commend our dear Governor for this show of love and confidence shown on local engineers.
We are particularly happy because majority of them are graduates of CRUTECH. CRUTECH is the only University in the state now that has produced and have the approval of NUC to continue to produce civil engineers.
"So, we see this gesture as a show of love to the Alumni. We want to assure the Governor that he won't regret his decision because some of the best engineers in Nigeria today are from Cross River and products of CRUTECH.
"Gov. Ayade has done well for CRUTECH. What he has done in four years is remarkable. He has increased the monthly subvention of the University and has tried his best to see that the issue of incessant strike is reduced. For us, CRUTECH is an orphan that's gradually finding a father figure in Ayade.
"Like Oliver Twist, we want to ask for more. We want to appeal to the Governor to also do more especially in the area of funding the University accreditation programmes. The issue of poor funding for accreditation has continued to linger unabated and we are appealing that our dear Governor should also look to improve CRUTECH in that direction.
"We want to use this opportunity to call on all civil engineering graduates of CRUTECH, within and outside the country to please answer this clarion call to serve their home state", the statement reads

TEV_Media

How SARS officers tortured me, killed 30 people in my presence —Evans
By Eje Peter 
Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, on Friday, gave graphic details of how members of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), tortured him and killed 30 people in his presence.
Evans, who made the revelation on Friday during the continuation of a trial-within-trial at an Ikeja High Court, claimed that the security agents killed the victims by suffocating them with nylon (plastic bags)

The alleged kidnap kingpin is facing trial alongside six others on a two-count charge conspiracy and kidnapping.

Evans, while being led in evidence by his lawyer, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, described himself as a businessman dealing in haulage and ornaments resident at No. 3, Fred Soyebode Street, Magodo Lagos.

He said: “Insp Idowu Haruna (member of IGP Intelligence Response Team) took me to Abuja and brought me back to Lagos where I was at the Inspector General (IG) Guest House at Obalende, Lagos.

“Sunny the 2 I/C (second in command) to Abba Kyari, Mr Christian Ugu, Mr Phillip and other police officers working with them were there.

“Idowu Haruna brought about 25 sheets of paper and asked me to sign, that day, my mind told me not to sign because it might be my death warrant.

“One of them, one Mr Phillip put his hand in his pocket and brought out a brown hospital card, he showed it to me and told me to sign it while saying that do you think that we are joking here, he said if anything happens to me here this card covers everything.”

“Mr Phillip said the police will not be held responsible and before I knew what was happening, Mr Christian slapped me and that was how they started beating me,” Evans told the court.

“Mr Christian Ugu was smoking, he quenched the cigarette on my hand, My Lord look at my head where they beat me, My lord look at my hand?

“They took me to the backyard of the IG’s guesthouse, I sustained injuries on my head and body and Mr Phillip asked the policemen to walk on me and when I started bleeding, he said you think we are joking here.

“At the backyard, I saw some people that I was paraded with, they were wearing leg chains, some of them had bullet wounds on their legs and Mr Phillip ordered Idowu Haruna to bring a big brown cellotape, handkerchief and polybags.

“Idowu Haruna forced a handkerchief into the mouth of one of them, he used the cellotape to tightly tape his mouth and face and put a polybag over his head and cellotaped it and used another poly bag and cellotaped it for the second time and they left the man on the ground.

“The man on the ground was shaking, he pissed (urinated) on his body, he poo pooed (defecated) on his body and after a while he went quiet.

“Idowu Haruna went to the man and stepped on his body and he was unresponsive and he told me can you see I have traveled him.”

TEV_media

The 2019 general elections is less than 120 days to go. Different developments being played out. Preparation by electoral umpire INEC, political parties, civil society organisations, and candidate are well on track.

The TEV_Media have been following the activities of one of the candidates for Cross River State House of Assembly seat, to represent Yala 1 State constituency under Social Democratic Party SDP, Comr Michael Sunday Emaluji.

Emaluji is a dogged and capacity filled activist who have via activism and as  a union leader rescued and liberated his people from the dungeon of frustration ,starvation and war.

Emaluji In a statement issued by his Media team on 26th October, 2018, stated that his administration would relinquish power back to the people, who in a Democratic certain are the real owners of power. Emaluji also said that, if elected he will run women, youths and elderly inclusive government. comr Emaluji calls his present address as a litmus blueprint, he said full copy of his blueprint shall be made available once the electoral umpire flag off campaign for the 2019 elections.

SEE DETAILS OF HIS STATEMENT BELOW ..



Why am I contesting?

I am not coming to power to blame, complain or to enrich myself.

I am coming to power to bring to the people the real dividend of democracy.

Democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people. So every government activities must be based on the people's demand.

 I am contesting because I want to take this power back to the grass root by way of  viable projects that can be beneficial to all.

Agriculture is one focal point of every growing economy in a Nation. Yala 1 State constituency is blessed with fertile soil to drive Agriculture in other to boast the economy of the region, if elected, I shall initiate Agriculture Reform programs (ARP) in partnership with Sanctuscom Agro Hub and other Agricultural investors.

 This reform will help the farmers gain access to farming stimulators like herbicides, seedlings, fertilizer, machineries for commercial produce, etc.

Youths are not going to be left out of my administration, I shall initiate policies that can be beneficial to our youths.

For Yala 1 to grow, they must be youth  inclusion in policies. I am the only candidate with 100% Youth base campaign Team including females, this means I am very much ready for the youth irrespective of sex.

Yala youths are sport friendly Youths, so among many others i shall run a Sport loving, entertainment encompassing, social welfare, skill acquisitions embracing administration.

My administration would not leave out the elders, Royal fathers and religious Leaders.

 I will run women inclusive policies.

Women are a deciding factor in every growing Nation, the place of women in my administration is sacrosanct and expedient to me.

 I will bring government and governance down to the people, both indigene and non indigene of Yala.

These and many more I shall do, as we kick start campaign I shall present the full copy of my blueprint to you my erudite electorate.


Comrade Michael Sunday Emaluji for CRSHA.
SDP, the real hope for Yala 1 constituency.

TEV_Media

Digital policing will go a long way in curbing violence during the 2019 general elections, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Hashimu S. Argungu has said.

The police chief disclosed this while delivering a paper titled: “Policing election in Nigeria: Appraising the role and responsibilities of the Nigerian police in the 21st century elections,” on Thursday in Abuja during a workshop organized for senior police officers from the ranks of ACP and above.

The workshop was organized by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in collaboration with Bastion Chambers.

Argungu said understanding modern technology will place the police ahead of criminal elements.

The retired DIG said “all along, it is a fact that, internet electronic mail systems and the internet are also giving police access to unlimited information to help them perform their jobs better.

“At this hour of the 21st century, all police officers will have to undergo training in the recognition of offenses committed by computer and how electronic evidence can be obtained and preserved.

“With globalization, digitization, and computerization era, police work is likely to become more electronically based in everyday life.”

The former dean of Law, Bayero University, Kano, Prof. A.B Ahmed, said an election is said to be credible only when it is organized in an atmosphere of peace, devoid of rancor and personal acrimony, adding that it is only when the police performs their duties diligently, effectively and efficiently than the credibility and outcomes of elections will be accepted.

“The outcome of such an election must be acceptable to the majority of the electorates and also the international community.

“For elections to be credible, its process must be secured and sufficiently transparent. If elections are to be free and fair, laws designed to that end must not just exist, they must be operated and enforced.”

Speaking earlier, Barr. Muhammed K. Nakordi, the coordinator of the workshop who represents Bastion Chambers, said the workshop would acquaint the officers with the latest method of curbing electoral violence in the country.

He said the workshop was necessitated by the waves of violence before, during and after elections.

TEV_Media

 Five corpers kidnapped on way to camp 

             
By Eje Peter, 
Some gunmen on Wednesday kidnapped five members of the National Youth Service Corps who were travelling to their orientation camps in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

Two other passengers on the bus conveying the corps members were also kidnapped.

The fresh graduates and the other victims were travelling from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to Rivers and Akwa Ibom states where they were billed to undertake their three-week NYSC orientation.

They were kidnapped on the Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway and taken to the Umuapu forest in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

Briefing journalists after the victims were rescued by the police, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Imo State Police Command, Dasuki Galadanchi, said the kidnappers established contact with the families of the corps members and demanded N5m ransom.

The CP gave the names of the corps members as Abiola Temitope, Olubisi Adekanmi, Jose Temitayo, Folarin Opeyemi and Shonibare Ademola.

Other victims were identified as Leonard Uzondu and Raymond Ojodahe.

The CP said, “The victims were travelling from Ibadan to Port Harcourt. Five out of the seven of them are prospective corps members. They were on their way to the NYSC orientation camps in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states for the three weeks camping.

“They were kidnapped around 5am on Wednesday at Umuapu, on the Owerri-Port-Harcourt Expressway. The kidnappers took them to a forest and dispossessed them of all their belongings, including money, phones, ATM cards and voter cards.

“They compelled them to call their relatives at home to speak to them. Immediately contact was established, they instilled fear in the parents and demanded N5m for their freedom.”

The CP explained that through intelligence gathering, the operatives of the Counter Terrorism Unit of the command were alerted.

He said, “The operatives went into the bush and on sighting the officers, the kidnappers abandoned their victims and fled. We rescued them unhurt, but the hoodlums made away with their valuables.

“This is part of the dividends of community policing. I urge Imo State residents to keep sharing information with the police. We cannot do it alone.”

Galadanchi said he had ordered investigation into the incident with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects.

One of the victims, Abiola, said, “They stopped our bus and ordered us at gunpoint to follow them into the forest. They were five with guns and machetes

“In the bush, they took our belongings except our credentials and ordered us to call our parents. They made a demand of N5m, but they later brought it down to N3m.

“They ordered us to close our eyes. They were even quarrelling on how to share our personal belongings which they took from us. It was in the process that the police intervened and  they abandoned us and ran away.”

TEV_media

October 26,2018.

A young woman, about 30 years, believed to be mentally deranged at the weekend gave birth to a baby girl at Ijiraga community in Ukelle,Yala Local government Area of Cross River state,the woman is fondly called ,Mama blessing by the Igiraga residents.

The ill woman, who is an indigene of Kakwagom community in Boki Local government Area of Cross river state violently prevented people from getting near her and the baby but later gave in when officers of the Cross river state Child protection commission approached her in the company of some community care givers.

She agreed to be taken to Hospital but refused to hand over her child to anyone but before now the said woman was undergoing antenatal care at the Ijiraga health centre under the watch and care of the Cross river state Child protection commission .

Chief Mrs. Theresa Ezama, The CPC Chairperson told News Men that her commission was informed about the incident and quickly moved in to rescue the “mother and child”. She said they tried to take the baby from the mentally ill woman because she was manhandling the child in an attempt to breastfeed her.

Madam Ezama however said information from the Hospital indicated that the baby is doing well.

Chief Mrs.Ezama said the Commission is mobilising resources for the woman to be referred to a psychiatric facility.

She said though the woman is a stranger in ijiraga community, the commission would not allow the baby and mother to “perish” in the streets.

Madam Ezama said the Commission has purchased all baby's need some toiletries and other personal effects for the woman and established a contact that has linked her with her family.

"The commission will do everything possible to rehabilitate the woman from her present situation,We will contact other relevant agencies for support and we strongly believe that with God Our efforts will yield positively.

Egbara Emmanuel Ikaba, Special Assistant on Information and Strategy.

TEV_Media

AYADE’S AIDE DR BETTA EDU PAYS SCHOOL FEES; PROVIDES BOOKS FOR 2186 CHILDREN IN HER WARD; ADADAMA, ABI LGA

THERE IS NO RELIGION GREATER THAN A STRONGER PERSON PROVIDING A SHOULDER FOR THE WEAKER ONES TO LEAN — Prof Ben Ayade

Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu has taken pressure off over 2000 secondary school students and primary school pupils in Adadama, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State by providing over 3000 writing materials and offsetting their tuition fees with other charges Presentations were made at a brief event held at Community Commercial Secondary School, Adadama.

Thereafter, the Director General of CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu moved to Ibalebo Clan in Adadama to inspect the newly renovated primary healthcare  centre and hold a town hall meeting with the chiefs and clan head of the community.

According to her, Cross River State Governor, His Excellency, Senator Prof Ben Ayade has been working on providing solutions to communities and Adadama is not left out.

She said the community had been beseech with war and alot of people injured,  thousands have been killed by people from Ebonyi State over boundary issues as Economic growth of the community have drastically gone down due to this crisis.

Dr Edu said “my support today is not political, this is about my passion to save lives and preserving the future generations. I have been offering free health outreaches and paying fees for people of Adadama before I can into Government. I will continue to do my much even after holding political office. Am not giving because I have enough but like my father Prof Ben Ayade taught me, Am giving because I care enough”

She expressed gratitude to Governor Ben Ayade for his support and decision of the Government to take a 360 approached by going ahead to provide new class rooms for pupils/students  in the community and equally bringing their health facilities up to standard which has been helpful in managing injuries sustained  during war.

She said many families are deteriorating to poverty and having malnutrition which is a major concern to the state government and as such Micronutrient will be sent to the ward to support children under five and pregnant women while provision for the maternal neonatal tetanus immunisation campaign and other immunisation exercise that can protect children from vaccines preventable  diseases will be explored.

She call on the FG to quickly look into the boundary issues affecting the community so peace can be restored. While she called for support for ATIKU, AYADE, ONOR, GAUL & DAVID in the 2019 elections.

Responding on behalf of the community, the Clan Head of Ibalebo, His Royal Highness, Eval Lawrence Emori said the scholarship award will help in taking away the burden from parents who struggle to pay school fees for their wards even when such parents lack the capacity to pay the fees.

He commended the Governor, Speaker and the DG for also stopping by to inspect the newly renovated health centre which according to him will served the community to the fullest and prevent maternal death.

Eval Emori said the support of Adadama is intact for the Governor and their son, the Speaker comes 2019 general elections.

Reacting to the development, one of the Head Teacher Mrs Grace Ebong commended the DG for her philanthropic gesture to the schools, assuring that they will live up to expectation by bequeathing academic excellence to the students.

It would be recalled that the DG, Dr Betta Edu and the Speaker, Rt Hon. John Gaul Lebo had over the years been paying fees and securing employment to students and graduates from the community in the state parastatals.

TEV_Media

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has offered automatic employment to all graduates of civil engineering from the state,  irrespective of their year of graduation.
The Governor made the pronouncement while receiving the National Chairman, Institution of Civil Engineers, Engr. Andem Ekpo-Bassey along side members of the organizing committee of the 16th Annual General Meeting of the association.
Ayade further directed the affected persons to immediately submit their curriculum vitae (CV) at the Civil Service Commission, New Secretariat for schedule of interview.
Governor Ayade who was also inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the institution by the National Chairman lamented the ill treatments members of the institution have received in Nigeria, noting that civil engineering plays a very cardinal role in the progress of mankind and as such,  must be treated with dignity and given the opportunity to contribute their quarters to the development of the nation.
“I like to challenge you to the fact that today, for us who hold political offices and have instrumentality of awards of contracts, the Nigerian government and Nigerian governors  have been a bit unfair to the Nigerian Institution  of Civil  Engineers  because traditionally that is the umbrella beacon of engineering practices in Nigeria.”
He consequently offered "automatic employment to every civil engineer of Cross River State origin because we would need thousands of you to be engaged in the construction of the 275 kilometers superhighway and Bakassi Deep Seaport projects.”
Continuing, he said: “I have done so, conscious of the financial implication on my shoulders but I am also aware that this is the right way of encouraging young Cross Riverians who have made a choice of such a very difficult discipline to study.
“It is true that if you look at the academic pursuits of our state indigenes,  there are mostly from humanities. So, for the few of them who have dared to do engineering and civil in particular we must encourage them.”
While stressing the importance of civil engineers in any society, the governor said “the world is going towards the fourth generation of industrial revolution and Africa is still lagging behind. There is no growth, no development, no civilization without infrastructure, and there is no infrastructure without civil engineering which is why you are very critical in any nation that aspires to grow.
“Civil engineers are the heartbeat of development. Africa is looked upon as a black continent not for lack of power but for lack of infrastructure, power is only one aspect. For all major project whether awarded to expatriate firms or local firms, it’s the responsibility of this institution to supervise and ensure there is also skill and knowledge transfer during the course of executing such projects.”
The governor maintained that “It is the responsibility of your institution to ensure that ten years down the line we would not want to see any expatriates doing any job unless as a subcontractor under the Nigerian institution of Civil Engineers. It is the responsibility of this institution to ensure that only professionally qualified and competent engineers do engineering work.”
According to him, “The collapse of buildings, bridges, and the collapse of life occasioned by poor infrastructural construction and designs including concept has bedeviled this country for too long.”
Ayade promised to partner the institution where necessary,  explaining that “Let me be the first governor in Nigeria to officially recognize the institution by providing a space in the quality control unit of our entire projects. Therefore, if partnership with my Ministry of Works where two of your senior engineers, my Commissioner for works and Director of Civil are your colleague, they would be working with you to draw up a programme were you would find applicability and process of commencing the major construction works in the state.”
While calling on the body to sponsor a bill that will entrench professionalism and check quackery in its practice, Ayade revealed that “There is no provision in my constitution in my architecture of governance that proscribes your accreditation of any contract or any contractor I intend to use.
You must push for legislation through the National Assembly that brings you to the table where issues of civil engineering and infrastructure are concerned.”
The governor further assured them that “I am one of those who stand by you and would stand very strongly, especially coming from the background of a senator who has been there and has passed the the highest number of bills in the Nigerian senate, coming from that background to become governor today I’m in a position to provide the needed support to ensure that you become recognized in the constitution.”
He reminded them that “It is your mandate and core responsibility all over the world that if you don’t have the certification with a seal you cannot practice. If you cannot practice,  even being able to award a contract to poor contractors just because he has equipments, you  must cross check for quackery,  because equipment means nothing unless there is a civil brain to drive the process of those equipments.”
Ayade who thanked the National Chairman for attracting the AGM to the state for the first time as well as the body for the honour done him,  described Nigeria Institution of Civil Engineers as a highly reputable institution that has the requisite capacity to transform the landscape of the country.
He added that his induction into the institution will spur  him to continue to dream bigger infrastructural projects that will place the state and Nigeria at large on the path of prosperity.
Earlier, the Chairman AGM planning committee of the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers, Engr. Godwin Akeke, disclosed that the AGM was coming to Calabar for the first time which also coincided with the fact that it’s the first time Cross River State had produced a National Chairman in the person of Chief Engr. Andem Ekpo Bassey.
He has graciously attracted the conference to be hosted in the state for the first time, 30 years after the existence of the institution.
Justifying the host right further the chairman noted that “Cross River State is the state with the most ambitious infrastructural projects,  therefore we are not surprised that this conference is coming up here coupled with the fact that our international colleagues have also sent
 in their commendation to His Excellency’s visionary projects like the deep seaport and the 275 kilometers superhighway and pledged their total support to the success of the administration.
Also speaking, the National Chairman, Chief Andem Ekpo Bassey who performed the induction on Governor Ayade as Honorary Fellow, of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Nigeria in recognition of his outstanding leadership style and massive infrastructural development that will employ many engineers, thanked the state for being a good host to the institution and promised to partner the state whenever they are call upon to offer their professional advice.

TEV_Media

Ukelle Elders Consultation Forum (UECF) Endorsed Hon. Masodi Cynthia Nkasi

for state house of assembly, Yala11 constituency Ukelle.

The embattled candidate of the people democratic party PDP has been endorsed by all elders statesmen, clans head, chiefs and women leaders in Ukelle Nation.
The information reaching to me has it that, after several meetings held in regards to the fact that, she was imposed on the good people of Ukelle as a PDP flag bearer, after several consultations and investigations they were made to understand she was not imposed but rather she was divinely chosen by the delegate.
Having gone through her pedigree and antecedent, having scrutinized all her activities as a counselor, they discovered there is no better choice then her at this very crucial political dispensations.

A recalled has it that, when Hon. Masodi Cynthia Nkasi was a counselor in her ward, she was a human capital developer, she contributed over 500,0000. Writing materials textbook to all the schools within and outside her ward, she distributed over 500,000. Pieces of mosquito nets to every compound in her ward and beyond, as a counselor, she contributed greatly to healthcare delivery in her ward, the list is endless and the records are there for those who want to doubt. Hon Masodi Cynthia Nkasi indeed has a good heart and if giving opportunity for a higher calling she will indeed bring dividends of democracy to the good people of Ukelle Nation.
The chairman of the forum who is also a youth leader call on all other youths to come together and let's support the woman of great visions and love for her people, irrespective of the fact that she is married to an outsider, the constitution permit her to either run for a political office in her husband state or her father's state.
she is a good woman with good intentions for her people, she is learned, she has an unquestionably character, soft spoken lady, she is open to all and accessible, she listen to the voice of people and above all she is experienced.
Let's work with Hon. Masodi Cynthia Nkasi to make Ukelle great again.

Congratulations Hon. Masodi Cynthia Nkasi


TEV_Media

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.

Your contributions are needed for the review of future edition.

Egbara Emmanuel Ikaba is a  writer and currently the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Cross river state director general for due process and price intelligence bureau.

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Twitter reacts to rape case
By Eje Peter, 
Twitter has taken a serious action on a man and son who has allegedly raped one Mrs Ochanya to death.
According to information, the victim, Ochanya ,has been in this humiliation since the age of 8 until she finally died at the age of 13

See reactions below 🔽 🔽

Female politician, Florence Ita-Giwa has stated clearly that Governor Ben Ayade has done well. She spoke this morning on local radio station, HIT 95.9 FM, Calabar as guest on the “HIT BREAKFAST SHOW”.

Ita-Giwa, noted for back and forth political defections, appears to have embarked on another defection to the PDP, clearly making a case for the Ben Ayade administration and appealing to her supporters to disregard any attempt by the APC to unseat Ayade.
“The APC is a party with people interested in winning the gubernatorial elections, they are not talking of winning the House of Assembly or senatorial elections. They can’t even agree among themselves; I know I use to be invited to meetings by Usani Usani, but these new people in the party have not. Owan Enoh has consulted me on three occasions but I think that he is threatening a political zoning arrangement that can guarantee that people like me from a minority area of Cross River State can become governor.”
She strongly referred to the APC as a party of “wicked people who cannot compromise and forgive each other”, while extolling the virtues of Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade and his “industrial drive”.
Pressed for more views, she said “Owan Enoh first went to one Efik son to be his deputy before going to another one. I think they just have to respect that Ayade should take another four years because even Donald Duke did not stabilize in his first four years.”


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Wednesday, October 24, 2018 .

The Chairperson for Child protection commission in Cross river state, Chief Mrs. Theresa Ezama commended the Cross river  Government for facilitating the timely rescue of Mr.Ben Ogar's family that are mentally ill .

Ezama, in a statement on Wednesday in Ogoja, also urged stakeholders to ensure the safety of Cross river Children.

Similarly, the Director general for due process and price intelligence bureau, Hon.Barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba applauded the  state Government for the proactive approach adopted in rescuing the family.

Eba gave the commendation in a statement on Wednesday in Calabar.

According to the DG, the rescue of the Ogar's family is cheering news and a relief to us all,  and all patriotic Nigerians.

“With this development, hope is rekindled that  others with similar challenges  will be rescued soon by the grace of God.

“We also appeal to all Cross riverians to be vigilant and report such cases to approximate authority for actions,Eba  said.

Meanwhile, they also commended the pro-active gesture of the Federal Neuro psychiatric Hospital, Calabar which had led to the rescue of the mentally deranged family..

“We are glad that  the family had been rescued and are responding to treatment.

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