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Embracing The Reality Of Dwindled Popularity BY AGBA JALINGO

At the thanksgiving mass in honor of Justice Emmanuel Agim, on his elevation to the Supreme Court, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church in Calabar yesterday, Governor Ayade, after launching the 2022 harvest theme and donating N25m, reportedly told the Bishop, John Ayah, who came from Uyo to Calabar that, “Before you depart for your station from Calabar, I will whisper to you.” A euphemism for “I will send money to you.”

And Bishop Ayah replied: “Kindly add the whisper to the salary of your workers and pay them, I don’t need it.” And the congregation spontaneously sprang up and gave the Bishop a standing ovation. As governor Ayade navigates his remaining 294 days in office, there is abundant chances that many more of those kinds of situations will repeat themselves. Whether in the church or village playground or even campaign grounds, he will be booed in many places publicly and with more audacity.

Whether those who work with him tell him the truth about the reality outside the security wall around him or not, honestly speaking, a greater majority of Cross Riverians are unhappy with governor Ayade. Even on his own verified Facebook page, they aren’t sparing him there with invectives whenever he does a new post. Even his own appointees are some of his most acerbic critics then they come out to praise sing him.

While this turn of events and trend should not be encouraged or pampered, it can also be argued that it is becoming inevitable because it is difficult to point to anything that Governor Ayade has done that is functioning effectively. The governor should rather realize now that people are tired of his big grammar and his public drama. It used to sound like music in their ears when they still thought things will change under him.

His songs and shoki dance steps used to ‘ginger’ the crowds. The town used to be grounded and emptied into the airport when he returns from his frequent trips. Now he doesn’t get up to a dozen welcomers. He should also stop thinking that people will continue to genuflect when he mentions money in those public events. They are building their hopes on the next person already. The Governor has to search for urgent results to showcase to a frustrated population. Everytime he has a public outing henceforth, he has to find and point to what he has done that is working and stop the propaganda about he has built this and that, which have all never worked.

Until he can show functional results no matter how minimal, he should expect more public hostility even from unexpected quarters as his days in office get thinner.

Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.

August 8, 2022
Elijah Ugani Circulates Pictures Of A Delapidated Primary School Building In His Village, Calls For Help

The Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of the TheLumineNews.com, Elijah Ugani has displayed pictures of a dilapidated building in his village.

According to Elijah, series of letters were written to the SUBEB Chairman, through the Executive Secretary, Education Authority, Obudu Local Government.

He took to Obudu Stakeholder’s Forum WhatsApp platform and his verified Facebook page to call for help.

Find full story on his Facebook page:

“Our education is under serious threat.

“This is the state of St John’s Primary School Ukwortung, Utugwang North ward in Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.

“This building was blown off by wind around 2016.
“Succeding Head Teachers have written to Executive Secretary(ies), Obudu Education Authority to draw the State Government’s attention to the school through SUBEB.

“Jonathan Abang Ugbal of #crossriverwatch has done some reports including interviewing my Clan Head and one of the Head Teachers within this period.

“Getting any attention to this school has been an uphill task.
We can’t continue like this.

“Interestingly, this is our polling unit for elections.
“When will my community rise to having sons and daughters that take on our challenges headlong.

God, I can’t wait.

W”is that person that God will use to renovate this school?
My community need help
The future of our children is shaking!”

#WeCantContinueLikeThis
#RecueStJohnPrimarySchoolUkwortung

August 3, 2022
70th Birth Anniversary: Bishop Donatus Akpan Commissions Youth House, Charged Youth To Remain Resilient In The Pursuit Of An Ideal Society

As part of activities to mark the 70th birth anniversary of the Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Ogoja, His Lordship, the Most Rev Dr Donatus Akpan, the bishop used the opportunity to commission the Youth House for the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria CYON, St Thomas Aquinas Parish Igoli-Ogoja.

The event was held on Wednesday, July 3rd 2022 at the parish pavilion.

Commisioning the Youth House, the bishop expressed satisfaction with the commitment and resilience of the youth to have come up with the idea of the house.

He charged the youths not to lose hope despite the seemingly challenges that ravaged us currently, and insisted that as the
hope of the future we all anticipate, the youths must be delibrate and resolute about the things that will sustain the yearnings and aspirations that guarrenttees a better society.

The Bishop used the opportunity to commend the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Dr Peter Obele Abue for his innovations and thoughtfulness to assist the youths realize their dreams.

He thanked the parishioners for coming together to celebrate him and maintained that “what God approves will always come to pass. He attributed the success of the event to God’s approval.

The bishop appreciated the parish’s solidarity and every gift, especially the talents in the youths as displayed during the special rendition, drama and dance.

He used the opportunity to encourage parishioners to continue to support the Church as much as they can. He acknowledged the rapid development going on in the church and held that “I have seen the development in your Church. I see you have quality men and women.
You have a quality pastor and Assistant.

“I thank God for the gift of my life. I thank all of you. I thank all my brother priests. Continue to pray for me that the Lord will grant me the grace to look after you”

Speaking during the event, the Parish Priest and Vicar General Administration of the Diocese, Very Rev Fr Dr Peter Obele Abue, held that “this initiative which is being inaugurated on this 70th birthday of our dear Bishop reminds us all of the dire need of empowerment programmes that benefit underrepresented populations in our society. Above all, the need for such initiatives to be spearheaded by the youth themselves. We hope such programmes could be replicated across the leaps and bounds of our diocese and the country in general”.

On his part, the Parish President, Mr Adie Julius welcomed the Bishop to St Thomas Parish and noted that “70 looks good on you”

He noted that “as we celebrate with you this day, we your children of the great St Thomas Aquinas Parish deem it fit to invite you to bless and open our youth house.

“It may please you to know that our digital Parish Priest, Rev Fr Dr Peter Obele Abue and his amiable Assistant Rev Fr James Aburu for the love and wellbeing of their parishioners, initiated the STAP EPP (St Thomas Aquinas Parish Economic Empowerment Program).

“STAP-EEP is a programme whereby parishioners will access funds to engage in small business enterprises and the cultivation of Agricultural ventures geared towards a targeted population (Parishioners) especially youth and women. The programme will also encourage Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship, promote small businesses and shall be run by the CYON of the parish.

“The AIMS and OBJECTIVES of the programme is basically to build an economic and financial support base for parishioners, encourage entrepreneurial framework and create an avenue for revenue generation for the parish through direct investment projects. Proceeds or profit from these investments shall be remitted to the parish development account where projects are implemented and further support given for diocesan projects.

“The Programme is divided into Four (4) basic ares:

SMALL BUSINESS LOANS FOR PARISHIONERS
Parishioners who are already engaged in legitimate businesses and have need for expansion will be given soft loans on demand. The interest rate charged is 2% flat rate to encourage more participation with stringent measures for repayment. Proceeds accruing from this shall be re-deployed to the Parish development fund for projects. The term soft loan shall span between 6-10months depending on their needs. Under this loan granting system, we shall encourage Cassava cultivation for those parishioners who are interested and are disposed for farming. Interested members are expected to cluster in five and shall be funded through input financing. Farm inspectors shall supervise and ensure that the farms succeed.

“ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SKILL ACQUISITION
This category engages parishioners in the area of training for small business management while the youth shall be trained free of charge to acquire vocational skills in various areas such as baking of snacks, art works etc. Skills Acquisition training will be done in collaboration with ODAIP ventures.

“FOOD STUFFS STORAGE
This is a parish direct investment project which will involve sourcing for raw food stuffs, storing them up during harvest and disposing them at the market when prices have appreciated.

“RELIGIOUS ARTICLES/PROVISION STORE
A Bookshop (religious articles) and Provision store has already been opened and shall be operated and supervised by the Parish CYON. The store shall carter for children and adults needs by providing a market for the sale of religious articles, provisions, drinks and food items”.

The event featured cutting of birth anniversary cake, presentation of gifts, group photograph, dance presentation and drama.

In a vote of thanks, the Assistant Parish Priest, Rev Fr James Aburu, thanked the bishop for finding time to identify with the parish as he marked his 70th birth anniversary.

He thanked all priests who despite their pastoral schedules found time to identify with the parish. Special mention was made of the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Peter Obele Abue, who is futuristic is in his thinking, and the leadership he has provided. He thanked all parishioners for the sacrifices made and for coming out to celebrate the bishop.

August 3, 2022
The Gathering Storm Of Youth Power In Nigeria BY DOMIC KIDZU

After decades of being pressed down and chained to the floor by an octogenarian lgeneration of carnivorous leaders, the youths in Nigeria seem to have finally found their resolve and determination to construct the hard way to their own future by themselves. There is a revolution cooking up in their minds and in their souls, and in their spirits and it has very little to do with Mr Peter Obi, who is running for the office of President. At best Peter Obi is merely an emblem of the coming struggle, a critical prop for the gathering cast.

What is happening is rather the concomitant explosion of years of frustration with a system that has left them holding the can, hungry, jobless and homeless. They are angry with the old men of power, the cult of leadership that has stolen their future, their dreams and their tomorrow. And as in the inimitable words of McFadden and John Whitehead in their rock song “Ain’t No Stopping Us…..” they are on the move already and it doesn’t appear that there is anybody or instrument equipped well enough to stop them until their resolve is well served.

They have realised the potency of the power they carry with their voter’s cards, as Caius Cassius in Shakespeare’s Julius Caeser opined that “Men At Sometimes Are Masters Of Their Fate. The Fault, Dear Brutus, Is Not In Our Stars, But In Ourselves, That We Are Underlings…..” They have realised at last, just as Roosevelt did, that “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure…than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

The slow trajectory of a collapsing civilization looks set to wind down at last in the wake of the bold affront of the country’s youth. ENDSARS was the test run that made a clear statement about the character of things to come. Peter Obi might become or not become the president of Nigeria in the end, but the revolution is surely and properly on its way. Throughout human history, extreme suffering and deprivation have inexorably spunned rebellion and revolution. Our fat cats who are sitting pretty, even now, in their executive mansions in the cool ambience of opium privilege may wish to take a lesson from the French, the Bolshevik and even the Cuban revolutions and the sad trajectory that is usually the denouement of misgovernance and insensitivity.

For instance,the French revolution witnessed a period of radical political and societal change in France which began in 1787 and lasted for 12 years leading to the ascent of Napoleon Bonapart and redefined the nature of political power, uprooting centuries old institutions of monarchy and feudalism . Major causes were the estate system, absolutism and food shortages. The most notable leader was a 29 years old lawyer named Maximilien Robespaire.

Again, the Russian Revolution struck on November 6 and 7, 1917, when the Bolshevik party leader, Vladimir Lenin, at the age of 47 staged a bloodless coup following uprisings and clashes between the troops and civilian protesters against hunger, starvation, corruption in government and a toothless Duma (the Russian
parliament).

Disproportionate income and living standards between government officials and the lower – class working Cubans and the growing but much despised influence of the United States in the affairs of the country led Fidel Castro, his brother Raul Castro, Che Guevara, Aberdeen Santamaria and others to launch the Cuban Revolution leading to the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. Their leader, Fidel Castro was 27.

In the three examples above, human suffering, as it is in Nigeria today has been a major cause of the uprisings and revolutions. There comes a time when the people can nolonger go on feeding the fat cats anymore, just as Winston Churchill observed that “the upkeep of aristocracies has been the hardwork of common people throughout all civilizations”. In Nigeria, the politicians, the military brass, the religious leaders, the senior bureaucrats and the government contractors have been sitting on the bread table for way too long and the time for all of them to render account appears to be well nigh here.

Just as Mark Twain, the American writer and humorist asked the question “Who are the oppressors? The few: the King, the capitalist, and a handful of other overseers and superintendents. Who are the oppressed? The many: the nations of the earth; the valuable personages; the workers; they that make the bread that the soft-handed and idle eat”. In Peter Obi, the people have found a veritable linchpin, a symbol of their protest, even if Atiku Abubakar, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and their intellectual collaborators like the elitist writer, Sam Omatseye cannot yet read the signs in the horizon.

The caste they represent has not found solutions and clearly cannot find solutions to the rot and decay of the fabric of our nationhood. They have watched Nigeria go to seed and fall apart “like broken China in the sun” and now they are desperate to cling on, if only to protect themselves from their worst fears because they know that the people now know that they are human flesh eaters, killers of the corporate dreams of our now disparate nationhood. They have lied to the people for too long and now that the hood is off, they can see their naked teeth; crimson with the blood of the people and their protruded stomachs; filled with the limbs and the dreams of their fellow countrymen. That is perhaps what Peter Obi represents to them, a mirror showing them their own bestiality. And that is why they fear him with such panting and trepidation.

(Dominic Kidzu writes from Calabar )

August 3, 2022
PDP Is Home, Etung/Obubra Will Deliver 100% For PDP – Stakeholders

By: Odenke-Odemonke Ibiang

As the drive for reconciliation by the Efiok Cobham Led PDP reconciliation Committee continue to yield result across the state, party faithfuls, aspirants for Obubra and Etung State House of Assembly as well as the candidate for Obubra/Etung federal constituency have assured the team of their readiness to put aside all grievances and work for the success of the party in all the 21 wards of Obubra and Etung Local Government Areas.

Party faithfuls present at the meeting took turns to trace the history of the PDP in Cross River state and Obubra, and harped on the need to stay United in other to Reclaim it’s stolen mandate from the failed government occupying leopard house in Calabar.

They also recounted the sacrifices made by their illustrious son, late John Okpa to bring PDP and democracy to Cross River state and so were not in the hurry to betray their son by voting other parties in the forthcoming general elections in 2023.

The stalwarts emphasized that it was their responsibility to ensure that PDP Obubra remains one indivisible body, and assured the reconciliation committee that as the federal constituency that houses the Gubernatorial candidate, they would leave no stone unturned in turning out massive votes for the PDP from their various units in the forthcoming general elections.

August 2, 2022
Caterpillar Movement Mourns Ibiaye Accident Victims

The Director General of the Caterpillar Movement, Chief Joe Obi Bisong has decribed the news of the ghastly motor accident that took the lives of eight of his constituents as unfortunate and a hurtful tragedy particularly to the immediate families, Ekori community, Yakurr Local Government Area, Central Senatorial District and Cross River State in general.

The release reads in full: We received with great sadness, the unfortunate News of the ghastly motor accident at Ibiaye, Biase Local Government Area in the early hours of today, Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022 involving a truck conveying Cement and a Sienna Vehicle with Eight yet to be identified passengers from Ekori in Yakurr Local government area of Cross River State.

“As we admonish all to submit to the will of the Almighty God, we make bold to state that is a hurtful tragedy particularly to the families of the victims, the Ekori community and to all of us, the people of Central Senatorial district and Cross River State at large.

“On behalf of Senator Sandy Ojang Onor, the Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial district, we commiserate with the families of the deceased, the Ekori community and Yakurr local government area even as we await proper identification of these constituents whose lives were menacingly snatched by death and hope that the cause of accident is investigated and forestalled to ensure safer roads for commuters”.

May their Souls rest in Peace.

Joe Obi Bisong,
Hon Chief
DG, Caterpillar Movement

August 2, 2022
UNICAL 1st Registry Day And Lecture: Sen Jarigbe Has Proven To Be An Exceptional Breed Of The Twenty First Century Politician BY PAUL EKAJI

REMINISCING ON THE FIRST REGISTRY LECTURE IN UNICAL AND THE “APPEAL COURT SENATOR” QUILL

While searching for a document in my shelf this morning, I came across this brochure, of the first Registry lecture of the University of Calabar.

Saddened by the fact that months after the lecture, the entire public Universities have been under lock and key, no thanks to the APC government, I still took time to peruse through my jots on that day.

It was a very rich academic feast, with members of the gown and town in attendance. The Unical International Conference Center was filled to capacity as everyone struggled to take a comfortable position for a good listening.

The topic; Ethnicity, Education and Politics: A Triple SWOT Analysis and the National Question, as well as the guest speaker; the Very Distinguished Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, are two things that picked my interest.

First, the topic was and still remains a burning issue in our polity.
Secondly, I wondered how an active and serving Senator could do justice to this burning issue. But you know what? the Senator did it! it was an indepth research with workable solutions and recommendations.

Some of the salient points raised by the Distinguished Senator are;

1. Politics should be the overall concern of the Citizens

2. If politics is inescapable, so are the consequences

3. The Nigeria government has not done enough in applying the benefits of education to reposition her citizens

4. The very aim of education is not only for acquisition of certificate, but for societal development.

Personally, I admire politicians who display high intellectualism in academic discourse. They are just a few of them in Nigeria and Jari proved to be one. He displayed mastery of the topic, with a calm, consistent and unequivocal panache.

Sen. Jarigbe has proven to be an exceptional breed of the twenty first century politicians who not only concern himself with politics for politics sake but carries in him a demonstrable passion for service to humanity. He keeps an eagle eye on every aspect of human welfare, be it education, health, infrastructure, recreation, agriculture, empowerment, etc.

One of the major qualities of a good leader, is the ability to INITIATE, EXECUTE, MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN development. Unlike the other who engages in “camouflage projects” with very analog digital concept, Jarigbe has maintained the tempo in development from when he was in the House of Reps to the Senate despite the distractions.
Like David, he is a man after God’s own heart.

In summary, beyond collecting undeserved awards and accolades, our politicians must demonstrate intellectualism with evidence-base representation. They must apply their ideas in solving societal problems. This should form the basis for any political aspiration, and this is what Jarigbe represents.

If being an “appeal court Senator” is to bring the desired development to the people, please give me more!

August 1, 2022
Court Charges Lady To Pay 23,750k For Collecting 3k Transport Fare From Boyfriend And Refused To Visit

The Lady in the Middle was in court she was arrested by the police. A Kenyan magistrate ordered her to pay her boyfriend Ksh 23,750 (Kenya Shillings) which was given to her by her boyfriend. To visit him, the girl ate the money and switched off her phone.

The boyfriend gave her Ksh 3000 bus fare.

So the court said she should pay Ksh 3000, Ksh 750 interest and Ksh 20 000 for emotional damages because the boyfriend was emotionally abused by absence of the girlfriend.

The boyfriend Beyumunike brought evidence to the court of the mobile money transfer and WhatsApp messages they shared.

July 31, 2022
Mass Defection Hits APC As 5,000 Members Defects To PDP In Cross River North

The battle for the soul of Cross River state has continued to gather momentum as about 5, 000 All Progressives Congress (APC) members have defected to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the northern senatorial zone.

The defectors include former APC wards and chapter officers, women leaders, leaders of Hausa community in Ogoja, Yala, Bekwarra, Oabnliku and Obudu as well candidate
in the last Ogoja/Yala federal constitiency and aspirants in the làst congresses.

Receiving the thosands of defectors at TTC field Igoli-Ogoja on Saturday, the Vice Chairman of PDP Northern Senatorial district, Chief Austine Edibe, commended them for their courage to join the party at this nick of time.

He enjoined them to go back to their respective wards and work for the success of PDP in 2023, adding that the wards that deliver highest votes would re-warded with more dividends of democracy.

Also welcoming the defectors,
Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, advised them to be loyal to party leadership at their various wards and be steadfast, assuring them of more empowerment programmes to accommodate them.

According to him, “this is the time for the defectors to tie their belts and reject any form of inducements in readiness for the battle ahead.”

Earlier, the former Deputy Governor, Efiok Cobham, said the defectors should join the “operation vote APC out”and called on them to get their PVCs ready to bring back PDP.

Some of the defectors expressed their readiness to work for PDP, saying “we are back to our root.”

One the defectors and a former chapter treasurer of APC Obudu, Agim Joseph Agim, said they came back to PDP because of the love for Sen Jarigbe and to be part of the succes story ahead of 2023.

Also speaking, Ushie James Odey, former APC secretary Ukpah ward in Bekwarra, said: “We have worked for APC for seven years and i got nothing neither was I empowered. So, I decided to defect to PDP where I can be given human treatment.”

For John Brown Ugbada from Yala, he said: “I came over with about 300 APC members. We are returning to PDP to enable us work for PDP and reposition Yala local governement area.”

For Dominic Ebi, a former LP candidate for the last Yala/Ogoja federal constituency by-election, he said: “I have returned to PDP because it is a family that has a reward system.”

July 30, 2022
Jarigbe Agom Flags Off The Construction Of Okuku-Alifokpa-Yache-Echumona 65 Kilometres Road

The Senator representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Sen Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, flagged off the construction of Alifokpa-Yache-Echumoga 65km Road.

The flagged off was done today 30th July, 2022 at Okuku axis of the road in Yala Local Government Area.

The road if completed will be the longest stretch road ever facilitated by a lawmaker from Cross River State in recent time and will open up the section of the LGA and revive economic activities as well as the establishment of a supply chain in road transport within its corridor, Okuku- Alifokpa-Echimofana-Yache, as it links the major food hubs to Benue state.

Speaking during the flag off, Sen Jarigbe expressed concern over the deplorable state of the road and its attendant effect on his constitituents. He stressed that the construction of the road becomes very necessary as it has retarded economic activities of his constitituents in Yala Local Government Area. He committed the project to God, as he prayed for a speedy completion of the road for the use of the people of Cross River North.

The lawmaker proceeded to inspect the Ongoing Monaiya-Ikaptang Road project which connects Ishibori to the Federal Highway.

The Senator expressed satisfaction with the level work ongoing as he inspected the ongoing Mini stadium and recreational Centre projects, he facilitated.

In the Sen entourage were, Barr. Godwin Offiono – PDP House of Reps Candidate Ogoja Yala Fed Constituency, Mr. John George – BOT Chairman Reclaim Cross River, Dr Martins Achadu – Yala 2 State Constituency Candidate, Mr Elijah Okache – Yala PDP Chapter Chairman, Rt Hon Mom Olom – Former CRSHA member, Mr Brown Odey – Cross River State Youth Leader PDP, Dr Raphael Ogar Oko, Joe Ulom, Stephen Okpako, Barr. Paul Ishabor, RoyJones Akpak among others

July 30, 2022