NIGERIA: Imo State Weekly, September 7-13, 2012

COMPILED BY AMBROSE EHIRIM

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Imo Awards N3bn New Stadia Contracts

In its bid to reposition sports in the state, the Imo State Government has awarded fresh contracts valued at about N3 billion for the construction of two stadia in two zones of the state, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Kenneth Emelue, disclosed.

Rochas, Orji to Grace Abu's 50th Anniversary Celebration

The governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, and his former Abia State counterpart, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu, have accepted to participate in the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, slated for November 23-24, 2012. Both the Imo State Governor and the former Abia State Governor have acknowledged receipt of invitations to participate in the historic event and have expressed their readiness to attend.

Oguta Lake As World Tourist Centre

One of the key promises he made to the people when assuming office as governor on May 29, 2011, was to make Imo State the tourist hub for the South-East geo-political zone. And less than two years in office, Governor Rochas Okorocha seems to have taken practical steps to redeem his promise.

Imo to prosecute Udenwa, Ohakim

Two former governors of Imo State – Chief Achike Udenwa (1999 – 2007) and immediate past Governor Ikedi Ohakim are to be taken to court for allegedly diverting public funds. Secretary to the State Government Prof. Anthony Anwukah, said the state could no longer ignore the alleged fraud perpetrated during their time in office.

NGO decries insecurity in Southeast

In his address, the head of the foundation in Owerri, Mr. Ifeanyi Anyanwu, maintained that development of the society by government should not be seen as charity but as the right of the people, noting that, “a situation where the government fails to provide basic amenities for the people, where it fails to create employment, the only option left is for the people to resort to self help, which often times lead them to crime”.

Bereaved Family, Others Kick Against Dana Air Resumption

A legal practitioner and former governorship aspirant in Imo State, Ike C. Ibe, who lost his wife Nancy Echendu, daughter Uzoma Jennifer, and his in-law’s wife, Maria Okwulehie, in the ill-fated Dana air crash has accused the Federal Government of insensitivity in lifting the ban on Dana Airline.

Dust over NCAC’s proposed capital projects

Rather than construct a cultural palace for Imo State, which already has a cultural centre, the artiste advised the leadership of the NCAC to commit the already appropriated resources to support research and documentation effort of the arts and culture landscape of Imo state and indeed the South East in general. “Go around and check, there is not a major publication detailing the huge arts and culture potentials we have here in Imo and in the South East.

Agents of distraction in Imo State (2)

It is not difficult to see altruism palpably advertised in the way Okorocha has so far conducted himself. His first move once he assumed office, which was nationally acclaimed, was to look at the very huge slush fund called “Security Vote” which had serviced the profligacy and prodigality of his predecessors and wondered how any decent person could have the heart to reserve all that money for himself while the state remained criminally neglected. And so, he decided that the money should instead be deployed for developmental efforts.

MASSOB or BZM, Biafra is not just Igbo

You may have wondered why Uwazuruike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), despite his laudable effort to bring the Biafran struggle to the fore, has had but marginal success. There’s still another called Onwuka of Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM), who, frustrated by the slow pace of ACTUALISATION, is moving to re-declare Biafra on November 5, 2012.

2015: Igbo nation at crossroads

Two recent proclamations indicate that the Igbo nation has a Herculean task ahead, if it would clinch the country’s presidency in 2015 as earnestly desired. The two declarations show that the Igbo nation will not only engage in a slugfest with other parts of the country to get the diadem, it will also have to confront itself. It will first have to fight the battle within, and win it.