Younger brother to a well-known oil magnet in Imo State and Nigeria as a whole Dr. sir Chidiebere Okoroafor, Kenneth Maduabuchi Okoroafor has traditionally married his heartthrob Mirian Nwabuiheoma. The event that took place at the compound of Igbokwe’s family recently attracted important personalities from within and outside the state.
Speaking during the event, Professor Chuks Nathan Nwaobi urged the couple to always understand each other, adding that understanding will make the marriage last long He disclosed that though there will be ups and downs they should keep understanding, tolerating, and respecting each other.
Contributing, Chief Sir Herold Agim and victor Amaefule described traditional marriage as one of Igbo culture, noting that it was one of the things the Igbos don’t play with. Adding his voice, the immediate past House of Assembly member of Ehime Mbano state constituency, Hon. Lawman Duruji advised the couple to always settle by themselves whenever they have issues and never to bring a third party, noting that with that their marriage will last very long In his speech, the chairman of the occasion, Chief Princewill Danial Osigwe urged the couple to always be honest to each other, noting that he will continue to advise them about marriage from time to time.
He said that the Okoroafor family has been so good to him, stressing that, that was why he left all he was doing to come and chaired the occasion. It was gathered that Dr. Sir Chidiebere Okoroafor and his colleagues in the oil business in their usual way also made the event to be colorful. Dignitaries who attended the event included: Senator Attan Nneji Achonu, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, HRH Eze Samuel Okeke (Eze Chimere Chioke 1) of Umuchioke Umuduruokoro Umunumo, HRH Eze Emmanuel Ibechi (Akagu 1 of Umuakagu), and others.
Following the various alleged attacks in various parts of the states in Nigeria wherein Oyo state is experiencing the same heat, Mr Sunday Dare, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, has advised Seyi Makinde the Governor of Oyo State, to be more proactive and decisive in tackling the security situation in the state.
In a statement on Monday, Dare implied that the governor is too scared to take a decision that would protect the indigenes of his state from attacks.
There had been reports of alleged attacks, that some Fulani were kidnapping, killing, and raping residents in Ibarapa area of the state
Sunday
Dare urged the governor to seek assistance from states and non-state actors and
stop “responding out of fear that his political status is being damaged”.
Part of the statement termed, ‘Minister wants Makinde to be more decisive on security’, read, “For several months, citizens of Oyo state have watched with increasing concern as the security situation in our beloved state degenerated. Troubling accounts about killings, kidnappings, and herdsmen versus farmers conflicts abound.
Like
all the people of Oyo State, I expected the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi
Makinde to act fast and prudently but with reasonable dispatch to quell the security
situation before it got out of hand.
We
all waited for proactive steps and responses from the state authority, but
certainly in vain.
“Governor
Makinde seems to be paralysed by fear regarding this important security
situation. This is the first serious test of his leadership in the state.
“Instead of tackling it, he has retreated. His policy has not been
proactive enough to resolve the issues so that the protection of lives will be
guaranteed and our people spared the mourning over dead ones.
Instead, his policy has been to act as if nothing was happening in
forlorn hope that all would simply go away as if it were a bad dream.”
“The worsening developments in the state in the area of security are a
direct result of a temporizing fiddling leader.
The Governor has paid more lip service to the issue of security
instead of offering solutions or taking proactive steps to stem the attacks and
chart the path of resolution.
For this is a complex issue that requires political courage and vision
to resolve.”
On the early hours of Sunday morning, Armed bandits said to be numbering over 200 invaded some communities in Munya and Paikoro Local Government Areas of Niger State, killing two security operatives, a middle-aged man and injuring about 15 others in an operation which the villagers said was targeted only at foodstuff.
Over 15 women were abducted and forced to help the bandits carry the looted foodstuff, packed in bags from the communities.
The bandits, however, promised to release the women after helping them to evacuate the foodstuff to a particular location.
The communities invaded by the bandits include Beni, old and new Dalolo, Aboloso, Ishau and Amale, all in Paikoro Local Government, while Gwari Nyayi, Kabiri and Biri in Munya Local Government were also raided by the bandits.
Beni,
Alhaji Jafaru Umar Sarki, the District Head, confirmed that the invasion started
on Saturday evening when the armed men numbering about 200 and in over 50
motorcycles stormed the communities in three different groups.
The
Saturday operation only lasted for one hour and the bandits went away with
sacks loaded with foodstuff and other items looted from shops in the town.
He
said on Sunday morning, the bandits returned and shared themselves into three
groups, moving from one community to another targeting only foodstuff and
provisions from various outlets , from 9’o clock in the morning and lasted for
over three hours.
According
to him, a helicopter owned by one of the security agencies was sighted hovering
over their heads within and around the communities while the bandits were
operating on the ground.
“We saw a helicopter moving around the communities for about six times when the
bandits were operating but the helicopter did not attack the bandits.
“We
did not know what the helicopter was doing in the air because bandits were
operating freely on the ground
He
pointed out that “Immediately the bandits finished the operation and left, we
did not see the helicopter again, so we don’t know whether it was providing
cover for the bandit or to attack the bandits”.
He
disclosed that the communities became helpless when all calls made to relevant
security agencies to come to their rescue failed, adding that “in fact, the
Divisional Police Officer attached to the area said, that they had no fuel in
the car”.
The
District Head, a retired police officer, disclosed that only the local
vigilantes were on ground to provide some help but their ammunitions got
exhausted after over 30 minutes of gun exchange with the bandits.
They, however, lost two of their men, leaving the bandits with only gunshot injuries.
Francis
Daniel, a middle-aged man, who operates a computer centre at Kafin Koro, was
shot and killed from a far distance of hundred metres, when he attempted to
escape into the bush on sighting the bandits.
This incident
is happening again, barely one year and two weeks after the last attack where
the bandits on 9th January 2020, invaded Beni and other communities, kidnaping
over 32 villagers, including the son of the District Head of Beni.
The
bandits also asked for a ransom of N49million for the release of the abducted,
asking the District Head to pay N17million out of the amount before they would
release his son.
The leadership of orluzurumee youth assembly, paid an unscheduled visit to Profesor Francis Chukwuemeka Eze, JP, KSJI, ( Awelle 1 Of Amanato) and the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Owerri(FUTO) and honor him with an award of outstanding performance(Hope of the youths).
The National President of Orluzurumee youth assembly Comr. Engr. Sylvester Anyikwa in his remarks, thanked the Vice-chancellor for the warm reception , he went further encourage the academic guru to keep up the good works that he is known for, especially in the area of youth development and empowerment and that as a molders of the youth, that through the university system that the VC has been instrumental in producing responsible youths and have through the institution provided number of jobs to the unemployed youths.
The elated Professor Eze in a vote of thanks, thanked orluzurumee youth assembly for finding him worthy to be honored, that the award is going to encourage him to work header, he also added ‘that the reward for good work is more work’ he however enjoined the association to keep up with the good works especially on youth advocacy in the zone and beyond.