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Tributes, Encomium as Clark passes on @97
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*Tinubu, Oborevwori, Diri, others mourn
It has been a day of tributes and encomiums as prominent Nigerians grieved over the death of Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, who transited to eternal glory at the age of 97.
Clark, who is the convener and foremost leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum ( PANDEF), died on Monday but the news of his passage was broken in the early hours if today. A short statement released by the family read thus;
“The Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo Town, Delta State, wishes to announce the passing of Chief (Dr.) Sen. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark OFR, CON on Monday 17th February , 2025.
“The family appreciates your prayers at this time.
Other details will be announced later by the family.”
The statement was jointly signed by
Prof. C. C. Clark, for the family and
Mr. Penawei Clark for the chil
In a tribute, President Bola Tinubu said he was deeply saddened by the death of Chief Edwin Clark, describing the incident a as a sobering loss for the country.
On behalf of the federal government, Tinubu extended his condolences to the Edwin Clark family, the Ijaw nation, the people of the Niger Delta, and the government of Delta State. He said Clark was a towering figure whose influence was felt across Nigeria’s political firmament for nearly six decades
”Chief Clark spoke for the Niger Delta. He spoke for the nation. His views and interventions on national issues were distinct and patriotic.
”Pa Clark, a lawyer and educationist, believed in a united Nigeria, and until his last breath, he never stopped reaching out to people from different parts of the country to work together to preserve national unity based on justice and equity.
”As an astute politician, his political opponents never doubted his words’ weight, confidence, and conviction when he spoke. Indeed, a patriot has transitioned to the great beyond.
”History will remember him as a man who fought gallantly for the rights of the people of the Niger Delta, unity in diversity, and true federalism.
”I know many generations will remain proud of how his efforts contributed to national prosperity and stability,” the President said.l
Governor, of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori commiserated with the Ijaw nation on the passing of Clark, describing his death as “End of a great era
In a condolence message to the family and the Ijaw nation, Oborevwori, described Pa Clark’s life and times as indeed well spent in the service of the nation.
He eulogised the late elder statesman for his unwavering and unprecedented dedication to the growth and unity of the nation, especially in the South-South.
Oborevwori said; “Today, I mourn the passing of an elder statesman, Nigerian patriot, and role model, Chief (Dr) Senator Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, OON, an icon whose influence traversed Nigeria’s political scene for six decades. Teacher, educator, public servant, and politician, Chief Clark was a model of integrity, consistency, fidelity to a cause, and patriotic fervour.
“To the people of the Niger Delta region, he was their champion. Bold, outspoken, and fearless, he stood resolute in crusading for fairness, equity and justice for the region.
“His exit is also a personal loss; he was a motivator, mentor, and father to me. I will miss his wisdom, counsel, and zest for life.
“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta State, I commiserate with the Clark-Fuludu Bekederemo family of Kiagbodo Town, in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, on the passing of Chief (Dr.) Senator Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON, on Monday 17th February, 2025.
“My thoughts and prayers are with his family, the people of Kiagbodo, and the Ijaw nation over this monumental loss. We can all take solace in the saying that Chief Clark came, he saw, and he conquered.
“Pa Clark, an astute lawyer, administrator, patriot, and freedom fighter, was a prominent player in Nigerian politics and a tenacious supporter of the rights of Niger Deltans.”
His passing, coming a few days after the death of Afenifere leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, is truly the end of a great era.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, said that with the exit of Clark, the Ijaw nation has lost its father-figure and irrepressible voice.
Diri who said that he received the news of the passing of the Ijaw ethnic nationality’s foremost personage and leader with sadness and equanimity stated that Clark was an icon, a treasure of inestimable value and a nationalist par excellence.
A statement n Tuesday by Daniel Alabrah
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Douye Diri stated that Clark was a distinguished patriot, who dedicated his whole life to the service of Nigeria.
The statement reads:” Until the very end, Clark was unrelenting.
“As the Ijaw nation reflects on the passage of this exceptional sage, we take solace in his matchless contributions to national development.
“On behalf of the Ijaw nation, the government and people of Bayelsa State, I express heartfelt condolences to the Clark family of Kiagbodo in Burutu Local Government Area and the Delta State government.
“I pray the Lord grants the family and indeed the Ijaw nation the grace to bear this great loss.”
…English and Mathematics:
641,631 candidates (32.89%) were female
558,883 candidates (28.65%) were male
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the results of the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for School Candidates as girls top boys in English and Mathematics.
The release brings to an end weeks of anxious waiting for nearly two million candidates across Nigeria and parts of West Africa, who sat for the examination.
The examination body announced the development on Wednesday through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, directing candidates to generate their result-checking PIN and access their results online.
“UPDATE: 2026 WASSCE (SC) results have been released. Generate your PIN at http://waec.org and check your results now on http://waecdirect.org,” WAEC stated.
Speaking during a press conference in Lagos, the Head of the WAEC Nigeria National Office, Dr. Amos Dangut, disclosed that the council withheld the results of 167,486 candidates, representing 8.59 per cent of those who sat for the computer-based 2026 WASSCE for school candidates.
According to him, the affected results were withheld over alleged cases of examination malpractice and will remain under investigation until the council concludes its review.
WAEC revealed that 1,959,668 candidates from 24,207 secondary schools registered for the examination conducted across Nigeria, Benin Republic, Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea.
Out of those registered, 1,950,726 candidates eventually sat for the examination.
The council disclosed that 1,834,695 candidates, representing 94.05 per cent, have had their results completely processed and released.
However, the results of 116,031 candidates (5.95 per cent) are still being processed and will be released once the exercise is completed.
Over 1.2 Million Candidates Scored Five Credits Including English And Mathematics
WAEC’s statistics show that 1,200,514 candidates, representing 61.54 per cent of those who sat the examination, obtained credits and above in at least five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.
Meanwhile, 1,687,378 candidates (86.50 per cent) secured credits in at least five subjects, irrespective of whether English Language and Mathematics were included.
Despite the strong overall performance, the council noted a slight decline in the number of candidates who achieved the benchmark five credits including English and Mathematics.
Also Read: Police foil kidnap plot, arrest two suspects, recover firearms in Delta
Compared to the 2025 examination, the pass rate dropped by 1.42 percentage points.
Female Candidates Outperformed Male Candidates
WAEC also released a gender breakdown of the successful candidates.
Of the 1,200,514 candidates who obtained five credits, including English and Mathematics:
641,631 candidates (32.89%) were female
558,883 candidates (28.65%) were male
Overall participation also showed that female candidates slightly outnumbered their male counterparts.
According to the council:
997,267 females (51.12%) participated in the examination.
953,459 males (48.88%) sat for the examination.
With the release of the results, thousands of candidates are expected to begin admission processing into tertiary institutions, while those whose results were withheld will await the outcome of WAEC’s ongoing investigation into alleged examination malpractice.
Ten days to the gubernatorial election in Osun State, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen Osun State Government account domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria.Lagos News Updates
The account used for the payment of workers’ salaries, was placed on “Post No Debit” status by the anti-graft agency.
Though, this is coming after Governor Ademola Adeleke alleged that the EFCC was plotting to freeze the state’s accounts and those of top government officials.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, Adeleke described the reported move as an attempt to cripple government activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
He reiterated that there was no legal basis for freezing the accounts of the state government, arguing that the EFCC lacked the statutory powers to take such action.
Meanwhile, the EFCC is yet to issue an official statement in respect to the development.
Vanguard
Small business owners in Nigeria have a fresh opportunity to access government funding as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) reopens its Conditional Grant Scheme.
The programme provides qualified nano and micro enterprises with a one-off N50,000 grant that beneficiaries are not expected to repay.
The funding is intended to give small businesses additional resources to strengthen their day-to-day operations, invest in growth and increase their workforce.
However, the grant comes with a job creation condition. Businesses that benefit from the scheme are required to employ at least one additional worker.
Why SMEDAN is offering the grant
SMEDAN designed the Conditional Grant Scheme to make financial support more accessible to small businesses, particularly enterprises that may find it difficult to obtain conventional business loans.
Unlike a loan, the N50,000 support does not attract interest or require repayment, provided beneficiaries meet the conditions attached to the programme.
The agency said the initiative is also aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship, improving productivity and supporting economic activity at the local level.
The CGS should not be confused with the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme. While the two programmes are separate, both provide N50,000 grants to qualifying nano businesses.
Which businesses does the scheme target?
The funding is primarily aimed at nano and micro enterprises operating within local government areas across Nigeria.
Information applicants need
Business owners seeking the grant will have to provide personal and business details during the application process.
The information requested includes:
Applicant’s full name
Email address
Phone number
Business name
CAC registration number, if applicable
Type of industry or business
Years in business
Applicants should ensure that the details supplied are correct and correspond with their business information.
The grant is intended for legitimate business-related expenses that can help improve the performance of an enterprise.
Depending on their needs, beneficiaries can channel the funds towards:
Equipment purchases
Technology improvements
The support is therefore designed to go beyond immediate cash assistance by helping businesses improve their ability to operate and compete.
Participants in the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) for micro enterprises receive financial assistance tailored to their business needs.
These nano businesses get a sum of ₦50,000 grant on the condition of employing one person in order to encourage job creation.
Business owners interested in the N50,000 Conditional Grant Scheme should use the application portal designated by SMEDAN.
Applicants should carefully complete the registration process, provide accurate information and confirm that their businesses satisfy the conditions for participation before submitting their applications.
(VANGUARD)
Just in: WAEC releases 2026 WASSCE results as girls top boys in Maths, English
Just in: Ten days to guber election, EFCC freezes Osun govt First Bank account
FG Reopens Portal For Nigerians To Obtain N50,000 Grant(See how to apply)
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