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By Gloria Ikibah

Al-Ittihad forward, George Ilenikhena has won praise after presenting a brand new car to renowned cleric, Apostle Okechukwu Etiaka, in appreciation of the spiritual guidance, encouragement and support he received before rising to international football.

The thoughtful gesture was warmly received by members of the church and well-wishers, who described it as a powerful reminder of the importance of remembering those who played a role in one’s success.

The presentation was an emotional moment as Apostle Etiaka received the vehicle with gratitude, while family members, church members and supporters celebrated the footballer’s act of generosity and offered prayers for his continued success on and off the pitch.

Beyond the gift itself, Ilenikhena’s action has been widely viewed as an example of humility and gratitude, showing that success is not only measured by achievements on the field but also by the willingness to acknowledge those who helped make the journey possible.

The gesture has also drawn attention to the positive influence athletes can have within society. By recognising a mentor who stood by him before his breakthrough, the young footballer has reinforced the values of appreciation, loyalty and giving back to the community.

For many observers, the moment serves as a reminder that football is more than goals and trophies. It also provides a platform for players to inspire others through acts of kindness, encourage young people to value mentorship, and demonstrate that true success includes lifting others and honouring those who made the journey possible.

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The Cross River State House of Assembly has passed for second reading a bill seeking to prohibit same-sex marriage and civil unions in the state.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by the member representing Boki II State Constituency, Hilary Ekpang Bisong, with the support of 10 other lawmakers, also seeks to bar the recognition of same-sex marriages contracted outside Cross River State or Nigeria.

Titled, ‘A Bill for a Law to Prohibit Contract of Marriage or Civil Union Entered into Between Persons of Same Sex, Solemnization of Same, Whether Cultural or in Accordance with Any Statute in Existence, and for Matters Connected Therewith, 2026’, the proposed legislation prescribes that only marriages between a man and a woman shall be recognised as valid in the state.

It further proposes sanctions against persons who contract, facilitate, promote or assist same-sex marriages or civil unions.

During debate on the bill on Tuesday, members of the Assembly unanimously endorsed its general principles, saying the legislation is intended to protect the state’s cultural, moral and family values.

Speaker of the House, Elvert Ayambem, said the legislature has a constitutional and moral obligation to safeguard the institution of marriage in accordance with the customs, traditions and laws of Cross River State.

According to him, the Assembly would continue to uphold marriage as a union between a man and a woman and would not support practices it considers contrary to the state’s cultural and religious values.

“As representatives of the people, we have a duty to preserve the moral fabric of our society and enact laws that reflect the collective values of our citizens.

“Cross River State has always upheld marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and this House will continue to defend that position,” Ayambem stated.

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…as House committee invite NSA, insist Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu must appear

By Gloria Ikibah

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu has told the House of Representatives that the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), allegedly headed by Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, were never recognised by the Federal Government.

The minister also revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had, in November 2025, officially confirmed that both the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Chief of Staff to the President had no knowledge of either the council or its self-acclaimed Director-General.

The disclosure was made on Tuesday during the resumed investigative hearing of the House Ad-hoc Committee probing the circumstances surrounding the existence and operations of the controversial council.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that the committee was set up following concerns that the body allegedly operated under the guise of a presidential institution, participated in government processes and sought official recognition despite questions over its legal status. Lawmakers are investigating how the council allegedly secured access to public institutions and whether due process was followed.

Representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, said Prince Adeyemi wrote to the ministry on three separate occasions seeking collaboration and endorsement to host a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

According to him, the ministry declined all the requests after identifying inconsistencies in the correspondence and initiated its own verification process.

He said: “I have the honour to most respectfully refer to your letter addressed to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs Ref. No. NASS/HR/68/7/2026/012 dated 14th July, 2026 on the above subject and to invite the kind attention of the Honourable Chairman to note that, in line with available records, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PEAC/PFIDC), has approached the Ministry on three (3) different occasions, requesting for the Ministry’s collaboration and endorsement to enable him host World Investment Summit in Nigeria, both in 2025 and 2026.

“Specifically, the Ministry received the first, second and third requests on 26th June, 2025, 5th August, 2025 and 5th June, 2026 respectively,” he said.

Ahmed explained that the ministry deliberately withheld approval because it was obliged to carry out due diligence before granting any official endorsement.

“Guided by extant rules and regulations as well as the necessity of carrying out due diligence before obliging any request, the Ministry, however, did not take any action on the requests.

“The Ministry’s refusal to oblige the requests was further necessitated by some of the discrepancies observed in the letters submitted by Prince Adeyemi and the ongoing investigation on the legitimacy of the PFIPC and the personality of its alleged Director-General,” he added.

He further disclosed that after noticing the inconsistencies, the ministry formally sought clarification from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“Furthermore, it is pertinent to state that having discovered the discrepancies on the requests submitted by Prince Adeyemi, the Ministry, on 16th October, 2025, wrote a letter to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), requesting clarification on the status of Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew as Director-General of the PFIPC.

“In response, the ONSA reverted to the Ministry on 26th November, 2025, indicating that the responses it received from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and Chief of Staff (CoS) to Mr President revealed that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew is unknown to any office of the Federal Government,” he stated.

The Permanent Secretary told lawmakers that the ministry had no official dealings whatsoever with the council.

“The Ministry did not participate in any diplomatic engagement, bilateral and multilateral discussions held by the PFIPC; the PFIPC did not facilitate or receive any foreign investors, partners and delegations through the Ministry.

“According to the available records in the Ministry, there is no document, Memorandum of Understanding or agreement signed with foreign governments by the Council. The Ministry did not play any role with the Council in promoting Nigeria’s investment abroad.

“No Nigerian Mission had interaction with the PFIPC, since they did not receive any directive from the Ministry in that regard, in line with the Ministry’s extant procedures and line of communication, and the Ministry does not have any other document linked to the PFIPC apart from the ones indicated above.

“Flowing from the above, I wish to respectfully conclude by saying that the Ministry has never had any official interaction or engagement with the PFIPC or its alleged Director-General,” Ahmed said.

Following the presentation, the committee directed the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to appear before it on Thursday to explain what actions his office took after confirming that the council was not recognised by the Federal Government.

The committee also insisted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu, must personally appear before lawmakers to clarify outstanding issues.

Chairman of the committee, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, said the testimony presented by the ministry raised important questions that only the Office of the National Security Adviser can answer.

“It is now the duty of the Committee to move further and invite the Office of the National Security Adviser to come and answer the very important question raised by Honourable Abubakar Fulata that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a letter from this agency under investigation, whether it exists or it doesn’t exist.

“What have you done as an office that have the power and capacity to make an investigation, further investigation in respect to this? He is to appear before this Committee, based on the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received correspondence from the suspended DG and they suspected foul play, discrepancies.

“NSA responded that it is an illegal agency. What has the Office of NSA done as a security office in forbearance to investigating? If they discovered that the agency does not exist, I think they should take action. So, they should tell us the action they have taken,” Gagdi said.

The committee is expected to continue its investigation as it seeks to establish how the controversial council allegedly operated within government circles despite repeated indications from key federal institutions that it had no legal recognition.