News

Fubara unfair to me, says Eze Sergeant Awuse

Published

3 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

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A leading traditional ruler in Rivers State, Eze Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse, has faulted Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s action when he removed him as chairman of the Traditional Rulers’ Council.

Eze Awuse decried the aspersions cast on him by the governor, who described him as “unsteady” at a time he was battling for his life, lying in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the hospital.

He said he spent six months in critical condition.

Eze Awuse, who is from Emohua Local Government Area, spoke at the weekend during the visit of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Wike led a delegation of his political family to his palace to rejoice with him for surviving a debilitating ailment.

Fubara removed Awuse on June 21 from his position as Chairman of the Rivers Traditional Rulers Council. The monarch was appointed by Wike.

Accusing Awuse of inactivity and absence of effective leadership of the council under his watch, the governor replaced him with the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo.

Fubara had said: “I want the council to live up to its responsibility. From my observation, the council is moribund. So, I can feel that the council, for a while now, has been very inactive. Inactive because, maybe, the chairman has decided not to be responsible as a chairman. I think that is the best way to describe it.

“I am not talking about other things that have been happening. But I feel there are responsibilities of the chairman, and so far, I have not felt it and you can also attest to that, that you are not seeing that leadership that you expect

“I would like to draw your attention to a special insult that was meted to this government. The council produced a calendar for the year of our Lord 2024, and the governor’s picture and the deputy governor’s photographs are not in the calendar.

“I want to ask you: does it show any sign that, that leadership is working with this government? I hope you have a copy of it? Does it show that your chairman is working with this government?

“So, I have decided today, we have to move forward. By the special grace of God, the administrative life-span of the chairman is one year, which is renewable. So, at this particular time, I have to say that with the power vested on me, I announce that the tenure of Chief Sergeant Awuse has been terminated.”

But Awuse, who just returned from a medical trip, rued the governor’s comments about his personality and leadership, describing the governor as “ungrateful”.

Recalling his sacrifices as a first class traditional ruler during the making of Fubara as a governor, the monarch said he backed his candidacy and followed the campaigns to the 23 local government areas of the state.

According to him, he formally informed the governor on three occasions about his trips in writing and that all his letters were acknowledged by the government.

Awuse said: “I never went out of this state without telling my governor; not just once; all written; all acknowledged. So, when somebody said he didn’t know where I went to, I was surprised unless there was another chairman other than me.

“He was my candidate. I took him as my candidate. All the people running around him today, none of them showed face. I am the only traditional ruler, first class, that followed that campaign from local government to local government and I went to every local government.

“In most of the local government areas I mounted the rostrums to speak for him because I trusted him. I was the main one. But today in the house of politics, you see the good the bad and the ugly. Anyone that falls into your hand you take.

“I was sacked from my seat the day I was in ICU. I was in coma for 10 hours. I told only him (Wike) because everybody rejected me.

“The government I was serving rejected me. People have the mind to say I will support the governor to the fullest. Why won’t you support him to the fullest when you did not contribute to his being there.

“I am learning how to stand up because I was in ICU six weeks with gadgets all over my body fed through my nose. And you (Fubara) told people when I was in ICU that I was a man of questionable character.

“You said Sergeant Awuse, I am not steady. That is one quality I don’t deserve. Call me any other name but I am a steady human being.”

On the controversy trailing his recent warning that those opposing Wike should not to come to his house, the monarch said if not for God and Wike’s interventions, he would have died.

“Why shouldn’t I say so. I have the right to say so. All of them gallivanting in government house we never saw them. I suffered. I went to 23 local government campaigns, all the flag off and commissioning I went to nobody complained. Thank God I am alive.”

Turning to Wike, he said: “We give God all the glory. Your coming has added another life to me. You don’t know what you are doing for all us here. Anybody who is with you you touch the person’s life but now you have saved a life.

“Nothing will make me say anything other than that. I know what you did for me. I wrote three letters to my governor to allow me go and look after myself. If I had remained one week here I would have died here.

“But you (Wike) told me that ‘nothing will make you to die. Continue to pray you will not die’. That was what you told me.”

Referring to Wike as “our leader, he added: “Our leader to say thank you will be understatement. Apart from God Almighty who gave directives to the relevant agencies of medicine to put me where I am today, I am sorry for anybody who may be angry, you are the next person that I will thank.

“You are a leader worthy to be followed. Our former Governor and now minister I am repeating it to all of you who may have double mind, leave one and follow one and that one is Wike. As a friend, he is number one to me today.

“Every other things don’t matter. That I said if you are not supporting Wike don’t come to my House. The other day Emohua stakeholders came here. Two of them are coordinators of Sim (Fubara). I am not a politician of that kind of character. I am a liberal politician but standing on my course when I move”.

Speaking on behalf his political family, Wike said he was surprised to hear the governor cast aspersions on Sergeant Awuse, whom he said was revered as an astute politician.

He said Awuse was one of the few leaders, who ensured that Fubara got the governorship ticket of the PDP.

The minister said: “I was watching television and I heard when the governor said, ‘that one that can never be steady’. And the next thing I heard is that they had removed you.

“He was one of the few people who made sure on the day we were deciding who will run as a governor that the ticket was given to the governor. The governor never bothered to ask about Awuse even if it is to ask his children.

“But he was on television casting aspersions on somebody who all of us revered in politics. When politics was politics, we don’t know where the governor was whether he was in primary school. That is all part of life.”

News

Govt cites security threats, bans Telegram for officials

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Ukraine on Friday restricted the use of Telegram for its government, military and security officials, citing “threats” to national security on the app founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov.

“The National Security and Defence Council decided to restrict the use of Telegram in government agencies, military formations and critical infrastructure facilities,” the council said in a statement on Facebook, saying it was a “matter of national security.”

News

Ooni unveiles launch of Olojo Festival, reveals ancestral significance

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Thursday, announced the commencement of the 2024 Olojo Festival, revealing the event’s ancestral and spiritual significance.

Ogunwusi spoke at his palace during a news conference on the 2024 Olojo Festival with the theme “Evolving Transformationaly Domestic Tourism With Community Festivals.”

According to him, the festival is significant because of the spiritual exercises that characterise it and the testimonies it attracts.

He said the celebration of the revered cultural event was held annually in the ancient city to celebrate the day of the first dawn.

The Ooni said the festival was in remembrance of “Ogun,” god of iron, who is believed to be the first son of Oduduwa, progenitor of the Yoruba people.

He added that the festival marked the birth of the “Aare Crown”.

Ooni said that several prayers rendered to Olodumare through the iconic “Aare crown” during the Olojo festival had been answered with so many testimonies.

He stated, “Olojo is the festival of dawn and the birth of the crown, “Ade Aare”, the crown of all crowns. The crown that gave birth to all crowns all over the world with all the colours of the rainbow. It is called the spectrum of rainbow crowns.

“The crown does everything humans do, it is a very spiritual crown, very sacred. I am a living example and witness. I have actually charged the crown, I have prayed with it, that I want this done, this particular time.

“This is my ninth year on the throne, going to my tenth year by the grace of God, I have seen a lot of testimonies.

“I will pray with the crown worn on my head, I pray to the almighty God, Olodumare through the crown. I have never seen any failure in it. It is our strong heritage, our strong culture and tradition and we will continue to uphold it forever.

He added that they were not idol worshipers, but rather custodians of their ancestors’ legacy, which continued to benefit them.

“These are things we should not joke about, It is our heritage, we should not compromise it with anything. It is created by nature, by God Almighty who is the supreme being,” he said.

Explaining the nature of the “Ade Aare”, Ooni described the crown as a sacred, mysterious being which bears the nature of humans.

According to him, the crown functions like humans.

He said, “Olojo is the time when the crown comes out for blessings. This is a crown that has life in it till date, right from time immemorial.

“The crown changes the weather, it does not see the atmosphere except once in a year, during Olojo festival.

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“In the crown, we see everything complete, we see the day, night, four corners of the world, the northern, southern, eastern and western poles.

“The birth of the crown is actually the first dawn pathfinded by Ogun, which is linked to our celebration.”

The Ooni added, “Olojo is the main new year celebration and this dovetails to everybody’s new yam festival all over because what is used to bring out yams are cutlasses and hoes made with iron.

“This is the time we get beautiful harvests, the time we get wallnuts, bitter kola. For us in Ile-Ife, we still uphold our heritage and that is why we celebrate the first dawn.”

Ogunwusi appreciated the sponsors for the festival.

“I want to appreciate you all, our sponsors, for everything you have been doing. For always responding to my calls. May God bless you and may our ancestors guide you all. I appreciate the state government as well,” he added.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Osun, Abiodun Bankole-Ojo, appealed to sponsors of the Olojo festival to look into the possibility of developing some tourism sites within the state, like the Oranmiyan Groove.

“Please corporate bodies, stop giving us monetary and material gifts, come and develop the Oranmiyan site as a tourist site. Government will not be able to do it all,” he said.

The Olojo Festival Chief Consultant, Ayo Olumoko, urged Nigerians and international tourists to grace the festival.

NAN reports that the Grand Finale for the 2024 edition of the annual Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife, will be held between September 26 and September 30.

On September 26, there will be Ayo Olopon Traditional Game, Festival Cultural Talent Hunt (Audition) and Olojo Festival Colloquium.

On September 27, there will be Ojo Ilagun, Iwode Ile-Ife (Community cleansing) and Oonirisa’s terrestrial message to the world.

September 28 is the festival’s grand finale official ceremony, Ojo Okemogun, and the Aare cultural procession.

September 29 is Ojo Ajoyo (Asekagba), Grand Royal Reception – Invitational, Adire Oodua Cultural Exchange Exhibition and Oonirisa’s Ife Award for Community Service, 2024.

September 30 would be for the Ojo Ibile (Oonirisa’s ancestral traditional propitiation) and cultural talents hunt.

News

Trump Says Israel Will Go Extinct Within Two Years If He Loses US Election

Published

1 hour ago

September 20, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

Trump expressed concern about his polling numbers among Jewish voters, lamenting his current standing compared to Harris, the Democratic candidate.

President Donald Trump suggested that Jewish-American voters could bear some responsibility if he loses the upcoming presidential election to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump expressed concern about his polling numbers among Jewish voters, lamenting his current standing compared to Harris, the Democratic candidate.

Reuters reports that Trump claimed that Israel could face extinction within two years if Kamala Harris wins the election, suggesting that Jewish voters who support Democrats would share some responsibility for that outcome.

Speaking to a crowd, Trump stated, “If I don’t win this election, the Jewish community will play a significant role in that. If 40% or even 60% of people are voting for the enemy, Israel, in my opinion, will cease to exist within two years.”

He referenced a poll indicating that Harris had 60% support among American Jews.

Although he didn’t specify which poll he was citing, a recent Pew Research survey showed American Jews favouring Harris over Trump by 65% to 34%.

Trump also expressed disappointment over winning less than 30% of the Jewish vote in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

Trump reiterated similar sentiments earlier at a summit in Washington aimed at combating antisemitism in the U.S.

The Trump campaign has prioritised appealing to Jewish voters in critical battleground states, where even a small shift in support could influence the election outcome.

In Pennsylvania, for instance, there are over 400,000 Jewish residents, and Biden won the state by just 81,000 votes in 2020.

In response to Trump’s comments, Morgan Finkelstein, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, criticised him for his past associations with individuals accused of antisemitism.

Trump has consistently denied allegations of antisemitism, noting his Jewish son-in-law during his speeches on Thursday.