The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday rejected any attempts to displace Palestinians after US President Donald Trump proposed to “take over” the Gaza Strip.

The foreign ministry “stressed its categorical rejection of any infringement on the Palestinians’ unalienable rights, and any attempts of displacement”, said a statement sent to AFP.

Trump’s proposal, aired during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompted criticism from around the world including close US allies Britain and France.

“The UAE underscored the importance of finding a serious political horizon to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and establish an independent Palestinian state, reflecting the UAE’s belief that regional stability can only be attained through the two-state solution,” the statement said.

AFP

In recognition of their outstanding performance, the best-performing civil servants across all ministries, departments, and parastatals in Akwa Ibom State will each receive N1m.

This reward will be part of the upcoming “ARISE Happy Hour and Evening of Rewards” hosted by Governor Umo Eno on February 6, 2025.

A statement issued by the chairman of the organising committee and Secretary to the State Government, Enobong Uwah, on Wednesday, highlighted that the public servants would be rewarded for their “dedication and excellence.”

The beneficiaries were nominated during the December 2024 ministerial briefings held in the state.

Uwah said, “The 50 winners of the Arise Home Farmers Scheme would receive a N500,000 grant each, while the best civil servants in all MDAs would receive N1m each in recognition of their dedication and excellence.”

In addition to honoring civil servants, Governor Eno will also disburse N300m to 400 trained female youths under the Ibom LED Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme, with each beneficiary receiving N750,000.

Uwah also revealed that the event would feature other awards, including recognition for the best-performing local government areas from Christmas Unplugged 2024. The event will also include a special performance by highlife music icon Flavour.

The statement added, “Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, is set to host an electrifying ARISE Happy Hour and Evening of Rewards, a night of music, recognition, and celebration, featuring a special live performance by Africa’s highlife king, Flavour.”

It emphasised that the event aims to provide top-tier entertainment while showcasing the administration’s commitment to “empowering and rewarding the people of Akwa Ibom for their hard work.”

According to the statement, the governor will also honour individuals and groups who have excelled in their respective fields, with a special focus on female youths, whom the administration considers “the state’s greatest cheerleaders in its support structure.”

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has expressed concern that Nigeria has not learned from the lessons of its Civil War, as evidenced by the rise of secessionist movements in the country.

In his keynote address at the World Interfaith Harmony Week Conference and Awards, held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Dogara noted that the lack of effective nation-building since independence has led to the emergence of groups advocating for secession.

Dogara, who was represented by Timothy Golu, remarked, “We have had a number of crises since independence, the worst of which was the civil war from 1966 to 1970. Seems we didn’t learn much from that sordid episode, after all.

The evidence of our abysmal failure at nation-building are right under our noses — the formation or the rise of successionist groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta; Niger Delta Frontier Force; Indigenous Peoples of Biafra; Oduduwa People’s Congress, among others.”

He also decried the escalating insecurity in Nigeria, noting that has been more terrorised since the return to democracy.

He said, “Since 1999, successive administrations have struggled to address the security challenges that have plagued the nation. The Boko Haram insurgency, which started in Borno State in 2009, has evolved into a major international terrorist organization, claiming thousands of lives and displacing over five million people. At one point, Nigeria was ranked the third most terrorized country in the world.”

The former Speaker also highlighted that the breakdown of law and order had led to the rise of criminal activities, including kidnappings for ransom, banditry, and armed robberies, while ethnic and religious tensions have continued to fuel violence.

The failure to tackle these problems, according to Dogara, points to a broader issue of ineffective governance and poor responses to the underlying causes of discontent in various regions of the country.

Dogara expressed concern over the inability to achieve true unity in Nigeria, noting that even after decades of independence, the country has failed to integrate its diverse peoples, leading to the rise of separatist movements. He emphasized that the failure to address these issues is leading Nigeria down a dangerous path, with groups calling for secession as a result of feeling marginalised and excluded from the Nigerian state.

Dogara also stressed the role of religion in nation-building, stating that Nigeria’s religious diversity could play a key role in fostering peace, provided that the country learns to harness the values of both Christianity and Islam to promote unity.

However, he warned that without genuine efforts to address the root causes of conflict, the country would continue to face the challenges of insecurity, disunity, and calls for secession.

“Unfortunately, our history is marked by disturbing anecdotes of series of ethno – religious violence that have profoundly stymied nation building. Nevertheless, we can successfully harness and exploit the values in the two main religions in Nigeria to rein in sustainable peace.

Assuredly, our lives will begin to change the day we take responsibility for it. The future of peace, development and progress is very possible but only if we take the risk and accept the responsibility of consciously creating it.”

In attendance at the event were notable figures, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, ex-governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Most Rev. Daniel Okoh.

During the event, Obasanjo delivered a paper on the importance of love for one another and for God, with the theme “The Love of the Good, and The Love of The Neighbors,” while also calling for peace in the country.

Obasanjo was honoured with the Apostle of Peace award, and Otunba Daniel received the Apostle of Peace Gold award.