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BAYELSA WELCOMES NGE TO ANEC 2024. THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BAYELSA STATE. -By Paul Damgbor

Nickname – “The Glory of all Lands” . Yenagoa, the vibrant capital city of Bayelsa State, is poised to warmly welcome an estimated 350 distinguished media executives and directors from the broadcast, print, and online industries across Nigeria.
This gathering promises to ignite fresh ideas and foster collaborations that will shape the future of Media in our Nation.
It’s a Confab that will inspire the needed change, celebrate innovative ideas that would stimulate the economy and beef up strategies for sustainable development and National Growth .
A transformative journey taking place in the heart of the Niger Delta .
Significantly, Bayelsa State will be playing host to the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Guild of Editors.
With a population of over 2.2 million people (2016 forecast), Bayelsa State sits precariously at the brink of the Atlantic Ocean, spanning a landmark of about 21,108.4 square km.
A drive of approximately 546 km from Lagos State takes about 8 to 9 hours.
The distance is similar if you’re traveling from Abuja by road. Bayelsa is a land rich in natural resources and breathtaking rainforest beauty.
With an impressive contribution of about 40% of Nigeria’s oil and gas* to the federation account, it stands as a beacon of potential.
The primary occupation, fishing, showcases the resilience and richness of life, with over 200 species of fish thriving in its waters, embodying the spirit of sustenance and abundance.
Their major food is kekefia made from Plantain recipes.
With a population of over 2.2 million people (2016 forecast), Bayelsa State sits precariously at the brink of the Atlantic Ocean, spanning a landmark of about 21,108.4 square km.
⁰”Bole” is a popular delicacy within the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State stands as the proud epitome of the Ijaw Nations, a vibrant tapestry woven from a rich cultural heritage.
This remarkable region, where the major language is Izon, is home to a diverse array of ethnic groups, including the Ijaw, Kolokunu, Eketiama, Biseni, Atissa, and Igbriran.
Each community contributes unique traditions and stories, creating a harmonious blend of voices that resonate with the spirit of resilience and unity.
Bayelsa is not just a place; it is a celebration of identity and cultural richness that inspires all who call it home.
It was created from Rivers State in 1996 by the then Military Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
It has the least number of Local Govt Areas in Nigeria ( 8 LGAs). The survey also reveals that the Poverty index is unfavorably high.
This year’s ANEC Chief Host is Governor Douye Diri, the Bayelsa State Governor.
Coincidentally, it was in the month of November 16, 2019 Election in Bayelsa State that Governor Diri emerged victorious in the Governorship Race in his first tenure.
His triumph came through a Supreme Court verdict that disqualified Mr. David Lyon, the APC Gubernatorial Candidate, over certificate irregularities involving his Deputy.
The Theme of the Conference tagged : “Economic Growth and Development Strategies in Resource-Rich Country “, will provide the fulcrum of robust deliberations “aimed at addressing the challenges of the Nation’s economy and the Media space.
Key Experts , Actors and Players from various Sectors,” shall graced the conversation on possible way out of the Country’s onerous challenges.
Among those expected to led discussion at the Conference are : Vice President Kashim Shettima , Minister of Information and National Orientation , Mohammed Idris , National Security Adviser (NSA) -Nuru Ribadu ,etc .
While the Chairman/Editor-in-Chief,THIS DAY/ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena is to chair the Conference.
The Confab kicks off from Wednesday 6th to Saturday 9th, November, 2024.
▪︎ Compiled by:Paul DamgborPH.
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I knew what poverty is when I became Emir – Sanusi Lamido

“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them? What are our priorities?
The Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said he got to know what poverty truly is when he mounted the throne.
Sanusi said this in a goodwill message at a public lecture with the theme: “Weaponization of poverty as a means of underdevelopment: A case study of Nigeria.”
It was held to commemorate the 60th birthday celebration of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, in Abuja, on Saturday.
The former CBN Governor said, “Many of the elites in Nigeria do not know what poverty is.
As an economist, former CBN Governor, I see the numbers. I did not know poverty until I became Emir.
“And you go to the village and see the water they drink, the houses they live in, the two block classrooms without roofs.
“Do we actually love the people or do we just love ruling over them? What are our priorities.?
We make overheads and underpasses for ourselves in the cities while there in the rural areas cannot reach hospitals. We are in crisis, how do we get out, should be our focus.”
Sanusi charged those saddled with the responsibility of leadership to inculcate the virtues of empathy with those they’ve been given a responsibility to lead.
Also speaking at the event, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed concern that Nigerians kept repeating the same mistake of electing the worst among us into leadership positions.
According to him, “We keep electing people who only know how to grab power but don’t know what to do with it.”
A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Prof. Usman Yusuf, in his intervention, explained that most of the cases being handled in hospitals were not medical.
Yusuf blamed corruption and bad governance for the multidimensional poverty in Nigeria. He emphasised that citizens live up to their responsibilities and vote for what is right.
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Defamation: Natasha will appear in court on Tuesday says Lead Counsel, Idahosa

West Idahosa (SAN), the lead counsel to suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has confirmed that she will appear in court on Tuesday, as summoned.
However, he expressed uncertainty about whether the Federal Government planned to arraign her on Tuesday.
He said that whatever the plans of the Federal Government, Akpoti-Uduaghan, as a law-abiding citizen, would comply with the court’s directives.
The Federal Government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, filed criminal charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan, alleging that she made defamatory statements during a live television broadcast and a private telephone conversation.
These statements reportedly targeted the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
According to the charge, filed on May 16, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court and marked CR/297/25, Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused of making a statement during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels TV on April 3, 2025, where she alleged that Akpabio and Bello discussed plans to assassinate her.
“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night— to eliminate me… he then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi,” the charge quotes her as saying.
Additionally, the government accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory remarks in a telephone conversation on March 27, 2025.
In the conversation with a woman named Dr Sandra Duru, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly claimed that Akpabio was linked to organ harvesting involving the late Iniubong Umoren, purportedly for the benefit of his ailing wife.
Akpabio, Bello, and four others have been listed as key witnesses in the trial.
Idahosa also reiterated the readiness of the legal team to defend Akpoti-Uduaghan in court.
He said, “If the case is called tomorrow, we will respond accordingly with our client.
“The issue of protest is irrelevant to us — we are lawyers, and our focus is on defending charges we believe can be contested. Protests are the domain of civil societies and others in that terrain,” Idahosa said.
He further stated, “Our client is a law-abiding citizen. Why wouldn’t she be there? It’s a summons we have undertaken. Only disrespectful institutions that disregard court orders would fail to appear, and she is not in that category.
”When asked about the possibility of arraignment, Idahosa noted, “We don’t know.
We saw a notice of amended charges. We don’t know what they are trying to do.
They’ve amended the charges once and could do so again—it’s their decision.”
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NSEMA Recovers 153 Dead Body in Mokwa Flood
The director- general of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, disclosed this yesterday while giving the daily update on the Disaster.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) has announced the discoveries of more dead bodies under a bridge bringing the death toll to 153 in the Mokwa Flood.
The director- general of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba Arah, disclosed this yesterday while giving the daily update on the Disaster.
He said, “Two more dead bodies were recovered late yesterday (Saturday) under the bridge.
They were buried this morning (yesterday).”The director general said that with the latest development, the death toll has now been put at 153, and the affected population is now 3,018.
He said at Ndayako village, no death was recorded, but that 98 people were displaced and 58 houses were also washed away.
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