Author: nationalpoint

The Boatride to AbiamaOur beloved Prof Robin, just like Canadian botanist, Collin Powell and British linguist, Kay Williamson died and we buried him in the Niger Delta, Ijaw soil. By Royak Decree of His Serene Majesty, Prof TJT Princewill, Amachree XI, the Amayanabo, he was on 18th January, 2020 buried in the sacred island of Abiama, reserved for Kalabari Kings and Royalty. The Royal Decree included that his rites of passage including not often seen masquerades perform daily from seven nights.Like many of the brightest minds ever produced by Oxford University, Alabo (Prof) William Horton , came to Nigeria in…

                                Elder Cyril HarryYears ago, there was a very instructive presentation made by Club 401 Port Harcourt to the Federal Government Technical Committee on the Niger Delta, which was headed by Leedum Mitee. I had the privilege of being part of that work and seeing its relevance to this gathering, I wish to quote from it.They opined inter alia:“In our view sustainable peace in the Niger Delta rests on a tripod with the following legs:Significant step-change in the sense of wellbeing of the common man on the street.Significant step-change in Government presence and,Genuine reconciliation”.On genuine reconciliation they had this to…

By Constance MejuA survey to determine how the 13 percent derivation fund running into billions of naira accrued to Delta State has impacted development in the oil and gas producing areas of the state has revealed deep dissatisfaction of the host communities with services by the government and recommended an immediate statewide needs assessment and a commitment to improve the provision of social amenities to the people.The report titled, ‘Report of Survey on the Use of 13 Per Cent Derivation Fund in Selected Niger Delta States’, conducted by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Center based in Port Harcourt and funded…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaCourt of Appeal Complex for the Asaba Division would be inaugurated on Feb. 3, 2020.This was disclosed to newsmen by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State after inspecting on-going work at the complex located on Mariam Babangida Way. The governor revealed that finishing touches were being made to ensure that everything is in place before the inauguration.He expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far on the project and stated that the functionality of the court would bring a lot of relief to Deltans who travelled long distances to other states to seek justice.He said,…

By Dave Okpogadie, AsabaDelta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah, has called for all hands to be on deck towards protecting infrastructures in public schools in the state from vandalism.Chief Ukah, who made the call during inspection visits to public schools in the state, warned unscrupulous elements in the society to desist from the negative acts.He decried the high rate of destruction of school property such as chairs, tables, windows, ceilings and even chalk boards, and called on communities where schools were located to take proper possession of the schools by protecting things in the schools…

HRH (Dr) Taalor Tornwe IV, Mene Bua Boue Kingdom South South Chiefs, Elders and Opinion Leaders Association of Nigeria recently paid a courtesy visit to the Palace of HRH King (Dr) Ambassador Taalor Tornwe IV, newly appointed patron for Rivers and Bayelsa states.HRH Mene Dr Taalor Tornwe  IV, Mene Bua Boue Kingdom is the assistant general secretary of the Supreme Council of the Ogoni Traditional Rulers,  Khana Area Council of Traditional Rulers PRO, member, Oil Bearing Communities of Nigeria, TRACOM, chairman  Board of Trustees, Khana Area Council of Traditional Rulers. National Point’s Gift Jonah had a few questions for the monarch.Excerpt:Today is…

By Constance MejuChief Constance MejuThe Niger Delta, a specially designed natural habitat filled with enough goodness to promote human development and a prosperous livelihood with enough to even share to others, has rather than become a blessing, turned a problem child.The goose that lays the golden eggs has for long been denied a taste of the egg it produces, so much so that hunger, deprivation, marginalization, forced her youth to take up arms in anger against the Nigerian government.Every one of us here is a part of this history and we are gathered here because overtime, the returns from our…

Members of the Concerned Citizens of Niger Delta, a coalition of traditional and opinion leaders in the six South South states of Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states on January 21, 2020, converged at the Nigerian Bar Association , NBA Hall, Moscow Rd, Port Harcourt for a one-day Peace Summit.The summit which had HRM Obong (Dr.) Essien Udo Ekidem , Ntisong Ibibio 111 as chairman, stated as objective, a renaissance of the Niger Delta as a vehicle for accelerating development in the region to help reduce the rate of poverty as well as enthrone peace in the…