JULIUS RONE, GAS KING LOSES DAD
Chief Sunday Stephen Rone, the Obazuaye of Warri kingdom, alias Ogieloyibo
Topic:News
JULIUS RONE, GAS KING LOSES DAD
Mr Julius Rone popularly known as the Gas King has lost his previous father. The father, Chief Sunday Stephen Rone, the Obazuaye of Warri kingdom alias Ogieloyibo passed on to glory on Monday December 26, 2022. He was age 86. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
Iwere Women Prayer Network stage Praise Warfare to bring down God’s blessings in Iwere land
Olori Atuwatse III
The Iwere Women Prayer Network led by Olori Atuwatse III and supported by wives of Chiefs from Warri Kingdom has staged a one day praise warfare to God to bring down the hand of God upon Warri Kingdom as year 2022 comes to an end.
In her opening remarks, coordinator of the programme, Bishop (Mrs.) Juliet Olley who spoke on behalf of the Convener of the programme, Olori Atuwatse III, thanked the women for their relentless commitment towards the success of the programme right from inception,saying that “With the emergence of our King and Queen, good things have being happening in our land.
Bishop Godsevidence Pemu(4th: L-R), Bishop (Mrs.) Juliet Olley & Rev. Blaise Adedeji in a group photograph with Wives of Chiefs from Warri kingdom
“Olori Atuwatse III is a spirit field woman of God and has given us the opportunity to gather here every quarterly to pray for the growth and prosperity of Warri Kingdom.”
Bishop Olley encouraged the women not to be discouraged because there is always benefits in the things of God, just as she announced that Olori Atuwatse III has made provision for take home Christmas packages for the women.
In their separate sermon, Bishop Godsevidence Pemu and Rev. Blaise Adedeji both admonished the women to give God thanks at all times because when praises goes up, God comes down and Heaven becomes vacant, adding that believers should always hold God by His promises.
The programme with the theme being “Supernatural Praise” was held on Saturday December 10, 2022 at the Olu’s Palace, Warri.
The programme which also captured prayer sessions led by Bishop Anirejuoritse, Pastor Mrs. Julie Mayuku, Mrs. Caroline Eyewoma and Mrs. Patience Omolubi witnessed a saxophonist display as well as chorographic display from talented Kids.
NDDC Board: We will not accept nomination of Onochie ---Rita Lori
Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor has rejected the nomination of Lauretta Onochie from a non-Oil Producing area by President Muhammadu Buhari and an injustice to Itsekiri nation that produces the highest quantum of oil and gas in Delta State and second throughout Nigeria.
Addressing a mammoth crowd of hundreds of Itsekiri women at the Olu Palace field on Saturday, the social crusader and activist stated that since it is the turn of Delta State to produce both the Chairman and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Act establishing the Agency stipulates clearly that the position must go to the highest oil producing ethnic nationality, it is only right that Itsekiri be made the Chairman and or Managing Director of the Commission.
Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor who ventured into the creeks on Friday to the massive Obodo Flow Station under OML 150 and operated by Conoil in Warri South, in solidarity with protesting Itsekiri youths noted that "we cannot be bearing the adverse effects of oil and gas production, contributing hugely to the financial well being of Nigeria and yet be oppressively deprived of our well Constitutional deserved position this time around", saying that "we shall resist it", but appealed to the youths to tread softly and avoid destruction of any kind while agitation and negotiations continues.
She expressed regrets that some selfish Itsekiri men and politicians are behind the support and nomination of Onochie in a kill and divide arrangement. She applauded the protesting youths and the womenfolk even as she promised to take the protest to the doorstep of Aso Rock and the floor of the Senate who she tasked on rejection of the nomination of Lauretta Onochie.
Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor together with all the women and men present at the conference ground then invoke traditional curses on Itsekiri greedy politicians/individuals who indulge in selling away Itsekiri rights and privileges to others and also pocket funds belonging to the nation, converting them to their personal uses.
She revealed that some groups of Itsekiri men withdrew #300m illegally from the coffers of the IRDC and charge the youths to go and demand the money from them as the fund were for the development/building of water facility, hospitals, schools, provision of skills acquisitions and other empowerment programs that would alleviate the suffering of the people in the rural communities.
The woman leader who has being in the struggle for the establishment of DESOPADEC and the NDDC all these years maintained that these agencies were not created for politicians to loot the funds and deprive them from meeting their Constitutional mandate to the oil bearing people and communities.
Other speakers at the conference supported Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor on the struggle, promised to go along with her and prayed God to grant her long life and the strength to continue with the struggle.
NDDC Board: Itsekiri Graduates demands MD, Chairman positions, says Protest continues.
The National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, an umbrella body of all Itsekiri graduates worldwide has thrown her weight behind the protest by Itsekiri National Youth Council INYC and Niger Delta Itsekiri Oil and Gas Producing Communities, NDIOPC, on the demands that the position of the MD and Chairman of NDDC be occupied by an Itsekiri, stating categorically that, Itsekiris been the highest producer of oil and gas both in Delta and Edo States, is long over due for the position.
The Graduate Body made the declaration during their last Congress for the year 2022 recently in Warri.
Addressing newsmen, President of National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, Comr. Ben Eyitemi Eburajolo stated that NAIG been the intellectual organ of Itsekiri Nation, cannot fold her hands and allow such injustice and marginalization to be done to the Itsekiris, even when the act that established the Commission attested to Itsekiri legitimate agitation for inclusion.
Comrade Eburajolo averred that “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to recall or revisit the list and the Senate not to screen the names of nominees unless the federal government include Itsekiri on the list for fairness, equity and justice.
“We are fully in support of the ongoing protest in all Itsekiri Oil bearing communities and the recent law suit filed against the Federal Government by aggrieved Itsekiris. We will not relent until the Federal Government yields to the voice of reasoning. This gross marginalization cannot to be tolerated any further and the fact that we are peaceful people does not mean we are helpless, weak or ignorant of the law.”
NDDC BOARD: Itsekiri drags Federal Government to Court over Non-Inclusion
Some prominent Itsekiri sons have dragged president Buhari, National Assembly, AGF and Lauretta Onochie to the Federal High Court Warri over the composition of the proposed new NDDC Board.
In a pre-action notice filed by Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, Comrade Amaechi Ogbonna , Prince Tsola Emiko Amoye and Prince Isaac Dorsu as intending claimants they are seeking the order of the Honorable Court to set aside the nomination of Lauretta Onochie the 8th proposed defendant by President Buhari, the proposed 1st defendant in the circumstances of the case and replace her with someone from any of the oil bearing Itsekiri communities.
They further sort the order of the court to mandate president Buhari to invoke and apply the sprit and intent of the relevant statutes requiring the consideration of quantum of contribution to be applied with regard to the nomination, screening and approval to fill the slot of the chairman or managing director on the board of the NDDC.
They also want the court to restrain Buhari or his proxies from inaugurating the board with Onochie or any person who is not from an oil producting community as stipulated by the NDDC Act.
They further sort an order of injunction restraining Onochie or her proxies from presenting herself as a representative to fill Delta state slot on the governing board of the NDDC even as they prayed the court to mandate the Attorney General of the Federation to ensure compliance with the spirit and intent of the relevant statutes as well as the overriding objectives of national unity, equity and harmonious co-existence and the principle of distributive justice, requiring that the consideration of quantum of production in the circumstances .
The pre-action notice was filed on their behalf by the Chambers of Jolone Ikomi, Esq and Robinson Ariyo & Co.
NDDC: NO GOING BACK ON PROTEST TILL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET - ITSEKIRI YOUTHS TELLS BUHARI
Topic: News
NDDC: NO GOING BACK ON PROTEST TILL OUR DEMANDS ARE MET - ITSEKIRI YOUTHS TELLS BUHARI
Itsekiri youths worldwide has declared that they will not backdown in the protest in all their oil communities until President Muhammadu Buhari meets their demands by making Itsekiri the MD or Chairman in the NDDC Board.
The aggrieved Itsekiri youths made the declaration at a Congress held on Saturday December 3, 2022 in Warri to further drive home their unrelenting demands to President Buhari.
The ongoing protest which has gained momentum from Itsekiris in Diaspora such as Itsekiri Congress United Kingdom(ICUK) has entered its sixth day as at Press time.
Addressing newsmen, President of Itsekiri National Youths Council, Comr. Isaac Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro declared that the ongoing protest which is code-named “Operation Jigini” will not be called off until the Federal Government heed to the voice of reason by retracting the list of nominees for the new board of the NDDC and appointing an Itsekiri to the MD position citing relevant provisions of the NDDC Act as well as the Nigerian constitution that supported their case.
“We need to be given our legitimate place in the NDDC Board, we cannot settle for anything less than. Our fight is for the good of our people backed up by the act that established the NDDC Commission “, he declared.
Breaking: Itsekiri Youths fulfills Protest Promise in all its Oil Communities, says its time for Itsekiris to be MD, Chairman in NDDC, urge Buhari to meet demands
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| President of Itsekiri National Youths Council, Comr. Weyinmi Agbateyiniro addressing newsmen during the protest |
Topic: News
By: Tetsoma Neyin
Breaking: Itsekiri Youths fulfills Protest Promise in all its Oil Communities, says its time for Itsekiris to be MD, Chairman in NDDC, urge Buhari to meet demands
The Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC have make do its promise to stage a massive protest in all its oil producing communities in Delta and Edo States, urging President Buhari to retract the names of NDDC nominees sent to the Senate for approval for fairness, justice and equity.
The apex Itsekiri Youth Body, commenced their mother of all protest today Tuesday November 29, 2022 with various inscriptions of their demands to President Buhari, stating categorically that today is just the beginning of their peaceful protest which they cannot guarantee if other days will be peaceful if the President fails to listen to their lawful and rightful demands which are in accordance with the laws backing the establishment of the NDDC Commission.
Addressing newsmen, President of Itsekiri National Youths Council, Comrade Weyinmi Agbateyiniro averred that Itsekiris have been shortchanged for too long despite been the highest producer of crude oil in Delta and Edo States and contributing largely to the Nigeria economy.
Comrade Agbateyiniro who was pained by the injustice carried by President Muhammadu Buhari on Itsekiris, reiterated that “We have stated for the umpteenth time that by divine providence, it is the turn of Delta State to produce both the Chairman and Managing Director of the interventionist agency and going by all parameters in the federal character act and institution of the Federal Republic, the Itsekiri ethnic nationality of Delta State in the 3 Warri Local Government Areas are host to the source of about 33% of Nigerians' total oil production and over 78% of Delta State oil production.
“We reject in totality the list sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate, because the nominees are not from Oil Producing Areas in Delta State. We are demanding that an Itsekiri be given the position of the MD and Chairman of NDDC, if not, will continue in this protest. Enough is enough.”
Other prominent Itsekiri leaders and youths who also vetted their anger on the gross marginalization on Itsekiri ethnic nationality are; Chief Omolubi Newuwumi, Comrade Ben Eyitemi Eburajolo, President of National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, Comrade Ofoyeju Izuagie, Chairman INYC, Warri South Chapter and Comrade Monoyo Edon, Head of Media, INYC.
PRESS RELEASE
NDDC BOARD: ITSEKIRI YOUTHS SET TO STAGE MASSIVE PROTEST
Topic: News
PRESS RELEASE:
NDDC BOARD: ITSEKIRI YOUTHS SET TO STAGE MASSIVE PROTEST
The Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC has viewed the nominations for both the Chairman and Managing Director in the composition of the new board of the NDDC as a calculated attempt to subjugate the oil bearing people of Warri kingdom by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
For the sake of equity, justice and fair play, we urge the federal government to look into the Act establishing the NDDC, the rotational principles by alphabetical order of the oil producing states and the principle of oil production quantum. This is also in agreement with the federal Character act and No. 3 and 4 of article (14) of Chapter 2 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria which states as follow;
"The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”
“The composition of the Government of a State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation"
Significantly, The principle of rotation by states in the NDDC has completed its first cycle where the itsekiri ethnic nationality has been evidently short changed or overlooked severally.
Curiously, for this second leg and the imminent inauguration of the new board, the Itsekiri ethnic nationality has once again raised their minority voices and take their peaceful struggles to the doorsteps of all the relevant authorities in the country to be accorded their God-given rights and privileges as determined by the NDDC act.
We have stated for the umpteenth time that by divine providence, it is the turn of Delta State to produce both the Chairman and Managing Director of the NDDC and going by the provisions of all extant laws, the Itsekiri ethnic nationality by virtue of being the highest producer of cude oil and gas in Delta and Edo States and being the second highest producer of Oil and Gas in Nigeria deserves to be appropriately rewarded.
Juxtaposing Part IV of the NDDC Act vis a vis the aforementioned, which reads, “there shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director, and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of oil producing areas starting with the member states of the Commission with the highest production quantum of oil and shall rotate amongst member states in the order of production", it is evidently stated that nominations should come from only oil producing areas of oil producing states. The President, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Senate should consider this as a matter of profound attention going by what we contribute to the industry as cited below;
IOCs
Chevron
Shell
NPDC
Conoil
WRPC
Total Energy Nig. Ltd
etc
Facilities
The Warri Refinery, The multi-billion dollar Chevron Tank Farm, Ugborodo
The Ecravos Gas To Liquid (EGTL ) facility, Ugborodo
Shell flow station
We have numerous crude Oil and Gas tank farms including Matrix Energy, Pinnacle Oil & Gas, A & E Petro, AYM Shafa, Kenonamex Petroleum, Salbas Oil and Gas etc at Ifiekporo Town, Warri.
The Itsekiri ethnic Nationality also hosts the Bonga, Okan and other critical major oil fields in Nigeria like Egwa, Odidi, Jones creek, Escravos Beach, Yokri, Meji, Meren, Marun, Abiteye, Saghara, Dibi, Otumara, Ogidigben, Olero Creek, Opumami, Utonana, etc operated by Shell, Chevron, Seplat, consolidated Oil, Neconde and other multinational corporations contributing billions of Dollars to the Nigerian Federation.
An ethnic group can’t boast of these credentials and yet still overlooked during nomination or appointment to serve on the board of a critical agency such as the NDDC. This has been our agitation in recent appointments in the NDDC.
Besides the position of commisionership which other ethnic nationalities have also enjoyed severally and the abridged tenure (18months) of Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, former Executive Director Projects, the Itsekiris have not been allowed to enjoy a full tenure as major oil and gas producer in Nigeria.
Safe to say that there will be no NDDC without the statutory remittances from IOC's operating at the various oil and gas producing areas in the Niger Delta region. It will therefore be only appropriate to reason that those who bear the highest burden of the economic sustainability of the nation must be given preferential consideration on issues of appointment into the NDDC board and that is what the law establishing the NDDC accommodated. To do otherwise by always imposing or promoting the interest of those who produce little or nothing at all over the interest of those who carry such magnitude of burden for the economic sustainability of the nation is not only an infraction/ infringement on the law establishing the NNDC but also an invitation to anarchy.
In our despair, we can't help but wonder if our present marginalization was what our forbears foresaw when as ethnic minorities they expressed their fears of ethnic domination, subjugation and suffocation by larger ethnic nationalities in the Nigerian Federation before independence. A concern that led to the Willink’s Commission of inquiry into the minority fears in 1958 and recommended special protection for minorities, as contained in the Mid-Western Constitution of 1964.
Expectedly, with all the ministerial and other appointments into various MDAs that President Buhari has done since inception of this administration, the Itsekrii nation has not protested despite been shortchanged because all of such appointments reside in the prerogative or discretional power of the office of the president but on this present marginalization of the Itsekiri nationality in the nomination of the NDDC that is stipulated by the NDDC Act itself, we shall resist.
We make bold to state at this juncture that given our humongous contribution to the survival of Nigeria and given the fact that we have been treated with disdain, disrespect and deprived of our due rights as stipulated in the constitution and even the NDDC Act, the non-recognition or deliberate exclusion of the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality from the position of Chairman or Managing Director will be resisted by every fiber in our veins.
Our Demands
1. Deriving our position from all extant laws guiding the oil industry, persons from Itsekiri (foremost oil and gas producing area in Delta state) should immediately be nominated on the list.
2. Specifically, the position of Chairman, Board of the NDDC zoned to Delta State should be unconditionally given to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality for the huge economic responsibility she is carrying for the Nigerian state.
3. The senate should suspend the screening of all nominees on that list until the right thing is done.
Accordingly, a Congress of all Itsekiri youths from all oil and gas producing communities both in Delta and Edo states have been fixed as published in our circular dated 24/11/2022 to take immediate actions that will put an end to this unabated serial marginalisation of the Itsekiri Nation over this NDDC board composition and other areas of interest.
Signed;
Isaac Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro,
President, INYC
Appearance Afejuku,
General Secretary, INYC
Itsekiri born Julius Rone, Gas King signed Multibillion-Dollar Contract with KBR, JGC Corporation, others in London
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| Julius Dediare Rone, the Gas King |
Topic: News
Itsekiri born Julius Rone, Gas King signed Multibillion-Dollar Contract with KBR, JGC Corporation, others in London
Itsekiri illustrious Son, Mr. Julius Dediare Rone, popularly known as the Gas King has signed a multibillion-dollar partnership with KBR, JGC Corporation, and Technip Energies to design Nigeria’s first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility.
As Julius Rone signed the deal with his beautiful wife, Yutee Rone, the Petroleum Minister, Chief Timipre Sylva, Ambassador Sharafa Isola, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and others watched from behind, grinning in apparent satisfaction.
Julius Dediare Rone, CEO and Chairman of UTM Offshore, who was recently awarded the National Honors Award in the Rank of Order of the Federal Republic – OFR by President Muhammadu Buhari for his leading role in driving Nigeria’s gas sector expansion, added that gas and FLNG will play a crucial role in helping the Nigerian government to meet its three priorities, namely, “security of supply, economic competitiveness, and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”
Julius Rone, CEO of UTM Offshore, stated that Nigeria, with its vast gas reserves, is well positioned to increase its supply to Europe, and that UTM’s FLNG facility will be an enabler of industry expansion and Nigeria’s best practice in addressing critical gas industry challenges.
Indeed, the city of London virtually transformed into the revel dome of the earth, a pleasant trove for all good tidings for all the guests at the signing ceremony held on Wednesday November 16, 2022 at the Victorian city of London, for the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) of UTM’s natural gas project, which when completed will be Nigeria’s first FLNG plant.
With the recent FEED contract, UTM will move the FLNG project from the fundraising stage to the implementation phase and will continue working with NNPC Limited and ExxonMobil to expedite the development, exploitation, and monetization of stranded gas resources. The project’s completion will ensure energy security, access to energy, and clean cooking gas in Nigeria, the region, and beyond, as Europe seeks alternate gas suppliers as the bloc diversifies energy sources away from Russia due to the Ukraine conflict.
With the first production from the $1.8 billion FLNG facility expected before 2027, UTM Offshore’s FLNG project will usher in a new age of LNG sector expansion in Nigeria and around the region as energy demand rises.
Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria, in a speech made during the signing ceremony of the contract, averred that “Interestingly, with the signed contract, the development of the FLNG facility in block OML 204 offshore Nigeria will kick off, enabling the west African country to maximize the exploitation of stranded gas resources in a sustainable manner while contributing to the Nigerian government’s agenda of reducing flaring and optimizing environmental sustainability in energy developments.”
According to the minister, “It is an honour and a rare privilege to be part of this epoch gathering to witness the signing ceremony of the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) contract between UTM Floating LNG Limited, JGC Corporation, Technip Energies (T.EN) and KellogBrown & Root (KBR) Engineering Companies for the development of the first Floating Liquified Natural Gas (“FLNG”) Facility In Nigeria.
”We are here today because UTM Offshore Limited was granted a License to Establish (LTE) by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) now Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for the installation of a Floating LNG unit on oil mining lease (OML) 104 in February 2021. Following the signing of the Pre-Front End Engineering Design (Pre-FEED) contract to start the development of the 176 million cubic feet per day FLNG facility, the Federal Government expressed optimism about improved earnings from our gas monetization scheme. We are also elated that the UTM Offshore FLNG will be the first of such a project developed by an African company on the continent even as it will also significantly contribute to the Nigerian government’s agenda of reducing the flaring of associated gas across our industry”.
“But first, I bring you greetings from the good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria (“FGN”), let me use this opportunity to congratulate the leadership and management of UTM FLNG Limited under the able and dogged leadership of the Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Julius Dediare Rone. Let me also use this opportunity to once again congratulate Mr. Julius with the honour accorded him by President Muhammadu Buhari, with the conferment of the National Honours Award in the rank of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic – OFR on October 11, 2022.
“However, with factors such as a lack of investment, transportation and export infrastructure, and technological challenges disrupting Nigeria from maximizing its gas industry, the FLNG project is a step forward in the right direction for the west African country to develop, exploit and monetize its over 209 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven gas resources and a potential upside of 600 tcf of gas to ensure energy security, economic growth and the reduction in emissions.
“Given the large resources that may be developed and used for commercial purposes, we have already proclaimed that gas is our transition fuel and a destination fuel, and we anticipate that it will be a major component of our energy mix by the year 2060,” added Minister Sylva, adding that, “As a developing nation, we believe that affordable, accessible and reliable energy will continue to be essential to sustaining and powering our growing economy, and to lift millions out of poverty. As a government we know our action is essential to enable evolution of the energy system. We believe innovation, technology and policy will be the key drivers of change.”
Highlighting the role of FLNG technology in accelerating gas exploitation, the Minister added that “We are aware that the number of offshore gas finds has surged in recent years around the world, with LNG and FLNG becoming even more important in terms of satisfying the world’s future energy needs. According to market research analysts, the FLNG market is estimated to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.14%, reaching $88.99 billion by 2024. The UTM offshore FLNG project is therefore timely and will lead towards a faster-moving, more diverse and more flexible global LNG industry.”
He also gave reference to some of the mechanisms and policy reforms including the Decade of Gas, and the Petroleum Industry Act implemented by the government to create an enabling environment to expand the country’s gas industry and ensure a just and inclusive energy transition.
Speaking on how Nigeria can fast track gas developments, meet its 2030 economic growth targets and growing energy demand, create jobs and bring new investments on the back of gas exploitation, the minister also highlighted the importance of collaborative partnership, commending the “African Export-Import Bank, under the leadership of its amiable President and Chairman, Dr. Benedict Okey Oramah, for orchestrating the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UTM Offshore Limited to raise $5 billion for the development of Nigeria’s first FLNG project.”
Currency redesign: Festus Okotie-Eboh must be on new note —Itsekiri Graduates
Currency redesign: Festus Okotie-Eboh must be on new note —Itsekiri Graduates
By: Tetsoma Neyin
Following the recent CBN pronouncement to redesign the Nigerian Currency, the National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG has demanded that the First Minister of Finance and founder of the Central Bank, CBN, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, should be on one of new naira notes to be redesigned by the CBN as a way of recognizing his heroic contributions to Nigeria’s wealth.
NAIG, in a statement by its President, Comr. Ben Eyitemi Eburajolo, stated that the non-recognition of late Okotie-Eboh’s outstanding achievements as one of the founding fathers by successive governments is unfair and unacceptable to the oil rich tribe.
Eburajolo who spoke on behalf of his executives said: “The great contributions of Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, to Nigeria’s greatness are some of the landmark achievements that can never be erased in our country’s history.”
Itsekiri graduates unanimously made the declaration during their National Congress held on Sunday November 5, 2022 in Warri.
“We, the Itsekiri Graduates Body and the entire Itsekiri Nation demand that the face or portrait of the first Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh should reflect on the nation’s currency note for fairness and equity without any delay.
“We, demand that, as the founder of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC, the Headquarters of CBN or NSPMC should be named after him like the Headquarters of the NYSC named after its founder, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) among several other examples in the country where their founders were honoured with the headquarters named after them.
The group further reminded the nation that it was Chief Okotie-Eboh’s economic wisdom that structured development plans in pre-independence and post-Independence Nigeria that helped the country survive the civil war and beyond.
Your presence will give boost to our Charitable Works- Ugbajo Itsekiri UK tells Olu of Warri From L-R: Engr. Paul Ogbemi Efejuku, Olade...
