NsukkaHerald

Hon. Ezenta Ezeani, a member representing Igbo Etiti West, has been elected as the deputy speaker of the 8th Enugu State House of Assembly. The member was elected alongside Hon, Uche Ugwu from Udi North, who was elected speaker. Although the Labour Party had the majority in the house, the minority People’s Democratic Party (PDP) produced both the speaker and the Deputy Speaker. In a related development, Hon. Malachy Okechi, representing Nsukka West, has emerged as the House Leader of the 8th Assembly. Ezenta Ezeani is a prince of the Ekwegbe kingdom and a third-term member of the house, while Malachy Okechi is a first-term member of the Labour Party and hails from Obimo in Nsukka Local Government.

The 10th National Assembly has been inaugurated, with Senator Godswil Akpabio emerging as Senate President and Hon. Tajudeen Abass emerging as Speaker of the House of Representatives. In this piece, we will take a look at the profiles of the four representatives of the Nsukka zone at the national assembly. The four that emerged are Senator Okechukwu Ezea, Hon. Chidi Obetta, Hon. Dennis Agbo, and Hon. Stainless Nwodo. Okechukwu Ezea Meet Okey Ezea, a Nigerian politician, lawyer, and businessman, born on April 20, 1966. He hails from a modest background, being the second of eight children in his family. Ezea pursued his education at St. Theresa College, Nsukka (STC), and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in law. He further pursued his legal studies at the University of Lagos, earning a master's degree in law. Currently, he is in the final stages of completing his PhD in Law. Having worked as a legal practitioner for several years, Ezea later

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Real Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla as the Chief Of Naval Staff (CNS). This followed the sacking of all the Security heads, including the heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and Customs. Others appointed alongside Ogalla are the Chief of Defense Staff, Major General Christopher Musa; the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Hassan Abubarkar. Profile of Real Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla was born on December 20, 1968, in Umopu, Enugu Ezike, Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. He completed his secondary education at NMS Zaria in June 1987, where he excelled as the top student in Sciences, achieving A1 grades in all subjects except English. He then went on to join the 39th Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics . His exceptional perfo

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of AIG Frank Mbah to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). This followed the retirement of DIG John Amadi, who was representing the South East zone at the commission. Frank Mbah , a former Force PRO and Ogun State Police Commissioner, was until his promotion in charge of the Special Police Investigation Unit in Alagon, Lagos. With this development, he will be in charge of Supervising the entire southeast region and will also be in charge of the research and training directorates of the Force. Frank, a thorough police officer, is an alumnus of  the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and the University of Dundee, Scotland, where he holds a bachelor's and a master's in Law. He has also attended training in the United States, Israel, and Botswana, among others. Frank Mbah is from Ezimo in the Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The Federal Executive Council has granted approval for the takeoff of Maduka University, Ekwegbe, in  the Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State. The university, which is owned and financed solely by the Chairman and CEO of Peace Group of Companies, Dr Samuel Maduka Onyishi, is billed to kick off in September 2023 with its pioneer students. The foundation of the University was laid on January 4, 2020, and the proprietor has so far invested over $100 million (77.7 billion Naira) into the University project. The University sits on a large expanse of land between Ekwegbe in the Igbo-etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State and Opi in Nsukka Local Government and is the first private University in Nsukka Zone. The University boasts world-class facilities, including lecture halls, hostels, lecture theatres, independent gas and solar power plants, adequate security, and a serene environment. The university will co-function with Maduka University College, a secondary school arm of t

President Muhhamadu Buhari has appointed Senator Ayogu Eze (CON) as the commissioner representing Enugu State at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). Senator Ayogu Eze's name was among the six other names sent to the Senate for confirmation. Others include Peter Okpara, Hauwa Aliyu, Rajiya Ayuba, Kolawole Adebola, and Ismailia Agaka. The appointment comes about one year after he was appointed to the board of the Nigeria Port Authority . Senator Ayogu Eze represented Enugu North Senatorial Zone from 2007 to 2015, where he was the head of vital committees, including the Information and Works Committees. He was instrumental in attracting key projects to the zone, including FRCN Voice FM in Nsukka. He also attracted some ongoing or stalled projects, including Adada Dam, Uzo Uwani, and NTA Nsukka. He has extensive experience across the public and private sectors, including working for the Guardian Newspaper, Platinum Magazine, and Newswatch Magazine. He al

Sensational Igbo Culture Advocate Amarachi Attama has been named the winner of the 2023 Mark And Pearle Clement Internship Award . This is in support of her independent work "Museum Mapping of Igbo Masks in the United States and indigenous conceptualization" After a thorough evaluation of numerous well-qualified applications, the Mark and Pearle Clements Internship Award committee chose her exceptional experience and work from a large pool of candidates. Her project entails conducting an ethnographic investigation focused on the misrepresentation, misconception, and mischaracterization of indigenous Igbo mask artifacts found in museums across the United States. Through her research, she aims to achieve several objectives. Firstly, she intends to offer a comprehensive interpretation of the significance of the identified Igbo masking system. Additionally, she seeks to delve into their profound esoteric meaning within the Igbo worldview. It is expected that this study will serve

The American Council of Learned Society (ACLS) has named Chijioke Kizito Onah as the winner of the inaugural cohort of Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellows. The newly established program aims to provide support to doctoral students in the humanities and interpretive social sciences who are exploring unconventional and pioneering approaches to dissertation research. Specifically, the fellowships are intended to aid students in the formative stages of their dissertation development and encourage research methodologies, project formats, and areas of inquiry that push against the conventional norms of doctoral education. Joy Connolly, the President of ACLS , expressed her excitement about collaborating with the Mellon Foundation to provide assistance to exceptional emerging scholars in their pursuit of groundbreaking research. She believes that by broadening the scope of acceptable research methodologies, formats, and areas of inquiry for dissertations, we can pave the way for a mo

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has approved the promotion of Dominic Asogwa Obetta to the rank of Deputy Controller of Immigration. Dominic Asogwa was before the promotion, the assistant Controller of Immigration in charge of Zone G where he oversees five states including Enugu, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo, which is the zonal headquarters. Asogwa joined the immigration service about 31 years ago and has steadily risen to the top through a dent of headwork and focus. He is an alumnus of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) where he holds a degree and Master's in Public Administration. He also holds another Masters degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. Dominic Asogwa has participated in several trainings, workshops and leadership programs within and outside of the state. He Hails from Edem-Ani Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State and has now become the first Enugu and Nsukka Man to reach this enviable height i

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali has approved the redeployment of AIG Frank Mba to lead the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon in Lagos. The former force spokesman and current Commissioner of Police, Ogun State command was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant General of Police and will now take over the operation of the highly tactical wing of the force. AIG Frank Emeka Mba graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Lagos, Akoka, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 after attending the Nigerian Law School, Abuja. He went on to obtain a Master's Degree in Law (LLM) from the University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom in 2005, graduating with distinction. AIG Frank is also an alumnus of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, USA, and holds a Certificate in National and International Security from Harvard University in the USA. In 2022, he successfully completed the Senior Executive Course at the Nation

Corporate governance guru Professor Fabian Ajogwu has resigned from the board of Seplat Energy; Nigeria’s biggest indigenous oil exploration firm as an Independent Executive Director. Professor Fabian Ajogwu tendered his resignation on the 20th of April, 2023. The resignation may not be unconnected to the current crisis which has seen the suspension and reinstatement of the CEO Roger Brown by an Abuja Federal Court all within a month. He cited recent events and deliberate external interference as reasons for his resignation, stating that they have impeded his ability to carry out his fiduciary and statutory responsibilities as an independent non-executive director to the highest standards of corporate governance that he has long advocated for and subscribed to. Some of these interferences  he cited include: The Federal High Court in Lagos issued an ex parte injunction, which was later overturned after a few weeks. A similar case was filed at the Federal High Court Abuja, which analyst

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted elections for the 24 seats in the Enugu State House of Assembly on March 18, 2023. The election results were unexpected and diverged from past elections where the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had consistently won all seats. According to the INEC-declared results, the PDP won 10 seats, while the opposition Labour Party won 14 seats, granting them the majority in the upcoming assembly. The Enugu North Zone, commonly referred to as Nsukka Zone, has 9 seats in the assembly, with the Labour Party securing 7 seats, while the PDP took two. This post will examine the individuals who will represent the zone in the next assembly William Amuka (Igbo Etiti West) William Amuka, who hails from Aku in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, will be representing the people of Igbo Etiti West on the Labour Party platform. The young engineer emerged victorious by defeating his challenger, James Akadu of the PDP. Williams ha

The Police Service Commission has approved the appointment of Frank Mbah as an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG). Frank was, before his appointment, the commissioner of police in charge of Ogun State Command . Frank, a former Force Spokesman, was promoted to commissioner of police in December after completing his special courses at the National Institute of Strategic Studies in Kuru Jos. He was at one time the commissioner in charge of border control at Force Headquarters. Frank is a distinguished alumnus of the Nigeria Police Academy in Kano, having graduated at the pinnacle of his class. In addition, he earned a bachelor's degree in law from the University of Lagos and a master's degree in law from the esteemed University of Dundee in Scotland. Frank has also completed specialized training at several renowned institutions, including the FBI National Academy in Quantico, USA; Harvard University in Cambridge, MA; and the prestigious National Institute of Policy and

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Barr. Okey Ezea of the Labour Party as the Senator-elect of Enugu North Senatorial district. The experienced politician and two-time guber candidate under Labour Party and All Progressive Congress (APC) defeated his closest rivals the incumbent governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi emerged as the winner of the election. According to the result announced by Prof. Chukwuemeka Ubaka, the INEC returning officer for the election, Okey Ezea scored 104,492 votes to defeat Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who came second with 46,948 votes. Amb Simon Eze of the All Progressive Congress (APC) polled 6816 votes. Okey Ezea will be representing the people of Enugu North comprising Igbo Etiti, Igbo Eze South, Igbo Eze North, Udenu, Nsukka and Uzo Uwani Local governments. Who is Okey Ezea? Okey Ezea is a Nigerian politician, lawyer, and businessman who was born on April 20, 1966. He is the second of eight children of his parents, and he g

The management and board of Seplat Petroleum Limited have approved the appointment of Samson Ezugworie as the acting CEO. Samson takes over the interim role following the stepping down of Roger Brown On Friday, the Chairman of the Board of Seplat, Basil Omiyi, issued a statement revealing that the embattled CEO had delegated authority to the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Samson Ezugwore, to act as CEO during his absence. The statement further disclosed that Seplat had received court processes and an ex parte order from Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, Nigeria, which restrains Mr Roger Brown, the CEO, from participating in the running of the company for seven days. The court order was based on allegations of unfair, prejudicial, and offensive acts by the Chairman, CEO, and all of the Independent Non-Executive Directors of Seplat Energy. The allegations include the CEO's organization of a site visit for some of the major shareholders to the company's op

Mary Remmy Njoku has been named on Forbes’ annual list of the 50 most powerful women in Africa, with her picture appearing on the front page of the prestigious luxury newspaper. The popular Nollywood actress and ROKTV boss credited her husband, Jason Njoku, calling him her halo and thanking him for his support. The list includes women from various industries and sectors, including business, media, health, and politics. This year's cover features influential women such as the Director General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda Adichie, Mo Abudu, Chioma Ude and Bolanle Austen Peters Biography Mary Remmy Njoku was born to Nigerian parents on March 20, 1985, in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State. Mary Njoku attended Amuwo Odofin High School, Navy Town Secondary School, and the National College Gbagadaga. After completing her secondary education, Mary Njoku attended Lagos State University where she studied English. Additionally, she studied film production at the Lo

The Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba, has appointed former Nigeria Police PRO and current commissioner in charge of border control, CP Frank Mba, as the new commissioner of police for Ogun State. The appointment was announced in a letter signed by AIG Hafix Inuwa and addressed to the Police Service Commission on January 24, 2023. He takes charge of the policing of the state less than a month before a crucial general election in February and March this year. Frank Mba is a respected Nigerian police officer who used to be the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) of the Nigeria Police Force. He is known for his dedication to improving the public's perception of the Nigeria Police Force and for his efforts to enhance the transparency and accountability of the force. Mba has had a long and successful career in the Nigeria Police Force, where he has held many different positions. He began his career as a divisional police officer and went on to become an area commander and a z

President Muhamadu Buhari has appointed Professor Osita Ogbu as a member representing the southeast on the board of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) . This was made known in a statement signed by Yinusa Abdullah, who is the media adviser to Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed. Abdulhakem Abdullateed (South West and Chairman), Umar Jibrin (North Central), Mohammed Haruna (North East), Yasmin Dalhatu (North West), and Simon Ogie (South-South) were also appointed to the board. The minister says that the current appointment is meant to bring in the new ideas needed to reorient the company for better performance. She further stated that the nominations were needed to rebuild the NDIC's governing board to prevent a void, make sure the corporation ran smoothly, and boost the confidence of stakeholders and clients in the financial and banking sectors of the national economy.  Profile of Osita Ogbu (OON) Professor Osita Ogbu is a Professor of Developmental Economics at the Uni

The battle for the Labour Party gubernatorial ticket in Enugu State was laid to rest yesterday, January 6, 2023, as the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja reinstated Chijioke Edeoga as the authentic candidate of the party in Enugu State.  The judgment followed an appeal by the Labour Party and Chijioke Edeoga, challenging the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify the primaries that produced Edeoga and order another primary.  Delivering judgment on the matter yesterday, the appeal court set aside the judgment of Justice Maha of the Federal High Court, Abuja , and declared Chijioke Edeoga the authentic Labour Party gubernatorial candidate.    Origin of the Enugu Labour Party Ticket Tussle  The battle for the Labour Party's governorship ticket in Enugu State between Chief Everest Nnaji (Odengene) and Hon. Chijioke Edeoga began shortly after the latter was declared the winner of the Labour Party's rerun primaries in Enugu .  The party held new primaries on August 4, 20