Widow, family members, others escape death from food poisoning in Ohaji

-As couple dies after meal in PH The Ministry of Community Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has relocated to its permanent office at No. 14 Orlu Road Owerri, after being commissioned by Governor Okorocha. Commissioning the office complex, Owelle Rochas Okorocha said that Community Government Council (CGC) is government of the people for the people and by the people. He further said that development can only be achieved if powers are decentralized to the communities for them to manage their affairs. Responding shortly after the commissioning of the office, the Commissioner for Community Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Barr. Ugochi Nnanna-Okoro reaffirmed her determination to actualize the ideals of CGC in the state. In another development,…

Women of letters honoured in Owerri – Including Dr. Mrs. Joy Oguh

The Director of Continuing Education and Part-Time Studies of Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo, Dr. (Mrs.) Nneoma Joy Oguh (LSM) has advised women to be equipped with the great tool of education in order to prepare themselves for full participation in national development. She noted that women education when attained will enhance women in the world of excellence, labour and productivity, fulfillment, integrity and dignity. Dr. (Mrs.) Oguh stated this at a forum for celebration of Ladies of Letters and Womanhood organized by Imo Network of Professionals in conjunction with Opinion Research Communications Inc. in Owerri. Dr. (Mrs.) Oguh – a senior lecturer and former Director of Academic Planning and Curriculum Development Unit of Imo State…

Generator fumes kill mother, five children

Tragedy struck in Bayelsa State in the wee hours when generator fumes killed a mother and five of her children. Five children of Mr. Celestine Onwudili and his wife, Chinyere, were found dead in their house located at Azikoro village road by neighbours in the morning. Bayelsa State has been in total blackout since May 18 when, during a downpour, a tree fell and destroyed the 33KVA transmitter transmitting electricity to the state from the Ahoada-Owerri axis of the Transmission Power Station. Daily Sun learnt that the Onwudili family because of the harsh weather condition had moved their generator into the house and put it on while they were asleep. In the morning, neighbours became…

St. Mary’s Parish Ubomiri, celebrates 2013 Father’s Day

The annual celebration of Catholic Men Organization (CMO) known as “Father’s Day” took place throughout Owerri Archdiocese on Sunday, May 5, 2013. At St. Mary’s Parish Ubomiri in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State, the occasion kicked off with a concelebrated Holy Mass presided over by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Innocent Maduakolam Osuagwu, assisted by Rev. Fr. Cletus Eboh of the Pontifical Mission Society (PMS). The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Osuagwu welcomed the Christian fathers and all, and wished them a happy and fruitful celebration. In his sermon, Rev. Fr. Cletus Eboh said that fathers are heads or pillars (Ide ji ulo) of their individual families and have the obligation and duty of teaching their…

Same sex union is abomination – Archbishop Obinna

- As pro-life conference kicks off in Owerri, Monday The Most Rev. Anthony J.V. Obinna, Catholic Archbishop of Owerri has described same sex “marriage” currently going on in some parts of America and Europe as an abomination. Speaking on Radio Nigeria Owerri Current Affairs Programme, Issues of the Moment, Archbishop Obinna said God created us male and female and we have to respect that identity so that our children, who are being influenced by the “toxic waste” from Europe and America will be insulated from this kind of abomination which led to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Archbishop spoke ahead of a two-day Pro-life Conference kicking off tomorow in Owerri with the theme…

The morality of sharing money to Pupils in Imo (3)

Opportunism: Another factor has to do with those whose responsibility it is to share this money. God knows that many Nigerians are opportunists at different levels. When I went to enquire on the modalities for sharing this money, I reliably gathered that agents from the ministry or from the government come to do the jobs themselves. The money is not collected by proxy; it is given only to students present at the time of distribution. When compared with election periods and delivery of ballot boxes to polling centres for voting in Nigeria and the artificial delay that always followed, I came to some conclusion that the lateness in sharing this money could be a consciously…

Full text of Bishop Okpaleke’s Post-ordination speech (1)

Your Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan. The Cardinal Archbishop Of Abuja Your Grace, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos and President, CBCN Your Grace, Archbishop Anthony J.V Obinna, the Archbishop of Owerri and Metropolitan of the Owerri Ecclesiastical Province Your Grace, Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria Your Excellencies, the Archbishops and Bishops Superiors Generals and Provincial Superiors The Secretary General and Staff of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria Rt. Rev, and Very Rev. Msgri, Rev. Frs., Consecrated men and women of the various orders, Seminarians His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha Other Governors, Commissioners and Government Officials Nde ulo anyi, ndeAhiara Diocese Knights of the Church and their…

Polynek welcomes new Governing Council

The newly inaugurated Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede received a red carpet reception on Monday, May 13, 2013 as the management, staff and students of the institution defied the ongoing strike by the academic staff union to welcome the Council. The Rector of the school, Dr. Mrs. Celestina Njoku in her speech promised to work in harmony and love with them. She solicited the cooperation of the staff to enable the new governing council to succeed in the task of realizing their set goals and objectives. The Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr. Yusuf Ado said he was happy with the structures already in place so far and the environmental cleanliness of the…

Why I take Indian hemp -Pastor arrested for kidnapping tells police

A Pastor of a Pentecostal Church arrested for alleged kidnapping shocked detectives, when he was also arrested with a bundle of Indian hemp, found in his house as part of his daily meal. General Overseer of Divine Justice Church, Owerri, Imo State, Pastor Clement Ezeigbo, who is currently cooling his heels in the police Anti Kidnap Unit of the state police command, told the police: “I don’t know anything about kidnapping but I am the owner of the Indian hemp (Igbo) but the good thing is that I don’t smoke it but I use it to prepare my food.  I enjoy eating food prepared with Indian hemp”. “I don’t think there is anything wrong when…

APGA Leaders storm Ehime-Mbano -As SOLAD urges Governor to vie for 2nd term

Chief Mrs. Chioma Ogoke, the Sole Administrator of Ehime Mbano Local Government Council, on May 10, 2013 implored the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to consolidate his achievements by running for a second tenure in the 2015 gubernatorial elections. She made this appeal through the State Working Committee of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) which visited Ehime-Mbano. According to her “the monumental achievements of the present regime and its benefits will manifest fully if Governor Okorocha serves another tenure”, she said.  She urged the Governor to shelve his presidential ambition for now. In address at the event, the State Governor represented by Chief Vitalis Anyaegbu, the State Secretary of the party postulates that…

10 years after, corpse of ‘missing’ woman found in son’s cupboard in Imo

The sleepy Ezuru Umuagwu village in Ejemekwuru Community, Oguta LGA, was roused on May 11, 2013 following the discovery of the embalmed corpse of a 78-year-old woman, Mrs. Lucy Osigwe who was earlier declared missing in 2003. The Ambush Squad of the Nigeria Police Force Imo State Command, discovered the body on May 11, following a tip-off. The dried body was found in the cupboard of her son, Dr. Chimezie Bede Osigwe, a 64-year-old retired school principal who has been a strong believer and member of Guru Maharaji Sect. It was revealed that the embalmed body has been in that condition for about 10 years. The Imo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Musa Katsina, told…

Silver Jubilee anniversary: An act of thanksgiving – Bishop Ukwuoma

–     As Prof. & Mrs. Tony Uzoma clock 25 years in marriage It was all joy and merriments as Prof. Anthony Uwandu-Uzoma and Mrs. Beatrice Ifeyinwa Uzoma marked their silver jubilee wedding anniversary at St. Gregory’s Catholic Parish Amaigbo, Nwangele LGA, Imo State on Saturday, May 11, 2013. The silver jubilee celebration commenced with a concelebrated Eucharistic Mass presided over by the chief shepherd of Orlu diocese, Most Rev. Dr. A.T. Ukwuoma and assisted by about 50 priests from different dioceses of Igboland, including Very Rev. Fr. Patrick Ibole, Vicar-General Owerri Archdiocese, Rev. Fr. Dr. Alphonsus Oha, Chancellor, Owerri Archdiocese and Rev. Fr. Prof. Louis Asiegbu of the Federal University of Technology Owerri. Delivering a…

CMO Atta Parish honours Imo NUJ Chairman

Activities marking the 2013 Father’s Day celebration at St. Michael’s Catholic Parish Atta, in Ikeduru LGA were rounded off on Sunday, May 5 with a Thanksgiving Mass, funds-raising and the conferment of “EZI-NWA” title on the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State, Chief Innocent Igwe by the Catholic Men Organization (CMO) of the parish. Presenting the award on the NUJ Chairman, who was accompanied by his wife, Lady Angela Igwe, the Chairman of the Father’s Day Planning Committee, Mr. Matthew Aguguom described Chief Igwe as a worthy son of Atta Ikeduru in whom they are well pleased. They commended the way and manner Sir Igwe is consistently reforming journalism practice in Imo State…

St. Andrew’s Parish Umuokanne celebrates Father’s Day – Decries lukewarm attitude of members

The Catholic Men Organization (CMO) of St. Andrew’s Parish Umuokanne has expressed disappointment over the lukewarm attitude of some members towards the upliftment of the parish. The President of the parish CMO, Mr. Sylvester Onyema (City), who expressed this view during the Father’s Day, May 5, 2013, regretted that some CMO members are not making any financial support for the parish and called for a complete change of heart, both morally and financially. The Parish CMO Secretary, Vincent Mary-Ihejieto Esq., echoed similar view.  He told THE LEADER that this year’s Father’s Day was rich spiritually. “Some of our parishioners’ resident “abroad” were invited to help us support and build our “parish security fence” as the…

VIRUSES ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN CANCER (1)

Cancer may be described as any tumor arising from abnormal and uncontrolled division of cells that then invade and destroy surrounding tissues. Most of them are named after the organ or cell in which they start e.g. liver cancer, cervical cancer, skin cancer etc. Cancers are grouped into: carcinoma when they arise in the epithelium, sarcoma when they involve connective tissues, leukemia with origin in blood or bone marrow, lymphoma arising from B or T lymphocytes (white blood cells), myeloma originating from plasma cells, and central nervous system cancer when the cells of the CNS are involved. Cancer is a public health problem world-wide and affects all categories of persons. It is the second common…

Nigerian Physicians and Our Right to Know

Chioma called again! You remember her? The woman her boss was pressing for an affair (See https://theleaderassumpta.com/category/columns/ethics-corner/ or www.csaaeinc.org/blog for full story). I thought she was going to talk about this affair.  No. This time it was about her sick mother. “Could you please pray for her, she is in a hospital at Owerri”, she said. I know her mother, a 65 year old “rural woman”.  I called this woman. “Mama, what’s the matter?” “The Doctor has not told me anything”, she answered. “What medication has he given you?” “He did not tell me, he just said that I will be fine.” I have heard this several times, especially from poorer and less educated Nigerians. Regardless…

War against Boko Haram begins – We’ll crush them – Defence Headquarters

With a massive deployment of troops and equipment, the army, navy, air force and other security agencies have begun operation to “rid the nation’s border territories of terrorists’ bases and operations. President Jonathan had in a nationwide broadcast admitted that the Federal Government no longer controlled the entire territory of Nigeria. Three states where the emergency action was declared share common borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger.  These border communities have become bases for training, insurgency and other criminal activities against Nigeria. The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) gave indication that the time was up for the Boko Haram sect and other terrorists groups in the country as it announced the deployment of massive troops to take…

CAN backs emergency rule

  President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states has received the blessing of the Christian Association of ngieria (CAN), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) . But the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the decision. CAN President Ayo Oritsejafor said the decision vindicated its position that only force could end the insurgency. The Christian body called for the immediate scrapping of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue. Pastor Oritsejafor, in a statement in Abuja said: “With the declaration of a state of emergency in the three states, the amnesty committee is no longer relevant…

Imo baby factory saga: ‘I never impregnated anyone’ – Suspect

Contrary to police statement, Chukwuebuka Onyemefule, popularly called Oyibo, has denied any involvement in the pregnancy of the 23 girls who were arrested last week by the Police at the Ahamefule Orphanage at Umuaka, Njaba Council Area of the state. The 23-year-old who spoke with Daily sun said the police had lied that he was solely employed by the owner of the motherless babies’ home as a stud. He maintained that he was only employed about three weeks ago to work at the sachet water factory and that 23 girls were all pregnant when he resumed at the sachet water section of the hospital. According to him, “the police lied when they said that I…

Pope Francis Names 800 New Saints

Pope Francis’s first canonization ceremony was a record-breaking one. The new pontiff named over 800 new saints on Sunday. That’s already almost double the number of saints declared by Pope John Paul II, whose 480-odd canonizations were, at the time, more than those of all of his predecessors since 1588, combined. But the latest canonization bonanza is notable for another reason: most of the 800 new saints are 15th-century martyrs, who were approved as a group for sainthood by Francis’s predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. Given Pope Francis’s previous public commitment to improving the Catholic church’s relationship with Muslim communities worldwide, Benedict XVI’s unfinished business put the new pontiff in a delicate position. The 813 “Martyrs…