The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, says the new minimum wage will be reviewed in less than two years from now.

Onyejeocha said this on Thursday in Umuahia, while addressing newsmen after a meeting with labour leaders in Abia.

She said that President Bola Tinubu was committed to his promise to Nigerian workers by ensuring minimum wage was reviewed after three years.

She said that the president was deeply concerned about the welfare of workers and would keep to every promise he made to them.

“We are not going to allow minimum wage review to be forever.

“It used to be about five years, but now, in three year’s time, which is less than two years, we will also review the minimum wage,” Onyejeocha said.

According to her, it has been said and it has been documented.

The Tide source reports that Tinubu had approved N70,000 minimum wage in July 2024, with a promise to review it every three years.

Onyejeocha, who hails from Abia, said that she decided to meet with the labour leaders, who she described as her constituents, “to wish them well”, after spending her Christmas and New Year holidays in the state.

She said that she reminded the leaders that labour is an integral part of the government that should help to ensure stability and peace, not just at work place, but also in the country.

“I reminded them that we should have a strike-free year, where we will be able to work with the government in partnership, knowing that if we are in peace, we will be more productive,” she said.

The Abia Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Ogbomna Okoro, commended the minister for her giant stride in office, saying that the body was proud of her and would collaborate with her.

Earlier, the minister, who is from a royal family, had a roundtable with the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, where she took time to explain some Federal Government’s policies to them.

The people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality also known as Iwhuruohna, have again warned the Igbo expansionists to desist from their ploy to incorporate Ikwerre as subgroup of the Ndigbo.

This is contained in a 14-paragraph statement by The Supreme Council of Ikwerre Government Recognized Traditional Rulers signed by its Chairman, Eze Oha Evo III of Evo Kingdom, Eze Gbakagbaka, King Leslie N.Eke and

the Secretary, Nye Nwe Ala Omerelu, Elumoha VIII, Eze Ben O. Ugo, which was made available to the newsmen in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The statement said the Iwhuruohna remained a homogeneous ethnic group with a common ancestry and paternity and had no link with the Igbos.

“Iwhuruohna people are from Rivers State and the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The people have their unique culture and traditions. Iwhuruohna share the same ancestry with the Ekpeye and the Ogba people of Rivers State. Iwhuruohna people migrated from the Ancient Benin Kingdom during the reigns of Oba Ewuare ( Ogwaro)”, it said.

According to the statement, the  paternity of the Ikwerres can be traceable to a great grand ancestor – Akalaka  who left the Ancient Benin Kingdom in company of his sons which included IHRUOHA ( IWHURUOHNA) .

The statement further noted that the name, ‘Ikwerre’ was an ‘Igbonised’ version of ‘Akwerulem’  which was translated to mean ‘we have agreed or consented’, a response of a Rebisi monarch to an Igbo translator and a Briton during the negotiations for  acquisition of acres of land for Port Harcourt wharf.

It maintained that theory of origins linking Iwhuruohna ethnicity to Igbo ancestry was ill-conceived as a result of the balkanisation and ‘Igbonisation’ of Iwhuruohna by Igbo merchants from Aro, Nkwere and Awka who oppressed and suppressed the aborigines in their place.

The statement also explained that the earliest incursion into Ikwerre hinterland by the Igbo emboldened the proponents of Igbo expansionist theory to erroneously think or link Iwhuruohna to an Igbo ancestry.

“Till date , there are still pockets of Igbo ( Aro) settlements in such Iwhuruohna Communities at Elele, Igwuruta, Isiokpo. They are evidently Aro compounds like Aro-Omuodu, Aro-Omuodukwu, Aro-Omuma, Aro-Ogbogbu in Igwuruta and Nmgbu Oyo at Isiokpo”, it said.

“The declaration of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization during the Chukwudifu Oputa Human Rights Panel 2001 that: Ikwerre ethnic nationality is not and has never been a subgroup of any other tribe in Nigeria, including Ndi-Igbo…’ would suffice here,” it said.

The statement further pointed out that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(2010) as amended which recognised Iwhuruohna (Ikwerre) ethnic nationality among others as a distinct and unique ethnic group in Nigeria, and wondered why the Igbos were bent on rewriting both the history and the Constitution.

The people of Ikwerre frowned at any attempt by some Igbo expansionists to incorporate Iwhuruohna as a subset or subgroup of any other in Nigeria or elsewhere.

The statement which did not jettison  some shared similarities between Iwhuruohna and her neighbours, including the Igbos in terms of aspects of culture and traditions, said such did not, in anyway, validate the bogus and unverified claims that Iwhuruohna is Igbo as being peddled by Igbo expansionists.

The people of Ikwerre therefore called  on the Police, Rivers State Government as well as the general public to be wary of the tricks and pranks of the Igbo expansionists in the nomenclature of ‘Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo’  and their activities in Rivers State.

King Onunwor

The Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has been commended for his developmental initiatives aimed at transforming the development needs of the state.

To this end, a group of academics, known as League of Niger Delta Researchers for sustainable development has unveiled a book christened “Fubaraism” to appreciate  his boldness to deliver the dividends of democracy in the state despite the godfatherism intrigue that disrupted governance in the state .

The group however stressed  that godfatherism can jeopardize development of the state and across country at in general.

“This is a groundbreaking research book titled ‘Fubaraism: The New Philosophy of Power Dynamics in Rivers State.’ This ongoing research project, undertaken by distinguished academics from various universities within the Niger Delta region and beyond, aims to fortify the fight against Godfatherism.”

This  book  authored by four  academic  professors and two Senior Advocates of Nigerian(SANs) which include Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma; Prof. Francis C. Dike, SAN; Prof. Christopher Okereke; Prof. Preye Inikoba; Prof. John Ben; Barr. Ngozi Olieh, SAN; and Dr. Sunday Adiele.

Speaking at the unveiling of the book recently, Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma, of the University of Uyo and the Director General of the group said they had conducted an extensive survey of public opinions and found that Governor Fubara’s approach, as encapsulated in the concept of Fubaraism, was yielding positive results.

“We believe that this innovative philosophy of power dynamics has significant implications for political philosophy in Nigeria.

“We commend Governor Fubara for his unwavering commitment to delivering democracy dividends to the people of Rivers State, despite various challenges. The book explores the risks involved in doing the right things and achieving better outcomes in the  State.”

He said that their research group, formerly known as the League of Niger Delta Researchers for Sustainable Development, had evolved into the Federation of Researchers for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.

According  to him, “this change in name has not altered our core function – serving as watchdogs for the society.”

He stressed  that they were confident that Fubaraism would revolutionize the way things were done in Nigeria, promoting a more equitable and just society for all.

“The publication of Fubaraism” is a significant milestone in the academic discourse on power dynamics in

Nigeria. The book’s innovative approach to analyzing power relationships and its introduction of the concept of ‘Fubaraism’ is likely to generate considerable interest and debate among scholars and policymakers.

“As a major contribution to the field of Political Science and Philosophy, ‘Fubaraism’ is poised to become a seminal work that will shape the discussion on power dynamics in Rivers State and beyond”.

Amadi Akujobi