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Mayor Of Housing, K O Baba Launch Scheme To Create Wealth In Diobu
Some eminent persons who grew up in Diobu, Port Harcourt, including Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, and K.O. Baba Jornsen have joined hands to launch a scheme that will create job opportunities and wealth for the residents of the area.
The take-off point was the TEDx Diobu which has won a license from TED International to organize a talkshow on Diobu to help rebuild the brand and the spirit of that section that drives the overall spirit of the Garden City.
A major sponsor and rated speaker at the TEDx Diobu, the Mayor of Housing, said it was emotional for him to be back in Diobu where he said it all started for him some 18 years ago.
Speaking on what Diobu puts in one’s life and career, China talked about courage and grit, adding that his journey had a lot of courage as well as vulnerabilities.
“There were days I frowned. But guess what, it started with that result here in Diobu that birthed the most important legacy every entrepreneur must aspire to build. That legacy is the legacy of grit”, he said.
“Grit is what happens when you’re able to blend your experience with lots of courage; blend your experience with embracing your vulnerability and not denying them, but growing bigger than them and not wishing that things were easier but wish you grew better.
“Then, you will tap into the biggest and deepest well of treasures in the world inexhaustible: the world and the wealth of human capital and your mental capital.
“When you develop that grit and come out, you will begin to see opportunities where people no longer see opportunities.
“You begin to see challenges as bread. Where people are complaining, there are different challenges and you’re asking where is the akara to add to the bread to make it a balanced diet.”
He agreed with Dan De Humorous who made brief appearance at the event, saying every story has a beginning, middle, and the end.
“Building a business, making an impact are all summed up in one word: the capacity to do more and the power of your story.
“Ask yourself the business you’re building, when the story is told, will it make the hearer weaker or stronger?”
According to him, one of the greatest liabilities that we have produced in our age is that we have failed to make impact even on the direct beneficiaries of our success, our children.
“Because at the end, it is not what you leave for them that is important, but what you leave in them. I am hoping as I leave, that what I’ve left in you will be more important than what I left for you.”
Also speaking, the TEDx Diobu franchise owner and entrepreneur who has linked up with Mayor of Housing said at the first edition of TEDx Diobu that the project is to promote the reality of Diobu, “which is about good, not the bad, not about snatching of phones”.
O.K. Baba who is also a well-known comedian and creator of ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ annual comedy series, said the project is to bring the finest persons that once lived in Diobu to come and talk to Diobu of today.
The man who emerged as a force in Diobu years ago revealed how it came to be, saying he began helping the boys and then, every disagreement in the area was brought to him to resolve.
According to him, he emerged the street chairman without an election.
He reminded well-to-do people that one criminal could kill up to 1,000 persons, saying it was important to pull the youths off crime with social facilities.
He hinted many schemes that may soon come in Diobu, including an economic summit, adding that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would be targeted for support after the TEDx Diobu event.
In his speech, an entrepreneur, Daniel Okwara, revealed his business techniques and the things he did to grow his business.
“Give back all to your business. I did this and grew from buying a mere 25% of container to becoming a global business today.
“I opened a joint account so I will never withdraw at whims. There must be a cogent reason and a process before withdrawing.
“Save cost, maximise. This means save the cost of operations so nothing can touch it. Then maximise the deployment of your resources so it increases your profit.”
In his own contribution, J.J. Folami showed how he used traffic of his blog to promote his music, now recording over 3.5m followers.
Another speaker simply named Dickson said he was born in Diobu and that he had found out that the spirit of competition dominated by ‘I pass my neighbour’ mentality had held Diobu and other such towns down.
“The rich collaborate; the poor compete; at best, they cooperate”.
He warned that collaboration will become the new competition and that the big fishes do not swallow small fishes but swallow slow fishes.
Dan De Humorous said though he did live in Diobu (D-Line area), that TED has a unique way of telling stories around the globe.
“In every story, there is a beginning, middle, and the end or climax. That’s the beauty of TED stories. I urge the audience to pay attention to the middle of stories. That is where the battle is, where the process that decides the end is found.”
In his admonition, a lawyer and activist, Chizi Wigodo, urged people who have ideas to join groups or political parties to push the ideas.
He said: “Civic participation is key. Government knows that the people have the greater power. Join a group to amplify your idea.
“Know it that the next election begins after the current one. So, the next election (2027) begins now. Post-election fights in court are however better than causing chaos. The court works with the story, the evidence, the law.”
A female broadcaster, Oby Ify Fakae, wrapped it up when she pointed out what makes persons not to collaborate, saying it’s a trust issue.
“People only trust you when you know them. Not all money is good money.”
The participants, including Hilda Dokubo agreed on efforts to rebuild the spirit of doggedness and grit which they said Diobu gave the Garden City, and turn the ideas to wealth and job creation.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.
