Beyond Amnesty: The Billion-Dollar Opportunities Niger Deltans Ignore | Who Runs PTDF, NIMASA? By Jacob Abai For decades, the Niger Delta has been the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing over 80% of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings through crude oil exports. Yet, despite its vast natural wealth, the region remains politically and economically disadvantaged. One

By Jacob Abai For years, the Niger Delta has faced challenges of oil theft and environmental degradation, with foreign ships being used to siphon crude oil and illegal refineries operating unchecked. These activities deprived Nigeria of billions in revenue and impacted local communities. The waterways, once a lifeline for economic activity, became dangerous routes controlled

By Ken Ike Okere, Ph.D When I teach students and media practitioners the Media Law, Ethics & Professionalism course, I am often compelled to call their attention to a cankerworm that will be the death-knell of Nigerian journalism in particular and of all Nigerian media practice (whether it’s PR, Advertising, Marketing Communications, digital content production,

By Julius Bokoru It is a damp morning at Igbedi, an Ijaw village by the river nun in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government area of Bayelsa State and history is about to be made. Somewhere by the edge of the docile village, the town hall is filled way beyond capacity and a throng of mourners are still

By Ekanpou Enewaredideke Chief Dr Julius Takeme, a memorably situated transporter of transformational theories and thoughts, UN Peace Ambassador, Justice of Peace in Delta State, fellow Institute of Human Rights, fellow Institute of Human and Natural Resources, a recipient of deserving multiple chieftaincy titles as the Olotu of Obotebe Kingdom and the Esama of Isaba

Since 1973, June 5 every year has been celebrated as World Environment Day (“WED”); a day set aside to raise awareness and promote actions to address environmental issues including marine pollution, overpopulation, global warming, sustainable development, wildlife crime, among others. The focus for this year is on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience under the slogan

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, finding a quiet moment for introspection can be challenging. Yet, many people find that some of their most innovative and creative ideas come to them in an unlikely place: the toilet. This private sanctuary provides a unique environment conducive to deep thinking and creative breakthroughs. But why

BY EKANPOU ENEWARIDIDEKE Carnage, Massacre, Rape, Wounded, Reconciliation, Reconciliation, Exploitation, Manipulation, Propaganda. These are aromatically dangerous, repelling, antagonistic and disgusting words whose echoes poignantly bring to the mind the inanities of the 1994 Rwandan genocide – a fratricidal genocide worsened by the dearth of a transparent reconciliation and peace process conceptualised to bring the Hutus

By Ekanpou Enewaridideke Sequestered from the world of claims and egoTompolo sits on the sacred seat in the forest, away from the thorny pleasures of life;From his sacred seat he moulds a new world,A new world welded by men with new ideals and codes of togetherness;From his sacred seat he acknowledges cheers from a queer

By Jacob Brakere Abai The recent appointment of Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro, PhD, as the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has generated a surge of optimism and expectation within the Niger Delta region. This appointment arrives at a pivotal moment for the area, which has long contended with issues of unrest, economic disenfranchisement,

By Jacob Brakere Abai Amidst the serene creeks of Delta State, Nigeria, lies Oporoza, a town steeped in the rich traditions of the Gbaramatu kingdom. As the headquarters of this esteemed kingdom, Oporoza has become synonymous with cultural richness and historical significance, attracting visitors from near and far to witness its enduring heritage. At the

By Jacob Brakere Abai Seventeen years have passed since the Nigerian highlife music scene lost one of its most influential figures, Field Marshal Echo Toikumoh. Yet, amidst the hustle and bustle of contemporary Ijaw discourse, his name remains conspicuously absent. This silence begs the question: Why is the Ijaw Nation forgetting its musical icon? Echo

By Jacob Brakere Abai The age-old tradition of “Koide or Koido,” symbolizing reverence and respect for elders in Ijaw culture, is facing a troubling decline in contemporary society. Once a cornerstone of Ijaw identity, this customary greeting is gradually disappearing from daily interactions, signaling a shift away from traditional values. The practice of “Koide” holds

By Jacob Brakere Abai In a world filled with various challenges, the dynamics of maintaining a successful marriage often require resilience, commitment, and a genuine sense of partnership. Mrs. Deborah Olaki, popularly known as Mummy Zee, has become an inspiring example of how dedication, love, and a positive mindset can transform not only a marriage

By Rev. Oweikeme Johnny Peter The pursuit of nonviolence in conflict resolution provides a legal avenue for addressing grievances within the framework of established laws, exemplified by figures like Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. In 2009, the Niger Delta people gained legal permission for nonviolence actions through the presidential amnesty deal, emphasizing

Deep in the heart of the Niger Delta, the town of Benikrukru is undergoing a compelling transformation. Playing host to numerous international oil companies, including Chevron Nigeria Limited, this community, once a passive observer in the ebb and flow of development, is now penning a resolute narrative. Freed from the shadows of neglect, Benikrukru is

We do not yet know what pact, Satanic or Godly that Sim Fubara entered into with his Godfather. Was he also taken to a shrine? Did he sell his soul to become Governor? What agreements did he reach with Wike? What code of honour did they both agree to which is now causing trouble?

Tompolo has just fled and crossed the borders beyond engagement with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu without a thought for the Gbaramatu Kingdom, the pipeline surveillance contract, the exploited Niger Deltans and the travails of the black migrants in Samuel Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah. Tompolo as an illegal immigrant in another

By Asiayei Enaibo Music and dance intertwine in the soul of mankind, harmonizing our spirits and casting aside the burdens of our transient worries. They form an undying culture, living side by side with humans. When music and dance fade, our world dissipates like the tantalizing wind among the forest trees, where even the trees

By Jacob Brakere Abai Once upon a time in the Ijaw community, a tradition prevailed—a tradition that was passed down through generations. It was a story I first heard from my uncle many years back, a tale that shed light on the origin of night-long wake-keeping for the deceased. During those days of yore, when

In the annals of Bayelsa State’s history, one name stands out as a beacon of transformation and innovation: Engr. Udengs Eradiri, the Labour Party Governorship Candidate and former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC). During his tenure as IYC President, Eradiri championed a groundbreaking initiative that had a profound impact on the state’s economy,

By Jacob Brakere Abai In a world where modern medicine often takes the spotlight, it is essential to remember and honor those individuals who quietly toiled in the background, providing healing and solace to countless people. One such unsung hero was Elder Abel Uttoh, a revered trado-medical practitioner who dedicated his life to curing ailments

I could not recall the particular day, but it was a fateful Monday in October 1990 when our lives took a devastating turn. It is with a heavy heart and teary eyes that I pen down these words to remember and honor the life of a remarkable man, my beloved father, Mr. Famous Birinimughan Abai.

By Joel God’sgift Fiafiawei “Home is where the heart is” perfectly describes what Polobubo community means to its residents. A true home isn’t just a physical location; it’s a place of comfort, love, and a profound sense of belonging. Polobubo, formerly known as Tsekelewu, is a rural community situated in Egbema Kingdom within Warri North

After enduring months of mourning and sorrow, the melodies of the Niger Delta’s highlife music scene have been reborn with the triumphant return of a living legend, Barrister Soja Smooth. Known as the “Paddle of Niger Delta” and celebrated as the “King of Niger Delta highlife music,” his comeback to the stage on October 7,

Join me on a captivating journey into the heart of culture and tradition as I share my unforgettable field assignment with GbaramatuVoice. This remarkable experience began on Friday, October 13, when Mr. Jacob Abai, the visionary CEO of GbaramatuVoice, led me and my fellow interns from our office in Warri to the Miller jetty at

GbaramatuVoice At 8: Otuwoye – a global dance to the Niger Delta region through the media By Asiayei Enaibo The canoe was carved from the creeks of the Gbaramatu kingdom with no knowledge of how it could navigate to this extent, even to the oblivion of the carver of the canoe, but the owner of

Time to bury, crown the King of Ngbilebiri-mein kingdom, by Ekanpou Enewaridideke It is not subject to any pretentious argument and contestation that the king of the ancient Ngbilebiri-Mein Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Bigboroagha II, Samuel Hitler Perekeme (Jp), RFML, journeyed to the Great Beyond on 16 August 2017.Public pronouncement of his death was made

Nigeria Immigration Service and Hire Purchase Passports, By Michael Owhoko, Ph.D With a thriving and fertile environment for extortion and racketeering, process for obtaining the Nigerian passport has turned the booklet into a hire purchase document where applicants pay official cost at point of application, connoting preliminary downpayment, and thereafter compelled to pay a bribe

Tompolo’s season of torture, Tantita and Tinubu  By Ekanpou Enewaridideke History is an inspiring storyteller. An inspiring chronicler. In the history of Nigeria there was one man called Tompolo yesterday. This Tompolo of yesterday was an effervescent freedom activist devoted to the developmental emancipation of the Niger Delta. Today there is another man called Tompolo;

AS NIGERIA’S YOUNGEST GOVERNOR, ALFRED DIETTE-SPIFF BECOMES AN OLD MAN BY GODKNOWS BOLADEI IGALI The date, May 27th, 1967 will always remain a landmark in the annals of Nigeria’s history for a number of reasons. First, on that date, the country’s third Head of State and second military ruler, then Col. Yakubu Gowon took the

Ogbuku as a change agent in Niger Delta development By Ifeatu Agbu The rapid development of the Niger Delta region, which is the core mandate of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, got an impetus when the current Management, led by Dr Samuel Ogbuku, mounted the saddle at the Commission’s headquarters on January 5, 2023.

IZONEBI’S SEASON OF DEGRADATION BY EKANPOU ENEWARIDIDEKE The cycle in the life of man is cosmically decreed. In the cosmically decreed cycle of life composed of consciousness driven by social existence(as Karl Marx would say) there are behaviourally earned demarcated phases of praiseworthiness, blameworthiness, elevation and humiliation. It appears the behaviourally earned phase of blameworthiness

My wishful thought for King Alfred Izon-ebi on his 20-May-2023 birthday By Ekanpou Enewaridideke Happy birthday to a man strikingly and undilutedly different in thought,talent, communicativeness,behavioural comportment and compositional approaches to music,yet no supercilious self-agrandising theatrics and attempts at intensification of his compositional otherness – an otherness that graphologically foregrounds his magical compositional and stage-performance visibility