NIGERIAN NOTCH

As the world marked  International Women's Day 2025 yesterday, Valentine Ozigbo, a renowned Nigerian business leader and philanthropist, has joined the global celebration to honor the extraordinary women who uplift families, strengthen communities, and drive the nation forward. Ozigbo drew inspiration from trailblazing women like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Arunma Oteh, and Owen Omogiafo, who have shattered ceilings and redefined what is possible. However, he also acknowledged the millions of unsung heroines, including market women, doctors, nurses, teachers, and mothers, who work tirelessly to sustain their families and communities. For Ozigbo, this celebration is personal, as he recognized the exceptional grace and support he receives from his mother, wife, OJ, and daughter, Chioma. He emphasized that gender equality is not just a buzzword, but a necessity for a just and prosperous society. However, Ozigbo called for urgent action to achieve ful...

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has joined the global community in celebrating International Women's Day, recognizing the remarkable achievements and resilience of women across Anambra State and Nigeria. This year's theme, "For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment," resonates deeply with Governor Soludo's administration, which is committed to fostering a society where every woman and girl can thrive, contribute, and achieve their full potential.  Governor Soludo acknowledged the invaluable contributions of women in all spheres of life, from the home and community to business and government offices. He reassured his commitment to sustaining a women-friendly society, where gender equality is a lived reality, through initiatives such as, strengthening  legal frameworks and policies,p romoting women's economic empowerment,c ombating gender-based violence, increasing  women's representation and participation ...

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has strongly advised individuals who are not well grounded in the rules of the Senate to desist from running uninformed commentaries on the Upper Chamber. Akpabio made the remarks against the backdrop of the recent decision of the Senate to suspend the Kogi Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Oduaghan for flouting the Senate rules. The Senate President spoke on Friday while receiving a delegation of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum which paid him a solidarity visit in Abuja. The Senate President wondered why people who had no idea of the rules of procedure in parliament were always the ones to run uninformed commentaries on Television on matters they knew nothing about. Akpabio said the Senate action on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Oduaghan was a unanimous decision and wondered why people were not bothered to know why there was not any desenting voice in the Senate on the matter. "You should try to go and know the fac...

Mazi Ejimofor Opara  Social reformation is the super-structure upon which every other thing rests. What Governor Soludo is doing with his campaign against criminal religious merchants and dubious “Dibias” who provide ancillary services to criminal gangs has been adjudged important because they strike at the core of social harmony. He is clearly demarcating social deviance from what is normative. Soludo is forcefully advocating that if we continue to look away from the basic principles of life, the complex ones would certainly lead us to intractable confusions that bring about a chaotic society. This is why we must pay close attention to the basic principles at all times as we chart our course to a prosperous and liveable homeland. For a Society to function without dissonance there must be a hard line between what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. But, the Big question now is, has the family and religious institutions failed so much that such a basic and fundamenta...

..... Tasks Women to submit to their husbands, while taking care of their families Renowned Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwo, was a keynote speaker at the Aguata Women Summit 2025, held today the 7th of March 2025 at the Aguata LGA Secretariat in Anambra state, South Nigeria, where she passionately padvocated for women's empowerment and representation in leadership positions. Ozokwo emphasized the importance of women's participation in decision-making processes, citing their unique perspectives and strengths. She encouraged women to take on leadership roles and challenge the status quo, promoting a culture of equality and inclusivity.  She said " until Nigeria have women at helm of affairs in the country things may not go the  way it's expected to be. A woman embodies the essence of creating, as both men and women are formed in a woman, and as such any person that knows the process of creating can't for any reason want to destroy."  The summit, a...

By Erikigwe Gabriel Ikenna (G.I) It is no longer an overstatement to say that the Anambra State Government has lost focus. Recent events, coupled with the government’s apparent passiveness in addressing them, raise serious concerns. Despite claims that all is well, the reality on the ground tells a different story.  Healthcare: The Reality Behind the Free Natal Care Promise  The government claims to have provided free natal care for pregnant women, but in reality, this policy is failing. Many pregnant women in government hospitals lament that they are forced to buy essential drugs and medical supplies. Nurses openly admit that the government does not provide them with enough resources for antenatal care. This has led to situations where husbands accuse their wives of lying when they ask for money to cover these costs. Instead of relief, this so-called free healthcare program has become a source of frustration for many families.  Security: A System in Disarray ...

The youth wing of the Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has asked for an end to further attacks on the people of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.  The group said those behind the recent attacks should be apprehended and justice served.  This is coming amid protest by women of Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo over escalating attack on the villagers by suspected Fulani herdsmen, with some women said to have been raped.  However, the chairman of the local government area, who acknowledged that a woman, was raped, said the protest was being sponsored.  Speaking on the matter, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike urged the government to ensure justice for the victims.  Okwu said even if one person was raped, it called for concern and adequate action on the side of the government.  He said it was regrettable that for over a decade the people of Is-Uzo had re...

By Mokwugwo Solomon In line with Governor Charles Soludo's drive to make Anambra State the cleanest in the country, the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, aka OCHA brigade, raided many streets known for littering the public space with refuse. Major areas stormed by OCHA brigade during the exercise include Obodougwu Road, Okpoko Junction,  Onitsha/Asaba Expressway, and the Upper Iweka axis. At Obodougwu Road, some residents, John Nweke, Grace Okoli, Joseph Ikechukwu and others commended the activities of the agency, while thanking the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for creating Ocha Brigade, which according to them, has created enabling environment for geunue traders to do their businesses without disturbance. Some defaulters arrested by the agency admitted they were served quit notice but said they were not able to secure shops inside Ogbaru Relief Main Market or other markets around the area due to their high cost. An officer of the agency, who spoke under con...

The Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, has assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Polytechnic'd Governing Council led by Senator Barnabas Gemade that she would not disappoint the trust reposed in her, in approving her appointment as substantive rector of the institution. She gave the assurance on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, during an interactive session between the  Governing Council of the institution and the Polytechnic Community. Dr. Awuzie reiterated her administration's commitment towards academic excellence, and creating conducive environment for skills empowerment necessary for excellence.  "I wish to appreciate the polytheistic's Governing Council, led by our own Senator Barnabas Gemade; Federal Ministry of Education and President Bola Tinubu, for making perfect choice in me. I promise to abide by the Polytechnic's Acts, while delivering on my mandate. "I want to thank Mr President for believing i...

By Izuchukwu Adichie In an unprecedented political realignment, Anambra State’s 2025 off-cycle gubernatorial election is set to make history, with Soludo positioned for a resounding, unopposed victory. What began as a routine electoral cycle has transformed into a sweeping endorsement of Soludo’s transformative governance, as members of the opposition abandon their political parties to align with his administration. This rare political phenomenon underscores a stark reality: Soludo’s first three years of achievements have silenced critics and inspired a cross-party consensus that his vision for Anambra is unmatched. His administration has redefined governance in the state through revolutionary infrastructure projects, education reforms, revitalization of the healthcare sector, and zero poverty programs. Opposition figures, once vocal during previous administrations, now acknowledge that the results of Soludo’s administration speak louder than any propaganda. Why Opposition ...