Embattled leader of the proscribed separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, appeared in court

 Embattled leader of the proscribed separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, appeared in court

 On Wednesday dressed in a designer wear he wore when he was re-arrested and brought back to Nigeria in June 2021.

Seated in the courtroom with legs crossed, Kanu beamed with a smile as he took some time to pose for photos with his lawyers.

Kanu, 54, was born on September 25, 1967, at Afaraukwu, Abia State.

The secessionist leader is a holder of Nigerian and British passports. He had earlier jumped bail in June 2018 before leaving for the United Kingdom though he said that he fled because his life was no longer safe in Nigeria.

After about three years abroad, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), at a press briefing in Abuja on June 29, 2021, announced that the IPOB leader was re-arrested in a foreign country and extradited to Nigeria.

Kanu’s Lead Counsel, Ejiofor Ifeanyi, had said the IPOB leader was re-arrested in Kenya and whisked to Nigeria

However, there was confusion on Wednesday as Kanu’s team of lawyers staged a walkout over the refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services to allow some of them to gain access into the courtroom.

Though the counsel for the Federal Government and Director of Public Prosecution, M. D. Abubakar, urged the court to proceed with the trial in the absence of Kanu’s lawyers, the judge declined and adjourned the case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.

Kanu’s followers in Nigeria had declared several sit-at-home orders in the South-East to protest his arrest and demand his release from the custody of the secret police.

The sit-at-home orders have been said to cripple economic activities in Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi, especially on Mondays.

The proscribed group had also declared a sit-at-home which threatened the Anambra election but later called off the order.

 Politics

Anambra Governorship Election: I Will Congratulate Any Candidate Declared Winner By INEC, Says APC’s Uba

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Andy Uba has said he will congratulate any candidate that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared a winner in the ongoing Anambra Governorship Election.

Uba stated this in a statement he released on Tuesday evening through his campaign organisation, the Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, SAUGCO, and signed by the Deputy Director, Media and Publicity of the campaign, Mr Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia

He said he was commited to a peaceful election process, an attribute which he said he had “exhibited throughout the campaigns, during the election and afterwards.”

According to Uba, he ran “the most peaceful and issues-based campaign throughout the electioneering period.”

The statement praised Uba saying, “Our candidate has shown throughout the campaign and during the ongoing elections, that he is committed to a peaceful election in the state.

If you follow his campaign, you will notice that he maintained issues based engagement throughout. As we enter the final stages of the election, Uba has continued to sustain a peaceful path in our democratization process, even against anti democratic elements.”

On whether the candidate will challenge the results if it doesn’t go in his favour, Uba stated that while he believes that it will go in its favour, there were, however, issues arising from areas where the party did very well but the results therefrom were unfortunately cancelled

Our candidate will only accept a process that passes through the crucible of the law and justice.

“For now, our party and her candidate, are still positive about it’s prospects of winning the election. We are positive about coming out victorious.

‘But if it goes the other way, our candidate and the party will congratulate whoever wins once such victory can stand legal scrutiny,” and that starts from INEC decoration.

There are places that the party has pockets of issues that they are likely to challenge. But that is an issue to be decided after the entire process is completed.

For now, the most important fact to note is that Senator Andy Uba will always follow the dictates of the law in whatever decision he decides to take, with especially the overall interest of the state in mind.

As a consequence of this resolve, he is sure not to be found on the negative side of history in the cause of the Anambra governorship election.”

 News

Former US President Bill Clinton released from hospital after treatment for infection

Former US President, Bill Clinton

A former United States President Bill Clinton has been released from a California hospital after being treated for an infection that spread to his bloodstream.

Clinton walked out arm-in-arm with his wife and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before greeting hospital staff and giving a thumbs-up when asked how he was feeling, CNN reports.

University of California Irvine Health Department of Medicine Executive Director Dr Alpesh N. Amin, who had been overseeing Clinton’s medical team, released a statement following Clinton’s release.

“President Clinton was discharged from UC Irvine Medical Center today. His fever and white blood cell count are normalized, and he will return home to New York to finish his course of antibiotics. On behalf of everyone at UC Irvine Medical Center, we were honoured to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress,” Amin wrote.

Clinton had been admitted last week to the UC Irvine Medical Center’s intensive care unit for a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream.

The former President, who was in good spirits throughout his treatment, had been treated in the ICU for privacy and safety, not because he needed intensive care, according to his doctors,

Clinton, 75, had felt fatigued on Tuesday and was admitted to the hospital after testing, according to his office. The former President was in California for a private event for his foundation, and Hillary Clinton went to the event on Thursday evening to “represent both of them” and then went to the hospital to be with him, a Clinton spokesman told CNN

As of Saturday, Clinton “continued to make excellent progress,” according to his spokesperson Angel Ureña, and remained in the hospital overnight to receive further IV antibiotics.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the kind of antibiotic needed to treat Clinton’s type of infection had to be administered via IV and not orally, which is why he remained in the hospital.

The former President’s doctors said urologic infections are very common in older people, and that they are easily treated, although they can quickly spread to the bloodstream.

The 42nd President has faced other health challenges in the past. He underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2004 and had two stents inserted to open one artery in 2010.

 News

Obaseki lauds law enforcement agents over improved security in Edo

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki

 

The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, said the security situation across the state is improving significantly, commending security agencies for the efforts at ensuring peace and tackling insecurity in the state.

Obaseki stated this while reviewing the state’s security situation for October, after a joint security meeting with heads of various security agencies in the state.

He said, “The report presented shows that the security situation is improving. We reviewed the data from July to October and you can see that the trend was declining in all the crimes reported, whether it was in kidnapping, illicit drugs, homicide and armed robbery as well as vehicular accidents.

“You can see that the security situation in Edo is improving and we have the security agencies to thank. The ‘Operation Still Water’ has helped reduce kidnapping in Edo and we have to thank the army for that. It’s the impact of all they have been doing that shows in the statistics that we displayed today.”

The governor noted, “We looked very closely into the issue of land grabbing and we have resolved that a committee of private property protection bill specifies a task force to operationalize that law. That task force will be inaugurated on the 29th of this month.

We have also decided to set up a reconciliation committee to also help us in dealing with issues arising from aggrieved communities on matters concerning lands. This is just to make sure that we have peace in our land. We are concerned about drug cultivation and use in the state. We are working out something that will help us address the issue of drug cultivation and use by young and not too young people in the state.”

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Philip Ogbadu, called on residents to avoid travelling at night, saying that they are setting up measures to reduce crime across the state.

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Auxiliary Bishop of Awka Diocese appointed as the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese (Read For more Details)

Today at 12:00hrs Vatican time, the Holy Father, His Holiness, Pope Francis 1 has announced as the new Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye.

Until his recent appointment Most Rev. Jonas Benson Okoye is the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka Diocese Catholic Diocese.

Meanwhile, he will take Canonical Possession of the Diocese from February 10th, 2022.

Born to the family of Mr. Patrick and Mrs Theresa Anazoba Okoye of Amata clan in Adazi-Nnukwu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, in the city of Kaduna on the 25th day of January 1963, Bishop Jonas Benson is the second son and the fifth child in a family of eight children. He started his primary school education at Ojiako Primary School, Adazi-Nnukwu in 1971. In 1972, he returned to Kaduna to continue his primary school education at the prestigious St. Gregory Primary School. His inspiration to the vocation of priesthood was aroused in his early years when he was an altar server under Rev. Fr. Miniham at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Kaduna. He however came back to Ojiako Primary School atAdazi-Nnukwu in order to complete his primary education and secure admission into secondary school in the south eastern part of Nigeria. Although the young Jonas secured admission into the conventional secondary school and the seminary, he willingly opted for the latter, hence his primary priesthood formation between 1976 and 1977 at St. Paul’s Seminary, Ukpor. By 1978, His Lordship Jonas Benson Okoye moved on to All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha after successfully completing one year at St. Paul’s Seminary, Ukpor. In 1981, he sat for the West African School Certificate Examination. Because of his outstanding performance, he was retained in his Alma Matter the following year to teach the younger seminarians Geography, English Literature and Special Mathematics. He was also appointed the school bursar

In 1983, his Bishop, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. A. K. Obiefuna, the then Bishop of Awka, sent him to Bigard Memorial Seminary, Ikot-Ekpene (now St. Joseph’s Major Seminary) to begin his study of philosophy. At the end of his four year philosophy course at lkot-Ekpene, he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy with honours certified by the Pontifical Urban University, Rome to which the institution was affiliated. Thereafter, he was sent on one year apostolic work to join in the formation of the seminarians at St. John Bosco’s Minor Seminary, Isuaniocha. There, he taught Religion, Liturgy, Latin and English Literature. After a creditable one year service in 1988, the purposeful young Jonas Benson was sent to Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu to begin theological studies as the last phase of his journey to the priesthood. He sat for his Bachelor’s Degree in the study of Divinity in 1992 and obtained a first class grade with honours. Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye was ordained a priest in 1992 by His Grace, Archbishop A. K. Obiefuna at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Adazi-Nnukwu. After his ordination, he was posted to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Ezinifite as parochial vicar. A year after, 1993, he was appointed Parish Priest of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Oko where he served for two years. The same 1993, he was appointed Defender of the Bond in Awka Diocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal which position he held until 1995 when he was sent to the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) for post-graduate studies in Canon law (1995-1997). On his return he was appointed the Parish Priest of St. John’s Catholic Church, Neni (1997-2002). He was also the Chaplain, Knights of St. Mulumba, Anaocha Sub-Council (1997-2002); Dean, Neni Deanery (2000-2002); and Vice Officialis Awka Diocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal (1997-2002).

In 2002,Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye was asked to continue his canonical studies at the famous St. Paul University, Ottawa in Canada where he obtained Licentiate Degree in Canon Law (JCL). He then proceeded to Lateran University, Rome (2003-2006) and obtained a Doctorate degree with Summa cum Laude Probatus in Canon Law (JCD). He also did courses in Canonical Jurisprudence in the Roman Rota (2004-2005). On his return from studies in 2006, Bishop Jonas Benson was appointed the Parish Priest of Immaculate Heart Parish, Ekwulobia (2006-2007); Parish Priest, St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Amawbia (2007-2013) as well as the Dean Amawbia Deanery (2007-2013). He was the Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Awka and the Dean Awka Deanery II. His Lordship, Dr. Jonas Benson Okoye has been the Judicial Vicar, Catholic Diocese of Awka and a Judge in the Onitsha Inter-Diocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal from 2007 till his appointment as Bishop. He has also served in various Commissions, both at the National and Diocesan level. He was a member CBCN Committee on Seminary Formation (2008-2012). Bishop Okoye is a member CBCN Committee on Canon Law (2011-date); Secretary Awka Diocesan Finance Council (2007-date); member Awka Diocesan Presbyterial Council (2007 – date); member Awka Diocesan College of Consultors (2009-date); member Diocesan Examination Board (2007- date). He was elected the President Canon Law Society of Nigeria in 2009 and was re-elected for a second tenure in 2012. His Lordship is a recipient of many merit awards exemplified in: Henry Dunant Gold Merit Award from Red Cross Society of Nigeria (2009); Clergy Merit Award by St Jude Igbo Speaking Catholic, Archdiocese of Kaduna (2009); Vocational Excellence Award, Rotary Club of Nigeria, Njikoka, Anambra State (2012), etc. Bishop Jonas Benson is committed to the encapsulation of his thoughts, knowledge and learning via reachable publications like pamphlets and books that both provoke questions and soothe the enquiries that perturb the hearts and minds of many. Some of his published works are

Books Abortion and Euthanasia – The Crime of our Day Equality of Spouses in Can.1135, 1987 A Colloqium of Service, 1997 Can. 1341: Judicial and Pastoral Discretion in the Application of Canonical Penalties, 2002 The Suicide: A Patient or a Sinner? 2006 (In the Light of Canonico-Ecclesiastical Penalty) 2011

Public Lectures Youth and Morality (Magazine, Bigard Memorial Seminary lkot-Ekpene 1986) The Business Priest in a Busy Ministry: in the Light of Canon 286 (Bigard ’92 Set at Enugu 1998) The Liturgical Season of Lent including the Easter Triduum (Seminar Organized by Awka Diocesan Liturgy and Inculturation Commission (ADLIC), April, 2000) Expectations and Challenges of a Good Leader (Seminar Paper for Neni Deanery Catholic Women Organization, July 2001) Purgatory: What the Church Teaches (Knights of St. Mulumba, Regina Caeli Sub-Council, April 2001) Indissolubility of Catholic Marriage and Making a Happy Home: Our Lady as a Model (National Convention of Confraternity of Christian Mothers’ Association at Cana House, Awka, May 2000) Judicial and Pastoral Discretion in Relation to Offences, Persons and Penalties in the Light of Canon 1341 (2010 Annual Conference of Canon Law ‘Society of Nigeria) Indulgence – Benefiting from the Treasury of the Church (Youth Magazine, 2010) Pastoral Ministry of the Parish Priest and Parochial Vicar in the Code of Canon law(At Annual Seminar of Uromi Diocesan Priests Feb 2011

What God has Joined Together; No Man Should Put Asunder (Matt. 19:6): Why Annulment Now? (A Paper Presented at the 2013 Inauguration of the Judicial Year of Abuja Archdiocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal on the 26th January 2013 at the Cathedral of Twelve Apostles, Wuse). The Decision of Pope Benedict VXI to Resign: Canonico-Ecclesiastical Perspective (Feb. 2013) Most Rev. Dr. Jonas Benson Okoye is driven by a consummate passion to serve humans and God. The primary enabler to this passion of service has been his dogged commitment to the principle of being truthful to self, being fair to others, recognizing the essence of bold association with respectable authorities and institutions; readiness to make sacrifices that fundamentally improve the lives of people, organizations and institutions. In all these he sees himself as a humble servant of God from whom all good things flow. His firm conviction that it shall be well for the faithful here and hereafter emboldens him to teach decency and enhanced living as collateral instead of limitation on the course to eternity. In the midst of adversity, he sustains joy and hope. Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye enjoys work and more work as he blends the growth of spirituality with expanding and entrenching the frontiers of Catholicism in our land. His hobbies include reading and writing, engaging discourses on the path to eternity; and playing table tennis

Ekwunife Congratulates Newly Appointed Catholic Bishop Of Nnewi Diocese

 News update

Ekwunife Congratulates Newly Appointed Catholic Bishop Of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Jonas-Benson Okoye

The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife, PhD, heartily rejoices with the Most Rev. Jonas-Benson Okoye over his appointment as the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi. 

Ekwunife describes Bishop Okoye as an inspirational and peace-loving preacher, a man of faith who is very passionate to uplift humanity and win souls for Christ. She notes that the emergence of Bishop Okoye who before his appointment was the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka Diocese is very deserving, considering his impact and contributions to the church in Awka Diocese and beyond.

The Senator urges the Adazi-Nnukwu born Bishop to never cease to grow in the practice and defence of the faith, spreading the good news of Christ and continuing to intercede through prayers for the betterment of the country.

"My Lord Bishop, I received the news of your appointment as the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi diocese with excitement, and wishes to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you for the greater responsibility the lord has bestowed upon your shoulders in his vineyard, even as I pray for God's direction and guidance in your new office",  the influential lawmaker notes.

Ekwunife reiterates that she will continue to use the instrumentality of legislation to promote peace, religious tolerance and harmony amongst all religious groups. She assures the bishop of her total support to the church.

The ranking Senator however eulogizes the pioneer bishop of the diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Odili Okeke for his indelible marks in the diocese. She commends Bishop Okeke for his numerous laudable achievements and prays God to continue to sustain him in good health and longevity as he proceeds to retirement.

The Chairman Senate Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation on behalf of her family and the good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District further extends congratulations to the Catholic community of Nnewi Diocese. "I am sure that the episcopacy of Bishop Jonas-Benson Okoye will be fruitful and successful", the federal lawmaker concludes.

Signed

Kingsley Ubani 

SA Media to Senator Uche Ekwunife