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Edo @ 35: SSA Pubic Affairs, Razak Zekeri Urges Okpebholo To Immortalise Founding Fathers As Part Of SHINE AGENDA

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Edo @ 35: SSA Pubic Affairs, Razak Zekeri Urges Okpebholo  To Immortalise Founding  Fathers As Part Of SHINE AGENDA As Edo State marks its 35th Creation Anniversary on August 27, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Comrade Razak Zekeri, has called on the working Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to use the occasion to honor and immortalize the founding fathers and past leaders of Edo and the old Bendel State. A Look Back: How Edo State Was Created Comrade Zekeri recalled that August 27, 1991 was the day the then military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida split the old Bendel State into two Edo and Delta States. Bendel State, with Benin City as capital, was itself created in 1976 from the defunct Mid-Western Region which was carved out of the Western Region in 1963 through a historic referendum. The Mid-West was Nigeria’s first and only region created by plebiscite, and it gave the country some of its earliest self-governing ins...
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2026 IYD: WANEP Urges Increased Investment in Youth Leadership for Peace and Sustainable Development

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2026 IYD: WANEP Urges Increased Investment in Youth Leadership for Peace and Sustainable Development  Habiba Aniekan Sam  The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding, WANEP-Nigeria, has called on government, development partners and other stakeholders to commit more resources to youth leadership, education, innovation and civic engagement as a pathway to lasting peace and national development. The appeal was contained in a statement released to mark the " 2026 International Youth Day" , with the global theme: Different Contexts, Common Aspirations. According to WANEP-Nigeria, although young people across Nigeria grow up in diverse social, economic and political realities, they share the same hopes: peace, dignity, access to quality education, decent jobs, meaningful inclusion in governance, and a sustainable future. The organization noted that young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35 make up more than half of the country’s population. Over the years, they have played ac...
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CSJ Demands Stronger Institutional Reforms to Block Corruption in Health, Education Sectors

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CSJ Demands Stronger Institutional Reforms to Block Corruption in Health, Education Sectors By   Emmanuel Iyoho  Dignitaries and stakeholders in a group photograph during the books Presentation of the follow up corruption risk assessment on the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, follow up corruption risk assessment on the system review on the National Health Insurance Authority and follow up corruption risk assessment on the Universal Basic Education Commission reports held at the Reiz Continental Hotel Abuja recently. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has called for stronger institutional collaboration, continuous monitoring and sustained multi-stakeholder engagement to ensure that anti-corruption reforms translate into concrete improvements in Nigeria’s health and education sectors. The Lead Director of CSJ, Eze Onyekpere, made the call recently in Abuja at the public presentation of three follow-up Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) and System Review Repo...
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RJN Trains Community Monitors, Demands Transparency, Accountability in Resource Governance

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RJN Trains Community Monitors, Demands Transparency, Accountability in Resource Governance By  Emmanuel Iyoho  Some participants including the North Central Coordinator of RJN Nigeria, Macdonald Ekemezie,  FCT State Coordinator of RJN Nigeria, Collins Nyong, others pose for the press at the One-Day Step-Down Training on Community Monitoring organised by the Resource Justice Network Nigeria, FCT Chapter, The training, held at the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Gwarinpa Estate in Abuja recently. The Resource Justice Network (RJN) Nigeria has called for greater transparency, accountability and equity in the management of Nigeria’s natural resources, urging communities and civil society organisations to take a more active role in monitoring extractive activities, government projects and the implementation of public policies. The call was made in Abuja at a One-Day Step-Down Training on Community Monitoring organised by the Resource Justice Network Nigeria, FCT Chapter, on ...
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A'Ibom Community, Abuja Unveils Three-Member Liaison Team to Strengthen Ties with Home State

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A'Ibom Community, Abuja Unveils Three-Member Liaison Team to Strengthen Ties with Home State By  Emmanuel Iyoho  From right. Mr Peter Saturday, His lordship Bishop Anthony Udeh, and Mr Emmanuel C. Udoh listening while the Obong of Akwa Ibom community in  Abuja,  Mkpisong  Jackson Ndueso admonishing the  three-member Liaison Team  during the inauguration in Uyo recently. The Akwa Ibom Community, Abuja (AKCOM), has ushered in a new era of institutional coordination with the inauguration of a three-member Liaison Team in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, replacing its long-standing one-person liaison structure in a move aimed at strengthening engagement between members in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and their home state. The newly inaugurated team comprises His Lordship Bishop Anthony Udeh as Chairman and Liaison Officer, Mr. Emmanuel C. Udoh as Deputy Liaison Officer, and Mr. Peter Saturday as Secretary. The appointments, approved by the President of the Akw...
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NEWS EDITORIAL: OKPEBHOLO’S CRUSADE AGAINST CULTISM — EDO FINALLY BREATHES AGAIN

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NEWS EDITORIAL: OKPEBHOLO’S CRUSADE AGAINST CULTISM — EDO FINALLY BREATHES AGAIN  By Festus Alenkhe For too long, Edo State carried the burden of shame. Communities that were once known for peace and hospitality became theatres of violence. Cultism entrenched itself as a parallel authority, trading in bloodshed, extortion, and fear. Our youths were lost to it, our mothers were left to mourn, and the future of the state was held hostage. Today, however, there is cause for cautious optimism. There is cause to acknowledge that governance has returned to its primary duty: the protection of lives and property. Under *Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo*, the fight against cultism has moved beyond rhetoric to measurable action. And the results are becoming evident on our streets: *peace and harmony are gradually returning to Edo.* Political Will, Decisive Action What made the difference? Political will.   This administration drew a clear red line and told cultists in plain terms...
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A BOUNTIFUL BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO THE ENGINE ROOM OF EDO STATE GOVERNMENT

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A BOUNTIFUL BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO THE ENGINE ROOM OF EDO STATE GOVERNMENT From: Razak Zekeri, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs  To: Barr. Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., Secretary to the Edo State Government On this 6th of August, we celebrate not just a birthday, but a man whose vision, diligence and quiet strength power the heart of governance in Edo State. Barr. Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq., the Secretary to the State Government, is widely acknowledged as the “engine room” of the Monday Okpebholo-led administration. As the very first appointee into the executive council in November 2024, he set the tone for a government built on competence, discipline and service. Born at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, and proudly from Irrua in Esan Central Local Government Area, the SSG’s journey reflects a life dedicated to learning and nation-building.   He earned his LL.B with Second Class Upper Honours from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2008, proc...
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