BREAKING: Dankwambo in closed-door meeting with Obasanjo

Talban Gombe

The governor of Gombe state, Ibrahim Dankwambo alias Talban Gombe, is currently in a closed-door meeting with the previous president, chief Olusegun Obasanjo, at his presidential penthouse in Abeokuta.

He arrived the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential library complex at precisely 1.10pm together with his entourage.

His visit is probably connected with his presidential ambition.

If he finally gets the people Democratic party's presidential ticket, he will be the youngest to have achieve that. Currently, he has no case with any crime commission.

More soon

Federal college sets up panel to probe sexual misconduct allegation

The management of Federal college of Agriculture, Ibadan, has inaugurated a panel to investigate an allegation of sexual misconduct levelled towards a group of workers, Mr Femi Aremu, by a few students.

The college said in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Registrar, Mr Ambode Abass, that the panel would investigate the allegation and report back to the management within seven working days.

“Lots of our team of workers listened to ‘Taloye’, a Radio programme on Petals F.M., Ibadan on Aug.11  between 8pm. and 10pm.

“In the said programme, a number of our students openly accused Aremu of sexual misconduct and collection of gratifications to upgrade their marks.

“At no time lately was any report made to the management via the involved college students of any misconduct by Aremu, neither did the students tell the faculty’s Dean of  students’ Affairs nor Aremu’s Head of department.

“Instead, they informed only a group known as academic staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in the college,” Abbas stated.

He stated the organization wrote the Provost, Mr Babajide Adelekan, on August 9, threatening that action need to be taken against Aremu in respect of the same allegations levelled towards him by the students on the radio station.

“Our management requested for proofs of the allegations, however till now they are but to provide proofs of the allegations.

“The college has zero-tolerance for irresponsibility and any form of misconduct.

‘‘We can constantly apply the guidelines set out in the public service guidelines.

“We want the general public to rest confident that our college will by no means betray their trust.

‘‘Your children are very safe with us and we are dedicated to giving them the first-class training feasible,” he stated.

Ronaldo's overhead kick leads UEFA goal of the Season nominees as Bale is snubbed

The eleven nominees are led via the Portuguese's amazing  goal for Real Madrid in opposition to Juventus, with out a room for Bale's goal in the Champions League final.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the nominees for the UEFA goal of the Season prize.
The Portugal superstar is one among eleven candidates in the running for the award following his stunning overhead kick for real Madrid in opposition to his new club Juventus in last season's Champions League .

Only one goal from every UEFA competition is nominated, so Ronaldo has been selected ahead former team-mate Gareth Bale, who scored a similarly acrobatic goal in Madrid's Champions League final defeat of Liverpool .

Dimitri Payet provides the Europa League nomination, the France international producing a superb dribble and goal in Marseille's win against RB Leipzig.

Ronaldo's compatriots Goncalo Ramos, Paulo Estrela and Ricardinho are also on the shortlist, along with Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen.

Supporters can watch all the goals and vote for their preferred on the UEFA website. The award was won by Mario Mandzukic last year, while Lionel Messi claimed the honour in both 2015 and 2016.

UEFA goal of the Season nominees in full:

Lucy Bronze (Lyon 1-0 Manchester city)

Olga Carmona (Switzerland 0-2 Spain)

Elisandro (sporting CP 2-5 Inter)

Elliot Embleton (Turkey 2-3 England)

Christian Eriksen (Republic of ireland 1-5 Denmark)

Paulo Estrela (Porto 5-1 Besiktas)

Eva Navarro (Germany 0-2 Spain)

Dimitri Payet (Marseille 5-2 Leipzig)

Goncalo Ramos (Slovenia 0-4 Portugal)

Ricardinho (Portugal 4-1 Romania)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus 0-3 real Madrid)

THE 6 MEN WHO BROUGHT CIVILIZATION TO ABIRIBA. No2: LATE CHIEF IGWO ELEANYA KALU ( ETE IGWO) 1900 -1976.

Late Chief Igwo Eleanya Kalu alias Ete Igwo Kalu Ogba,was one of the foremost Igbo businessman in Nigeria fondly called by his close friends as: "Heaven",a translation into English of his Abiriba name. He was born into the family of Late Chief Eleanya Kalu of Nde Aja compound, Amogudu Abiriba.

His age-grade, Nchina Age grade (Uke Compini) "compini" stands for "Company" performed their Uche Ceremony in the year 1956. Many people, especially, we the younger generations heard about this great Abiriba son without meeting him alive. We only hear and see his 3-storey mansion built many decades ago when most villages were still in darkness. 

It is on record that he was registered into the famous DUKE TOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL in Calabar where he passed his Elementary Six without repeating a class, and until his death, no one in Nigeria accused him of crime neither did he practice on anyone what is known as 419. His stockfish and other business ventures made him one of the Richest Nigerians of his time that he became the 1st African to purchase a brand new motor car for personal use in 1947. A long Sleek Ford Limousine, a post 2nd World War car that has never been seen in Calabar before.

A fashion conscious gentleman who, although he had gold chains but hardly wore it. During the building of Enuda Secondary School in 1948 ( Now Enuda High School) one of the First community Schools in Igboland,Ete Igwo was said to have donated the sum of Four Hundred Pound Sterling. An amount the people of Abiriba called NNU PONG which meant about 1 Billion Naira in the imagination of untutored average Abiriba man of the 1940s. The amount, it is recorded was more than double what any other Abiriba man contributed to the Enuda Secondary School Building Fund. He is reputed to have donated far more than any other Abiriba man to funding A.C.I.U Scholarship Fund too. He sold the hottest commodity,stockfish, which he was far away the biggest importer in Nigeria to many Abiriba business men on CREDIT to help them make progress,thereby tying up a great deal of his capital in order to help his towns people,some of who did not honour their pledge to pay back those monies to him.

SOME OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS:

1: In June,1934, he became the First Abiriba man to build a country home with Cement block which were very expensive in those days. The building, a 3-Storey built mansion built around June,1934 is added here for all to see and it is 81 years this year.

2: He,alongside his Elder Bros was the first to import goods in ship loads from abroad instead of buying from big European firms in Calabar.

3: He was the first Abiriba man to purchase a brand new motor car in 1947.

4: He was the first Abirina man to own and live in a Two Storey building outside Abiriba. A house he built in Calabar in 1945.

5: In 1945, he became the first Abiriba man to send an Abiriba man abroad to study medicine (Dr. K.N. Oji),the last born of his sister.

6: He was the first Abiriba man to set-up a trading partnership business with his brother (J.K & I KALU EBIRIBA MERCHANTS without a single quarrel with his brother.

7: He was the first Abiriba man to build a mansion with electric lights powered by generator in 1954. Originally the largest private home in all Igboland which hosted Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and the Igbo Union Annual General Meeting in 1960. The building remains one of the latest buildings in Abiriba today. Uluo Elu Ete Igwo.

8: He was the First Abiriba man to make A WILL in or around 1965. He was also the first man to build his own tomb in Abiriba with P.O.P Ceilings.

He died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Umuahia on July 31,1976 @ the age of 76. Therefore, our people did not start today to make the Abiriba community in particular, Igboland and Nigerian in general proud. So, those of us who believe that our people, especially, our forefathers made money out of dubious or ritual means should know the history before going to town with our stories and stop giving outsiders wrong impressions about our founding fathers who made money early before civilization came to Nigeria.
The magic word our forefathers used in making Abiriba proud was UNITY, LOVE and TRUST. They used their wealth to better the lots of fellow Abiribarians and the community in general.

THE 6 MEN WHO BROUGHT CIVILIZATION TO ABIRIBA (PART I)

NO 1: CHIEF IKWAN ONWUKA (a.k.a IKWAN
OKPOGHO-OKPOGHO ) -1908-1991.

Chief Ikwan Onwuka Ebe was born into the family of Chief Onwuka Ebe Amadi and Madam Odunwa Onwuka of Ndi Oriri Umueso, Ameke, Abiriba in the year 1908. Being the 2nd of Five male issues. Ikwan was said to have displayed early in life attributes for which he was known all through his life on earth -peaceful,kind,philanthropic and a dogged believer of justice and fair play who abhorred injustice no matter the perpetrator.

During his youthful time, education wasn't widespread in the area. The custom was for young men to serve as "apprentice" or "Nwanta Uzu" under the tutelage of an established businessman. At a tender age,Chief Ikwan was said to have left Abiriba for Uzuakoli with his master, Chief Egwuronu Obasi (a.k.a Okwodu of Nde Ama, Ameke, Abiriba to serve his apprenticeship. He was said to have served his master for some years, learning the techniques and ethics of busines until he passed out and left for Umuahia to try his hand at his own business, armed with his natural good business instincts hightened during his tutelage ,the experience gained under his master and his belief and faith in God.

At Umuahia,young Ikwan was said to have engaged in trading and in the Obioma art for which people from this area are still well known. Married to an Mbaise lady while in Umuahia in 1942. They both formed a technically sound, morally and socially upright Christian family. Unlike the general tradition in his time and in the area where many of his friends married many wives, Chief Ikwan married only one wife with children who are well educated. He gave equal opportunities to all his children no matter the gender to develop their potentials by educating them both in Nigeria and overseas in areas for which each child has affinity.

He was said to be a hard worker ,and In business, Umuahia could no longer contain him and he left for Calabar in 1942 with his young wife. It was in Calabar that the business of Chief Ikwan Onwuka & Company became well established and grew. Amid stiff competition from Lebanese and Syrian merchants,Ikwan was said to have carried out successful busines ventures importing and selling quality textiles, stockfish, surplus goods and at the end of 2nd Wolrd War, the famous 3-legged Negro pots with the trademarks " I Onwuka" conspicuously displayed on them. It was said that UAC, JOHN HOLT etc did not find it funny with chief Ikwan in business circle at that time. He was said to hav suffered the wrath of the British government for daring to travel to Norway to import stockfish in 1949 which made his 97 Marina Raod shop ,warehouse and home in Calabar the busiest spot in calabar,not only a shop or warehouse for goods ,but the meeting place and transit home to people from all works of life.

He built the NATIONAL CINEMA in 1947, and, for over a decade was said to have had a running battle with Lebanese/Syrian proprietors of PATRICK CINEMA HOUSE also in Calabar. Dogged in his Belief that the Nigerian businessman has the right to do business in his country which led him going to court several times in a bid to see that justice was done. When the NATIONAL CINEMA proved a viable venture,he was said to have gone on to build the 1ST CINEMA HOUSE IN ONITSHA - BROADWAY CINEMA- on a piece of land leased to him by his good friend, Justice Louis Mbanefo and constructed by another good friend called Mr. Achukwu, a.k.a Achukwu Ochanja, both prominent Onitsha indigenes. Ikwan's world was said to have had no boundaries. He was said to be at home with people from all the tribes and nationalities.

In 1944, he was said to have opened a Lagos branch at 33 Balogun Street which quickly became a popular meeting place for Abiriba and other Igbo business pioneers to the city. He competed favourably with Lebanese and Indians in Lagos,and in 1950/51,Chief Ikwan dared out and opened the London branch of " I. ONWUKA & CO LTD" at 20 Copthal Avenue, London E.C and the same time bought a house at 92 Hewith Road, London N.8. Many indigent Nigerian student of the time were said to have benefited from the purchase of the house as his door was said to be open to all needy students who had accommodation and financial problems. His business was said to have taken him toTogo, Ghana, Algeria, Casablanca, Spain. Gibraltar, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Italy and Germany, a well-traveled man. Back home in Nigeria, he was reputed to have had and maintained offices and business ventures in Uzuakoli, Umuahia, Oron, Calabar, PH, Aba, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Jos and Ibadan.

However, inspite of his business preoccupation, he never forgot his creator. He was said to have lived a simple and devoted Christian life. He was a staunch member of Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (P.C.N) in Abiriba,Calabar and Lagos but never forgot to contribute to the Abiriba Community development through his age grade and other avenues where his Christian religion allowed his.The tag, " Ikwan Okpogho-Okpogho" was said to have been given to him because, he made money and used it for mankind. Loved Abiriba and his people. He was said to be a dependable, generous and a cheerful giver who would give money,advise,accommodation and moral support whenever needed.

He is the First Abiriba man to send a friend, not a relation overseas to study, and the beneficiary is Elder Chief Echeme Emole (E. Emole) ,his bosom friend who received his full scholarships to study law in the United Kinddom. With the education received through Chief Ikwan's scholarship, E. Emole became the FIRST ABIRIBA LAWYER, FIRST LAWYER IN BENDE DIVISION AND FIRST ABIRIBA MAN TO SERVE IN BOTH NNAMDI AZIKIWE/ MICHAEL OKPARA'S EASTERN REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS.

Chief Ikwan was a foundation member of A.C.I.U along with great Abiriba sons like Orji Agwu, Lazarus Ebe Ifendu of blessed memories in 1941 in Nwanibe-Effi-Ayong. A.C.I.U was said to have taken off from Chief Ikwan's house in Calabar. He Awarded several scholarships to friends,relations and strangers even though he lacked formal education of his own. He was founding member of A.C.B Bank whose first branch office was in his house at 43 Victoria Street, now Nnamdi Azikiwe Street,Lagos for which he was a member of the Board of directors

Chief Ikwan Onwuka died on September 22nd, 1991 at the age of 83 years.

They're not mentally strong enough!' - Ozil & Arsenal stars criticised by Merson

The former Gunners star fears the problems which held the club back towards the end of Arsene Wenger's reign remain underneath the guidance of Unai Emery

Mesut Ozil and Arsenal showed during their 2-0 defeat to Manchester city that they nonetheless lack mental power, in line with Paul Merson.

The Gunners faced accusations of lacking the stomach for a combat towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign, with those troubles leading to a tumble out of the premier League’s top four.

Unai Emery was drafted in to the turn the tide, however Merson says Arsenal continue to be "a cute bunch of lads".

He fears that will continue to keep the club back, with finances seemingly of more concern to those in north London than results on the field.

The former Gunners midfielder told Sky sports: "if you want to keep on coming along creating wealth and finishing fifth or sixth, nothing has to change. but in case you need to break in, get to that level, it's going to need a better mentality of player; I don't think the players are mentally robust enough.

"I don't see it - when it went 2-0 and the picture panned away and Bernardo Silva ran to the crowd, it was like Laurel and Hardy with Mesut Ozil, 'it is the end of that game'.

"They just appear to be a lovely bunch of lads, not even Granit Xhaka is getting them to come on - you never see it with Arsenal."

Even as Merson believes Arsenal are continuing to regress, ex-Gunners goalkeeper Jens Lehmann believes Emery has inherited a positive situation from long-serving Wenger .

He stated: "I don't consider it a re-build, the brand new manager has taken over a club in almost a perfect environment.

"The players have a good attitude. I expected a bit greater on Saturday, they had a large change, and after 22 years it is different if something is new, of course. it could have been my grandmother in charge, or whoever, however it is nonetheless new.

"I don't agree that when 22 years it takes a while to enhance - the 22 years were notable, and Arsene has invented the best football in the country, likely throughout Europe. Pep Guardiola took him as a position model in his best years, perhaps 10 years ago.

"In this 22 years, it was a period of success. not the ultimate achievement, and in latest years not the biggest achievement with missing out on the Champions League, but it has been a remarkable time altogether."

ABIRIBA ANNUAL EVENTS CALENDAR 2018:

( KNOW THE DATES - FIX YOUR OCCASIONS ON TIME AND IN LINE)

NEW YAM (EKE-MBU) FESTIVAL -2018

1: Monday 3/9/2018 - Eke Nkwo-Ukwu - Eke Ipapusa Ufie
2: Sunday 9/9/2018 - Afo   - Afor Ubi/Igwo agwu
3: Monday 10/9/2018 - Nkwo-Ukwu - Nkwo Nzukoru
4: Tuesday 11/9/2018 - Eke  - Eke Mbu
5: Wednesday 12/9/2018 - Orie - Orie Igbari Ikoro Ndi
6: Thursday 13/9/2018 - Afor - Afor Nso Ekembu/Ibu Manyi
7: Friday 14/9/2018 - Nkwo nta - Ibu Manyi/Burial activities commences.
8: Saturday 15/9/2018 - Eke - Burials
9: Sunday 16/9/2018 - Orie - Thanksgiving/ Wedding

ABIRIBA WOMEN'S DAY -2018

1: Saturday 24/11/2018

NOTE: Abiriba WOMEN'S DAY celebration was moved to Saturday 24th November,2018 to reflect the date that fell on Sunday 25th November,2018.

IGWA MANG ( HOME, ABIRIBA-ULUO) 2018.

1: Saturday 8/12/2018 -Eke - Eke Uzo Oba
2: Sunday 9/12/2018 -Orie - Orie Omaghuzo
3: Monday 10/12/2018 -Afo - Afo Omaghuzo
4: Tuesday 11/12/2018 - Nkwonta - Nkwo-Nzukoru
5: Wednesday 12/12/2018 -Eke - Eke Ipaomu
6: Thursday 13/12/2018 - Orie - Orie Igwa Mang
7: Friday 14/12/2018 - Afo Ubi - Afo Imakwuba Utara
8: Saturday 15/12/2018 Nkwo-Ukwu -Nkwo Ipu afia (Ekpe Ishi Ogorogo)

IGWA MANG (HOME & ABROAD) 2018.

1: Thursday 20/12/2018 -Eke Nsi - Eke Mgbugba
2: Friday 21/12/2018 -Orie - Orie Igba Mang
3: Saturday 22/12/2018 - Afor Ubi -Afor Izu ike/Igbaife
4: Sunday 23/12/2018 - Nkwo Nta -Nkwo Ipu afia (Inyimoka/Umon).

ILU NWAMI, IME UCHE, IZARI EFA -2018

1: Monday 24/12/2018 - Eke - Ilu Nwami
2: Tuesday 25/12/2018 -Orie - Christmas
3: Wednesday 26/12/2018 - Afo Nso - Ime Uche (Nde Ikom)
4: Thursday 27/12/2018 -Nkwo Nta - Ime Uche ( Nde Ikom)
5: Friday 28/12/2018 - Eke Nsi - Ime Uche ( Nde Inyom)
6: Saturday 29/12/2018 - Orie - Ilu Nwami/Special event
7: Sunday 30/12/2018 -Afo Ubi -Ilu Nwami/Special event
8: Monday 31/12/2018 -Nkwo Ukwu - Izari Efa

ANNUAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE/SPECIAL EVENTS.

1: Tuesday 1/1/2019 - Eke - Annual Thanksgiving/Solemn Assembly.
2: Wednesday 2/1/2019 -Orie -Ilu Nwami
3: Thursday 3/1/2019 -Afor - Ilu Nwami
4: Friday 4/1/2019 -Nkwo Nta - Burials
5: Saturday 5/1/2019 - Eke - Burials
6: Sunday 6/1/2019 - Orie - Thanksgiving.

NOTE: The full calendar for 2018 started from Iriama but I omitted Iriama while writing out the dates of the remaining occasions for clearer view by our people because Iriama and it's activities are gone already, but the full details are on the attached documents.

I advise us to abide by the dates while fixing our events. Abiriba is our own and we should obey our constituted authorities for peace to reign.

God bless Abiriba Enachioken and her people.

Tag your brothers and sisters to spread this dates to them.


From : Prince .N. Kalu ( P.N.K)