Prime Heritage Magazine

By Nwafor Oji Awala I came across a post on a website that nearly made me spill my morning tea: former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, allegedly sentenced to death by hanging for hiding ₦1 trillion in a secret Australian account. If this is true, then history has just been made, not in infrastructure, not in governance, but in the art of public fund embezzlement. The court, according to the report, thundered that with ₦1 trillion, Abia could have built two airports, a modern railway line, and secured stable electricity. Instead, the projects remained ghostly promises, while the funds embarked on their own international excursion, leaving behind potholes that could swallow cattle and a darkness so permanent it should be declared a heritage site. But let us pause. This is not ordinary theft. This is Nigerian genius at work. Why stop at ₦1 million or ₦1 billion when you can aim for ₦1 trillion? Ikpeazu, if guilty, must be saluted for ambition. He has taken “budget padding” from ari...

By Nwafor Oji Awala On a quiet afternoon, I stumbled across a video of Makoko on Facebook: a community balanced on stilts above the Lagos Lagoon, where children paddle canoes with ease and families carve out their lives in harmony with the water. Watching it, my mind immediately wandered to Venice, the Italian city renowned as the "City of Canals." Suddenly, it struck me: Nigeria has its own Venice, but unlike its European counterpart, it remains under-celebrated and hidden behind labels of poverty. Makoko: A City on Water Makoko, often called the "Venice of Africa," is a settlement with roots tracing back to the early 19th century, when fishermen from Togo and Benin made it their home. Today, the community has grown into a labyrinth of wooden houses built on stilts, connected by narrow waterways where canoes serve as the lifeblood of daily movement. Estimates put the population as high as 250,000, a remarkable concentration of people whose lives are shaped by, ...

By Nwafor Oji Awala  The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State, has dismissed allegations that Dr. Chidi Lloyd unlawfully sacked workers or denied them salaries, describing the claims as deliberate misinformation aimed at discrediting the council boss. Reacting to the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) seven-day warning strike across the 23 councils in the state, the spokesman insisted that no verified employee of Emohua Council has been laid off. According to him, the administration is only carrying out a payroll cleanup exercise to weed out ghost workers allegedly inserted into the system by the immediate past administration that was removed by the Supreme Court. He added that Dr. Lloyd has instructed the council’s legal department to initiate lawsuits against individuals and groups spreading “damaging falsehoods” about his government. The union, in a circular dated September 24 and signed by its State Secretary, ...

The Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Amasenibo Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple, DSSRS, has declared the flood menace ravaging the area an emergency, citing the severe impact on residents and communities. Pepple made the declaration during the ongoing Summit on Flood and Erosion Management organized by the Technical Committee on Drainage, Flood Management, and Control. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, the council boss said the decision underscores his administration’s recognition of the persistent challenge, pains, and suffering floods have inflicted on the people of Bonny. “Declaring flood an emergency is not just symbolic; it is a call for urgent and concerted action. Our people have endured untold hardship year after year, and it is our responsibility to prioritize solutions,” Pepple stated. He assured that the local government, in collaboration with relevant agencies and stakeholders, will intensify efforts toward mitigating the effects of flooding,...

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to make public the details of the process for appointing a new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The demand comes as the current chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, nears the end of his constitutionally allowed 10-year tenure in November 2025, after presiding over the 2019 and 2023 general elections. In a letter dated September 27, 2025, and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged Tinubu to disclose how many candidates are under consideration, their identities, and whether the Council of State has been or will be consulted, as mandated by the Constitution. The organisation stressed that transparency in the process is essential to ensure the independence and impartiality of INEC. SERAP also pressed the president to reverse the appointment of alleged partisan Resident Electoral Commissioners and guarantee that Yakubu’s successor would...

The atmosphere at the Eleme Local Government Council Headquarters was nothing short of celebratory as the Executive Chairman, Chief Obarilomate Ollor , welcomed a group of bright youngsters whose names are now etched in history as Eleme’s first batch of successful candidates into the Rivers State Real Madrid Academy, Port Harcourt . Led by Hon. Joseph Ekee , and flanked by proud parents and dignitaries, the seven children arrived like champions-in-the-making. Their journey, which began with a simple application, has blossomed into an opportunity that could define their future. The Story Behind the Success Recounting how it all began, Hon. Ekee—former Adviser on Youth and Sports to the immediate past Eleme Council Administrator—narrated how a memo from the Rivers State Government opened the door. Determined to seize the opportunity, Eleme ensured its children were prepared. The result? Seven sparkling success stories: Oliver Ollor (Onne Eleme) Marcus Ogbu (Alesa Eleme) Isaac J...

Nwafor Oji Awala  At Comprehensive High School, Alesa Eleme , the school bells rang with more than the usual rhythm yesterday. It wasn’t just another day of lessons—it was a day of hope, gifts, and promises of a brighter tomorrow. Students trooped in with wide eyes and wider smiles for the “Empowering Eleme’s Future” event, hosted by none other than Chief Hon. Igwe Aforji Obey PhD , the man who has steadily become a familiar face of support in Eleme’s educational journey. In partnership with the Eleme Apex Academic Council —a proud association of PhD holders—Hon. Aforji didn’t just hand out back-to-school supplies, scholarships, and cash gifts ; he handed out confidence. For many families grappling with the soaring costs of education, these gestures meant more than material relief—they meant opportunity. As bundles of exercise books, backpacks, and writing materials changed hands, so did something intangible: the belief among students that their community leaders see them, valu...

Hon. Igwe Aforj Obey PhD When Prime Heritage Magazine caught up with Chief Hon. Igwe Aforji Obey PhD , the Member representing Eleme Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Education, at the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters, he was in a reflective but determined mood. The lawmaker, who recently returned with his colleagues after months of legislative suspension during the emergency rule, described the period as one of silence and frustration for his people. “We lost the voice of representative government, including the voice of Eleme,” he recalled. “I tried to keep in touch with our traditional rulers and opinion leaders, but it wasn’t the same. The sole administrators weren’t elected by our people. My constituents truly felt the absence.” Now back in the chamber for his second term, Aforji says the mood in Eleme is one of renewed hope. “The day we resumed plenary, our people were jubilant. We promised to hit the ground running, and that’s exactly what we are...

By Nwafor Oji Awala  When Hilda Effiong Bassey, better known as Hilda Baci , set her sights on the Guinness World Record for the Biggest Pot of Jollof Rice , it was never going to be a small dream. It was, in fact, a dream measured in 250 bags of rice , nine months of meticulous planning, and a price tag that crossed ₦300 million . “We spent over 300 million Naira on this Biggest Pot of Jollof Rice Guinness World Record,” Hilda revealed with a mix of pride and gratitude. “The planning alone took nine months, and making the pot took us two months. I have friends who came from America to Nigeria to watch me, and I’m very grateful to win this record for my country.” Her words carried the weight of the journey, one marked by courage, sacrifice, and an unrelenting belief in Nigeria’s culinary power. On the day of the record attempt, over 20,000 Nigerians thronged the venue, united not just by the aroma of steaming jollof rice, but by the spirit of celebration. It wasn’t merely foo...

By Nwafor Oji Awala When celebrity chef Hilda Effiong Bassey , popularly known as Hilda Baci , announced her attempt to cook the world’s largest pot of jollof rice, many thought it was another Guinness World Record bid in a season of record-breaking fever. But what unfolded in Lagos on the 12th of September 2025 was more than a cooking spectacle—it was a cultural statement, a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s culinary pride, and perhaps the beginning of a new chapter in our food heritage. The Event That Shook Lagos Hosted at the expansive Eko Hotel and Suites car park after an overwhelming 20,000 Nigerians registered to attend , Hilda’s attempt was nothing short of historic. A 22,619-litre custom pot , lifted with cranes and carefully balanced, became the vessel of cultural pride. Into it went 250 bags of rice , tomatoes, spices, and countless ingredients that form the backbone of the world-famous Nigerian jollof. Backed by brands such as Gino Tomatoes , Viva Detergent , and the hospita...

Comr. Noble Obari Nwolu  By Nwafor Oji Awala. Ogale community witnessed a dramatic turn in its youth leadership transition as Comr. Noble Obari Nwolu, outgoing Youth President, reflected on his tenure and the peaceful emergence of his successor, only for the process to be nullified hours later by the Eleme Local Government Chairman. The selection of Comr. Appolus Oyor Jnr. as the new Ogale Youth President took place on Sunday, September 7, at Obarijima Palace, the royal court of HRH King Godwin Bebe Okpabi, Paramount Ruler of Ogale. The process, coordinated by the Ogale Council of Chiefs alongside political stakeholders and youth representatives, was hailed by Comr. Nwolu as “the first peaceful youth leadership transition in Ogale.” Speaking with Eleme Today in the morning hours of September 8, Nwolu explained that the youth presidency rotates among Ogale’s three founding communities—Alueken, Ekpangbala, and Aluebo. This year, Ekpangbala produced four aspirants, but after a scr...

By Nwafor Oji Awala September 18 is now firmly set as the date Governor Siminalayi Fubara returns to his seat of power in Rivers State after a six-month suspension. But his comeback is not merely an administrative resumption, it is the opening of another act in a political drama that has kept Rivers at the center of national attention. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has wasted no time asserting itself in the state. The party swept 20 out of 23 local government areas in the just-concluded elections, a contest many observers insist was boycotted by Fubara and his loyalists. With control of the grassroots in their hands, APC leaders such as Chief Tony Okocha have already set the tone: the party is willing to work with the governor but will not hesitate to oppose him whenever necessary. But beneath the surface lies a deeper tension, one that raises fundamental questions about the future of Rivers politics and about Fubara himself. Has Fubara been truly humbled into submission by ...

By Nwafor Oji Awala Rivers State entered a new phase of grassroots governance on Monday as the Sole Administrator, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), swore in newly elected local government chairmen following last weekend’s elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). The ceremony, held at Government House, Port Harcourt, brought together elected chairmen from across the 23 local government areas. In his charge, Admiral Ibas emphasized that the mandate given to the new leaders was not a trophy, but “a call to duty.” “You have been entrusted with the responsibility to bring governance closer to the people,” the Sole Administrator declared. “Your conduct must reflect fairness, inclusiveness, and dedication to the welfare of all residents.” He warned that the state government would hold council bosses accountable for misuse of public funds or failure to deliver on their responsibilities. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Chairman of Obi...