News
Project HOPE: NDDC Onboards Communities in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, & Rivers State for the Agricultural Specimen Program
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has onboarded host communities in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Rivers State for the agricultural specimen program, under the Holistic Opportunities and Programs for Empowerment (HOPE). The exercise was carried out at the Corporate Headquarters of the Commission by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, PhD, and also had in attendance the Executive Director, Finance and Administration (EDFA), Chief Boma Iyaye; Executive Director, Projects, Sir Victor Etim Antai; directors, staff of the commission, traditional rulers, stakeholders, and representatives of the host communities for the agricultural program.
The opening remark was given by the Executive Director, Projects, who is also the chairman of the Project HOPE committee in the Niger Delta Development Commission, Sir Victor Etim Antai. He said, “Project HOPE is a signature project in the Niger Delta Region. Project HOPE is the hope for the Niger Delta to identify the teeming youths, empower the youths, and is aimed at changing the tenor of militancy to a more respectable tenor of technology. The man behind it is the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku. We are here together because we have a lead consultant who is translating the dreams of the Managing Director for the youths and people of the region.” He thanked the traditional rulers and stakeholders for keying into the vision of Project HOPE, stressing the idea of the agricultural specimen is to make the region self-reliant, especially regarding food production and provision. He also informed that the Rivers Farmers Association has already met with the commission, explaining that other areas of the country need irrigation for rice production, but the Niger Delta doesn’t need irrigation as there’s enough water. He finally promised that the commission will not fail the communities in any way.
Ambassador Blessing Fubara, the lead consultant for Project HOPE, in his speech thanked the Managing Director and the 7th Board for the birth of the project. He said, “The communities are here today, and they have set an example to show that as communities, they are ready to be developed. MD sir, we carried out your directives, which is to translate from transaction to transformation, and the communities gave us hectares of land. Each community has seeded their lands and given us these lands for free with no dime paid.” He further said, “For us to develop the communities, we need to engage in public, private, and community partnerships, as they will be stakeholders in the project. The children of the communities will be part of the management of the farms. We have promised that we will start planting with the rainy season, and with the permission of the MD, we will meet up with planning in due time to ensure we harvest also in due time.”
Traditional rulers and stakeholders from the various states gave goodwill messages and remarks from their respective communities, thanking the Managing Director and other members of the 7th Board for ” not taking the bull by the horns but rather by the teeth .” They assured the commission of security and all the necessary support from their communities, stating that they have even above the required 100 hectares.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, in his remark, began by thanking the lead consultant for going to the field on behalf of the commission. He also thanked the Executive Director, Projects, and the other members of the Project HOPE committee for working around the clock to ensure the project is actualized. He said, “Project HOPE is born out of the renowned hope agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. What we are doing is creating sustainability. We know in the past so many projects have been done and abandoned. Food security is one vital instrument in the society that feeds our people and reduces social restiveness. In the past, we have tried to do all we can to ensure we empower youths and women of our region with little or no success. That is why we went back to the drawing board to have the Holistic Opportunities and Programs for Engagement. Development should not be only infrastructural; there’s a need to create a balance between infrastructural and human capital as well as other types of development. Once we can sort the basics, our region will develop rapidly.”
Chief Ogbuku reiterated that the commission wants the rural communities to be engaged to ensure they produce enough for the region. He further said, “The essence of this partnership is to ensure you’re not spectators to development but partners in development. For anyone to benefit from the program of engagement, the youths need to register in the Project HOPE database. With the database, we will know and pick people based on their areas of competence and interest, so we can put square pegs in square holes to ensure we don’t make mistakes. Everything about Project HOPE is properly structured to move on auto-pilot. We want the database so that at the end of the day, we can know how many we have engaged and be accountable for the youths of our region. The state reps and officers are carried along, so if you cannot reach us, reach the state offices for any information or enquiry. Project HOPE will ensure we work with our Triple T, which is Transition from Transaction to Transformation. Project HOPE is bringing hope to the people of the Niger Delta. Let me thank you for being magnanimous enough to donate your lands. I assure you that we will be transparent, and we will not disappoint. For the fact that you donated your lands, when we have projects, we will give you preference.”
The proof of the onboarding exercise was the presentation of documents for the seeded lands by the communities to the Managing Director of NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku.
~ Cooperate Communications
Project HOPE
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
When the Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the report of its Special Committee on Land Matters and Disputes in 2024, many observers described it as a watershed moment in the long-running controversy surrounding the Centenary City land in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
The report attracted national attention because it tackled a dispute that had generated numerous court cases, allegations of intimidation, destruction of property, community unrest, and claims involving some of the most influential figures in the state.
For many residents of Amechi and Obeagu, the Assembly’s intervention provided the first official platform where their grievances appeared to receive impartial consideration. The committee’s findings were widely commended for their detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and development of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral land.
At the heart of the controversy was the allegation that Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA), operating under a development agreement with the Enugu State Government, relied on questionable documents to assert rights over vast portions of land originally linked to a proposed university project initiated during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.
After reviewing submissions from the parties, the Assembly committee identified several inconsistencies in documents connected with the acquisition process. Among its findings were concerns regarding the authenticity of a survey plan purportedly prepared for the “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” in 1985, despite the fact that Enugu State had not yet been created at that time.
Controversial Enugu Centenary Land: A Daniel Has Come To Judgement
The committee also questioned the authenticity of signatures and official endorsements appearing on key documents, including survey records, gazette notices, and correspondences allegedly executed on behalf of traditional authorities in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the host communities had established that they were not properly carried along in the acquisition process and recommended dialogue, compensation, government intervention, and a comprehensive audit of lands developed under the Centenary City project.
At the time, many hailed the report as evidence that the legislature was willing to confront powerful interests in defence of justice and accountability.
Two years later, events appear to have given fresh significance to those findings.
Today, Kingsley Eze, Chamberlin Mbachu and Private Estates International (W.A.) Limited are facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, Enugu, in connection with the alleged forgery of a survey plan linked to the disputed acquisition of ancestral lands in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
According to the charge sheet in Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, the defendants are accused of conspiring to forge a survey plan titled “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” purportedly dated 1985.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants knowingly made or uttered the survey plan as a genuine document despite its alleged falsity. The offences are said to be punishable under relevant provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The criminal charges have drawn renewed attention to the conclusions reached by the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2024, particularly its observations regarding inconsistencies surrounding the same survey plan and related acquisition documents.
The developments have also prompted further advocacy from civil society organisations. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over investigations and prosecutions connected with the dispute, investigate allegations of misconduct against certain police officers, and review criminal proceedings allegedly used for harassment and intimidation.
In a separate petition dated May 28, 2026, RULAAC also urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in two criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court, Enugu, citing repeated failures by law enforcement authorities to produce defendants for arraignment.
The cases include Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others, and Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
As the criminal proceedings continue, many observers believe the matter has entered a decisive phase. The allegations that were once the subject of community petitions, legislative inquiries and public debate are now before a court of law for determination.
Whether the Assembly’s 2024 report marked the beginning of accountability or merely one chapter in a much longer struggle remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the issues raised by the Amechi and Obeagu communities have not faded away. Instead, they have evolved into a legal test that could shape public confidence in land administration, governance and the rule of law in Enugu State for years to come.
If the legislative findings, criminal investigations and court proceedings ultimately converge on the truth, then many residents may indeed conclude that, at long last, a Daniel has come to judgment.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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