News
Enugu Reps member empowers 150 constituents in hospitality management
The three weeks empowerment program sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu came to an end on Saturday the 27th of November with all participants numbering 150 filled with a sense of gladness over having learned a skill that can lift them from poverty and serve them a life time.
The empowerment program which was held in Awgu for the first week, Aniniri the second week and Oji-River the third week where the grand finale was also held saw a total number of 50 participants from each center.
The empowerment program which was themed ‘skill gap improvement’ was organized to teach the participant cooking and hospitality management was powered by the National Institute For Hospitality And Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and also saw an ensemble of teachers from the institute as they taught the participants all they needed to know.
Ibrahim Baba who was representing Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, the Director General of NIHOTOUR who was unavoidably absent in the event expressed his gladness over the success of the program, saying “We’ve run this program in Aninri, Awgu and Oji river and am happy that over 70% component of this training program was hands on, and we have successfully delivered skills in the areas of cooking, baking, confectionaries and a list of others.
“I am confident to say that more than 80% of those we trained can prepare different local dishes”, he said.
Commending Okechukwu for his good work for his people and also advising them to put into practice what they have learned, Ibrahim said “Alhaji greets you and sends congratulation for a successful running of this program. The honorable have done a lot of things for you; therefore my advice to you is to take advantage of this opportunity.
“We usually work round the country, but we have never seen a constituency that prepares a marathon training and empowerment program sponsored by one person. Therefore am sure that the honorable will be proud to see most of you setting up your small scale businesses and running it successfully”, he added.
The program which is a continuation of the excellent service of Okechukwu to his people having already sponsored a free medical outreach for over 5000 patients, paying WAEC fees for over sixty public schools, delivering science kits and giving schools in his constituency desks and seats for the students, renovating and building classroom blocks for students, construction of roads, 7 days training of teachers from his constituency and a lot more.
Addressing the happy participants at the grand finale of the program, Okechukwu expressed his gladness for their willing participation to get trained for in a skill that will open a lot of opportunities for them.
“Am happy that you all were patient enough to learn it. There are places you will go and this training is not important, but here this can make all the difference in our lives. Our local delicacies like achicha, abacha, ugba and the others when sold in open societies and places like Abuja you will see that you can get a large sum of money for it but most people don’t know.
“So am urging you people today that when you get home, apart from the one you will cook for your family, try and open a little joint where you can use this skills to make money. Its from the little we are doing that we can be able to support the economy of enugu state”, he said.
Assuring his people of his unalloyed service to them, the lawmaker said “What is most important is remembrance. We may not have all we want now but anything that falls out I will make sure you all have it too whether it comes in form of medical outreach or any other things make sure to try your best to partake in it”.
The CEO of Best Western Hotel, one of the leading hotels in the state, Sir Isaac who graced the event with his presence spoke to the participants at length over the importance of the skill they just acquired.
“I have worked in the hotel industry for about 20 years now, and to get good chefs at times is always difficult. And this causes chefs to get paid a higher amount of money than most managers in a hotel”.
Commending their food he said “Eating what most of you just made now I believe we have a lot of chefs here. From the way you all are dressed to your manner of food hygiene I can say that you all can work in a hotel so that it’s not only calabar people that are employed to cook in our hotels all the time in Igbo land”.
Lauding the Honorable over a job well done, he said “Toby Okechukwu is really doing well. It’s not easy to host this empowerment programs he does all the time but he keeps doing it, and am promising you people that more is still coming from him”.
Former commissioner for Information, Doctor Godwin Uduehele revealed to UGAMATV that the program was organized by Okechukwu with an aim of assisting families in the increasing their menu and alleviating the sufferings of the families of the people participating.
“At the end of it they will be in the position of preparing different types of soups, both the ones they can eat and the ones they can sell, by so doing they will want to learn how to fish and not just get the fish.
Speaking about Okechukwu’s reason for holding the program in three different local governments, he said “The primary purpose of hosting it in 3 different places is because if you bring all of them together the tendency is that the means of all of them coming together from the 3 different local government for 3 days will be difficult.
“Even if you have it at Aninri, Awgu people will go there 3 times and it will affect the number of people who are participating due to distance. So, we did it this way to ensure they don’t spend much coming from their place to the training ground and so that they dont have any reason not to attend and so today is the grand finale which is aimed at bringing the 3 local governments together.
Adding that Okechukwu has made provisions for those who just learned the skills to kick start their business, he said “We are giving them starters pack which include electric cooker, cooking spoons, fry pan and some amount of money so that they can buy things which they learned and practice it”.
Ebele iloaku who was one of the organizers of the program expressed her gladness that the event was a success stating how difficult it was organizing the program.
“It was not easy organizing the program, but thank God for everything. With the help of God I is was able to monitor everything and there hasn’t been anything like argument or fight.
“Also Dr. Uduehele because he has also been making it very easy for me too because before he leaves the program he always talk to them to work with me. And am happy for their cooperation so far”, she said.
Advising the participants she said “I will advise them to take the program serious because last year we did the same program but it was based on making liquid soap, disinfectants, Vaseline and many other things. I pleasantly surprised when I went to Gariki market one day and saw one of our students who was selling Vaseline and liquid soap and I was happy because it proves what we are doing have not been a waste. So my advice to this set of students is that they start up something with what they have been given today and not to go back to start staying idle”, she said.
Mrs Kelechi who took the participants on baking and cooking classes have commended the honorable and other organizers for their efforts in making the three weeks training go smoothly.
Speaking with UGAMATV, she said “I’ve been teaching them on both cooking and pastries for three weeks and I’ve had 150 students for the 3 centers. Each center is 50 people”.
Adding that she was very impressed with the performance of the participants so far, she said “Most of them are really ready to work. Even after their class is over some of them at Awgu have been calling me and am very happy because even their parents are also encouraging them.
Commending the efforts of Okechukwu for his people she said “I pray God should bless Toby. If we have people like Toby and Ekweremadu who have been really working in the state then Nigeria will be great.
Advising the students not to just attend the workshop due to the packages the honorable promised them, she said “they should put into practice what they have learned here and they should always pray for Toby, because as he is going forward we are also going forward with him”.
One of the participants of the program from Awgu, Cecilia Udeh have thanked Toby Okechukwu for providing the opportunity for them, stating that “its not easy for him to come from the federal to the east just to do this for us so I pray for more upliftment in his life.
“This program have enlightened so many people that partook in it. I decided to participate in the program because I knew I will learn a lot of things from it like how to make certain pastries and local delicacies. I believe that with all I have learned so far by January I will start a business with them”, she said.
Tony from Aninri who was also one of the male participants of the workshop was filled with nothing but words of praises for the Honorable. “Toby Okechukwu brought people from National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism to teach us how to make cake, meatpie, fish roll, cooking and other things”, he said.
At the end of the program, Okechukwu who had eaten a lot of the food and pastries prepared by the participants was impressed with what they had done. In an exclusive interview with UGAMATV, he revealed that his motivation for organizing programs like that every year was to prevent them from being idle.
“An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. The only thing you can do for your people is to get them skillfully engaged. This training on local cuisine and pastries is meant to enable them to have the skills and capacity to earn a living and have the opportunity of working in a restaurant as a chef and they can open up their own businesses.
“We are creating opportunities for people to have skills, so that when they get money by any means they can multiply that money and then raise their own capital.
“My assurance is that I will do my best to ensure that anything that is being shared to the citizens by the federal government gets to my people and they don’t lag behind, I will always do my best to represent them”, he said.
When asked how long he had been running programs like that he said “This has been running for a long time now. We have supplied science kits to all the secondary schools in my area,we trained teachers for one week at SEDI on how to use this kits.
Emphasizing that people needed to stop expecting the government to give them works, he said “Sometimes you expect government to give you employment but most times it better you employ yourself. 99% of employment is self employment, so that is why we try to bring these skills to sustain them.
“We have trained engineers at SEDI, we have trained people on agriculture like snail farming, fish farming and the rest. (speaking on his next training) These are areas they can also find a niche. Going forward we are going to teach our constituents on how to make gas from waste, because gas is now very expensive”, he concluded.
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 .
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
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