News
Great reunion as Enugu Community celebrates New Yam festival after 8 years
It was a major breakthrough, glorious moment, fresh hope for greater things in Obeagu Town, Awgu local government area of Enugu state, as the community celebrated it’s first New Yam festival after eight years.
The colorful event, which was held at Igwebike Primary School Field, Obeagu, was symbolic of the growth, development, and progress of the Town.
Since the death of the former traditional ruler, Late Igwe D.O.C. Aneke Ikemefune, the community has faced various challenges due to the absence of a leader.
The celebration also marks the ascension of the paramount ruler of the community, Igwe Okolo Sylvester Emeka Ojukwu, Chinyelugo I, and Nevonugama III of Obeagu Ancient Kingdom.
At the event Igwe Sylvester Okolo Emeka Ojukwu, said that festival was to unite the people and an opportunity to recalibrate the developmental concerns of the Kingdom.
“I am going to make sure that peace reigns in Obeagu by setting up peace community that will ensure unity and peace in the kingdom.
We will make sure that there will be nothing like stealing again in this community. Parents look after your children, descipline them, warn and advice them.
I will ensure that we address issues and concerns from various groups in other to actualize the peace and progress that we need as a kingdom.” He said.
In a remark, the President General of Obeagu, Ogbuefi Callistus Orjiogbu, said that the festival is a way of honoring the ancestors and promoting the cultural heritage of Obeagu Kingdom.
“Yam, as the king of crops occupies a very important position both in the diet and socio-cultural lives of an Obeagu man. As the king crop, it appears in important ceremonies like marriage festivals, birth and burial ceremonies as well as conferment of titles and reception of heroes. During such ceremonies, the most preferred food is usually pounded yam with egusi, vegetable, okro soup with meat and fish to taste.
The New Yam festival is exclusively organized by the men-folk who have attained the age of maturity in the olden days.”
“This celebration and others were the creation of our fore-fathers in response to socio-cultural and religious demands for survival between man and his environment to exist in harmony. Therefore, we are calling our children and female members of Obeagu Nevon Ugama Community to join in the celebrations to promote and sustain our culture in this modern age.
In summary, the primary aim of Iri-Ji festival is comic entertainment. As a result, it has helped to maintain and sustain the significance and cultural heritage of Obeagu Nevon’Ugama Kingdom. It serves, also, as a way to respect the ancestors, acknowledge their achievements and promote our cultural ways of life.” He said
Also speaking, the chairman of the occasion and CEO of Big Brown Multichoice, Ogbuefi Obumneme Chukwu, described the event as a historic event that has united the villages of the community.
” Today is a great day in our community, this is the first time something like this happening in our community. Our people say that there is no place like home. This is were I grew up, schooled here, did everything here so I am happy to be here to enjoy with old time friends and relations.” He said.
Advising the youths, the CEO of UgamaTV, Hon. Toochukwu Chukwu, urged them to refrain from practices that will tarnish the image of the community, noting that there is no gain in crime.
” This is an opportunity to unite, advise the youths and see how we can move forward. There is no gain in crime, there is no gain in making problem. No to drugs, most at times when they take drugs they turn to exhibit these criminal tendencies, but when you are in your clear senses you will not think of kidnapping or stealing.” He concluded
Similarly, the chairman of the organizing committee for the festival, Ogbuefi Chinedu Ani Titus, described the event as marking a new dawn for the kingdom.
Also speaking, the councilor representing the Obeagu Award, Hon. Roseline Udeh, urged the people to eschew hate and embrace peace.
Ogbuefi Valentine Okolo Maduka said that the event is an ancient tradition of the Igbos organized to give thanks for the bounty of the harvest.
Mr. Chukwu Ani, who said that the event was the first of its kind in the kingdom, noted that the event holds great significance to the people.
The highlight of the event was the inauguration of the newly appointed chiefs by the Igwe and the wonderful display of variable masquerade.
A Catholic priest from Nigeria who was on a pastoral mission to the United States of America has taken his own life after the expiration of his visa and following prevailing new visa policy of the USA.
Reverend Father Benjamin Okwy Madu (Father Ben) as he was fondly called by his parishioners, aged 54, took his own life Thursday evening, July 2, 2026 after he reportedly expressed unwillingness to go back to Nigeria because he had fallen in love with the community of Cape Ann, the city of North Shore including the parishioners.
Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning sent a message to fellow priests confirming that Father Ben took his own life.
Local law enforcement and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office investigated the scene and noted that no foul play was suspected.
“Sincerely, it is not my wish to return home right now, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end,” Father Ben wrote.
“My heart is broken, yet my joy remains. I will miss the home I found away from home… I will deeply miss the seaside, where I often drive to after Mass to call my family and hear about their Sundays.” he was reported to have posted a farewell message on the parish newsletter.
Father Ben, a 54-year-old Nigerian national from the Diocese of Abakaliki, had been serving as a beloved hospital chaplain and parish priest on the North Shore of Massachusetts since 2021.
His R-1 religious worker visa was expiring, and he was ordered to return to Nigeria. Just days before his death.
The Boston Globe reported that he had expressed deep fears about what would happen to him upon returning to Nigeria, where clergy frequently face severe perils, including violence and kidnapping
The outbreak is said to have spread across several ISWAP enclaves, exposing worsening sanitary conditions and the dwindling availability of medical care within the insurgents’ camps.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed the development in a post on X, citing intelligence sources familiar with the situation.
According to the sources, two other ISWAP fighters who contracted the highly infectious disease were allegedly executed by members of the group after efforts to treat them in Kimba village proved unsuccessful.
The incident is believed to reflect the increasingly difficult conditions inside the terrorist camps, where sustained military offensives have disrupted supply routes and severely limited access to medicines, healthcare and other essential resources.
Intelligence sources said the combination of poor hygiene, inadequate medical facilities and mounting operational pressure has left many of the insurgents vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
The sources further disclosed that military commanders have been advised to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceutical products suspected of being destined for terrorist hideouts. Security officials believe cutting off access to healthcare supplies could further weaken ISWAP’s ability to treat injured or sick fighters and reduce the group’s operational capacity.
While the reports have not been independently verified, the development is seen as another indication of the mounting challenges facing the insurgent group as security forces continue sustained operations across the North-East.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In a shared post on his verified X handle, Onanuga simply announced that the victims had been released by their abductors.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid or the circumstances leading to their freedom, had yet to be disclosed.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools; Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks.
During the attack, a teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The incident had triggered weeks of public anguish, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers embarking on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
Reactions have trailed to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following recent welfare reforms by the Federal Government.
Veterans and serving personnel have described the amount as grossly inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living, while some accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a more substantial salary review promised months ago.
The criticism comes amid renewed concerns over troop welfare, military funding, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost morale among personnel battling insecurity across the country.
A retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, argued that the current salary falls far short of what is needed to meet basic living expenses.
“It is not enough at all. What is N100,000 in the current situation of the country? It cannot go far. They should do better. If soldiers are paid more, they will be more motivated and committed to their duties,” he said.
Another retired military officer, Sergeant Zaki Williams, questioned the accuracy of the figure disclosed by the minister and described the amount as inadequate for personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation.
“I doubt if they are even paying up to that amount now. Even if they are, it is too little. Any government paying a soldier N100,000 in today’s economy is not serious enough about the welfare of its troops,” he said.
Williams noted that soldiers face enormous challenges and deserve better remuneration and working conditions.
Also reacting, the Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, said the salary does not reflect the sacrifices made by military personnel.
“How can that be sufficient for someone putting his life on the line for the country? Consider the cost of food, housing, transportation, and children’s education. N100,000 is far from adequate for those responsible for protecting the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.
The reactions followed comments by the Minister of Defence during an interview with News Central, where he disclosed that the minimum monthly salary of soldiers had increased from N49,000 to N100,000 under the current administration.
According to the minister, the Federal Government has made deliberate efforts to improve troop welfare despite funding challenges facing the military.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.
Musa, however, acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and requires greater financial support to effectively address the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated stricter penalties for kidnapping, including the possibility of introducing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger deterrents are necessary to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.
The debate over soldiers’ welfare comes at a time when the military continues to confront multiple security threats, with stakeholders insisting that improved remuneration, better equipment, and enhanced welfare packages are critical to boosting morale and operational effectiveness.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.
The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.
However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.
He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.
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