Saturday, April 7, 2012 will remain a remarkable day in the lives of indigenes of South Ibie, Etsako –West Local Government Area of Edo State. On that day the Aidonogie’s Royal Palace, Iyakpi, South-Ibie council was filled to capacity by a large crowd of indigenes as well as friends, relations, well wishers, who came from far and wide to celebrate the maiden edition of South Ibie Day Celebration. The day also provided them an opportunity to categorically demand from the state government a staff of office to the newly appointed Aidonogie which will translate to a substantive king.

IT was a scene of confusion in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital penultimate week when officers and men of the Nigeria Police, Ebonyi State Police Command and students of Ebonyi State University, EBSU, Abakaliki clashed at the gate of the College of Health Sciences, CHS, Presco campus during what initially began as a peaceful protest by the students of the institution.

Recently, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, alerted Nigerians on the proliferation of fake St Louis sugar in the markets. The sugar which was said to have been smuggled from Cotonou had been consumed by a number of unsuspecting Nigerians without the slightest knowledge of the hazard it represents.

A member of the National Youth Service Corps, Oluwaseyi Oluwalade, serving in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, has donated 2,000 copies of customized Big Exercise books to 10 public primary schools in Akoko South/West Local Government Area of the state.

But for providence, members and management of the Methodist Church Nigeria, located at Owolowo street, Ikorodu, Lagos would have been thrown into mourning following an attempt by a young man to plant an explosive device there after scaling the fence of the church compound.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, has called on Lagos residents to verify the drainage level of their areas and obtain invert level of the major roads before constructing their buildings to ensure that houses are not submerged during rains. He also warned that those whose buildings are below the drainage level will experience perennial flooding.

Tafawa Balewa, a local government in Bauchi State, is located about 83 kilometres away from Bauchi metropolis on its southern part and majority of the inhabitants in that town are Jarawa, Fulani, Hausa, Sayawa, kanuri,Tapshinawa (angas) and other tribes. The town has been a hot-bed of communal crises that have lingered for over 50 years.

Never in the wildest imagination could Peter Opara had envisaged the tragedy that befell him and members of his family last Sunday.

Newly recruited staff of Fidelity Bank Plc who are currently undergoing their induction in the bank’s training school, at the weekend, demonstrated their readiness to be good members of the Fidelity family by keying into the bank’s vision for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Imagine being kicked out of your matrimonial home by your husband because you are suffering from a disease or health challenge that exposes you to public humiliation and stigmatization. This sadly is the lot of most victims of Vesico Vaginal Fistula, VVF, an ailment resulting from an abnormal fistulous tract that extends from the urinary bladder (‘vesico’) to the vagina, leading to an involuntary continuous discharge of urine into the vagina (urinary incontinence).

The refusal of the streets cleaners employed by Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State to return to their work place after a threat to lay them off from work has led to filth taking over markets and streets in the council area.

A FIRST time visitor to Agunfoye, a sleepy community in Igbogbo-Bayeku Local Council Development Area, LCDA, of Ikorodu, Lagos State, will not fail to notice a signboard at the entrance with the bold legend: “Welcome to Agunfoye, the land of peace”. But it is a claim that is contradicted by the reality on ground as the people in the community have not known peace for years owing to incessant attacks by hoodlums.

Peace is yet to return to Aguiyi- Ironsi International Trade Centre, a popular market in the Ladipo area of Lagos State presently being rocked by leadership tussle between the market association president, Mr Jonathan Okoli and owners of the complex, Paramo Ventures, even after repeated calls that both parties abide by the memorandum of understanding signed by them.

The recurring crisis in Plateau State which has spanned over a decade has no doubt drawn negative attention to the once peaceful state in recent times. Several workshops, seminars and dialogue sessions have been held to seek an end to the problem and chart a way forward.

Last week Monday, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and his convoy foiled a robbery operation in the Obalende area of the state, recovering a locally-made gun and some suspected stolen items in the process.