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Guest Article: The Battle for Nigeria’s Oil Security – Exposing the Forces Undermining National Revenue & the Tompolo Factor
By Tosan Blessing
Long before the conspiracy of evil men led EFCC to declare Tompolo wanted over a case the EFCC could not directly pursue, a case where the facts in issue revolves around the ownership of the land upon which the Nigerian Maritime University was built for which the federal Executive council paid a paltry 13 billion out of a projected 26billion being a buy over of Mieka Diving institute, propety of Tompolo, which property became part of the charter facility of the Nigerian Maritime University, Tompolo and some itsekiri elements were the ones the pipeline security contract was given. Soon after in the unwarranted and cynical rage of the then Hon Minister of Transportation, the contract was pulled off Tompolo and given to one of the APC ilks known for circumvention and volte face characteristics. Once this company this guy represents took over it became business as usual. Even the companys MD/CEO visited Tompolo and said he was going to offer him 900m as part of his commitment to rein in him into what they were doing in the oil river but known for being averse to greed, Tompolo refused, telling that company’s MD/CEO to go ahead with his job, that they are brothers. No one raised the issue of the scope of works given to that company then. Under the watch of that company over 80 percent of oil revenue went into private pockets. At this time the nations foreign reserves began to deplete. The sub national governments began to live by Paris loans refund. No Nigerian or CIvil societies organisations questioned the activities of that interlocutor survellance company. It took Mr Bashir Jamoh a then DG of NIMASA, even in the seeding congruence of losing his job to allege that the new company engaged in pipeline protection for NNPC and by extension ancillary revenue sourcing for NIMASA had not been able to meet its projected revenue ceiling. He insisted that a previous Messrs Global West run by Tompolo and others, evilly removed from the job by the conspiracy of evil power brokers in government then was doing better and collecting thrice as much to breaking its given fiscal ceiling. The NNPC board ruffled by the alarm coming from a government agency announced it was taking its part of the job of pipeline surveillance from that company. It was at this instance given the energy emergency, that Tantita came on a national rescue and in quick raids it conducted even against the open aversion for its operation by some elements of the military, the nation is beginning to see the results- illegal pipelines here and there have been toppled, arrest and decommissioning of bunkering vessels, sacking of kpofire artesanal activities, and other evil grandstanders running kiti kiti kata kata. Now that oil revenue has peaked the evil profiteers have re emerged and in the name of legal actions are asking for an order mandamus for Tantita to produce the scope of its assignment. I argue that Tantita has no business with any third party intruder on the job it got freehold from the NNPCL that was publicly quoted and bidded for. Any one asking for such spurious order should approach the NNPCL. I further argue that if God cannot manage his own people in Egypt but ensured all of them died in a difficult journey through the wilderness, the presidency needs to go after these evil men who ensured this countrys export output had remained at a perilous margin with concomitant effect on the country’s GDP and growth economics to clear their doubts of their evil demeanours everywhere and their accomplices. I think if the government can summon the will to do this it will checkmate this errant attitude of criminals who still want to ensure that the Nigerian State remain rentier.
By Divine Perezide
Renowned Nigerian elder statesman and respected southern and middlebelt leader, Chief, Sen. (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, will be laid to rest on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in his hometown of Kiagbodo, located in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
This announcement was made on Saturday by Penaowei Clark, the first son of the late Chief Clark, during a press briefing held at the family’s Kiagbodo residence. He was joined by prominent family members and traditional rulers, including the Pere of Ngbilebiri-Mien Kingdom, HRM Prince Samuel Akpomiemie Fuludu (Ogiogio II), Professor Collins Clark, and Chief Ebikeme Clark, Delta State Commissioner for Riverine Infrastructure and Development.
The burial programme, which will span over a week, will commence on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, with a public lecture at the NAF Conference Centre & Suites in Abuja, starting at 11 a.m. According to the family, the series of events are designed to honour the legacy of the late national icon and will conclude with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, May 18, 2025.
Chief Clark, born on May 25, 1927, in Erhuwaren, Ughelli South LGA of Delta State, passed away on February 17, 2025, at the age of 97. He was widely recognized for his lifelong advocacy for justice, equity, and development, particularly in the Niger Delta region. Remembered as a tenacious leader and a statesman of remarkable stature, his influence extended across political and socio-economic spheres.
The itinerary of the burial events includes a valedictory session at the Senate Chamber on Thursday, May 8, and a day of tributes at the NAF Conference Centre on Friday, May 9, at 3 p.m. On Saturday, May 10, a wrestling contest will take place in Yenagoa, alongside a service of songs at St. James’ Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja, at 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 11, will feature cultural festivities such as a boat regatta and masquerade performances in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa. A candlelight memorial is also scheduled for that evening in both Abuja and Kiagbodo.
On Monday, May 12, a commendation service will be held at the National Christian Centre in Abuja, followed by a valedictory court session at the High Court of Justice in Warri. Later that day, the late elder statesman’s body will be flown to Yenagoa for another commendation at Ijaw House, before heading to Warri for a lying-in-state and onward journey to Kiagbodo for a night vigil.
The final funeral rites will be conducted on Tuesday, May 13, beginning with a lying-in-state and commendation service at Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo. This will be followed by the funeral service, interment, and a reception.
The burial programme will come to a close with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, May 18, in honour of a man whose life was defined by service, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of his people and country.
By Divine Perezide
As the nation prepares to bid farewell to one of its most esteemed elder statesmen, Pa. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, members of the INC National Burial Committee saddled with the responsibility to coordinate burial burial ceremony have intensified efforts to ensure a dignified send-off. On Friday, April 4, 2025, the committee, led by High Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs and the INC President, Prof. BenjaminOgeleOkaba, paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
The visit took place at the governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt, where the committee briefed him on the arrangements being put in place to honour the late Ijaw nationalist. High Chief Lulu-Briggs, serving as Chairman of the committee, emphasized the importance of unity and support from regional leaders to give the late icon a burial befitting his stature.
Accompanying him on the visit were Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), and other prominent figures from the Ijaw community. The engagement forms part of a broader series of consultations and collaborations with stakeholders aimed at mobilizing support for the funeral rites.
Pa Clark, whose life and work have left an indelible mark on the Ijaw Nation and Nigeria as a whole, is being celebrated not just for his political activism, but also for his lifelong commitment to justice, equity, and national unity.
The burial committee is expected to continue its outreach efforts in the coming weeks as the countdown to the final rites begins.
#IduwiniVoiceTv #PaClark #IjawNation #BurialCommittee
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Federal University Otuoke to Host Public Lecture on Political Economy and National Integration
By Divine Perezide
Bayelsa State – The Faculty of Social Sciences at the Federal University Otuoke (FUO) is set to host a one-day public lecture on the pressing issues of local government council and state creation, as well as resource control in Nigeria. The event, themed “The Political Economy of Local Government Council/State Creation and Resource Control: Implications for National Integration in Nigeria,” is scheduled to take place on Monday, May 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
The venue for the event is the Prof Seth Accra Jaja School of Postgraduate Studies Conference Hall at FUO, and it promises to be a platform for robust discussions on governance, economic policy, and national unity.
The lecture will be graced by distinguished academics and experts in political economy. The Vice-Chancellor of FUO, Prof. Teddy Charles Adias, will serve as the Chief Host, while Prof. Francis A. Oluleye, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, will be the Host. The keynote speaker for the event is Prof. Benjamin Okaba, a renowned scholar and the President of the Ijaw National Congress.
This public lecture aims to provide insights into the socio-economic and political dynamics of state and local government administration in Nigeria. It will also explore how resource control impacts national integration, a subject of great significance in Nigeria’s federal system.
Academics, students, policymakers, and members of the public interested in governance and national development are encouraged to attend.
For further inquiries, interested participants can contact Dr. Anthony C. Okoye (08060101369) or Dr. Gboyega K. Oyeniran (08033872053).
Stay tuned for more updates on this event and other academic engagements at Federal University Otuoke.