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IGWE AFORJI: The Legislator with Uncommon Passion for Youth Development
By Eric Elezuo
It is often said that a child that washes his hands clean will never be denied a sumptuous dinner with kings and princes, and to a large extent with the gods. This is the story of the lawmaker representing Eleme Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Engineer Igwe Obe Aforji. A typical reflection of the age long ‘son of the soil’ syndrome.
Young, vibrant, energetic and rearing to go, Igwe Aforji was born in Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State to the family of Obe Isaac. Igwe, as he is fondly referred to, is a proud Mechanical Engineering graduate of the reputable University of Port Harcourt in addition to a Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA), also from the same institution.
Mr. Aforji sees himself as the idea whose time has come, and didn’t see it a burden when he left his comfort zone as the Community Relations Officer of Indorama/Eleme Petrochemical Limited to paddle through the murky waters of politics in other to bring tangible development to his immediate constituency, especially the youths, whom he hold close to his chest.
Before undertaking this task, Mr. Aforji has told as many that were listening that his mission to the Rivers State House of Assembly is not just to improve on what his predecessors have achieved but make a resounding difference in the life of the people of Eleme in particular, and Rivers State in general.
Igwe, receiving royal mandate to serve the people
A highly youth-centric person, Aforji, true to his words prior to his election, has began moves towards sponsoring bills that will generate developmental ideas towards creating more factories and industries in the land, thereby absorbing the youths of all cadre for purposeful engagement. His passion as he relayed during an interview while aspiring to be a legislator is basically to get youths “engaged in plastic production, production of fuse and other items with market value.” He added that “I shall equally work hard to make sure that all the entitlement and empowerment that should be given to the host communities are given to them.” He is busy doing that to the applause of his community.
Tested, proven and trusted, Aforji, who has been assistant to many political office holders in the past as well as having held public offices of repute where his integrity was showcased, is not the kind of person that says one thing and does another. And the Lannisters (apologies to Game of Thrones), he keeps his promises. Little wonder it didn’t take time before he started bringing all his campaign promises.
Hear him:
“Giving scholarships and education to the people as well as creating an enabling working environment for our people is key. We shall do environmental plan to mitigate pollution. We shall equally embark on street naming in the 10 clans of Eleme. We shall empower as many as we can in our host communities, using companies.”
Aforji didn’t just say that, he is accomplishing them just a few months after winning the mandate
“We shall convince the state governor to consider Eleme local government that brings Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the state and needs attention in the area of infrastructural development. Because I have been tested in several positions and I have not betrayed them. I always stand tall and have that confidence that no kind of influence will change me as a legislator. I know that I will make laws and at the same time, I will touch lives. So everything that I have stated clearly should be on record for you to ask me after four years…” the man of integrity had stated.
Receiving INEC Certificate as duly elected legislator
Aforji had distinguished himself with his One Million Youth Project, which aims at creating leverage for the youths to prove their desired mettle. As a youth Ambassador of the project, Aforji was able to produce about four councillors and is determined to do more with the legislative mandate the people has bestowed on him.
Aforji is responsibly married to Mrs Enitan Igwe, and they are blessed with four wonderful children.
He’s got a mission, and he is absolutely focused to bring them to pass. The legislator is one kind that governorship looks good on…by every standard.
The Senate has granted approval to the ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2b) loan request of President Bola Tinubu after a voice vote in favor of the request.
The Senate presided by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, approved the loan after the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North) presented the report of the committee.
The request which was submitted by the President on Tuesday is part of a fresh external borrowing plan to partially finance the N9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year.
Tinubu had on Tuesday written to the National Assembly, seeking approval of a fresh N1.767 trillion, the equivalent of $2.209 billion as a new external borrowing plan in the 2024 Appropriation Act.
The fresh loan is expected to stretch the amount spent on debt servicing by the Federal Government. The Central Bank of Nigeria recently said that it cost the Federal Government $3.58 billion to service foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024.
The CBN report on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56bn spent during the same period in 2023.
According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July.
The trend in foreign debt servicing by the CBN highlights the rising cost of debt obligations by Nigeria.
Further breakdown of international debt figures showed that in January 2024, debt servicing costs surged by 398.89 per cent, rising to $560.52m from $112.35m in January 2023. February, however, saw a slight decline of 1.84 per cent, with payments reducing from $288.54m in 2023 to $283.22m in 2024.
March recorded a 31.04 per cent drop in payments, falling to $276.17m from $400.47m in the same period last year. April saw a significant rise of 131.77 per cent, with $215.20m paid in 2024 compared to $92.85m in 2023.
The highest debt servicing payment occurred in May 2024, when $854.37m was spent, reflecting a 286.52 per cent increase compared to $221.05m in May 2023. June, on the other hand, saw a 6.51 per cent decline, with $50.82m paid in 2024, down from $54.36m in 2023.
July 2024 recorded a 15.48 per cent reduction, with payments dropping to $542.50m from $641.70m in July 2023. In August, there was another decline of 9.69 per cent, as $279.95m was paid compared to $309.96m in 2023. However, September 2024 saw a 17.49 per cent increase, with payments rising to $515.81m from $439.06m in the same month last year.
Given rising exchange rates, the data raises concerns about the growing pressure of Nigeria’s foreign debt obligations.
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Self acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been arrested by law enforcement in Finland.
The BBC reports that Ekpa was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.
Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.
A citizen of Finland and Nigeria, Ekpa has described himself as leader of the separatist IPOB group since Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration.
Finnish police say Ekpa’s activities and social media rhetoric may have fanned the flames of violence in the south-east of Nigeria.
“He carries out these activities from his social media channels, for example,” said Otto Hiltunen, detective chief inspector of the NBI.
In February 2023, Ekpa was arrested by police at his residence in Lahti but was released after hours of questioning.
Using his social media channels, Ekpa had directed Igbos not to participate in Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
In September 2021, the Biafra agitator and secessionist denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he won for the country at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.
The Court of Appeal has sacked Musiliu Akinsanya aka MC Oluomo as the National President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
In a ruling that upheld the earlier judgment of the National Industrial Court, the appellate court sacked MC Oluomo and reaffirmed Tajudeen Baruwa as the legitimate leader of the union.
Baruwa had assumed office after a properly conducted election held at the union’s headquarters in Abuja.
The three-member panel of the Appeal Court dismissed the appeal filed by MC Oluomo’s faction, declaring it devoid of merit.
In addition, the court imposed a fine of N100,000 on the appellants, further solidifying Baruwa’s leadership position.
Reports quoting court documents said to have been released on Friday detailed the ruling, which effectively countered any attempts to displace Baruwa from his role as the NURTW president.
The judgment read: “This is an appeal against the judgment/decision of the National Industrial Court Sitting in Abuja, in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/263/2023, delivered on the 11th March, 2024, by Justice O. O. Oyewumi.
“Upon reading the Record of Appeal compiled and transmitted before this court, together with the respective briefs of argument, and after hearing the counsels for the appellants and respondents, it is hereby ordered that:
“This Appeal is devoid of merit, and the same is hereby dismissed.”
The ruling reinforces the legitimacy of Baruwa’s presidency, concluding the legal dispute over the union’s leadership.
Meanwhile, MC Oluomo’s son Idowu Akinsanya (King West) had bragged about his feat of emerging the NURTW president, saying: “We are now in charge of Nigeria, not only Lagos,” a comment that attracted public opprobrium.
MC Oluomo, a diehard supporter of President Bola Tinubu and a prominent figure in Lagos politics, was the sole candidate in the election, which took place at the union’s zonal secretariat in Osogbo. His perceived victory was deemed to carry significant implications for the future of the NURTW and the political landscape of Nigeria.
