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Ogbunike Cave Carnival Holds In Anambra This December….

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Having hosted two editions of Ogbunikewalk4life, a Mini Carnival/Health Walk held every December 31, in Ogbunike Cave, Ogbunike, Anambra State, 90 Degrees Entertainment, organisers of the yearly event, has finally unveiled Ogbunike Cave Carnival (OCC).

Organised in collaboration with LIBDEZ Solution Services Ltd, the three-day festival aimed at celebrating the UNESCO World Heritage Site, will commence on December 30 and end on January 1, 2016.

According to Chuks Nwanne, the founder and Creative Director of the carnival, this year’s edition will set the tone for more innovations around the project, as well create platform for youths of the community and tourists to unwind during Xmas break.
OGBUNIKE-CAVE
“In 2013, when we came up with Ogbunikewalk4life, the idea was to use the health walk/mini carnival to set the tone for the main carnival. With the level of success we recorded in 2013 and 1014, it was obvious that the time has come for us to unveil Ogbunike Cave Carnival. What you will witness this year is the original format of the carnival, which has taken us three years to develop,” he said.

Based on the programme plan made available to the media, this year’s carnival will open on December 31 with Ogbunike Five Aside Tournament, a one-day football competition involving eight teams, who will slug it out for the carnival trophy. There will also be a Sport Parade, which will see football fans clad in their different club jerseys, as the parade to the market square (Oyeolisa Market) with traditional Ogene music leading the train.

On December 31, which is the day-two of the festival, the regular Ogbunikewalk4life will take the center stage. The carnival float will take off from the Ogbunike Town Hall, through the usual routes, to the Round Palace of Igwe Ogbunike, HRH John Ositadimma Umenyiora, where guests will pay homage to the King. From the palace, the train will move to the popular Ogbunike Cave, where visitors and tourist will have the opportunity of exploring the tourist destination that has put Ogbunike community on the world map. In the evening of the same day, there will be Carnival Concert/New Year Countdown at the Town Hall, with different musicians and comedians on parade.

 

Ada Ogbunike Beauty Pageant, the grand finale of the carnival, holds on January 1, 2016, at the Ogbunike Town Hall. The event, which will see 10 pretty Ogbunike ladies contest for the Ada Ogbunike crown, will be spiced with musical and comedy performance. Winners will be presented with prizes.

Speaking on the 2015 carnival, the Project Manager for OCC, Adaeze Uzodoh, informed that the team is doing everything possible to stage a successful event this year.

“When we came up with walk4life in 2013, many didn’t give the project a chance. But with what happened last year, it is clear that people are beginning to key into the initiative. So, this year, we are going to surprise guests with the package we are working on. As time goes on, we will update the public on the programme proper.”

Uzodoh, who is also the CEO of LIBDEZ also called on the Anambra State government, corporate organisation and well-meaning individuals to support the initiative.

“Let me use this opportunity to thank the traditional ruler of Ogbunike, Igwe John Ositadimma Umenyiora for his support to this project. From the first edition, he has been a pillar of support for us. Also, Ogbunike Progressive Union (OPU) has been very helpful in making this event a success.

“For corporate organisations, this is an opportunity to come in as sponsors; we will be glad to have you as partners in progress. We also solicit the support of the Anambra State government is growing this carnival to an enviable height. This project has the capacity of projecting the tourism potentials of the state,” she said.

Meanwhile, VISAGE Concepts Nigeria Ltd, a Lagos-based PR outfit, has been unveiled as the communications outfit for Ogbunike Cave Carnival 2015. The PR Company will be responsible for all communication about the carnival, including pre and post event.

“We are glad to be associated with this project, which I believe has the capacity of exploiting the tourism potentials of the cave,” the CEO of VISAGE, Iwuchukwu Chukwudi said.

“For three years that the Carnival has successfully held, we have observed with delight, the deep passion displayed by our young people, while showcasing their interpretation of their cultural identities through their dresses, songs and dance steps. Our joy knows no bounds when we see the joy and camaraderie radiating throughout the land.”

He added that, “we believe it is a project that can showcase the tourism potential of Ogbunike cave while engendering peace and fraternity among the Ogbunike youths. Glad this is happening because it will go a long way to project the famous Ogbunike cave and its inherent potentials to the outside world. It is a project we are glad and excited to associate our brand with.”

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Appeal Court Reinstates Adeleke As Winner Of Osun Governorship Poll

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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ruled that Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the winner of the Osun state governorship election.

At its sitting on Thursday, the appellate court nullified the judgement of the election tribunal declaring Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election.

Oyetola was declared the winner by the election tribunal after he went to court to challenge the victory of Adeleke, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Delivering judgment on January 27, two out of the three-member panel held that the former governor was able to prove that there was over-voting in some of the polling units.

Adeleke had rejected the judgment, describing it as “a miscarriage of justice” and “an unfair interpretation against the will of majority of voters”.

In the 31 grounds of appeal, Adeleke begged the court for “an order setting aside the whole decision of the tribunal”.

He also sought “an order striking out the petition for want of competence and jurisdiction or in the alternative, an order dismissing the petition on the merit”.

Adeleke submitted that the tribunal exhibited bias when it said: “The second respondent cannot ‘go lo lo lo lo’ and ‘buga won’ as the duly elected governor of Osun state.”

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of Justices on Friday, held that the appeal the governor lodged to challenge his sacking by the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, was meritorious.

Aside from setting aside the judgement of the tribunal, the court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Mohammed Lawal, awarded N500,000 cost against APC and its candidate, Oyetola.

 

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Travel Agent, Abioye Abolaji arraigned for visa fraud linked to 77 applicants

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The Police Special Fraud Unit in Lagos State has arraigned a travel agent, Abioye Abolaji, for alleged visa racketeering, including the forging of the United Nations invitation letters for no fewer than 77 visa applicants in the state.

The spokesperson for the PSFU, SP Eyitayo Johnson, in a statement on Thursday, said Abolaji was arraigned on 11 counts bordering on alleged forgery, obtaining money by false pretence, false representation and stealing.

He said, “The arrest of the suspect was in furtherance to a petition from the Diplomatic Security Services Regional Security office at the United States Consulate General, Lagos, which requested a discrete investigation into forged documents submitted by certain C-2 visa applicants to the Non-Immigrant Visa Unit of the USCG. The C-2 visa is an NIV category reserved for participants at United Nations conferences/events.

“An investigation by the USCG and the PSFU into 77 C-2 applications from 24 organisations in Nigeria to attend two separate conferences, including the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the UN 2023 Water Conference scheduled to take place in New York between March 22 and 24, 2023, revealed that most of the applicants are not qualified for the visa classification they applied for because the applicants provided forged UN invitation letters.

“The applicants, who claimed to be employees of Osun and Sons Agricultural Venture, Ray D. Exclusive Electrical Contractor, or ACE Technoresources Integrated Services, planned to attend the UN Water Conference as representatives or nominees of these organisations but investigation revealed that none of the organisations is in consultative status with the UN and that the employment of most of the applicants had no bearing to either of the referenced UN conferences.”

Johnson said further information elicited during police interviews of the visa applicants led to the arrest of Abolaji, who was described as the arrowhead of a notorious syndicate that specialised in visa fraud.

“Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Adepoju Ilori, advised prospective visa applicants to desist from patronising document vendors/visa racketeers for the processing of category B-1 and B-2 visas or any other travel documents.

The CP further encouraged applicants to research the procedure/requirements of visa for their intended country of destination or to approach the diplomatic section of the PSFU for guidance in order not to fall victim to visa racketeers. The unit is currently on the trail of other members of the syndicate,” the statement said.

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I Never Told Anyone That I Will Die Soon – Odumeje

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Controversial Anambra-based fiery pastor, Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, popularly known as Odumeje has dismissed the rumour saying that he declared he would die soon.

Report had emerged that Odumeje, during Sunday service at Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, Onitsha, said he had completed his assignments on earth and was time to go.

The reports also alleged that the death announcement might not be unconnected with the demolition of part of his church recently by the State Government.

According to the reports, while the news came to some members of the congregation as surprise, others wept, saying they don’t want him to leave them soon.

But speaking on phone, Okoye described such news as untrue, saying the prophet never instructed his son, David to take care of his house after his death.

She said, is not true (that prophet Odumeje said during Church service last Sunday that he will die soon).

You know that some people when they want to destroy someone’s image, they will write something with your name and put it in a YouTube and say that you said it.

The prophet never instructed his son, David to take care of his house and that he will die soon.

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