HEALTH Aregbesola pledges healthcare to people Osun
CAPACITY Okorocha gives free education
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Imo
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
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HAVOC Residents bemoan losses Lagos
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OR the Okori people in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, the end-of-theyear celebration is one event that everyone who is indigenous to the area looks forward to every year. This is so because it provides them the opportunity not only to unite in love but also to show appreciation to their visionary leader. This year’s annual end-of-the year celebration, which took place, recently featured cultural dances, some of which celebrate some unique aspect of the community. The Dede Masquerade group and Mgbede Cultural Dance group performed to the delight of the crowd that trouped out to the arena. The cultural event put together by the paramount ruler of Okori, His Royal Highness Chief Appolus Chu was one of the biggest in recent years. The people, being appreciative of monarch’s commitment to uplift the area described the event as part of strategies through which their paramount ruler develops the place. The people displayed various cultural dances and costumes. While the women were dressed in same attire – pink blouses, blue wrapper and pink headgear to match, the men wore long robes and wrappers with hats to match as traditional to the South-South region. The youth were not left out as they also trooped in T-shirts and pants – all with the intention to unite and celebrate one another for the great achievement brought about by their visionary leader. The event is not all about festivity, but was much more about celebrating one another and thanking God for His mercy throughout the year. High point of the celebration was the inauguration of Chief Appolus Chu Foundation in partnership with the community women. The foundation is to cater for the lessprivileged people in the society as well as those in dire need of medical help. More than this, the Appolus Chu Foundation also has a programme that would provide education for the youth of the Okori community and its environs. “In this place, we have not really had the impact of government. We
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HE Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke has emphasised that most of the challenges confronting the country are as a result of the breakdown of our cherished cultural values. Chief Duke disclosed this while presenting an address at the 2nd National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) management retreat which theme was “Consolidating the Gains of the Past.” The
•From right: Ruler, Okori, Eleme, HRH, Chief Appolus Chu; King of Eleme Kingdom, HRM Dr. Samuel Oluka Ejire and ruler, Aleto Clan, HRH Chief Phili Osaro Obele at the inauguration of Chief Appolus Chu Foundation and commissioning of the Foundation bus
Cultural splendour as community celebrates Event as showcase for unity Monarch floats foundation By Kehinde Falode
lag behind in terms of education and skills acquisition. So, this foundation will provide education and skill to
the people of this community, particularly youths and women,” Chu said. The paramount ruler said over 1, 000 students would be trained in
various fields of education and skills before his next birthday which would be marked this year. He, therefore, called on members of the community to take advantage
of the opportunity available to them at all time by being determined, hardworking and serious in educating and empowering themselves for their future and that of the community. “The whole world is being computerised and so we do not want our people to be left behind. So, this necessitated the scholarship scheme on computer training for the youth,” Chu said. One of the community leaders, Chief Isaac Osaro Laka Chindo said he was solidly behind Chu for sustaining the rich cultural heritage of the Okori people through the annual fiesta. He further said the •Continued on Page 27
Minister decries loss of cultural values From Emma Mgbeahurike, Owerri
event held at City Global Hotel Owerri, the Imo State capital. According to the minister, a lot still needed to be done so as to change the mental attitude of the people, especially the youth, even as he stated that there is every need to restrategise our re-orientation programmes.
The minister, who was represented by his Special Assistant, Dr. Paul Adamiku urged the institute to fashion out orientation programmes for youth, explaining that the task is on the society to instil in the youth, the value of work and good behavioural attitude. His words; “The onus is on us to instil in them the values of patriotism, hard work and respect for constituted authority. It is also our duty to dis-
courage them from the get-richquick syndrome which has become the bane of our developmental efforts.” High Chief Duke further explained that the management retreat would provide opportunity for strategic planning by key stakeholders in the organisation and the platform for the executive secretary and the directors of the institute to carry out a critical re-appraisal of its mandate, vision, mission
and past performance. This, he said, is with a view to eliciting an action plan for improved performance in the future. He pointed out that they were expected to use the forum to deliberate extensively and analyze their strength, weakness and challenges and come up with cutting edge programmes. The outcome, he stated, •Continued on Page 27