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BAN ON CENTRALIZED IGBO CEREMONIES /CELEBRATIONS, FESTIVALS STILL SUBSIST AS MOURNING PERIOD FOR DEPARTED ILLUSTRIOUS IGBO LEADERS NOT YET OVER -HRM EZE (DR) E.C Okeke CFR

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*FROM THE DESK OF THE CHAIRMAN, SOUTH EAST COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS,* *EZEIMO PALACE, MBARI STREET, IKENEGBU OWERRI, IMO STATE*
*25TH NOVEMBER, 2024*

*PRESS RELEASE*

*BAN ON CENTRALIZED IGBO CEREMONIES /CELEBRATIONS, FESTIVALS STILL SUBSIST AS MOURNING PERIOD FOR DEPARTED ILLUSTRIOUS IGBO LEADERS NOT YET OVER*

It has become necessary to formally inform the General public, especially Heads of various Igbo Associations/Organizations in Igboland (Comprising the five South East States) that a mourning period has since been declared by the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and Ohaneze Ndigbo in honour of our illustrious sons and daughter; Chief Engr (Dr) Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu CFR, President – General of Ohaneze Ndigbo,Chief Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, former Governor of Abia State, and immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Lady Onyeka Onwenu who transited this year and have been successfully buried.

Considering the weight of what happened in losing such important Igbo leaders within the same space of time and the pains it has elicited across the broad spectrum of the Igbo Society, it was deemed necessary to cancel various events and ceremonies earlier scheduled to commemorate the annual Igbo New yam festival for 2024 which usually involves Ohaneze Ndigbo,State Governments, Traditional Rulers and other key Stakeholders of Igbo extraction. It would have amounted to self ridicule and obvious insensitivity to Ndigbo if we had continued with such centralized gathering to merry when it is expected of us to mourn and be sober over our calamitous loss of top Igbo leaders.

It is surprising that upon this calamitous development and decisions taken to abstain from celebrations of any type within the mourning period, some business men led by a certain traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Ofoegbu from Abia State congregated to a jubilant group by fixing/scheduling for the so called Igbo New yam festival coming up soon which is an aberration and outright deviation from the designed mourning arrangement for our departed heros.The said Eze Ofoegbu is neither a Chairman of Local Government Council of Traditional Rulers nor Executive Member of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, nor Executive Member of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers. One wonders his source of power or authority to convoke Igbo New yam festival and confer Chieftaincy titles and Awards which amounts to flouting the directives of constituted authorities in Igboland and disrespecting our sacred culture and traditions.

It is in the light of the foregoing therefore that the South East Council of Traditional Rulers wishes to reaffirm it’s stand on the subsisting ban on all manner of centralized gathering of Ndigbo to celebrate in whatever guise, whether New yam festival or Igbo Day hence tears are still flowing from our eyes and the mourning period for these departed leaders is not yet over.

We shall consider whoever that violates or attempts to breach this sacred decision as a great enemy of Ndigbo and may go further to request for explanations if such a recalcitrant person or group knows what happened to these great men and woman that transited at our most difficult time, when their presence obviously mattered most.

The South East Council of Traditional Rulers solicits for the cooperation and understanding of all stakeholders on this very important issue that demands unalloyed support and total compliance.

May the noble souls of our departed brothers and leaders rest blissfully in the bosom of God Almighty, Amen.

*Signed*:

*HRM EZE (DR) E.C Okeke CFR,*
Ezeudo II of Amaifeke Ancient Kingdom, Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman, South East Council of Traditional Rulers

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Putin Hails Trump On Inauguration As US President For Second Time, Says Russia Willing To End War

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Russia President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump as he is being inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.

Putin on Monday, 20th of January 2025 revealed he was open to dialogue with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine and nuclear arms. He also indicated that Moscow was ready to discuss nuclear arms control and wider security issues.

In a video broadcast, Putin noted that he was interested in a long-lasting peace in Ukraine rather than a short-term ceasefire with the country.

He made the comments during the Russia’s Security Council meeting that was shown on state TV. According to him, “We see the statements by the newly elected president of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia,” said Putin.

“We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War Three. We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected president of the United States of America on taking office. “As for the resolution of the situation (in Ukraine) itself, I would like to emphasise that the goal should not be a brief ceasefire, not some kind of period of respite that would allow a regrouping and rearmament of forces, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people and all peoples who live in the region.”

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Court remands suspect over alleged assassination attempt on Lokpobiri

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Yenagoa—A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the remand of a 35-year-old man, Susaine Morgan, over an alleged assassination attempt on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on new year day.

The suspect is also facing charges of unlawful possession of two assault rifles (AK-47).
He was reportedly apprehended at the minister’s residence in Ekeremor town, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The remand warrant, issued by the state Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, and filed by Police Prosecutor, Stella Jerry-Friday, was approved to allow the suspect’s detention for 30 days at Okaka prison.

This is to enable the investigating team of the police to track and arrest six others now at large.
The charge sheet read: “The defendant was arrested on January 1, 2025, at Senator Lokpobiri’s residence for conspiring with others to commit armed robbery, attempted kidnapping, and for being in possession of two AK-47 rifles.”

The police prosecutor explained that the request for suspect remand was necessary due to the limited power of the police to detain the suspect without a court order.

“The suspect’s detention will prevent interference with the ongoing investigation, especially as six other suspects remain at large,” a police source said.

According to security report, seven of the suspects gained access into the residence of the minister by mingling with the crowd of visitors who came to pay homage.

But information got to the military personnel stationed at the residence of the presence of armed persons among the visitors.

“Due to the large crowd, the soldiers could not open fire but ordered everyone to lie down. It was only the arrested suspect, who was with the bag conveying the weapon, that got arrested. Others mingled with the crowd and escaped,” the source stated.

The other suspects reportedly fired shots as they fled the community, attacked a filling station and carted away N400,000.

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42 Executive Orders By Trump On the First Day

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Here is the list of all 42 Executive Orders, Memoranda, and Proclamations Signed by President Donald Trump

1.Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border

2.Designating Mexican Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

3.Reinstating the ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy
4.Ending Birthright Citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants

5.Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism

6.Eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs in Federal Agencies

7.Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement

8.Declaring a National Energy Emergency

9.Reversing Electric Vehicle Mandates

10.Implementing ‘Schedule F’ for Federal Employees

11.Relocating U.S. Space Command Headquarters to Alabama

12.Pardoning Individuals Convicted in Relation to January 6 Events

13.Halting Federal Funding for Abortion Services

14.Suspending Security Clearances for Officials Linked to Hunter Biden Scandal

15.Establishing a Federal Bitcoin Reserve

16.Releasing Classified Documents on JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassinations

17.Reversing AI Regulation Policies

18.Imposing Tariffs on Imports from China, Mexico, and Canada

19.Reinstating the Ban on Transgender Military Service

20.Prohibiting Transgender Women from Participating in Women’s Sports

21.Halting Government Offshore Wind Leases

22.Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

23.Reverting Mount Denali to Mount McKinley

24.Freezing Federal Workforce Hiring

25.Easing Regulations on Oil and Gas Production

26.Pausing Congress’ TikTok Ban to Seek a U.S. Buyer

27.Reversing Biden-Era Immigration Policies

28.Pulling Out of the World Health
organisations

29.Eliminating Federal Funding for DEI Programs

30.Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

31.Reinstating the ‘Muslim Ban

32.Ending Birthright Citizenship

33.Reforming the Criminal Justice System

34.Banning Critical Race Theory in Federal Agencies

35.Demanding Increased NATO Contributions

36.Confronting China on Trade Practices

37.Ending the War in Ukraine

38.Supporting Law Enforcement

39.Promoting School Choice

40.Restricting Refugee Admissions

41.Increasing Federal Focus on Fentanyl Trafficking

42.Launching a National Infrastructure Plan.

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