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Hardship: Why South East is quiet – Josef Onoh replies Usman Yusuf


Former Spokesman of President Bola Tinubu in the South East, Dr. Josef Onoh has stated that the region has restrained itself from the isolated hardship protests across the country because Nigeria has refused to accord the South East its due status as an integral part of the country, but had rather imposed hardship on the region in the past 54 years.
Onoh, who is presently the Chairman of Forum of Former Members of Enugu State House of Assembly (FOF-MENHA) and a former Governorship Aspirant in the State, stated that the rest of the regions in the country should not expect the South East to be in the vanguard of the present discontent when those other regions feel that the South East is not good enough for Nigeria leadership or any other substantial inclusive infrastructure.
Onoh spoke against the backdrop of the recent television interview by former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, who while expressing surprise against the worsening economic hardship said,
“I honestly don’t know why the South East is quiet, uncharacteristically quiet, but the President needs to find out.“
Onoh In his reply to Yusuf, said,
“The South East is uncharacteristically quiet because since after the Civil War, the South East has continued to be dealt with extreme hardship and had suffered in the midst of plenty while other regions basked in the euphoria of riches and power with a section of the regions feeling very entitled.
“The South East is quiet because after the Civil War our properties in the South-South were taken from us and claimed they were abandoned properties and I ask, abandoned by who? That is hardship!
“The South East is quiet because they started life afresh with only £20 after the civil war, given by the Nigerian government. That is hardship.
“The South East is quiet today because we have the least number of representatives in both chambers of the National Assembly.
“The South East is quiet because we are the only region with the least number of States.
“The South East is quiet because we are the only region with the least Federal Government presence in almost all areas.
“The South East is quiet because we have the least Federal Government projects in our region till date.
“The south east is quiet because we are the region with one of the largest markets in West Africa based on geographical size and volume of goods, yet has never benefited from the rail project the Federal Government embarked upon during the last administration and focused mainly in the north.
“The South East is quiet because we are the only region with the highest number of security check points on the roads leading into our region. It’s easier to drive past Ukraine than South East.
“The South East is quiet because we are the only region with an International Airport, yet no International Airline departs from our region, except for Ethiopia airlines that save the day and that only International Airport is still under construction.
“The South East is quiet because the only major mining activity which is coal has been abandoned for years after Eagle Mining Company left in the 90s and the Federal Government never showed any interest again.
“The South East is quiet because even the railway properties in our region have all been sold hence the dream for a railway is totally forgotten.
“Some people ask why is the South East always bitter, but they forget that the past administration called it a “dot in a circle” and today there is not one single Foreign Embassy in the region, yet we are the largest importers in the country.
“The South East is quiet because they are the only region always punished by every ruling party for exercising their democratic voting rights for their choice of candidate.
“The South East is quiet because they are mainly the region that has its buildings demolished and their businesses closed down in other regions of Nigeria once they tried to exercise some certain levels of franchise.
“The South East is quiet because they are always the region that various forms of hostilities of extreme levels are leveled against once there is crisis in Nigeria.
“The South East is quiet because they are the only region that are threatened by withdrawal of sales, supplies and distribution of food, livestock and all agricultural produce by a certain region once they express divergent views in the same Nigeria.
“The South East is quiet because we are the least employed in the CBN, FAAN, NPA and all major Federal Government Agencies and Departments in Nigeria.
“The South East is quiet because we are the only region without anything to leverage upon except our resilient spirit to persevere even in the darkest scenarios.
“The South East is quiet because they are the only region that is heavily discriminated against by other regions in Nigeria, while we are meant to be one Nigeria.
“The South East is quiet because it is the only region that their Regional Ministerial appointment was withheld during the current Ministerial appointments.
“The South East is quiet because they are the least beneficiaries of any government policies in Nigeria.
“The South East is quiet because the current government which I worked tirelessly for has not shown them any sign of fellowship and has been the only government that has fully isolated them to the point they don’t feel like they are part of Nigeria.
“The South East is quiet because we are the only region in Nigeria that the cost of airfare from other regions in the same Nigeria is the most expensive and most exploited every festive season.
“The South East is quiet because the extent of neglect the region has received from the Federal Government has made it more expensive for us to die and cheaper to be alive in continuous frustration.
“The south east is quiet because they have lived under extreme hardships, that even in the midst of abundance they have only known hardship and hardship has become an accepted way of life for them in Nigeria. They have lost the will to dream and their children have grown hoping for the hopeless.
“They have lost the will to come together and build a nation because they are too frail to even have the luxury to dream dreams.
“They have lost the ability to have a goodnight sleep because they only know suffering inflicted by certain government policies that affect their businesses and imports. Successive Politicians, presidential candidates, and ministers have lied to them during campaigns of what they will do for the region. It is now expected, and it is now accepted by the region.
“They are of course correct to invade the high moral ground, but in the real world, the South Easterners gave up long ago.
“Dishonesty from the Nigerian Government no longer has political consequences because they expect no better from Nigeria.
“Rather, they are now a region that simply sit and watch successive governments put more effort into crafting words to avoid telling the truth than there is invested into drafting a complex policy and working out what is good for the country.
“Finally, we need to transform the political narratives and perceptions of Nigeria from a nation saturated by looters instead of leaders hence I urge the President to strengthen the EFCC and unbundle every political shackles that has interfered with their duties from prosecuting the so called sacred cows, Nigeria isn’t India that has abundance of sacred cows. the South East is quiet because we do not have the political luxuries, influence, entitlement and benefits the same region asking why we are quiet has continuously basked in its glory.
“The North has held and produced Presidents, the South-South and South West but not the South East hence we see it as a problem between a husband and his wives while we are the houseboy.
“The same North asking why we are quiet today forgot that they told us we are a dot in a circle so why has the dot become important now.
“When we had tears to shed, no region wiped away our tears. When we had a voice to shout, they said we were mad. When we cared, they said we had other motives.
“Today we are the least represented region in the current administration, we feel we are not wanted, we feel we are hated, we feel isolated, we feel distant, we feel the current administration doesn’t care about us hence we have continuously lived under a state of hardship and hopelessness that we don’t have any more tears to shed nor voice to shout.
“We have been so traumatized to the extent that we now laugh rather than cry but our laughter is actually the highest level of wailing.
“Unfortunately, we feel your pain, your cry and we hear your message loud and clear but unfortunately we are helpless to offer any support or assistance.
“Our only message is “welcome to the club.” Nigerians are suffering but we the South Easterners have never known anything other than hardship and suffering. We are constantly treated like outcasts in our country.
“Irrespective of the above, I still believe in President Bola Tinubu, he might not have all the solutions but if we come together as a nation irrespective of whether we like each region or not, I believe a variegated group must agree they want to be a people, preserving our tolerant permissive society and to achieve that we must have the will power to do so.
“My advice to the President is simple, “the problem with Nigeria is political, the supposed technocrats and 90 percent of your current appointees have failed you with exception of Nyesom Wike, his response and actions in taming the politically orchestrated kidnappings in the FCT to cripple your administration is a testament to my position that your technocrats have failed you because they know nothing about the political problems affecting Nigeria nor have the structure to support you in moving the country forward.
“They only wait for the master to show the Jagaban magic and have left you to be a lone sailor, sailing against turbulent waters.
“It’s time to reshuffle your cabinet because you can’t fight politicians using technocrats who are best suited to work as lecturers in a university environment. Same politicians and their political structure made you the revered Jagaban of today, a magician can never perform his magic without his wand, hence it’s time to pick up your wand.
“Until the current government changes its political position on the South East and show inclusiveness, and be fully integrated into the government and treated as equals,the APC led government isn’t accepted in the South East because the faith of the entire region is decided by only two APC stakeholders and the administration accepts their position and recommendations as what’s best for the region without looking deeper to see the extreme disconnect between their choices and the true choices of the region.
“Until these reservations are holistically and politically given attention, be assured that the South East will remain deaf and dumb without the will power to see our nation or the current administration from a different light outside the hardship and suffering they have always known and dealt with in Nigeria.”
Vanguard
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Governor’s wife sprays US dollars at wedding ceremony


A widely circulated video on social media has stirred controversy, showing Katsina State’s First Lady, Hajiya Fatima Dikko Radda, allegedly spraying U.S. dollars at an event.
The footage, primarily shared on Instagram, has sparked criticism, with many questioning the insensitivity of such an act in a state grappling with terrorism, kidnapping, poverty, and a high number of out-of-school children.
The video, which lasts one minute and nine seconds, was shared with a caption condemning the First Lady’s actions, labeling them as reckless and immoral. Given the dire socio-economic situation in Katsina, the accompanying text expressed outrage over the act.
PRNigeria, a leading Fact-Check platform in Nigeria, conducted a thorough investigation to verify the authenticity of the claims.

Footage of Katsina State First Lady Fatima Dikko Radda spraying dollars
The fact-checking process involved analysing the video and cross-referencing it with another clip showing Fatima Radda at a separate event, where she was donating ?2 million for cervical cancer screening in the state.
The analysis revealed a strong resemblance between the First Lady in both videos, confirming her presence at the wedding.
Furthermore, PRNigeria examined the background music in the controversial video, where praise singers could be heard extolling Fatima Radda in Hausa, reinforcing that the event was a family gathering.
PRNigeria performed a reverse image search using Yandex to further validate the claim and segmented the video for detailed scrutiny.
These steps confirmed that the video was indeed from a wedding that took place on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in Katsina.
Additional keyword searches and independent sources corroborated these findings.
Based on extensive fact-checking, PRNigeria has verified that Katsina State’s First Lady, Hajiya Fatima Dikko Radda, did spray dollars at her sibling’s wedding.
This confirmation has fueled further public discourse about the appropriateness of such actions, especially given the economic challenges faced by many citizens in the state.
The revelation has reignited debates about the display of wealth by public officials and their families, raising questions about leadership sensitivity in economically challenged regions. (By PRNigeria)
The Full Report: Fact-check: Did Katsina State’s First Lady, Fatima Radda, Spray Dollars at an Event? https://prnigeria.com/2025/02/13/katsina-first-lady-dollars/
News
Anambra govt seals another church linked to Oke Ite practice in Nkpor


The Anambra State government has taken a decisive step to combat the spread of illicit practices linked to ritualistic and fraudulent activities within religious spaces by sealing a controversial church in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area.
The church, reportedly led by Pastor Onyebuchi Okocha, has been accused of engaging in activities associated with the dangerous and illegal practice known as “Oke Ite.”
This ritual, which has been tied to fraudulent schemes and human trafficking, was allegedly being conducted under the guise of religious worship.
Oke Ite, a term that refers to a concoction created by native doctors, is believed to be a form of ritual used for money rituals and other forms of spiritual manipulation. The concoction is typically prepared using human body parts, animal remains, and a mix of powerful herbs, all of which are combined in a mud pot. The practice is rooted in the belief that such rituals have the power to summon wealth or bestow significant financial rewards upon those who partake in them.
In recent years, Oke Ite has been exposed as a fraudulent practice, where unsuspecting customers, often in search of quick wealth, fall prey to native doctors and religious leaders who promise them unimaginable riches in exchange for performing ritualistic rites. Many of these practices are said to involve human sacrifice or the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, contributing to a growing problem of human trafficking and ritual killings in parts of Nigeria.
The Anambra State government, led by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, has been actively working to curb the prevalence of such fraudulent practices and restore order to the state’s religious and spiritual landscape. As part of this initiative, the government responded to reports of Oke Ite being performed in the ministry of Pastor Onyebuchi Okocha, which had raised dusts in the local community.
The closure of Pastor Okocha’s ministry in Amafor village, Nkpor, followed a thorough investigation launched by the Anambra State government.
The Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, led a team of security personnel, including members of Operation Udo Ga-Achi, to the location to seal the premises.
The government’s decision to shut down the ministry was a response to a series of public petitions and disturbing revelations that came to light regarding Pastor Okocha’s activities.
Among these was a video circulating on social media, where the pastor, also known as “Aka na Asa Uchu” (translated as “the one who does things”), openly admitted to performing Oke Ite rituals.
The video, which featured Okocha speaking candidly about his involvement in the practice, triggered public outrage and prompted the government to take immediate action.
In his address to the press, Emeakayi explained that the closure was not an act of religious persecution but rather a necessary response to the dangerous and fraudulent activities taking place in the church.
He emphasized that the state government has no intention of infringing upon the rights of individuals to practice their religion but would not tolerate any practices that promote scams, deceit, and exploitation under the guise of spirituality.
As part of the government’s response, a full forensic investigation is underway to examine the contents and potential dangers of the liquids found in the ministry.
Emeakayi stated that the government would send samples of these liquids to forensic experts to determine their composition and assess any risks they may pose to public health and safety.
One of the most concerning elements of Pastor Okocha’s practice involved the use of a body of water known as River Bethsaida.
According to reports, the pastor had been using the river to perform rituals on individuals, which allegedly included bathing them naked.
The government has vowed to bring in environmental and health experts to examine the water and ascertain whether it poses a threat to those exposed to it. The concern over River Bethsaida stems from the possibility that the water may be contaminated with hazardous substances due to the rituals performed at the site.
While the church leader claimed that these practices were beneficial to his followers, there was no scientific evidence to support such claims. As a result, the government has made it clear that it will not tolerate any activities that put the health and well-being of the public at risk, especially when those involved are vulnerable or uninformed about the dangers.
The closure of the church has sparked mixed reactions from the local community and the wider public. Many residents of Nkpor and surrounding areas have expressed relief that the government has taken swift action to address the allegations of ritualistic practices.
Some have described the activities of Pastor Okocha as harmful, stating that they had long suspected that something was amiss but had been too afraid to speak out.
Others, however, have raised concerns about the potential negative impact on religious freedom in the region.
They argue that the state government should be cautious in its approach to policing religious practices and that the closure of the church may infringe on the rights of individuals to worship freely. They assert that there should be a clear distinction between legitimate religious practices and fraudulent activities masked as spirituality.
Nevertheless, many citizens are applauding the government’s stance against fraudulent religious practices, particularly those linked to the dangerous Oke Ite ritual. Some have called for more extensive measures to be taken to eradicate such practices, with some even urging the government to investigate other churches and ministries in the state that may be involved in similar activities.
The sealing of the church has underscored the importance of security agencies in the fight against ritualistic practices in Anambra State.
In recent months, the government has made significant strides in addressing security concerns, especially those involving ritual killings and other forms of violent crime linked to spiritual practices.
Ken Emeakai, in his role as the Special Adviser on Community Security, has been instrumental in organizing security operations to monitor and eliminate fraudulent religious practices.
Operation Udo Ga-Achi, the task force deployed to the site, has been actively involved in ensuring that these illegal activities are promptly investigated and halted.
The government’s approach has involved a combination of law enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and community engagement to tackle the root causes of these practices.
The decision to involve forensic experts in the investigation of River Bethsaida and the liquids found at the ministry highlights the government’s commitment to using science and technology in its efforts to address spiritual and health risks. By relying on expert analysis, the government hopes to provide definitive answers about the nature of the practices and the potential dangers they pose to public health.
The sealing of Pastor Okocha’s ministry is just one of the many steps the Anambra State government plans to take in its ongoing fight against fraudulent spiritual practices and rituals. While this incident highlights the growing problem of ritualistic crime, it also serves as a reminder of the need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to ensure that the safety and well-being of citizens are not compromised by unscrupulous individuals seeking to exploit their desperation for wealth and success.
Governor Soludo has called on members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to ritualistic practices. He emphasized the importance of community involvement in identifying and addressing such issues before they spiral out of control. Additionally, the government has vowed to continue its support for law enforcement agencies, ensuring that they are well-equipped and well-trained to handle the complex nature of these crimes.
In conclusion, the sealing of Pastor Onyebuchi Okocha’s ministry in Nkpor serves as a clear message that the Anambra State government is committed to rooting out fraudulent practices that exploit vulnerable individuals under the guise of religion.
The closure of the church marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and security in religious institutions throughout the state.
Moving forward, the government will continue to monitor and investigate any further allegations of ritualistic crime to protect the people of Anambra and ensure that they are not deceived or harmed by those who seek to exploit their faith. (Geencee Blog)
News
NAFDAC seizes 140 tonnes of expired drugs, uncovers warehouses in Aba


The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered two warehouses stocked with expired drugs at No. 269, Sam Mbakwe Road (formerly Faulk’s Road), Aba.
This was made known in a statement shared by the agency on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
According to reports, some suspects managed to remove several cartons of expired but relabeled drugs before security reinforcements arrived.
The statement said, “#AbaUpdates Two warehouses at No. 269, Sam Mbakwe Road (formerly Faulk’s Road), Aba, stocked with expired drugs, have been uncovered.
“During the raid, it was discovered that suspects had removed some cartons of expired but relabelled drugs before security reinforcements arrived.”
In a related operation at Umumeje, Umuocheala, Osisioma LGA, NAFDAC seized 140 tonnes of expired drugs. This figure does not include additional products confiscated from drug shops at the Ariaria International Market.
During the crackdown, NAFDAC officials collected 178 drug samples, which will undergo laboratory analysis to determine their composition and potential health risks.
The statement added, ‘From the warehouse at Umumeje, Umuocheala, Osisioma LGA, 140 tonnes of expired drugs were evacuated—excluding products seized from drug shops at Ariaria International Market.
“A total of 178 drug samples collected during the operation will undergo laboratory analysis.”
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