News
Chimamanda hails Mbah’s strides, says Enugu Smart Schools Initiative shining example of way forward
Globally renowned author and public speaker, Chimamanda Adichie has commended the positive developments in Enugu under the Governor Peter Mbah Administration, saying the state’s dark times were over.
Adichie spoke during a courtesy visit to Mbah at the Government House, Enugu, on the sidelines of the Things Fall Apart Festival 2025, which was held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
“Arriving in Enugu, there is a feeling of calm and very welcoming.
This is the city that I have always loved. I think, in the past, it had some dark times. It seems to me that the light is back,” she said.
The literary icon also told Government House correspondents that she left the meeting with Mbah feeling very inspired by his long-term vision, people-oriented policies and programmes, and the impressive representation of women in his government.
“I have left this meeting feeling very inspired. Surprisingly inspired because I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I have to say that I am so inspired. I am filled with a lot of admiration for the governor’s vision; for his ability to think long term, which is something that I think we need more of in this country. And also for what seems to me a very humane point and a kind of outlook that I think is borne from the desire to do well.
“By doing well, I mean to do things that touch the lives of the ordinary people in Enugu State. That’s very inspiring for me. It’s also inspiring to hear and see that the women are very well represented in his cabinet,” she stated.
She hailed the ongoing construction of Smart Green Schools in each of the 260 political wards in Enugu and the allocation of well over 33 per cent in the state’s 2024 and 2025 annual budgets to education.
“I have always felt very strongly that education has to be at the centre of any kind of forward-looking vision for any state in Nigeria. I was very impressed to hear about the Smart Green Schools. Of course, to value something, you have to invest in it. So, that the governor of Enugu State is investing a bigger portion of the budget, more than UNESCO recommends, I think is something very powerful.
“So, the idea of trying to reach children in rural areas, who might not have the opportunity to get a really very good elementary education, is again, a very inspiring example of the ability to think long-term about the problem that we have. I think it is a shining example of the way forward,” Adichie concluded.
Meanwhile, receiving the multiple awards winning author, who also gifted him an autographed copy of her latest work, “Dream Count,” Governor Mbah described her as a literary giant, inspiration to the younger generation, and an ambassador of Igbo and African cultures.”
“Chimamanda is a proud ambassador of Igbo culture, who continues to elevate African narratives on the global stage,” he stated.
He said his government was investing heavily in education to be able to produce many more of her type and others, who would paint Enugu State, Nigeria, and Africa in glowing colours in various fields of human endeavors across the world.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries over the discovery of another fake agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The affected PS are M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
The President also ordered the arrest of one George Buchi Nwabueze.
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Friday after briefing the President for the second time in two days, following an earlier meeting on Thursday.The
Aliyu said the newly uncovered fake office, operating under the name “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office,” had been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the OSGF, contrary to extant laws and without presidential authorisation.
He said the discovery emerged in the course of the commission’s broader investigation, as earlier directed by the President.
The ICPC boss identified the promoter of the fake office as one George Nwabueze, who was said to be operating under multiple aliases.
“The fake agency office, National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, was promoted by one George Buchi Nwabueze, with active suspected collaborators in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, contrary to extant laws and without authorisation of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The promoter was discovered to also operate under four other variations of his name: George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze,” Aliyu said.
He revealed that the ICPC had engaged the OSGF to ascertain vital information relating to the fake office under investigation, and had comprehensively briefed the President on the new developments.
“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations accordingly,” he said.
Aliyu said following the discovery, “Mr President has directed as follows: the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze; the immediate suspension of the following permanent secretaries; M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah,” he said.
Friday’s development is the latest in a scandal that began with the exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, whose self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, is currently facing prosecution on charges of forgery and impersonation.
The ICPC’s interim report, submitted to the President on August 6 after a 30-day investigation, had earlier disclosed the existence of two other fictitious bodies, the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office is the fourth fake agency uncovered after the PFIFC scandal since early April.
Tension and grief have enveloped the political community in Enugu State following the suspected murder of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chairman in Udenu Local Government Area, Chisimdiri Emmanuel Ngwu.
Ngwu, said to be one of the longest-serving members of the ADC in the state, was reportedly found dead in the early hours of Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in circumstances suspected to be suspicious.
A family source, who spoke to our correspondent, said Ngwu left the house shortly after waking up on Wednesday morning but never returned alive.
“He woke up early in the morning on Wednesday and walked out and that was the last we heard of him,” the source said.
According to the source, the family became worried after discovering that Ngwu was missing, before his lifeless body was later found outside the compound.
“When we woke up, we didn’t see him only to discover his lifeless body in front of our compound. We saw scratches on his neck which was twisted backwards,” the source added.
The circumstances surrounding his death have continued to generate concern among family members, friends and political associates.
Meanwhile, two persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.
However, their identities and the circumstances surrounding their arrest were not immediately disclosed as of press time.
The development has reportedly sent shock waves through the ADC in Udenu and the wider political community in the state, with calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ngwu’s death.
Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has claimed that President Bola Tinubu will relocate the capital of Nigeria to Lagos if he is declared the winner of the 2027 general elections.
Primate Ayodele made this statement in a video posted on X.
President Tinubu is seeking re-election under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Speaking about Tinubu’s re-election, the cleric said, “Lagos architecture will change. You may not see this one very seriously, but if Tinubu wins the second time, the capital of Nigeria will be relocated to Lagos.
“When this happens, the capital can be in Epe or Lekki or anywhere at all in Lagos.”
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