Coneri Blog

13/07/2025

CRSG Hails NDDC at 25, Reaffirms Commitment to Partnership

The Cross River State Government has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for its 25 years of service, applauding the Commission’s role in transforming lives across the region through key infrastructure and social development projects.

Speaking at the NDDC 25th Anniversary Plenary in Port Harcourt, Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, who represented Governor Bassey Edet Otu, said Cross River remains proud of the Commission’s interventions, especially in roads, healthcare, education, and youth empowerment.

He noted that the NDDC has executed 227 completed and ongoing road projects across the state, greatly improving access to markets, schools, healthcare, and farmlands, while also creating jobs and boosting local economies.

Odey also acknowledged the Commission’s continued support despite Cross River’s exclusion from direct oil revenue since 2013, describing NDDC’s efforts as lifelines for many underserved communities.

He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the NDDC to drive inclusive growth and bridge development gaps across the region.

The Cross River delegation included lawmakers, cabinet members, and other top officials. Dignitaries at the event included Senate President Godswill Akpabio, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Niger Delta governors, ministers, and traditional rulers.

21/02/2025

Hon. Raymond Akori Inaku Emerges Coneri Personality Of The Week

Hon. Raymond Akori Inaku, has proven himself as an inspiring force and leader driven by service, defined by action, and committed to the collective good of his people. As the Councillor representing Ofumbongha/Yala Ward, the Leader of the 8th Obubra Legislative Council, and the Secretary-General of the Legislative Leaders Forum in Cross River State, Raymond has proven time and again that leadership is not just about holding positions but about making a difference.

It is for these very reasons that he has been named the Coneri Personality of the Week by the Management of Coneri Nigeria, publishers of Coneri Blog, a recognition well deserved for his sterling leadership acumen, unwavering commitment to the welfare of his people, and the harmonious relationship he has fostered with the executive arm of government. Among the many capable leaders in Cross River State, Raymond Inaku stands out as a beacon of hope, unity, and progress, particularly as the first person from Yala-Obubra to elected Councilor of Ofumbongha/Yala as well as leader of Obubra Legislative.

A Life of Service and Dedication

Born in Yala-Obubra in Obubra Local Government Area, Raymond’s journey into leadership was not accidental. From an early age, he exhibited a rare blend of vision and responsibility. Between 1988 and 2010, he led the Young Planner Age Grade, a role that shaped his ability to inspire and mobilize people toward common goals. His influence in the Yala Youth Forum, where he played pivotal roles as Secretary and later Chairman, solidified his reputation as a unifier—a leader who builds bridges rather than walls.

But Raymond’s impact is not limited to community mobilization alone. His academic journey speaks of a man deeply rooted in knowledge and strategic thinking. Holding a degree in Oceanography, a Postgraduate Diploma in Marine Toxicology, and currently pursuing an MSc in Zoology and Environmental Biology at the University of Calabar, he brings a scientific, solution-oriented mindset to governance. In an era where informed decision-making is crucial, Raymond’s educational background equips him to tackle the complexities of leadership with precision and foresight.

A Political Trailblazer and Party Loyalist

Politics is often a game of shifting loyalties, but Raymond has remained steadfast in his principles. As a student leader, he represented the Marine Science students in the University of Calabar’s Student Union Government, honing his advocacy and negotiation skills. His political instincts were further sharpened when he played a critical role in mobilizing voter registration and championing the Sai Baba campaign for President Buhari in 2014.

His unwavering loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been instrumental in strengthening the party’s presence in Ofumbongha/Yala Ward. As the former Assistant Financial Secretary of the APC Obubra Chapter, Raymond not only ensured financial transparency but also helped solidify the party’s grassroots structure. His ability to rally people around shared ideals has made him an indispensable asset to the party and his constituents.

Transformational Leadership and Impact

Leadership is ultimately measured by impact, and Raymond Akori Inaku has left an indelible mark on his ward. By Coneri rating, Raymond is a visionary leader Steering Ofumbongha/Yala ward toward progress Through his strategic vision, he has championed major infrastructure projects, including the Yala-Obubra road construction, as development blueprint.This project is not just about roads. it is about connectivity, accessibility, and economic empowerment for the people. Also, as chairman of the Yala-Obubra Community Development Association, YOBUCA, Raymond and Eriacy Confidence Oba, Media Aide to Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, Member Representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, run a two-man executive committee that heralded the era of development in the community.

Beyond infrastructure, Raymond has played a crucial role in conflict resolution. In a region where communal clashes have often hindered progress, his timely interventions helped restore peace between the Yala-Obubra, Akam, and Onyen Orangha communities. His leadership is not just about politics; it is about fostering harmony and ensuring that his people can thrive in a peaceful environment.

A Vision for the Future:

Raymond’s leadership is anchored in the philosophy that governance should bridge gaps—between generations, between promises and fulfillment, and between the present and a brighter future. His vision for Ofumbongha/Yala Ward extends beyond physical projects to include mentorship, youth empowerment, and policy reforms that will secure long-term prosperity for his people.

As Leader of the Obubra Legislative Council, he has maintained a cordial relationship with the executive, ensuring that policies are implemented efficiently and that legislative decisions translate into tangible benefits for the people. His ability to balance diplomacy with firm leadership has been a defining trait of his tenure.

A Well-Deserved Recognition

Coneri Personality of the Week is not just an award; it is a testament to Raymond Akori Inaku’s relentless dedication to service. Among many other leaders, he stands out because he embodies what true leadership should be—service-driven, people-oriented, and visionary. His legacy is already taking shape, and the people of Ofumbongha/Yala Ward can look to the future with confidence, knowing that they are in capable hands.

Hon. Raymond Akori Inaku is not just a political figure; he is a movement, a force for good, and a leader who continues to inspire hope, unity, and progress.

Coneri Blog

06/05/2024

School feeding programs vendors disengaged

06/05/2024

06/05/2024

C'River ready to meet REA'S counterpart funding requirements to improve rural economies

Governor Bassey Otu has announced that his administration is ready to meet the counterpart funding requirements of the Federal Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to provide mini-grid power supply to rural communities.

This move is aimed at boosting the micro-economies of the state and improving productivity levels, especially in the agricultural and rural communities.

Speaking during a courtesy call to him in Calabar, by the REA management team, Governor Otu expressed his administration's willingness to meet the 30 percent counterpart funding, which is necessary for attracting REA's interventions.

He emphasized the importance of power supply in powering the rural economies to achieve energy and food security for the people of Cross River.

Governor Otu commended the REA for the 7-megawatt power project that will provide steady power supply for the University of Calabar and the University Teaching Hospital, UCTH.

He also praised the REA team's technical capacity and President Bola Tinubu's administration for putting round pegs in round holes.

He disclosed that Cross River energy law would soon be in place, and the state with an energy capacity of nearly 600 megawatts would be an exporter of energy to other states.

The MD of the REA, Mallam Abba Aliu, explained that the agency promotes and coordinates electrification programmes and administers the Rural Electrification Fund to provide rural electrification through public and private sector participation in the country.

He revealed that REA has secured $750 million in funding, making it the world's largest public sector off-grid funded project.

Aliu added that the state must provide 30% counterpart funding for the agency to provide 70% for projects located in a partner state. The state will also provide land, which is a crucial requirement for citing any project in any state.

He also revealed REA's 'Energy Agriculture Initiative,' where solar mini-grids are provided to enhance agriculture.

The MD assured the governor that REA has marked Cross River as a flashpoint for various interventions.

Nsa Gill
Chief Press Secretary
May 6, 2024.

06/05/2024

CSOs Resume Fight Against Massive Deforestation, Illegal Mining in C'River

Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Cross River State are joining forces to combat the alarming rates of deforestation and illegal mining plaguing the state, threatening its rich biodiversity and the livelihoods of local communities.

The Cross River Tropical Rainforest, once hailed as the richest cover in West Africa, has suffered extensive degradation over the past decades, with Nigeria losing an estimated 400,000 hectares of forest annually. Recent data indicates that Cross River State has been particularly hard-hit, losing significant portions of its forest cover to illegal logging, unsustainable agricultural practices, urban expansion, and infrastructure development.

In its Policy Brief launched under the MoCCSA (Mobilising CSOs and Citizens for Social Accountability) project implemented by Green Concern for Development (GREENCODE) in partnership with Nigeria Situation Room with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), highlights the extent of the deforestation crisis in Cross River State. Between 1991 and 2008, the state witnessed a substantial decline in its forest cover, with an estimated loss of over 2,800 square kilometers, signaling a dire situation that demands urgent action.

"The consequences of massive deforestation are manifold, affecting the environment, local communities, and the economy. Loss of critical habitats for endangered species, decreased biodiversity, heightened risk of floods and landslides, and reduced availability of forest products have all been cited as major concerns. Additionally, the rise of illegal mining activities in forest reserved zones, including the Cross River National Park, further exacerbates the environmental degradation and threatens the rights and safety of forest-dependent communities." The statement reads in parts.

The document by GREENCODE issued call to action, urging government and policymakers to enforce existing laws and regulations on forest protection, develop sustainable land-use policies, and support community-based forest management initiatives. They emphasize the need for collaboration between government, industry, civil society, and local communities to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and shared decision-making in natural resource management.

Speaking during the closeout meeting of the projects where 5 policy briefs on different sectors of the society were launched, Comrade Edem Edem, National Coordinator of Green Concern for Development GREENCODE, informed that the project aimed at empowering civil society organizations (CSOs) and citizens to actively engage in governance and hold the government accountable. Through advocacy visits and capacity-building initiatives, adding that the project focused on promoting social accountability by equipping CSOs with advocacy skills and tools to facilitate citizen participation in policy discussions and ensure government responsiveness to the needs of grassroots communities.

Edem noted that the project was closing with the launch of the 2023 4th quarter budget performance report, a Citizen's Budget (a simplified version of the 2024 budget, and five policy briefs Water and Sanitation, Waste Management and Environment, Peace Building and Conflict Management, Fiscal Accountability and Open Government, Forest Degradation and Illegal Mining. Adding that these documents Which will be distributed to relevant stakeholders and the public in general is to both trigger the citizens to hold government accountable and trigger actions from government to solve citizens problems.

These documents according to Edem, can be downloaded from the organisation's website at www.greencodeng.org

The fight against deforestation and illegal mining is a collective endeavor that requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders. By heeding the call to action and working together, stakeholders can halt and reverse the destructive trends, safeguarding the invaluable forests of Cross River State for future generations.

20/04/2024

PHOTOS: Lagos Police Arrest Driver With Pistols, Others

Policemen attached to the Maroko Division of the Lagos State Police Command, in the early hours of Thursday, arrested a driver, Azeez Babatunde, and recovered weapons from his minibus.

The command's Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

He wrote, "At about 5am, anti-crime patrol officers from Maroko Division noticed a minibus do a quick u-turn upon sighting them on Hakeem Dickson Street. The officers went in pursuit.

"Six persons jumped out of the vehicle, running in different directions. The officers caught up with the vehicle and arrested the only person left in the vehicle, the driver, Azeez Babatunde.

"A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of two locally-made pistols, two unexpended cartridges, and a knife. Investigation is ongoing."

Credit: X| BenHundeyin

20/04/2024

Nigeria’s Finest Female Robot and Content Creator, Jadrolita Graduates From The University, Bags BSc In Accounting. I wish Peller her screen boyfriend would enroll in school too because education is the key that boosts one’s confidence. Congratulations Jado, you have the world on smash right now.

Who is tapping???

20/04/2024

I Regret Ignoring Junior Pope's Message On Instagram – Verydarkman

Controversial social media critic, Martins Otse, popularly called Verydarkman, has said that he regretted not replying to late Nollywood actor, John Paul Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope's Instagram message.

The 27-year-old, who recently regained his freedom from police custody in Abuja for alleged cyberbullying, shared the video on his Instagram account.

The message Junior Pope sent to Verydarkman read, "Brother, how are you doing? I need to speak with you man-to-man, something very, very urgent, get back to me when you see this message."

Verydarkman said, "We were talking about Junior Pope, I told the guys there that Junior Pope actually sent me a DM. I had to go look for the DM. He sent me the DM on February 23.

"Immediately I saw this DM, I did a screenshot, but I did not reply. Now, I regret it 100 per cent. I regret it so much that I didn't reply because of what the DM says, because he literally said, "I need to speak to you man-to-man, is something very, very urgent."

"Man-to-man means he did not want to talk to me on the phone. He didn't want to send a message. He just wanted to have a conversation. I don't know what the conversation was, but now that he done kpai, I realised that it would have been a very serious conversation that maybe would have avoided anything. When I came back to his DM, he had deleted it.

"I did not respond because, uhmm, I don't like most of these celebrities in this country. Some of them try to fan me when they see me on the road and I have had experience with one of two of them and I know that most of them want to come close to me because of what I do. They might be scared that "ok, this one fit come call me out tomorrow, so let me just try to be his friend.'

"Only God know wetin Junior Pope bin wan tell me, like I said I regret am 100 percent."

Junior Pope and four other actors drowned after their boat capsized on Anam River in Anambra State on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, while returning from a movie shoot.

Credit: Instagram | verydarkman
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13/04/2024

Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba Applauds Senator Bassey Otu's Led Administration For Boosting Sports Activities In C'River State

Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba Applauds Senator Bassey Otu's Led Administration For Boosting Sports Activities In C'River State By Eriacy Confidence Coneri Nigeria, organisers of Okpambe Cultural and Fishing Festival April 13, 2024 Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba Applauds Senator Bassey Otu's Led Administration For Boosti...

13/04/2024

BREAKING: Ownership Crisis Rocks Benin City as Igodomigodo Asks Oba of Benin to Return To Ile-Ife

Reportgist
Apr 5, 2024

There is a renewed crisis grooming from the state capital of Edo State, Benin City, as the acclaimed original indigenes of Benin City ask the Oba of Benin to return to Ile-Ife, his original abode or continue to pay tax to them according to a cited treaty.

According to a story being trended by some people from Igodomigodo under the leadership of Ogie Dr. Richard Arisco Ogiamien, Benin City had been led for the past centuries by Yoruba people who invaded their land Ian 1170 AD.

It was claimed that the Ogiamen family of Igodomigodo predate the war, living in the area before it was forcefully taken by the Yoruba warriors who came from Ile-Ife.

The story claimed that after several years of the war, a treaty was agreed to at Ekioppagha which mandated Benin people to pay tax to the Ogiamen Royal family. The royal family is now asking for the tax to resume from the Benin people or they should retake their familiarities to Ile-Ife and vacate the stool of the Oba of Benin.

A message from a Benin Aborigine concerning the grooming crisis read:

“In 1170 AD, a warrior prince from the Yoruba kingdom of Ile-Ife named Oranmiyan invaded our land of Igodomigodo with his warriors, horsemen, and medicine men.

“At that time, we, the Ogiamien family, were reigning as Ogiso. The war spanned many years and claimed countless lives, leading to a treaty at Ekiokpagha, where an oath was sworn.

“According to this agreement, the Yoruba Oba of Ile-Ibinu, later known as Ibini and eventually corrupted to Benin, would pay the Ogiamien Royal family annual bounty in goods and taxes. This property tax was faithfully paid to the Ogiamien.

“Now, in the 2020s, I reflect on how these same Yoruba people who once invaded our land in 1170 AD are claiming descent from our Ogiso family. The Obas of Benin are asserting connections to our Idu family and heritage while denying their Yoruba lineage.

“One may ask: are the Yoruba Benin Obas and their chiefs ashamed of their Yoruba ancestry? Oba Ewuare II, for instance, is an Ile-Ibinu Yoruba king from Ile-Ife.

“Why then do these Yoruba individuals refer to themselves as Idu people from Igodomigodo? The notion of Ekhalederan turning into Oduduwa is a fabrication concocted by the late Oba Erediauwa and has no historical basis.

“The Ekhalederan we recognize was not a missing prince but a figure who lived, died, and was buried in Ughoton. Our Ogiso Owodo was without children.

“Therefore, Oba Ewuare and all past Obas of Benin trace their lineage to a Yoruba prince of Ile-Ife.

“The Yoruba Obas of Ile-Ibinu, now referred to as Benin, are not indigenous to our Igodomigodo land. If they are unable to fulfill their property tax obligations to the Ogiamien Royal family of Igodomigodo, they should return to Ile-Ife.

“Let us stand united behind our true ancestral king of Igodomigodo, Ogie Dr. Richard Arisco Ogiamien, and work towards the greatness of Igodomigodo once again. Ogiamien gator kpere, isee!!!

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Note to all Yorùbá

Please let us support the Ọba of Bini in this trying times. His right to rule over Bini emanate from right of conquest even though his forebears were from Ifẹ.

We shall stand by our monarch because we share filial relation through Ọ̀rànmíyàn.

Tag any Bini man you know.

Thank you.

13/04/2024

Etaba Moves To End Communal And Cult Clashes In Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency

Etaba Moves To End Communal And Cult Clashes In Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency. By Eriacy Confidence Coneri Nigeria, organisers of Okpambe Cultural and Fishing Festival April 13, 2024 Etaba Moves To End Communal And Cult Clashes In Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency The Chairman of the House Comm...