The Employeronline Entrepreneurship Newspaper.

06/06/2025

It is the events that shape the activities of people on a daily basis. Such events might either be good or bad, favourable or unfavourable. Take them in your strides.

06/06/2025

A society where Police is your true friend is all we need. Those who perpetrate criminal activities should not use the Police as a shield.

06/06/2025

FROM THE DIARY: A REFLECTION.

HOW DIALOGUE BETWEEN LAND GRABBER AND LAND OWNER ENSUED?

"Please, come and let us see. Why are you farming here?" "Because the land belongs to me". "Is it your land or community's land?" It is my land allocated to me by the Community". "Do you know that this place was fenced?" If you fence somebody's property illegally, does that give you the right to own it?" "Case has started", retorted and zoomed off.

We continued with our farming work. About one hour thereafter on the way home, a spacious ash-coloured Sienna car was approaching and we were making a way for it to pass when it stopped suddenly and in a movie style,five hefty men on plain clothes descended from the car, commanded and compelled us to enter the vehicle. We demanded to know who they were and why they are embarking on this mission. One of them who identified himself as a Police Officer told me that someone called them that there were criminals trespassing on his land. I told him when has farming on your own land turn to criminal activity?

Meanwhile, after introducing myself as a Retired Officer, I told them to accord me the recognition I deserve by inviting me to the station. By this time a team of Policemen have been alerted and they came in their open truck. They were all in uniform unlike the others who were in plain clothes and one of them acknowledged me.

Right from the time the plain clothes ones descended from the Sienna vehicle, my cousin who has his own land allocation close to mine was being mishandled by two energetic Police Officers among them.
He was being compelled to go to the back seat of the Sienna.and only yielded when the patrol team arrived. He eventually went with them to the station along with our farming tools.

I walked all the way to where I packed my car, drove home, changed and headed straight to the Police Station. The one who called the Police was nowhere to be found. Even on subsequent appointments from the Police, he never showed up. What can you say? The guilty are afraid.

05/06/2025

If there is any institution that needs to be guarded jealously and cautiously, it is Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
This program is the future and would take education to the next level if handled by people of proven integrity.

05/06/2025

NELFUND: HOW UNIVERSITIES SHOULD REFUND FEES PAID ALREADY BY STUDENTS.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Dr. Akintunde Sawyerr has directed the Federal Universities and Polytechnics including other Tertiary institutions in the country to refund fees paid by students who applied for NELFUND and were "verified" before their loans were remitted to the institutions.

According to the report gathered by The Employeronline Entrepreneurship Newspaper, NELFUND also called on the institutions to not bar any "verified" student under the loan scheme from academic activities including examinations due to non-payment of tuition.

The Managing Director said the institutions should keep to the agreement they had with NELFUND in order to make the scheme as seamless as possible. He was of the view that compliance with the order would go a long way in addressing some of the complaints by many of the "beneficiaries".
Akintunde Sawyerr also intimated that the University of Lagos (UNILAG) had commenced a refund to students who paid their fees. He said the directive did not apply only to UNILAG but to all institutions that have received institutional fees for beneficiaries of the student loan scheme. In his words: "UNILAG has commenced a refund of fees paid by some students, and we expect other institutions to do the same."

29/05/2025

Community is where we all come from. With the overwhelming security challenges around us on a daily basis, we cannot afford to feel unconcerned about other people. Know your neighbours and report those who are into illegal activities before they become a danger to the Community. Consider the impact of your actions on others and strive to act in a way that benefits the Community.

29/05/2025

The society would be better for all of us when we don't turn our eyes the other way when things are going wrong. An adage says: "lf you see something, say something".

28/05/2025

OPINION:

By Festus Ezema (B.A, UNN, M.sc,UNILAG)

HOW TO ERADICATE LAND GRABBING IN NSUKKA OR ELSEWHERE?

Land grabbing or large scale acquisitions of lands is the forceful or fraudulent seizure of lands from the local Communities often by group of individuals, government or other entities for their own intended purposes or for development.Land grabbing leads to dispossession, displacement and loss of livelihoods for those previously living or farming on the land.

This phenomenon has serious consequences for the local Communities, among which include: loss of livelihoods resulting from land dispossession, loss of access to resources and economic opportunities. It breeds social and political tensions, which in turn generate conflicts and resentment between Communities and those who are grabbing their lands.
Another serious dimension is where a group of individuals invade community lands and sell them off to whoever cares to buy and use the proceeds from the illegal sale to acquire cars and build Hotels to the detriment of the Community. Or have the financial muscle to call the Police and implicate law-abiding indigenes for simply daring to carry out their farm work.

In as much as the Community has put measures in place to checkmate this trend, these are measures that need to be further taken to make land grabbing a thing of the past:
¶ Strengthen legal frameworks by enforcing existing laws and regulations.to ensure appropriate punishment for those involved in land grabbing.
¶ Embarking on Judicial Reforms by ensuring timely and decisive judgements.
¶ By setting up Special Task Forces ( like Lagos did) to address land grabbing specially using methods like Mediation and Reconciliation in addition to legal action.
¶ Improve land Registration and Titling System to create clear and secure land ownership.
¶Implement transparent and accessible land Records to reduce fraudulent transactions and make it easier to verify ownership.
¶ Carry out Community awareness and education by embarking on public awareness campaign through the media and Community engagement to educate citizens about their land rights and the consequences of land grabbing.
¶ Have Community engagement to involve the Communities in the process of land management and dispute resolution
¶ Empower Traditional Leaders and Community Heads in efforts to protect Community lands and resolve disputes amicably.
¶ Hold individuals and institutions involved in land grabbing accountable for their actions.
¶ There should be law enforcement and Judiciary collaboration. There should be collaboration between law enforcement agencies (Police, EFCC and Taskforces) and the Judiciary should effectively address land grabbing cases.
¶ Deterrent measures should be imposed on convicted land grabbers to discourage future menace.

If these measures are implemented holistically, Nsukka, and by implication, Nigeria would witness significant progress in eradicating this hydra-headed monster and ensure equitable access to land resources for all citizens.

22/05/2025

It is unthinkable that in the 21st century, some people are still propagating ethnic hatred. Why would it be a problem if someone is associating with Igbos? Have Davido in practical terms not shown the sterling qualities of Igbos? Why would it be a problem to ethnic bigots if someone is naturally endowed? "I AM IGBO BY BLOOD". Hate will take us backward, and has always done so. But love will surely take us forward. Let's build a nation where love brings us together to achieve a common purpose.

Birthdays are days of celebration. The joy that God Almighty has chosen this special day to send you on a mission to this earth. You did not ask Him to do so and you did not merit it. He did it out of favour. Welcome to the fifth month of the year. Welcome to the month of Grace. Hurray! It is my birthday. I give glory to the Lord God Almighty who is worthy to be praised. Friends, Relations, Acquaintances, Well-Wishers, please rejoice with me.

May the joy of the Lord never cease in our homes, in our hearts in Jesus name. Amen.

21/05/2025

Kudos to His Royal Highness, Igwe Christopher Ezugwu, ( Egwu-Na'-Atu-Ike 1) of Echara, Nsukka, who is out to ensure that the Community maintains steady progress. Recently, efforts were made to discourage indiscriminate arrests by the Police of law-abiding indigenes who go to their farms. In line with this, the Taskforce set up to flush-out Land-Grabbers and those farming illegally on Community lands should intensify their efforts by maintaining constant vigilance over the Community lands. They should be properly motivated to put in their best.

ECHARA NSUKKA COMMUNITY LANDS: HOW LONG WOULD LAND-GRABBERS EMBARRASS, HARASS, AND INTIMIDATE LAW-ABIDING INDIGENES?

How long can this go on? Last year the Federal Appeal Court sitting in Enugu, Enugu State gave a favourable verdict concerning Echara Nsukka Community lands located at the Barracks Nsukka when it threw away the Power of Attorney being claimed by some individuals in the Community and returned the Community lands back to the rightful owners (the entire community).

As a result of this landmark judgement, the Igwe of the Community, His Royal Highness, Igwe Christopher Ezugwu announced a verification exercise last December 31, 2024 for every Indigene both at home and abroad to come down and participate in the exercise to determine the rightful owners of various land allocations. The response was massive and the exercise was seamlessly concluded after two times at different dates with the President-General and the Palace Secretary spearheading the verification exercise. Already the verification Committee was in place being headed by a Chairman.

Being a law-abiding Community, Echara has pursued peace with vehemence with the establishment of a Taskforce to monitor the activities of a few individuals (LAND-GRABBERS) in the Community who have built massive wealth and empire from the common wealth of the people. Those LAND-GRABBERS are still operating in clandestine manner, selling people's plots, employing intimidation, embarrassment and harassment using some Police Officers.As a result, many people are afraid to claim the ownership of their respective lands.
Every well-meaning indigenes of Echara Nsukka should condemn this evil act and take action so that this Community can breathe once, again. If you have any issue, the Verification Committee set up for this purpose would handle it.

20/05/2025

We are one when we are united in love. With love, we can move forward together; with love, we can build a great family; with love, we can build a better nation rooted in having our common wealth go round and not hijacked by a few. Love is in sharing.

Birthdays are days of celebration. The joy that God Almighty has chosen this special day to send you on a mission to this earth. You did not ask Him to do so and you did not merit it. He did it out of favour. Welcome to the fifth month of the year. Welcome to the month of Grace. Hurray! It is my birthday. I give glory to the Lord God Almighty who is worthy to be praised. Friends, Relations, Acquaintances, Well-Wishers, please rejoice with me.

May the joy of the Lord never cease in our homes, in our hearts in Jesus name. Amen.

17/05/2025

Do you know that some people forget their birthdays? Yes, it is true. With all the harsh conditions hammering on you left, right, and centre, it is very easy to forget. Don't think about your problems, think about God. Stay closer to Him. He is the solution provider. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Birthdays are days of celebration. The joy that God Almighty has chosen this special day to send you on a mission to this earth. You did not ask Him to do so and you did not merit it. He did it out of favour. Welcome to the fifth month of the year. Welcome to the month of Grace. Hurray! It is my birthday. I give glory to the Lord God Almighty who is worthy to be praised. Friends, Relations, Acquaintances, Well-Wishers, please rejoice with me.

May the joy of the Lord never cease in our homes, in our hearts in Jesus name. Amen.