2019 polls: Youths strategise to take over power by Prisca Sam-Duru Youths under the aegis of First Massive Literati, FML, have vowed to unseat the current crops of politicians, by ensuring young Nigerians take over power come 2019 general elections. The youths who gathered at the Creative Arts Theatre, Faculty of Social Science, University of Lagos, with representatives of youth organisations from all the states of the federation in attendance, enjoined youths to avoid being deceived by any political party or politicians but should ensure that come 2019, young Nigerians are elected at every level of government. FML founder, James Useghan, who disclosed that the group will be holding its first national convention later in the year, lamented that “for the past 57 years, Nigeria has never produced a president who is less than 50 years. We are not to be associated with any form of violence. We believe in peaceful revolution, and it is high time we seized power from old generation of politicians who have succeeded in messing up the polity such that most youths run away to foreign countries in search of greener pastures but end up dead or worse of.”
The seminar featured key speakers, Olakunle Fapohunda and Mr Ken Etete who sensitised the youths on the need to be involved in governance of the country since the elders have failed to build a government that will provide quality life for the citizenry. Speaking on the topic, ‘Youths, the Future’ Etete said, “The strength and beauty of Nigeria is Nigeria. The fact that certain individuals have mismanaged Nigeria is not an excuse for us to destroy the Nigerian vision. I will consider politics in Nigeria and Africa as a moving trailer that has lost its brakes. Young Nigerians desiring to make a change must understand the importance of being practical to solve a problem by identifying the problem and finding a solution that will solve the problem and not just assuming the solution. The youths have to start thinking of solutions on how they can move the country forward and not as a confrontational force that wants to create problems in the country.”
Unraveling histories, lineage and heritage of ubulu kingdom By Prisca Sam-Duru The Story of Ubulu Kingdom: A Historical Documentary of The People of Ubulu, written by Esther Nwogwonuwe Wright, is one historical masterpiece that has already sparked off discussions and debates about the origin and identity of Ubulu kingdom in Aniocha South, Delta State, Nigeria. Information on Esther’s book was made known to the press at an event held last Wednesday at the Terrace Green Hotel, Lagos. The book will be presented to the public on April 15, 2017 at Viva Palm Hotel, Ubulu-Uku Aniocha South, Delta State by 12pm. L-R: Representative of Ozubulu, Chief Emmanuel Udedike; Author of the book, Mrs. Esther Wright Nwogwonuwe, and representative of Ubuluisiuzor, Onowu Afred Obi Mbanaso, during a press conference in Lagos. Published by Opelsey Ventures Nigeria, the historical 324 pages with 8 Chapters, documents the history of Ubulu Kingdom and the people of Ubulu scattered all over the southern part of Nigeria. The work, according to the UK-based Delta State born author and filmmaker, was originally intended to be a documentary film of the people of Ubulu Kingdom, but as events unfolded, “I realised that a one- hour documentary film viewed on television would be a disservice to the understanding of the complex interwoven political, economic and socio-cultural developments of the Ubulu Kingdom and of the Ubulu people as the research later revealed. After over a decade of thorough research, What I discovered and verified was far weightier. I decided, therefore, that only by producing this information first in a written form would one be able to explain and appreciate the findings, as well as tell the story of the Ubulu Kingdom.” Explaining further on what triggered the documentary, she said: “I was consumed by the fear of our nation’s fast disappearing cultural heritage, then, the need to preserve my people’s cultural heritage became uppermost in my mind. I therefore set out from Lagos to my hometown, Ubulu-Uku, in 2005. What stood naked before me was the reality of the total disregard of the core values in our cultural heritage and the speed with which these cultural values were slipping away and being replaced with borrowed cultures or none. Bringing together the Ubulu people, a people with common ancestry and affiliations on one platform of sustainable movement as Ubulu descendants, remains the focus of the book. It’s also aimed at assisting in correcting the erroneous impression that being civilised means detaching oneself from cultural practices, burning artifacts, and destroying what was left behind by our ancestors. In The Story of Ubulu Kingdom: A Historical Documentary of The People of Ubulu, the Introduction covers such areas as the location of Ubulu communities; the language they speak; habitat and climate; Seasons; Occupation; Ubulu calendar; Market days; Market arrangements; Currency and Religion. Also speaking, the Onowu of Ubuluisiuzor, Chief Afred Obi Mbanaso, representing Ubuluisiuzor said “What the work started in 2005 by Esther has succeeded in doing is putting our collective history in a book that would speak for us now and in the feature. The work has also succeeded in bringing Ubulu descendants back to the home of the original tree ‘Ubulu’ that gave Ubulu its name. All sons and daughters of Ubulu would gather to celebrate the story of Ubulu Kingdom and the birth of a movement, the Ubulu descendant’s movement.”
