Tag: Elder Statesman

  • Elder statesman, EK  Clark begins final journey home on May7-18 as family releases  burial activities

    Elder statesman, EK Clark begins final journey home on May7-18 as family releases burial activities

    Former Federal Commissioner of Education, PANDEF chairman, Senator Edwin Kiagbodo Clark will begin his final journey home on May 7 through May 18th 2025 as his family released activities for his funeral rites.

    This was contained in a notice by the family of the vibrant elder statesman who passed on February 17th, 2025.

    See full burial activities below:
    The burial activities for our late father, grandfather, great grandfather, patriarch and leader, Chief (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark. OFR, CON, who passed on 17th February, 2025, will take place as follows:
    Wednesday, 7th May, 2025: Lecture
    Venue: NAF Conference Centre & Suites, Abuja
    Time: 11am

    Thursday, 8th May, 2025 – Valedictory Session
    Venue: Senate Chambers
    Time: 11am

    Friday, 9th May, 2025
    Event: Day of Tribute
    Venue: Multi-Purpose Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Hotel, Abuja
    Time: 3pm

    Saturday, 10th May, 2025
    Event: Wrestling Contest
    Venue: Yenagoa

    Event: Service of Songs
    Venue: St. James’ Anglican Church, Asokoro, No. 39, Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro, Abuja
    Time: 5pm

    Sunday, 11th May, 2025
    Events: – Boat Regatta
    – Port Harcourt Masquerade
    – Candlelight Memorial:
    Yenagoa
    Kiagbodo
    Abuja: No. 43, Haile Selassie Street, Asokoro, Abuja. Time: 7pm-8pm

    Monday, 12th May, 2025
    Events:
    Commendation Service
    Time: 8am:
    Venue: National Christian Centre, Abuja
    10:am Valedictory Court Session (to hold simultaneously)
    Venue: High Court of Justice, Warri, Delta State

    10:30am Body departs from Abuja to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State
    1:30-2:30pm Commendation Service at Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State

    2:30pm Body departs to Warri, Delta State

    6:30-7pm Lying in state at No. 5, Swamp Road, Warri, Delta State

    7:30pm Body departs to Kiagbodo Town, Delta State
    Service of Songs and all-night vigil at Kiagbodo Town, Delta State

    Tuesday, 13th May, 2025
    10am-10:30am Lying in state at Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo Town, Delta State
    10:30-11am Commendation Service at Edwin Clark University, Kiagbodo, Delta State
    11am Funeral service
    1pm Reception
    5pm Internment
    All-night vigil

    Sunday, 18th May, 2025
    Event: Thanksgiving Service

  • Elder statesman, Edwin Clark again denies ownership of Construction Company; names true owners, particulars of directors

    Elder statesman, Edwin Clark again denies ownership of Construction Company; names true owners, particulars of directors

    Elder statesman and prominent leader of the South South region, Chief Edwin Clark has threatened legal actions against rumour mongers who have for the umpteenth time declared him owner of a construction company; Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd.

    The elder statesman in a statement he personally signed and obtained by TheNewsGuru,com, TNG denied ownership and association with the company.

    According to him the said company was awarded a contract for shoreline protection project, which was captured in the Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in 2010, amounting to the sum of N7,973,336,024.75, and situated at Ogbolomabiri Community in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He also denied receiving 90% of the contract sum.

    Read full statement below:

    PUBLIC NOTICE – WHO IS AFRAID OF 94-YEAR-OLD E. K. CLARK!

    By Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON

    I have just read the mischievous, false and ludicrous allegation made against me, Sen. Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, in the various media, particularly the social media, which was brought to my attention, that I own, or I am associated with a certain company named Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd, which was awarded a contract for shoreline protection project, which was captured in the Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in 2010, amounting to the sum of N7,973,336,024.75, and situated at Ogbolomabiri Community in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and that 90% of the contract sum was released to me.

    These malicious, wicked and fabricated allegations are not true. We have been down this road before. These same jobbers who are hired to lie against me, a 94-year-old man, had earlier, about a year ago, spread these false rumours to tarnish my reputation, but their lies fell flat on their faces. At that time, I promptly refuted their allegations against me on the 7th and 8th of August, 2020, through my Lawyer, Barrister Olukayode (Dr.) Ajulo. His rebuttal was advertised in the Vanguard Newspaper of 9th August, 2020.

    I am presently in the United Kingdom, from where my attention was drawn to this fabricated, cruel and malicious publication of what I will now like to describe as a yearly ritual for those who are afraid of me, and of course their cohorts, commentators and warped, jobless and ignorant politicians, who have promptly made several comments in favour of an untrue story, believing that they can browbeat me, or stop me from making public statements on national issues, particularly on the mandatory need to restructure Nigeria, either in my position as elder statesman; Chairman, Southern/Middlebelt Leaders’ Forum and as Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF). Well shame to these traducers, because they have failed woefully and will continue to fail. Whom God has blessed; no man can curse. No human being created by God either in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world, can or will succeed in blackmailing me to submission. It is not a boast, it is a humble appreciation of God’s mercies and blessings which have been bestowed upon me.

    I deliberately did not instruct my Lawyer to name the owners and Directors of the said Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd, when the allegations were first made last year, because the information is there in public domain as provided by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and at the NDDC Office which knows to whom it awarded the contract. I expected these cruel and intellectually lazy commentators and politicians, to have done their research before putting their mouth, or should I say their fingers, make comments and type on a matter they know nothing about. Also, the owners and Directors of the said company, have decided, for reasons best known to them, to remain silent. I have, therefore, decided, after intensive investigation, to disclose the ownership of the said Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd, and the particulars of its directors.

    The principal Shareholder/Directors of Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd which was incorporated in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, with Registration Number 665917, registered on 6th September, 2006, with its registered office address as Plot 11, Bodo Street, GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt, has Pelfaco Ltd, Gesi Asamaowei and Brenda Asamaowei as owners, Directors and key management personnel. Pelfaco Ltd was also incorporated in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, with Registration Number 119511. It was registered on 26th October, 1988, with its office address as 7, Afam Street, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Its Shareholders, Directors and key management personnel are Mr. Ebigesiye Pele A., Pele E. Afa and Gesi Asamaowei.

    I want to once again, categorically state that as follows:

    1. I do not have any foreshore protection contract at Ogbolomabiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
    2. I do not have any connections or association, whatsoever, with the said company, Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd.
    3. I wish to reassure my family, friends, associates and fellow compatriots, who believe and trust me, that I am completely innocent of all these accusations linking me with the said company, Genuine Construction Engineering Ltd.

    I issue this notice as a final warning and advice to the purveyors of these fake news, to desist from maligning and tarnishing my name.This warning also goes to those who make unfounded comments in support of lies thrown against innocent persons without bothering to find out the truth. It will be recalled that such warning was contained in the public notice issued last year by my Lawyer when this same malicious, mischievous and unfounded allegation was made against me, as reflected by the said publication reproduced hereunder:

    Signed:
    Chief (Dr.) E. K. Clark, OFR, CON

  • World Bank: ‘Buhari is a true elder statesman, his statement deliberately misconstrued’ – Oshiomhole

    World Bank: ‘Buhari is a true elder statesman, his statement deliberately misconstrued’ – Oshiomhole

    Immediate past governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s request asking the World Bank to divert developmental strides to the North-East was made in good fate to savage the raving conditions of the region as at the time the plea was made.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Managing Director of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim last Thursday said the president of specifically placing a request that the bank restricts its developmental grants to the northern part of the country.

    Jim Yong Kim was quoted as saying: “You know, in my very first meeting with President Buhari he said specifically that he would like us to shift our focus to the northern region of Nigeria and we’ve done that. Now, it has been very difficult. The work there has been very difficult”.

    However, in a reaction, the former governor said it was regrettable that a patriotic request made by the President and borne out of altruistic motivation was now being politicised.

    Oshiomhole, who made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja, said Buhari remains a statesman.

    The statement said: “It is a matter of fact that I was present at the meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari with the World Bank President Dr. Kim Jong on July 21, 2015 at the Blair House, Washington DC.

    It is rather unfortunate that a patriotic request made by Mr. President and borne out of altruistic motivation is now being twisted, manipulated and politicised to suit certain political end.

    Mr. President made the request against the backdrop of the devastation of the Northeast zone and the need for international organisations to rise in support of the efforts of the Nigeria government in arresting the humanitarian crisis in that part of the country.

    The inhuman conditions of the Internally Displaced Persons were also discussed and Mr. President urged the World Bank to look into the best possible ways to address the crisis before it got out of hand.

    In Edo State at that period, the government I headed was also buffeted with the challenge of dealing with internally displaced persons who came to settle in the outskirt of Benin City without the knowledge of the state government.

    It took my personal intervention and the cooperation of Mr. President before we could offer our logistic assistance to make their location habitable to avert any humanitarian crisis.

    For those who are familiar with the devastation of the North-East, where over 20,000 persons have reportedly been killed with over two million internally displaced persons, it smacks of political notoriety for any rational mind to question the request of Mr. President.”

    The ex-governor urged Nigerians to stop playing politics with the session between the President and the World Bank chief.

    The statement added: “President Buhari remains a statesman, who is not only patriotic and altruistic in his intentions, but one whose actions speak volume for our unity of purpose.

    We should see the country as one indivisible entity driven by common objectives and goals.”

     

  • Maitama Sule: Jonathan visits Ganduje, says elder statesman contribution beyond Kano

    Maitama Sule: Jonathan visits Ganduje, says elder statesman contribution beyond Kano

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan said late Yusuf Maitama Sule had promoted national interest during his lifetime.

    Jonathan said this in Kano on Saturday when he paid a condolence visit to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje at the Government House, Kano.

    ‎The former president also said that the late Danmasani’s influence and contribution to national development went beyond kano.‎

    He described the late statesman as a patriot whose interest was the growth of Nigeria and the African continent.‎

    “He was one of those leaders who shunned ethnicity, promoted national interest above all others and believed in the corporate existence of the country.

    “He was also a man of integrity, a nationalist who played a key role in the independence of the country and after independence, his exploits in Nigeria and beyond contributed to making Nigeria a great country,” he said.

    Jonathan said that the nation had lost a father, a leader and an orator.

    He commended Governor Ganduje for renaming the state-owned Northwest University after the late ‎Danmasani.

    ‎”On behalf of my family and my entire entourage, I offer my condolences to you and the good people of the state,” he said.‎‎

    Ganduje while speaking described the deceased as simple, friendly and someone who carried everybody along, irrespective of differences.

    He described the late Maitama ‎Sule as a role model who all Nigerians should be proud of.‎

    The former President was accompanied by former Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, among others.

    The former president also paid similar visit to the Emir’s Palace and the house of the deceased elder statesman in Kano city.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the two-time minister and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations died in the early hours of Monday at 88.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the elder statesman was buried on Tuesday in Kano.

     

     

    NAN

  • JUST IN: Elder statesman Maitama Sule dies at 88

    JUST IN: Elder statesman Maitama Sule dies at 88

    A two-time minister and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Yusuf Maitama Sule, is dead.

    He was 88 years old.

    Sule, also known by his traditional title, Danmasanin Kano, died in the early hours of Monday while on admission at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt.

    He was flown to the Egyptian hospital on Saturday after doctors at Kano’s Nasarawa Hospital diagnosed him of pneumonia and chest infection.

    A close associated of the late politician confided in newsmen that Mr. Sule’s remains would be flown to the country on Tuesday and the funeral prayers would take place at Kano Emir’s Palace by 4 p.m.

    Sule was minister of mines and power during the first republic administration of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and was minister for national guidance in 1983.

    Details later…