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Nigerians desirous of true electoral process – Oborevwori

Published

2 years ago

September 27, 2023

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has charged electoral umpires to ensure free, fair, transparent, and credible elections that will generally reflect the will of the people.

Governor Oborevwori who gave the charge while swearing-in Chairman and members of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission DSIEC, on Monday in Asaba, said Nigerians from all walks of life were desirous of an electoral process where the will of the people would prevail.

Those sworn-in include; Dr Jerry Agbaike as Chairman while Mr James Umukoro; Mr Friday Seimode; Mrs Light Diden; Mr Imasua Azogbulem; Mr Chris Onwuma and Chief Frank Oru are members.

The Governor also swore in the Chairman and members of the Delta State Local Government Service Commission with Hon. Joseph Otirhue as Chairman; while Mr. Anslem Nwokenye; Dame Minnie Igbrude and Hon. Philomena Ededey are members.

Similarly, Delta State Contributory Health Commission has Dr. Austin Obidi as Chairman and Dr. Isaac Akpoveta as Director-General.

He said the primary responsibility of (DSIEC) is to organize, undertake, and supervise all elections to local government councils within the state in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as altered).

Governor Oborevwori said that members of the Commission were carefully selected to reflect the values of probity, accountability, and strength of character that they should possess.

He urged members of the Commission to ensure that the will of voters prevails at all times in all elections they will organise.

The Governor said: “It goes without saying that Nigerians from all walks of life are desirous of an electoral process where the will of the people prevail. Deltans are no exception.

“Hence, I charge the new members of DSIEC to model the values of honesty, transparency, impartiality, courage, and respect for the rule of law.

“As we gear up for the local government elections in 2024, it is my earnest expectation that you will hit the ground running.

“It is important that you immediately begin the process of interfacing with all registered political parties in the State and ensure free flow of information from the Commission to them and other relevant stakeholders.

“The rules and procedures for electioneering campaigns must be clearly spelt out and in a timely fashion.

“In order to have free, fair, transparent, and credible elections, electoral officers, especially ad-hoc staff, must be adequately trained.

“This has been a major undoing with elections in Nigeria, and I trust that you will avoid the ugly scenario of electoral officers who are clueless about their job by ensuring that they are grounded in sound democratic election processes.

“Similarly, I expect you to guide against the recurring problems of late arrivals of electoral materials and personnel to the polling units. This will ensure a seamless voting process and elicit voter confidence”.

For the Chairman and Members of the Delta State Local Government Service Commission, Governor Oborevwori said they have the important role of supervising the management of the affairs of the local government councils, especially as it relates to the recruitment, promotion, discipline, and career development of staff of the councils.

He said members of the Commission are persons of integrity who will discharge their mandate without bias, prejudice, and favouritism. I am confident that the new Chairman and Members of the Commission meet the above criteria.

“As the third tier of government, local government councils are very critical in the governance process because they are the arm of government closest to the grassroots.

“Hence, for the policies and programmes of any government to have the desired impact, the local government councils must be alive to their constitutional responsibilities.

“To achieve our objective of inclusive governance and enhanced service delivery at the grassroots level, I charge the new members to provide strong and effective leadership that will strengthen local government administration for the purpose of meeting the needs and aspirations of our people.

“Furthermore, your decisions must be fair, just, and transparent in order to deliver a highly professional and motivated workforce. In all your policies and actions, you should strive to boost professionalism, develop leadership skills in the workforce, and deepen the organizational capacity of the councils,” he said.

He urged the Chairman and Director-General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission to exhibit the virtues of probity, transparency and accountability in their quest for Universal Health Coverage for Deltans.

Responding on behalf of the appointees, Dr Austin Obidi thanked Governor Oborevwori for finding them fit to serve and pledged to uphold the principles of probity, transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties.

He said no efforts will be spared in their quest to contribute in advancing the M.O.R.E Agenda of the administration.

The State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Arthur Akpowowo, State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Kingsley Esiso, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, Air Vice Marshall Frank Ajobena and Chief Mrs Nkem Okwuofu were among dignitaries that attended the ceremony.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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