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You Are Very Lucky To Serve Under Ugwuanyi’s Govt, Supreme Court Judge Tells Retiring Enugu Chief Judge
Hon. Justice Centus C. Nweze of the Supreme Court of Nigeria has eulogized the retiring Chief Judge of Enugu State, Hon. Justice Ngozi Priscilla Emehelu, for the outstanding achievements she recorded in transforming the State Judiciary.
Hon. Justice Nweze who spoke at a gala night organized by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in honour of the outgoing Chief Judge, yesterday, disclosed that Hon. Justice Emehelu, whose retirement takes effect midnight of Tuesday, September 7, 2021, was able to record those remarkable feats in the State Judiciary because of the kind of governor she served under his leadership. He stressed that she was a lucky Chief Judge.
“My Lordship (Chief Judge), The Lord has blessed you and part of this luck is serving under the leadership of His Excellency (Ugwuanyi). I am not saying this because His Excellency is here; those of you who were here 20 years ago know what we went through; those who were here 15 years ago know what we went through.
“So today, you served as Chief Judge under His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, peacefully and successfully. His Excellency (Ugwuanyi) the good Lord will bless you; the God of the lawyers will always bless you. We pray that the new Chief Judge of Enugu State will continue with this good work”, Hon. Justice Nweze said.
In his commendation address, Gov. Ugwuanyi described Hon. Justice Emehelu as an erudite lawyer and esteemed Judicial Officer, who bestrode the State Justice Sector as Attorney-General before her well-deserved appointment as a Judge and subsequent appointment as Hon. Chief Judge of the state, “the latter being the jewel in her crown of successes in her career”.
The governor who acknowledged with delight, the dedication and diligence with which Hon. Justice Emehelu discharged her duties, pointed out that “the Enugu State Judiciary and indeed the entire state are happily reaping the fruits of the transformative reforms and innovations that she engendered as the Hon. Chief Judge of the State”.
Pouring further encomiums on her, Gov. Ugwuanyi said: “Tonight, as we unite in banquet to celebrate the retirement of this outstanding standard-bearer of the Enugu State Judiciary, we laud her era of focused and impactful leadership.
“Your Lordship, Hon. Justice Ngozi Priscilla Emehelu, it is indeed a time to bow out of over two decades of a brilliant and exciting career; a time to give thanks to Almighty God for his wonderful blessings; a time to be celebrated by colleagues, associates, family, friends and the State; a time to get some rest; a time to introspect; and a time to chart a new course in life.
“In this time, Your Lordship, I assure you of our friendship and best wishes for great success in all your future endeavours as well as our prayers for unceasing testimonies of God’s grace in your life. Congratulations!”.
In her response, Hon. Justice Emehelu, thanked God for her successful career in spite of the challenges encountered in the profession prior to the administration of Gov. Ugwuanyi.
According to her, “My Lord, Hon. Justice C.C. Nweze reminded us what it was years back when we did not have tools with which to work but His Excellency, the Governor of Enugu State (Ugwuanyi) did marvelously well to ensure that we did not lack these necessary tools.
“Let me put it on record that, under Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration, we witnessed an unprecedented infrastructural development in the Judiciary of Enugu State across all the Judicial Divisions and Magisterial Districts. Not only infrastructural development, but also human development and other things which we needed”.
The retiring Chief Judge said that State Judiciary was blessed to have Gov. Ugwuanyi, who she described as “a man who has the fear of God in him and who has the milk of human kindness flowing in him”, in the saddle of Government of Enugu State.
Her words: “How did I get here if not for somebody (Ugwuanyi) who has justice, equity and good conscience in him. Your Excellency, I am indebted to you. I have said it several times because if not that you stood your ground and that you wanted justice to prevail, I couldn’t have been there”.
Hon. Justice Emehelu equally expressed gratitude to her brothers and sisters in the State Judiciary for their support, cooperation and cordial working relationship as one family, stressing that “whatever interventions we made in the Judiciary in Enugu State were collective work”.
She went further to appreciate her family members for their love and encouragement, and enjoined members of the State Judiciary to give the incoming Chief Judge “more support that you have ever given me whilst I was Chief Judge”.
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Naija Times celebrates 5th anniversary, launches nonprofit arm to promote quality journalism and social impact
Naija Times, Nigeria’s leading independent online newspaper, proudly celebrates its 5th anniversary.
To mark this milestone, the management is excited to announce the launch of Naija Times Journalism Foundation, its nonprofit arm, reinforcing its commitment to quality journalism and social impact.
Founded on September 15, 2020, by Ehi Braimah, a notable PR expert and media personality in Nigeria, Naija Times has delivered high-quality, unbiased, and informative content to its readers. Akpandem James and Jahman Anikulapo – two senior and highly respected journalists – are Braimah’s co-founding partners of Naija Times.
The newspaper covers politics, business, health, education, culture, and sports, while its regularly published editorials provide sharp insights into Nigeria’s pressing issues. The newly launched website, www.ntm.ng to mark the anniversary, offers a seamless, user-friendly experience, making it easier for readers to navigate the website and access Naija Times’ diverse content.
On its 3rd anniversary two years ago, Naija Times launched the book, ‘For a Better Society,’ a compilation of editorials published from September 2020 to July 2023 in Abuja, further solidifying its role in shaping public discourse.
Naija Times Journalism Foundation, accessible at www.ntjfoundation.org, expands the organisation’s mission by supporting investigative journalism on critical social issues, promoting media literacy to educate the public on evaluating information and combating misinformation, and empowering community development through initiatives that foster social cohesion and economic empowerment.
“We are proud to celebrate five years of delivering credible journalism to our readers,” said Braimah, founder and publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times.
“Five years ago, we launched Naija Times with the following goals in mind: build strong institutions, promote transparency and accountability in public spending, uphold the rule of law, and defend the public interest.
“Together with my colleagues, we remain committed to building an egalitarian society that is founded on equity, justice and respect for fundamental human rights. The launch of Naija Times Journalism Foundation represents a bold step forward in our mission to drive social impact and elevate journalism practice in Nigeria.”
Naija Times Journalism Foundation is a knowledge production and journalism innovation hub dedicated to strengthening democratic governance and promoting inclusive development and accountability by empowering a vibrant and free press in Nigeria, Africa and Black Diaspora.
The Foundation’s Programmes Officer is Hart Onoboh, a seasoned programmes and communications professional with over five years’ experience, driving impactful development projects in Nigeria.
Hart has a robust background in strengthening democratic governance, combating misinformation, and facilitating community-based interventions.
Previously a fact-checker and visual communications officer at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), he led initiatives to counter misinformation and promote electoral integrity, training over 25 fact-checkers across four states in Nigeria.
Hart is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Management at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and he brings technical expertise, creative communication, and field experience to the Foundation’s advocacy and governance initiatives.
The Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, is under intense interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged diversion of ₦5.7 billion paid by the Enugu State Government for an ₦11 billion contract.
Ogundele, who had earlier been declared wanted, turned himself in to EFCC Abuja headquarters and was grilled for more than 10 hours on Tuesday. His personal and company accounts have been frozen, and his passport seized to restrict his movement.
According to investigators, Ogundele convinced the state to release 50% of the contract sum—₦5.7 billion—after promising speedy delivery. However, state officials allege that work done so far is worth no more than ₦750 million, accusing him of abandoning the project.
The Enugu State Government’s petition triggered EFCC’s probe, which may see Ogundele spend more time in custody as investigations continue.
In a tearful online video, Ogundele denied any wrongdoing, framing the matter as a contractual dispute: “I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is between my company and the Enugu State Government. It’s not criminality.”
…Unveils Selection Panel
The Nigeria Digital PR Summit has officially opened nominations for the second Nigeria Digital PR Awards, a prestigious platform that recognizes excellence, innovation, and impact in digital public relations across Nigeria.
Honourees will take the spotlight at the Nigeria Digital PR Awards Gala; a premium evening celebrating the individuals, organizations, and campaigns that defined digital PR in the past year, marking the 10th Nigeria Digital PR Summit. Adding flair to the night is the Digital PR Fashion Runway; a bold fusion of fashion, technology, and communications that promises an unforgettable experience.
This year, 19 award categories will honour campaigns across four classes including Campaign Excellence Awards, Sector Excellence Awards, Innovation and Technology Awards, and Individual & Professional Excellence Awards.
The Summit also unveiled a three-member Selection Panel responsible for reviewing entries and shortlisting winners.
The panel is chaired by the Founder and CEO, Fernhill Digital Consulting, Datari Ladejo, and includes the former Senior Business Program Manager, MarComms, Africa Development Center (ADC – West), Microsoft, Oluwamuyemi Orimolade; and Founder/Lead Partner, PuzzleCraft PR and Communications, Beatrice Okpara.
Nominations are open to agencies, corporate communication teams, NGOs, startups, and individual practitioners whose work has delivered measurable results and demonstrated creativity in leveraging digital platforms.
Nominations run from September 1 – 8, 2025. Shortlisted nominees will be announced during the Awards Gala on October 16, 2025, at the Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island. For entry guidelines and submission details, visit: https://forms.gle/cM2oFQTnSSqL51EC9.
Founder, Nigeria Digital PR Summit, Segun McMedal, said, “We are excited to launch this year’s call for nominations and to welcome such distinguished professionals to the Selection Panel. This panel reflects the breadth of expertise driving digital communication in Nigeria, and its stewardship will ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process.”
The seven categories in the Campaign Excellence Awards include Best Overall Digital PR Campaign, Best Brand Advocacy Campaign, Best Crisis Communication in Private Organisations, Best Crisis Communication in Government, Best Public Affairs Campaign, Youth Impact Award for Social Change, Outstanding Influencer Collaboration, and Best Use of Content Marketing.
Categories in the Sector Excellence Awards include Excellence in Public Service Digital Campaign, Digital PR Excellence in Telecom Services, Digital PR Excellence in Financial Services, and Sustainability and ESG Communication Excellence.
The Innovation and Technology Awards category include Innovative Use of Technology in PR, Best Digital Engagement with Citizens, Outstanding Digital Customer Experience, and Creative Use of Short-Form Video in PR. The Individual and Professional Excellence Awards include Emerging Digital PR Professional of the Year and Digital PR Professional of the Year.
Naija Times celebrates 5th anniversary, launches nonprofit arm to promote quality journalism and social impact
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