UbongAbasi Ise

By UbongAbasi Ise Madam Ekaete Etete Uboh, a widow from Ikot Esen Ubium in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has not returned home since 23 rd September, 2017, after she was reportedly taken away from home by a woman political leader, Mrs. Blessing Mbakara, to 30 th Anniversary event in Uyo at the instance of the former transition committee chairman of Nsit Ubium local government area, Mr. Otobong Edemidiong. In a press statement released by Akwa Ibom State Human Rights Community, Madam Uboh was very sick at the time but Mrs. Blessing Mbakara succeeded in luring her away with a branded wrapper while assuring her that she was going to be empowered with cash. According to the statement, “Mrs. Blessing Mbakara is said to have gone to the house of Madam Ekaete Etete Uboh in Ikot Esen Ubium in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. She went there with a branded Wrapper, and persuaded the poor widow to join a waiting bus to convey her and other...

By UbongAbasi Ise “… and it was everyone’s opinion that the tensions of the elections would bring them to the dangerous crisis point” – David English (Divided They Stand, 1968) The media blitz engulfing the relationship between Governor Udom Emmanuel and Senator Godswill Akpabio in recent times may, after all, be all ado about nothing. Probably, the duo may not nurture any intention to fight; or even consciously chart the direction the whole narrative is now heading to. Trust the media. It can blow things out of proportion, and can energetically make mountains out of molehills. But all the same, in the game of politics, anything can happen – no permanent friend, no permanent enemy. Let me not fall into temptation of downplaying whatever degree of tension building around the Governor and the Senate Minority Leader. The 2015 political wrestlemania tag team champions, may in no time come down to demonstrate their position to the public that their avowed alliance still sta...

By UbongAbasi Ise The executive body of Akwa Ibom State government really deserves commendation for capturing raffia palm development under agriculture in the 2018 budget proposal. Before now, there was growing fear that the plant may go extinct given the manner it has been exploited without priority in the cultivation of the plant. Despite the ray of hope being brought by the state government, there is continued concern regarding the issue of funding as well as the speed the government would likely take in implementing this laudable project. Indeed, the centrality of raffia palm tree in the economic, political, socio-cultural, and religious life of traditional Akwa Ibom society cannot be overemphasized.   There is hardly a plant that touches the soul of societies in the state the way raffia palm tree does. While interacting with Dr. Clement Ekong, the Head of Department, Fine and Industrial Arts in the University of Uyo, The Sensor gathered the gamut of derivatives comi...

Crisis is said to be in the offing following plans by the management of the University of Uyo, Uniuyo, to impose N25,000 acceptance fee for students admitted for 2017/2018 academic session.   The acceptance fee which came through a circular issued by the school's management and made available to The Sensor has already generated tension in the school community and among parents and affected students. The release read in parts, This is to inform all the candidates offered provisional admission into the university of Uyo (UNIUYO) Degree Programmes for 2017/2018 academic session, that the management has released the amount to be paid as acceptance fee and the payment procedure. “Successfully admitted candidates are to pay a non-refundable acceptance fee of 25,000 only.” It was gathered that aside the acceptance fee, there are other sundry charges made before the prospective students could be fully admitted. This, it was learnt will force the students to cough out about N30,0...

Abasiofiok Inyang & Ogbenna Grace         In what could be regarded as harvest of criminals in the State which is said to be in line with the tough position against all forms of criminality, the new State Police Commissioner, Adeyemi Samuel Ogunjemilusi yesterday paraded 56 suspected criminals said to have committed various offences, ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism. The suspects were arrested within the last two weeks. Recovered and displayed before newsmen were seven locally made pistols and two cut-to-size guns with live cartridges; two cut-to-size locally made pump action with four rounds of cartridges, two locally made single barrel and two locally made double barrel pistols with eleven cartridges. Also recovered from men of the underworld are, one Toyota 4 Runner Jeep, One Toyota Matrix, three Toyota Camry, one Hyundai Kia and one Highlander (2003) model. Briefing newsmen, CP Adeyemi said that there is no more hiding place f...