The Empire Naija

  By Moffat Ekoriko Nigeria’s Senate President once famously said that he would have been a comedian and a successful one at that if he had not chosen the path of politics. The comment betrayed the essential Godswill Akpabio: a man who sees the humorous side of life and pokes fun at the foibles of men. To him, life can be a joke or at best too playful to be taken seriously. His childlike disposition is uncommon with politicians. Akpabio is the only politician I know who holds his own phone and will pick the call of even an 18 year old constituent. Much of his character has to do with his background. Akpabio grew up a catholic. He cannot forget his bible lessons where it is said that for any man to enter the kingdom of heaven, he has to be like a child: loving, caring and forgiving. The last trait played out in January when he went to church on New Years Day. After listening to the homily from the priest, he grabbed the microphone to say the message of forgiveness was for him. Ther...

By Asuquo Edem  The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Environment has commended Governor Umo Eno for the ongoing transformation of the Uyo Village Road corridor, particularly the reclamation of more than 150 hectares of land previously ravaged by erosion and occupied by a former dumpsite. The Committee described the intervention as a strategic environmental and urban development project capable of not only permanently addressing the erosion and flooding menace in the area, but also unlocking a vast expanse of land for the future expansion of Uyo metropolis. The Chairman of the Committee and Member representing Okobo State Constituency, Hon. Bassey Bassey, stated this on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, during an oversight inspection of the ongoing Uyo Village Road erosion control, land reclamation and bridge construction project. Bassey said the intervention had changed the outlook of an area that had for years been defined by a deep ravine and erosion, stressing that th...

  The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has commenced moves to establish a stronger and more structured partnership with universities across the region as part of efforts to harness research, innovation and human capital for sustainable development. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Ms Usoro Akpabio, stated this on Friday, September 11, 2026, during a strategic engagement between the SSDC and Vice-Chancellors and representatives of federal universities across the South-South region at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Speaking at the forum, held at the Council Chambers of the University of Uyo Main Campus, Akpabio described universities as critical partners in the Commission’s quest to develop practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges confronting the region. She stressed that the vast intellectual resources within the region’s universities must be deliberately connected to the development agenda of the SSDC. According to ...

  The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has commenced discussions with the Indonesian government and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) on strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening agriculture, agro-industrial development, technical skills and human capital across Nigeria’s South-South region. The initiatives were disclosed following separate high-level engagements by the SSDC leadership led by its MD, Ms Usoro Akpabio with the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Bambang Suharto, and the Executive Secretary of PTDF, Prof. Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu. During the engagement with the Indonesian envoy, discussions centred on opportunities to leverage Indonesia’s experience in oil-palm production and agro-industrial development to transform the agricultural economy of the South-South. Areas identified for potential cooperation included the provision of high-yield oil-palm seedlings, farmer training, modern agricultural techniques, processing and development of the ...

  The Akwa Ibom State Christian Youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, invites Christian youths across the state to a powerful Thanksgiving, Prayer & Endorsement Service in support of the Eno Akwa-Abasi Ibom 2027 vision. 📅 Thursday, August 27, 2026 ⏰ 10:00 AM 📍 Ibom Hall, IBB Avenue, Uyo Theme: “Advancing the Lord’s Purpose Through Continuity” — 2 Timothy 2:2 Come, let us pray, give thanks and seek God’s direction for the future of Akwa Ibom State. Be part of this significant gathering!

  The Akwa Ibom State Christian Youth, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, will hold a Thanksgiving, Prayer and Endorsement Service in support of the Eno Akwa-Abasi Ibom 2027 vision. Themed “Advancing the Lord’s Purpose Through Continuity” (2 Timothy 2:2), the event is scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Ibom Hall, IBB Avenue, Uyo. The service is powered by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Christian Youth Matters.

  The Executive Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS), Sir Okon Okon, FCTI, has charged Estate Surveyors and Valuers in Akwa Ibom State to see themselves as critical players and strategic partners in the taxation ecosystem and in driving awareness of the new tax reforms. He gave the charge while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) seminar organized by the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Akwa Ibom State Branch, held Thursday, August 14, 2026 at the E-Library Complex, IBB Way, Uyo The seminar, themed “Estate Surveying and Valuation Practice in the Era of Tax Reforms and Fiscal Transparency in Nigeria,” was attended by over 200 members of NIESV, including practitioners, academics, students and other stakeholders. A renowned Estate Surveyor and administrator, ESV Sunny Udom, FNIV, chaired the occasion. Sir Okon, a Council Member and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Tax...

  The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has intensified its assessment of flood-affected communities across the region, extending its intervention efforts to Akwa Ibom State to ascertain the extent of damage caused by recent flooding and identify practical measures to support affected residents and strengthen long-term resilience. Rather than remain within the confines of its offices while communities grapple with the devastating consequences of flooding, the Commission’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ms Usoro Akpabio, alongside her team, embarked on an on-the-spot assessment of affected communities in Akwa Ibom. The exercise is part of the Commission’s broader effort to understand the realities on the ground and work in partnership with relevant government agencies and stakeholders to develop appropriate responses. The assessment followed an earlier mission to Cross River State and took the SSDC team to communities including Uyo, Nkemba Asong Ama, Nwaniba ...

  By Asuquo Edem  The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening institutional governance, accountability, ethical leadership and regulatory compliance as critical pillars for the effective delivery of its development mandate across the South-South region. This was the focus of a two-day Workshop on Institutional Governance and Regulatory Compliance for the Board and Management of the Commission, which brought together senior officials and distinguished leaders from key public-sector governance, regulatory, anti-corruption, procurement and financial management institutions. The engagement provided the leadership of the Commission with an opportunity to deepen its understanding of statutory responsibilities, administrative procedures, public-sector reforms, ethical conduct, procurement processes and sound financial management. The first day of the workshop focused largely on institutional governance, leadership, statutory responsibi...

  By Asuquo Edem The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has commenced what could become a defining new chapter in regional development cooperation, with its maiden regional tour of the six South-South states beginning in Bayelsa State. Led by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Ms Usoro Akpabio, the delegation comprising the Chairman and members of the Board, Executive Directors and other senior officials, embarked on an extensive tour of strategic institutions, infrastructure projects and development initiatives across the state. More than a ceremonial visit, the tour offered the SSDC leadership an opportunity to see first-hand the development realities, innovations and investments shaping Bayelsa State, while identifying areas where regional collaboration could produce greater impact. The engagement began with a strategic meeting with the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, who received the SSDC delegation alongside members of th...

  “Peter began to say to him: ‘Look! We have left all things and followed you’. Jesus said: ‘Truly I say to you, no one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news who will not get a hundred times more now in this period of time…and in the coming system of things, everlasting life’” – Mark 10: 28-30, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures By Substance Udo-Nature The last time we met, I deliberately refused to ask Pastor Ephraim Inyangeyen if he is experiencing the reality of Peter’s conversation with Jesus Christ in the above quote since he was ordained a Pastor exactly a year ago. I needn’t ask. By the manifest joy on his face and obvious peace of mind on his entire personality, the answer was all over him.  Pastor Inyangeyen now looks fresher, healthier, happier, more relaxed, more contented, more exuberant, surefooted, and more provident than I ever knew him to be throughout his trailbla...