Emeka Esogbue

 Breaking! Former Delta State Deputy Governor, Benjamin Elue, Dies at 85 Emeka Esogbue ​Chief Benjamin Sunday Elue, the former Deputy Governor of Delta State and a prominent figure in Nigeria's transition to civil rule, has passed away. He was 85. According to family sources, the elder statesman died in the early hours of Saturday, February 28, 2026, following a brief illness. ​​Chief Elue is best remembered for his tenure as the Deputy Governor of Delta State from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007. Serving two terms alongside former Governor James Onanefe Ibori, Elue played a foundational role in the state's administration during the country’s return to democracy after years of military rule. ​ ​Born on June 6, 1940, in the Anioma community of Obior, Aniocha North LGA, Elue’s career spanned several decades and sectors. He began his professional journey as a dedicated teacher in both primary and secondary schools. He later transitioned into management consulting and private busines...

 Remember Our Years of Lamentation, Repair Ebu Road, Sir Ulakatu Begs Gov Oborevwori of Delta State By Emeka Esogbue Reprief may well come the way of the people of Ebu as Sir Ulakatu Philip, a concerned indigene of the community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, is urging Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to repair the long-neglected Ebu road. This road, built by Chief Denis Osadebey, the former Premier of the Midwestern Region, has been in disrepair for over a decade, despite its strategic importance to several communities, including Issele-Uku, Onicha-Olona, Ezi, Ukala, and Ebu  Sir Ulakatu Philip plea comes after Ossai Ovie Success shared a list of the Governor's projects in Aniomaland on the Anioma Watch Social Association forum, a socio-cultural organization of the Anioma people. He emphasized that the road's neglect has rendered local PDP politicians voiceless, despite the community's consistent voting support. Sir Ulakatu, a topmost retired Civil Serv...

 Pen Master's Anioma Man of the Month: Applauding Elder Statesman, Austin Izagbo  - Emeka Esogbue From Enuani to Ika; Ika to Ndokwa, the Anioma people have never been found lacking in terms in terms of human richness. In whatever human endeavour you want, the people are readily there for you.  Austin Nonyelim Izagbo, PhD, Nigerian Elder Statesman, Politician, Businessman, Technocrat, Administrator, and PR Guru, evidences the Anioma human gains.  Dr. Austin Izagbo hails from Umueze in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, a community known for its human greatness having the pride to boast of popular living figures in the likes of Prof Pat Utomi, Dame Winifred Akpani, Amb Ignatius Olisemeka, Chief Celestine Okobi, Prof Chris Nwaokobia, Chief Fred Ajudua, Olympian Gold medalist, Kingsley Obiekwu, Zik Zulu Okafor, Chief Sebastian Adigwe, Mr. Frank Atuche and many more.  Elder Statesman, Dr. Austin Izagbo, the Ide of Ibusa, is one of the greates...

 Akwa-Ocha is the Attire for Anioma Traditional Marriage - Emeka Esogbue In case you are Anioma or getting married to an Anioma bride or groom, the pictures below will help your curiosity about how the Anioma people dress on the day of their traditional marriage.   Anioma is one of the ethnic groups in Delta State with the rest as Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Isoko. The traditional fabric of the Anioma people is generally called Akwa-Ocha but it is also called Otogwu and Ogbeyi-Akpani in other quarters of the region. It is an indigenous hand-woven material produced by the people, especially from the Aniocha axis.  The fabric traditionally comes in Ibe-ator (three layers) for men and Ibenabor (two-layers) for women though some huge women may go with Ibe-ator to support their large body size.  In the olden days, the possession of the Akwa-Ocha used to differentiate the wealthy from the poor because it was expensive to purchase yet a cultural necessity though cheape...

  I am in the Delta State House of Assembly Race to Serve my People Unconditionally   -        Sir Chuks Okonji Tells Pen Master     The declaration of Sir (Dr.) Chuks Okonji, a respected business tycoon and also a philanthropist from Ibusa in Delta State to join the race for the Delta State House of Assembly under the party platform of APM is already receiving massive support from the people of Oshimili North. Sir Okonji who is praised for his charity in and around the Anioma area, in this interview unveils to PEN MASTER (EMEKA ESOGBUE), a media personality, his agenda and how he hopes to achieve them. He also gives his opinion on the current state of the society and how he expects the right things to be done. Excerpts:       Pen Master: Sir Chuks Okonji, you are welcome. Please, sir, can you introduce yourself to our readers?    Okonji: First and foremost, Pen Master, let me thank you for your t...

  I come with Competency and Authenticity to my Anioma People and will Dedicate a Portion of my Salary to Health Care Support and the Most vulnerable in my constituency   -        Delta North Senatorial Aspirant, Kenneth Gbandi   Hon Kenneth Gbandi, the Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Media Network and former Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) in Europe is in the race to the senate to represent the Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State. In this interview, so rich in assessment of the Nigerian political clime, Hon Gbandi reveals to PEN MASTER (EMEKA ESOGBUE), a media personality, his reasons for joining the Nigerian politics, pursuit of the senate to represent his people and series of projects proposed to the Government that never saw the light of the day. He unveils his parental background in Akwukwu-Igbo, headquarters of the Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State and lets the people into ...

  James Ibori: Who Owns the Loot: Nigeria or Delta State Government? By Emeka Esogbue There have been disputes of ownership in Nigeria between Federal Government and the Delta State Government over the recovered Ibori loot from the United Kingdom and as Chukwudi Enebeli rightly noted in his report of the hotly contested loot: “the news of the eventual repatriation of part of the public funds looted by former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, while serving as the Governor of Delta State, received overwhelming acceptance and celebration among the Nigerian populace. However, the issue of who is entitled to the repatriated funds has generated heated arguments in several quarters of the polity”. The question is simply, who should keep the recovered Ibori loot? In his additional supply of information over the repatriated loot, Enebeli took his readers through some important background evidence thus: “On the 9th of March 2021, the United Kingdom signed a Memorandum of Un...