Oborevwori, Arigbodi Families Give Glory To God As Children’s Wedding Ends In Thanksgiving

 TheLEGEND Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has attributed the successful completion of the marriage ceremonies of his son, Innocent, and Tobore Arigbodi to the faithfulness and grace of God.

Speaking on Sunday after a thanksgiving service at Living Faith Church, Ibusa Road, Asaba, the Governor thanked family members, guests, political associates, traditional rulers and well-wishers for their support, prayers and presence throughout the celebrations.

Oborevwori said God was with the families during the traditional marriage, church wedding, reception ceremony and thanksgiving, providing favourable weather, protection and journey mercies for guests who travelled from different parts of Nigeria and beyond.

“From the traditional marriage to the church wedding and now this thanksgiving service, God has been with us every step on the way,” he said.

He described the massive turnout as remarkable, noting that some people attended without formal invitations simply to share in the family’s joy. He thanked everyone who contributed to the success of the celebrations and prayed for the newlyweds.

“We pray that the new couple will enjoy a peaceful, prosperous, fruitful and God-centred marriage,” he said, adding, “To God alone be all the glory, now and forever.”

Father of the bride, Chief Brodericks Arigbodi, described the wedding as the beginning of a new chapter for the couple and expressed gratitude to God for the successful ceremonies.

Arigbodi said the family was grateful for God’s provision, which enabled relatives, friends and well-wishers to travel from across Nigeria and beyond to celebrate the union, noting that the traditional marriage was held in Isiokolo on August 26.

He prayed that God would keep the couple together, strengthen their love and help them fulfil their dreams and urged the couple to make God the foundation of their marriage.

He advised them to be guided by Christian principles, saying this would help them remain committed to each other and build a happy and enduring home.

Earlier in his sermon, Pastor Samuel Johns urged Christians to take responsibility for their health, stressing that while God heals, believers must avoid habits that could harm their bodies.

Johns said some afflictions could result from satanic attacks or generational battles and urged believers to trust God for healing and restoration.

He identified Holy Communion, anointing oil and prophetic mantles as provisions for healing, stressing that their effectiveness depends on faith rather than the objects themselves.

He prayed for divine restoration for those experiencing setbacks and also offered prayers for peace, progress and prosperity in Nigeria.

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Governors, Top Government Functionaries, Traditional Rulers, Others Storm Asaba As Oborevwori’s Son, Innocent, Weds Tobore

TheLEGENDAsaba, the Delta State capital, was agog on Saturday as governors, deputy governors, political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, captains of industry and other dignitaries from across the country converged for the wedding ceremony of Innocent Oborevwori, son of Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to his heartthrob, Tobore Arigbodi, daughter of Chief Brodericks Arigbodi. 

Among the governors who graced the occasion were AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto.State and Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State.

First Ladies from several states, including Kwara, Kogi, Gombe, Taraba, Nasarawa, Cross River, Ekiti, Sokoto, Kaduna, Borno, Bauchi, Abia, Osun, Edo and Imo, were also in attendance.

The ceremony also attracted the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme; Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Patricia Obila; and the Deputy Governor of Kano State, alongside other senior government officials and political leaders.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, was among the dignitaries who attended the wedding.

Other prominent personalities at the occasion included the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Chief Festus Keyamo; former Delta State governors, Chief James Ibori and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas; Senator Ede Dafinone; members of the National Assembly; the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa; the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor; former speakers of the Assembly; and the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.

Traditional rulers at the ceremony included the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (retd.); the Olu of Warri, HRM Atuwatse III; and the Dein of Agbor, HRM Keagborekuzi II and a host of others.

Also present was the Chairman of Access Bank Plc, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; the Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr Adaora Umeoji; UBA MD Oliver Alawuba; Managing Director of PremiumTrust Bank, Emmanuel Efe Emefienem; other captains of industry.

The solemnisation of the marriage was held at the Living Faith Church (Winners’ Chapel), Ibusa Road, Asaba, where the State Pastor, Pastor Shiyanbade Adekunle, charged the newlyweds to build their marriage on wisdom, sacrificial love, mutual respect and commitment.

Adekunle, in his sermon, described wisdom as the “working capital of marriage”, stressing that couples must rely on God and His Word to successfully navigate the different seasons of married life.

At the reception held at the Event Centre, Asaba, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, who chaired the occasion, congratulated the couple and their families on the union.

Sani described the wedding as more than a celebration of love, saying it represented the coming together of two families, histories and destinies.

“It is with profound joy and a deep sense of privilege that I stand before you today as chairman of this beautiful reception, celebrating a union that has brought together two families, two histories and two destinies in the sacred covenant of matrimony,” he said.

The governor said the occasion marked the fulfilment of parental hopes and the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of the couple, who had chosen to walk through life together.

“May your home be a place of peace when the world is at war, a place of laughter when days are hard, and a place of prayer when challenges come,” he said.

He concluded by congratulating the couple and wishing them a long, fruitful and beautiful marital journey.

The wedding brought together political leaders across party lines, traditional rulers, business leaders and religious figures, turning Asaba into a gathering point for Nigeria’s political, business, traditional and religious elite.

Asaba, the Delta State capital, was agog on Saturday as governors, deputy governors, political leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, captains of industry and other dignitaries from across the country converged for the wedding ceremony of Innocent Oborevwori, son of Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to his heartthrob, Tobore Arigbodi, daughter of Chief Brodericks Arigbodi. 

Among the governors who graced the occasion were AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto.State and Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State.

First Ladies from several states, including Kwara, Kogi, Gombe, Taraba, Nasarawa, Cross River, Ekiti, Sokoto, Kaduna, Borno, Bauchi, Abia, Osun, Edo and Imo, were also in attendance.

The ceremony also attracted the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme; Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Patricia Obila; and the Deputy Governor of Kano State, alongside other senior government officials and political leaders.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, was among the dignitaries who attended the wedding.

Other prominent personalities at the occasion included the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Chief Festus Keyamo; former Delta State governors, Chief James Ibori and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas; Senator Ede Dafinone; members of the National Assembly; the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa; the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor; former speakers of the Assembly; and the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.

Traditional rulers at the ceremony included the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Major General Felix Mujakperuo (retd.); the Olu of Warri, HRM Atuwatse III; and the Dein of Agbor, HRM Keagborekuzi II and a host of others.

Also present was the Chairman of Access Bank Plc, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; the Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr Adaora Umeoji; UBA MD Oliver Alawuba; Managing Director of PremiumTrust Bank, Emmanuel Efe Emefienem; other captains of industry.

The solemnisation of the marriage was held at the Living Faith Church (Winners’ Chapel), Ibusa Road, Asaba, where the State Pastor, Pastor Shiyanbade Adekunle, charged the newlyweds to build their marriage on wisdom, sacrificial love, mutual respect and commitment.

Adekunle, in his sermon, described wisdom as the “working capital of marriage”, stressing that couples must rely on God and His Word to successfully navigate the different seasons of married life.

At the reception held at the Event Centre, Asaba, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, who chaired the occasion, congratulated the couple and their families on the union.

Sani described the wedding as more than a celebration of love, saying it represented the coming together of two families, histories and destinies.

“It is with profound joy and a deep sense of privilege that I stand before you today as chairman of this beautiful reception, celebrating a union that has brought together two families, two histories and two destinies in the sacred covenant of matrimony,” he said.

The governor said the occasion marked the fulfilment of parental hopes and the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of the couple, who had chosen to walk through life together.

“May your home be a place of peace when the world is at war, a place of laughter when days are hard, and a place of prayer when challenges come,” he said.

He concluded by congratulating the couple and wishing them a long, fruitful and beautiful marital journey.

The wedding brought together political leaders across party lines, traditional rulers, business leaders and religious figures, turning Asaba into a gathering point for Nigeria’s political, business, traditional and religious elite.

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Oborevwori Hails NDDC Over Reconstruction of Benin-Sapele Highway

 TheLEGEND Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for commencing the reconstruction of considerable 15.4-kilometre failed portion of Benin-Sapele Expressway, describing the intervention as a major boost to connectivity, economic activities and the wellbeing of residents in the state and motorists. 

Oborevwori gave the commendation on Friday at the flag-off of the reconstruction project at Amukpe Roundabout, Sapele, Delta State. 

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the intervention underscored the importance of collaboration among governments and agencies in tackling infrastructure challenges across the Niger Delta. 

Aniagwu said the state government had also intervened in several federal road corridors in Delta State because the ultimate beneficiaries were Deltans, irrespective of whether such roads fell under federal or state jurisdiction. 

According to him, the state government had constructed more than five kilometres of rigid-pavement dual carriageway along the Warri axis, while bridges and flyovers had also been constructed along federal road corridors, including at Otovwodo Junction, DSC Roundabout, PTI Junction and Enerhen Roundabout and Uromi Junction, Agbor.

“We don't differentiate,” Aniagwu said, stressing that the state government had spent over N300 billion on federal corridors to make them motorable and reduce the hardship faced by road users. 

He described the NDDC intervention on the Benin-Sapele corridor as a welcome development, saying that when completed, it would ease transportation and contribute to the economic growth of Delta State and indeed other states on the East West corridor.

The commissioner appealed to residents and other stakeholders to cooperate with the contractors to ensure timely completion of the project. 

Aniagwu also urged residents to desist from vandalising critical infrastructure, citing the recent discovery of damaged components on the First Niger Bridge. 

He warned that the removal of components from the First Niger Bridge could compromise its structural integrity and endanger road users. 

Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr Chiedu Ebie, said the commission commenced the reconstruction following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's directive to address the hardship being experienced by motorists and other road users along the corridor. 

Ebie said the commission was determined to complete the project and bring relief to commuters who had endured prolonged delays and difficult travelling conditions on the road. 

He assured residents that two contractors would be deployed to work from opposite ends of the project to accelerate completion. 

According to him, the Benin-Sapele Expressway is not merely a regional road but a critical national economic corridor linking the South-South with other parts of the country. 

He disclosed that the NDDC had also taken steps to terminate and re-award the contract for the Abraka-Obiaruku-Abavo-Agbor Road following challenges encountered by the previous contractor. 

NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, apologised to residents, community leaders and commuters for the hardship caused by the deplorable condition of the road, assuring them that relief was on the way. 

Ogbuku said the intervention followed a directive from President Tinubu after the President saw videos and received complaints about the condition of the road. 

He said the NDDC had engaged the Federal Ministry of Works, obtained the project design and secured approval for the site to be handed over to the commission for immediate intervention. 

The NDDC boss said the road's strategic importance made its reconstruction imperative, noting that it was a major federal route linking the South-West and North to the South-South. 

Giving details of the project, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Engr. Victor Antai, said the reconstruction covered approximately 15.4 kilometres and would be executed with rigid concrete pavement. 

Antai said China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Ronin and Fan Limited had been engaged to execute the project. 

Earlier, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Governing Board, Hon. Monday Igbuya, commended the commission for approving the reconstruction of the highway. 

Igbuya appealed to the NDDC to extend its intervention to the Amukpe-Abraka-Agbor Road and the Sapele-Warri Road to further improve connectivity across Delta State. 

In their goodwill messages, Senator Ede Dafinone and Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu commended President Tinubu and the NDDC for the intervention.

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Umahi Orders Arrest of Hartland MD Over Abandoned Asaba-Onitsha Road

 

TheLEGEND The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited over the contractor’s failure to complete the 11-kilometre Asaba-Onitsha road project despite receiving about N14 billion.

The project covers the stretch from Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State, to Head Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Umahi issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection of the First Niger Bridge and adjoining road projects. Furious over the contractor’s slow pace of work, he accused Hartland of abandoning the project after completing only about 40 per cent of the agreed scope.

The minister, accompanied by the Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, and senior officials of the Ministry of Works, also expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the road and the vandalisation of critical bridge components.

He ordered ministry officials to track down and arrest Hartland’s managing director, insisting that the contractor must return to site and complete the project.

“On the Summit Junction to this Head Bridge, we gave it to the contractor called Hartland and we paid them, I think, up to N14 billion. We reached an agreement that they would finish the 11 kilometres from the Summit Junction to this bridge with the money and do the channelisation and hydraulic structures. But today, they have done just about 40 per cent of the agreement,” Umahi said.

“I am going to look for him to arrest him. Controller, you look for the MD of Hartland and arrest him.”

Umahi also ordered the ministry to recover funds paid to the contractor through the banks and directed a comprehensive review of all certificates and payments linked to the company’s projects.

He further instructed officials to immediately repair failed sections of the road around Head Bridge, warning that the poor condition of the route was worsening traffic congestion and increasing hardship for motorists.

The minister said the destruction of critical infrastructure by. Vandals  had reached an alarming level, stressing that the government could not continue to spend scarce resources repairing facilities only for criminals to destroy them.

He disclosed that vandals had removed expansion joints, bolts and steel from the First Niger Bridge, including an overhead steel component vital to the structure.

According to him, the damage was more extensive than initially portrayed on social media, making urgent remedial work necessary.

Umahi ordered officials to weld damaged components that could be salvaged and replace missing steel and bolts. He also directed immediate milling and asphalt works on affected sections of the bridge.

The minister explained that the bridge’s movement or shaking did not automatically indicate structural failure, noting that bridges were designed with bearings to allow controlled movement. However, he said the heavy dead load caused by asphalt would be addressed during the repair process.

He said the government was considering restricting traffic on the bridge at night to allow repair work, with the route reopened during the day to minimise disruption.

To stop further vandalism, Umahi announced plans to install solar-powered streetlights and CCTV cameras along the bridge. He said the surveillance system would be linked to designated officials working with the police to detect suspicious activity and arrest offenders.

“We are going to have solar lights fixed all through. We are going to have CCTV here, and the CCTV is going to be downloaded to your phone. We are going to appoint people that it will be downloaded to, liaising with the police, so that if we see anybody, day and night, we can act,” he said.

Umahi urged Nigerians to protect public infrastructure, insisting that vandalism was not a political matter but a national threat requiring collective action.

He condemned the theft of iron components from concrete roads, parapets, bridges and other public facilities, describing the practice as reckless and unacceptable.

“This is not an APC problem. It is a national problem,” the minister said, warning that the Ministry of Works could not deploy personnel to every road and bridge across the country to guard against vandalism.

He also ordered ministry controllers to arrest individuals involved in illegal dredging and contractors who abandoned dangerous road sections without protecting motorists and other road users.

Umahi directed contractors handling the Asaba bypass to provide proper drainage on both sides of the road to prevent erosion and protect adjoining houses from destruction.

The minister commended Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for paying compensation to property owners affected by the Second Niger Bridge access road.

He said the governor’s action showed commitment to the welfare of Deltans and would help accelerate the project while easing traffic pressure in Asaba.

Umahi reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to repairing the country’s critical road infrastructure despite the scale of the challenges inherited nationwide.

He warned that contractors would be held accountable and assured Nigerians that the government would take firm action to ensure public projects deliver value.

The minister also inspected a failing section around the third abutment of the Second Niger Bridge, following concerns raised by a social media user who drew the attention of the Ministry of Works to the development.

Umahi commended a social media user for bringing the issue to the ministry’s attention, saying the prompt report had enabled officials to inspect the affected portion and take steps towards addressing the problem.

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Umahi Orders CCECC to Repair Damaged Sections of Benin-Asaba Road Within 14 Days

 

TheLEGEND The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has directed the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) to immediately repair damaged sections of the Benin-Asaba Highway in Delta State within 14 days.

Umahi issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection of the Asaba axis of the access road to the Second Niger Bridge, expressing concern over the condition of some sections, particularly the Ubulu-Okiti and Onicha-Ugbo sections, as well as the hardship being experienced by motorists.

He warned that the Federal Government would not allow motorists to continue suffering because of ongoing construction activities.

The minister specifically directed CCECC to rehabilitate service lanes leading to the Second Niger Bridge access road where asphalt had been removed, insisting that construction activities must not be carried out at the expense of the welfare of Nigerians.

He said: “I am giving you 14 days to fix the access, the service lane you removed the asphalt. You have to fix it immediately, whether you are paid or not. It is my right to insist that you fix it to lessen the problem of the people.”

Umahi also directed CCECC to urgently intervene on sections between Chainage 103 and 105, as well as Chainage 106 and 107, which he said were in poor condition and affecting the movement of construction materials and motorists.

According to him, the affected sections, covering about four kilometres of dual carriageway, should be repaired under an emergency arrangement to ease the suffering of road users.

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Works had the capacity to repair the affected sections of the Benin-Asaba road within 14 days but was constrained by the existing concession agreement governing the road.

He explained that the Federal Government had written to the concessionaire over its failure to adequately maintain certain sections of the road, adding that the government had been cautious about directly intervening because of provisions contained in the concession agreement.

Umahi, however, said the government could no longer allow Nigerians to suffer indefinitely, noting that some motorists had spent several hours and, in some cases, days stranded on the road.

He also criticised the manner in which some portions of the road had been handled by the concessionaire, saying asphalt removed from sections between kilometre eight and kilometre 15 had not been properly restored.

The minister said some newly laid asphalt had reportedly failed within 24 hours, describing the development as evidence of poor workmanship and inadequate knowledge of road construction.

He said the Federal Government would continue to explore lawful ways of intervening where necessary to protect road users and safeguard economic activities in Delta, Edo and Nigeria.

Second Niger Bridge Access Road

On the Second Niger Bridge access project, Umahi said the Federal Government was committed to completing the project to ensure that the huge investment in the bridge was not undermined by inadequate access infrastructure.

He explained that the Second Niger Bridge was particularly important given the age and vulnerability of the First Niger Bridge, which, according to him, had been in service for more than six decades.

“The essence is to use that Second Niger Bridge. Because if the First Niger Bridge collapses, the beautiful job on the Second Niger Bridge will be rendered useless,” he said.

Umahi said the access road project was awarded to CCECC at a cost of about N148 billion and involved the construction of flyovers, bridges, culverts and rigid pavements.

He disclosed that the contractor had completed about 4.47 kilometres of the dual carriageway, representing approximately 26.7 per cent completion, while significant work had also been carried out on retaining walls, culverts and other structures.

The minister said although funding under the NNPC tax-credit arrangement had stopped, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved an alternative funding arrangement to ensure that the project did not stop.

He therefore urged CCECC to continue with the work, assuring the contractor that it would be paid.

“I encourage you to please go ahead, you will be paid. Please go ahead, you will be paid,” Umahi said, stressing that abandoning completed structures could expose them to erosion and ultimately increase the cost to government.

He commended CCECC for the quality and pace of work on the project, describing its performance as impressive despite the funding constraints.

Earlier, the Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who represented Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, commended Umahi for personally inspecting the troubled sections of the road.

Aniagwu said the condition of the federal road from Benin through Asaba to the Niger Bridge and from Benin-Warri had become a major concern to Nigerians, noting that the minister's intervention demonstrated that the Federal Government was listening to the complaints of road users.

He said the Delta State Government had also intervened in some areas along the corridor, including the construction of a flyover around Chainage 64 to 65, while expressing hope that contractors handling other sections would accelerate their work ahead of the Yuletide.

Aniagwu said the completion of the ongoing projects would ease traffic congestion, improve movement between Delta and Edo states, and boost economic activities along the corridor.

The Director of Highways, Bridges and Design at the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Saidu Musa, said the Second Niger Bridge access project was awarded in March 2025 at a cost of N148 billion.

Musa said about 4.4 kilometres of dual carriageway had so far been executed, while work was progressing on retaining walls, culverts and other sections of the project.

He commended CCECC for the quality of work achieved so far, saying progress would have been significantly higher if the contractor had received adequate funding.

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FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Targeting XFG Variant for 2026–27 Season

 TheLEGEND

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026–27 season, with the new formulation designed to provide protection against the XFG variant of SARS-CoV-2.

The approval comes as health authorities continue to monitor changes in the coronavirus and the spread of emerging variants around the world.

The FDA had previously recommended that vaccine manufacturers develop a single-strain vaccine targeting the XFG variant, which belongs to the JN.1 lineage, for use during the 2026–27 autumn and winter season.

Health officials say keeping vaccines updated is important as the virus continues to change. The updated vaccines are intended to help maintain protection against severe illness caused by COVID-19.

The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to classify COVID-19 as a moderate global public-health risk. The organization says the virus remains in circulation and continues to evolve, with older people and individuals with certain underlying health conditions facing a higher risk of severe disease.

According to WHO’s latest respiratory-virus monitoring update, global SARS-CoV-2 activity remained relatively low during the week ending August 16, although health authorities continue to monitor virus circulation and emerging variants.

The FDA said it will continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines as the virus evolves.

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