Ahead of the 35th anniversary of the creation of Abia State, the Abia State Government has unveiled a week-long programme of activities to mark the event, featuring the commissioning and flag-off of projects.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, announced this on Monday at Government House, Umuahia, while briefing journalists on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti.

According to the commissioner, the anniversary programme would begin on Sunday, August 23, with an interdenominational thanksgiving service at the Trade More Event Centre, within the Nnenna Oti Bus Terminal premises, Umuahia.

He disclosed that on Tuesday, August 25, the governor would commission some completed projects and flag off new ones, while Wednesday, August 26, would be dedicated to a Youth Innovation Day, featuring a hackathon and technology exhibition.

Kanu further announced that the events would climax on Thursday, August 27, being the actual day Abia was created. He said the day would start with a state broadcast by the governor and would be followed later by an anniversary keynote lecture.

“Finally, on Thursday, the 27th of August, the very day the state was created, the Governor will make a state broadcast in the morning. Later that morning, there will be an anniversary keynote lecture,” Kanu stated.

He noted that the lecture would provide an opportunity for the keynote speaker and discussants to examine Abia’s development trajectory from 1991, when the state was created by the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, till date.

The commissioner also informed that the EXCO joined in marking the 85th birthday of former military administrator, General Ibrahim Babangida, who turned 85 on August 17, 2026. He disclosed that Governor Otti had earlier issued a birthday message congratulating the former military administrator on his 85th birthday.

The commissioner announced that the governor had directed the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection to investigate whether other Abians are still stranded in South Africa, with a view to assisting them, just as the government had over the weekend empowered 31 returnees from South Africa.

The commissioner recalled that, as a compassionate government, the administration of Governor Alex Otti had, over the weekend, approved N1 million each for 31 verified Abia returnees from South Africa as an interim support measure to assist them in resettling.

He added that the state government was also carrying out a comprehensive profiling exercise to determine the various specific needs of the returnees and develop appropriate programmes for their integration in the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, and the State Director of Information, Lady Chika Orji-Nwoke, were present at the briefing.

Source: punchng.com

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Two daughters of veteran Yoruba actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, have cried out for help, saying hospitals have refused to continue treating their father, who they disclosed is battling stage-four cancer.

The daughters, Lima and Kira Taiwo, made separate emotional appeals on Instagram on Monday, urging Nigerians, well-wishers and medical professionals with experience in cancer treatment to help save their father.

In a video posted on her Instagram page, Lima said the actor’s condition had deteriorated and that hospitals had refused to treat him.

Taiwo, who struggled to hold back tears throughout the video, appealed to Nigerians and well-wishers to help her family find a hospital or medical personnel willing to treat her father, insisting that the family was not soliciting funds.

“Hello everybody, good evening. I’m here to ask for help from my daddy. He has cancer and it’s really, really bad.

“And the hospitals are refusing to treat him. At least, please, give this man a chance. Nobody wants to do anything,” she said.

She said the family only discovered the extent of the actor’s condition three weeks ago, adding that his outward appearance did not reflect the severity of his illness.

“You see him, you can’t even know that. Something is wrong that bad. It’s just starting to show. We didn’t even know until like three weeks ago,” she said.

Lima reiterated that the appeal was strictly for medical assistance and not financial donations, urging anyone with connections to healthcare providers willing to take on her father’s case to reach out to the family.

“Please, I’m begging you. If you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, anything, we’re willing to try anything. We’re not here to ask for money. Nobody’s here to ask for money,” she said.

She also acknowledged the support the family had received from a relative, saying he had stepped in during the crisis.

“My big uncle has helped a lot. He has been of great help. Like, nobody even knew that he would show up for us this way,” she said.

The visibly distraught daughter ended the video with a tearful plea, saying she could not bear to watch her father die.

“But if he’s willing to do anything, please, if you know somebody that knows somebody that will be willing to treat him, would you really appreciate it? Please, I can’t watch my daddy die. I can’t. I can’t. Please. Please, I’m begging you. Please. Please,” she said.

In a separate Instagram video posted on Monday, Kira also appealed for help, disclosing that her father’s cancer was at stage four.

“Hello everyone, I’m here for my daddy. He has cancer and is in stage 4. The hospital is saying that they cannot treat him again, like they can’t give him chemo again,” she said.

Kira appealed to anyone who could provide cancer treatment for the actor, including chemotherapy, to contact the family.

“And I really, really, really love to appreciate Senator Yayi. He has been the one helping us, he has been the one footing the bills,” she said.

The actress’ daughter stressed that the family was not seeking money, but medical intervention that could give their father another chance.

“What I’m here for, what I’m here for is that if you can treat my daddy, if you can start chemo for him, whether it’s medical or herbs, please, I’m begging you, guys, I’m begging you, any help, anything, anybody that you know that can treat cancer, please, please, I’m begging you,” she said.

She urged anyone who knew a medical professional or facility capable of treating cancer to contact her, her sister or the actor directly.

“Please, please, if you can treat my daddy, please send me a DM. I’ll be checking my phone. Please, I don’t want my daddy to die,” Kira said.

She became emotional while speaking about her father’s condition, saying she had never seen him in such pain.

“God, give me strength. I’m suffering so bad. There’s no money, but if you know anybody that can treat my daddy, Andrew, please,” she said.

Kira added that her father had expressed his fear of dying, saying, “He’s saying that he doesn’t want to die. Please, I’ve never seen my daddy in that kind of pain before.”

Hassan, 66, is a veteran of the Nigerian film industry with a career spanning more than four decades.

He has featured in more than 300 movies and is one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema.

As of the time of filing this report, the actor’s management and family were yet to issue an official statement detailing the specific hospital, diagnosis, or type of cancer involved.

Source: punchng.com

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