BEBOR INT’L GROUP OF SCHOOLS BODO CITY GOKANA OGONI CONGRATULATES REV. CANON JERRY NEEDAM, RECIPIENT OF NUJ, RIVERS STATE COUNCIL LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
I write as the founder and secretary Board of Governors of Bebor Int’l Group of Schools (Creche Nursery, Basic and Tower College) located at Botor Village Bodo City in Gokana Local Government Area, Ogoni, Rivers State. To congratulate Rev. Canon Jerry Needam Publishers of the National Network Newspaper- a media outfit based in Port Harcourt the Rivers State Capital, on the conferment of the NUJ Rivers State Council life Time Award to you on Sunday August 18th, 2024.
In addition, Bebor a pioneer Kindergarten popular leadership educational institution in Ogoni and its sister’s institution ihe Bebor Tower College which is a Model of Educational Excellence and an Academic and Vocational village also at Bodo City Extend their felicitation to National Network Newspaper management as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary.
I the founder of Bebor was introduced to the publisher of National Network Newspaper by the Late.
Dr. N. B. Anokari and Mr. Patrick Nagbanton both Journalist per excellence of blessed memory. 1 first met you as patriot, an Ogoni activist, when you were editor of Ogoni star newspaper where you did excellently well, as an historian, you brought me and my school from relative obscurity into time light.
Bebor Int’l Group of School some five years ago congratulated you and the National Network through an award of excellence following one of your media outfit celebration and in recognition of your media contribution to the socio-economic transformation of the Niger Delta (Ogoni Inclusive) it is from the mentorship that, I received through some tutorial as well as the acceptance of some of my articles (as a freelance to your paper and the Beacon) that enable me and Bebor Int’l Group of School to receive the widest of societal publicity of our program and educational activities. You made me a reporter of your paper for me to cover Gokana Local Government Area and other parts of Ogoni.
It is through your media sponsorship when I was the principal of Community Grammar Schools Sime that enable Hon. Dr. Jacobson Nbina to rehabilitate that school to a high standard.
The Tijen Pegg Mother’s Association (an Ogoni and Niger Delta Women Developmental Organization) which is an arm of Bebor Int’l Group Schools, an organization that I named after the wife of Chief (Prof.) Scott Pegg (by name Tijen) enabling them to secure donation of 35 assorted types of sowing machine donated from Chief Dr. Tijen Pegg (their matron) and the Timmy Global Health Foundation Indianapolis (USA) have different types of sowing skills acquired through the Bebor and UECEF, whose Policy is come to empower yourself to empower others.
Rev. Canon Jerry Needam, Bebor the Universal Education Care for Empowerment Foundation (UECEF) an NGO that promotes entrepreneurship skills/education for sustainable living want to appeal to you to come and give your kind support to the Bebor center for creative writing located at Bebor Tower College Bodo City where so many young Ogoni minds/non-Ogoni’s are being trained towards the acquisition of creative abilities in the field and act of creativity and writing ingenuity.
One of the Bebor many visitors and chairman of Bebor Int’l Friends Committee Worldwide based at Indiana University Indianpolise (USA) a Professor of History, Political Science and Int’l relation caution at Bebor Bodo City and her Bane and Bori Autonomous group of schools that Ogoni genius should bend parts of their research toward Ogoni transformation and most importantly the establishment of talent hunt centers in parts of Ogoni land.
Here the Bebor IntT Group of Schools and the Universal Education Care for Empowerment Foundation a CAC registered NGO have been able to set up some mini organizations in part of Ogoni like the better Schools Brighter Future Integrated Farm, Chief (Prof) Scott Pegg Research Public Library, Tijen Pegg Tailoring Workshop, Prof. Ben Naanen Kindergarten Library, Late Patrick Naagbanton Leadership Library a table Mini-unit of this library exist in all the kingdoms of Ogoni.
The Naomi Foxcroft Cookery School (where different Nigeria unity meal including that of Ogoni is being taught to young minds. But it is the center for creative writing that we are appealing from your creative involvement as I write many young writers who would have been of a valuable assistance the like Augustine Wikinaka, Suanu Samuel Patrick Naagbaton, Dr. Nembari Anokari and our creative legendary father Ken Saro Wiwa are no more, but the fe^of us genius of the Ogoni extraction should in spite of crowed engagement lend your supports to some specialize area.
Be it known to you reverend that the Bebor Board of Governors and its Int’l Friends Committee has created the Rev. Canon Jerry Needam Green House at the Bebor IntT Group of School Bodo City. We also have the National Network for perfect truth Green House (even without consulting you) as well as Rev. Canon Jerry Needam reading club (expect your shirts) as an outstanding Ogoni Patriot and a media Chief, The Bebor Board and her IntT Friends Committee needs a collaboration / Partnership through which a comprehensive History of Ogoni striking through all the villages kingdoms and special areas can be published.
Such a unique volume which to me will begin with the formation of Ogoni origin and it will cover every major aspect of human history to the present day through which the National Network Newspaper and your coordinating genius expert in History, Political Science, economics, sociology, Philosophy, geology biology, the environment and Anthropology etc. will be asked to make contribution section by section and period. Integration of such material will enable your kin’s people (the Ogoni’s) to have a narrative – analytical History which it will be both an authoritative reference work and a fascinating book to read for pleasure it will be something that can be compared to “The Izon of the Niger Delta” edited by E.J. Alagoa, Tekenna Ta-Muno and John Pepper Clark which cover Environment, population, the social context, life stages, language, visual Arts, Resources, Pre-History, History & Migration, Ogonis and their Neighbours Ogoni’s in diaspora, internal relations among the Ogoni clan as well as MOSOP etc.
As an Historian I am aware of some other single Author & co-authored history texts on Ogoni. But what I calling for is a comprehensive history on Ogoni is important. The world needs to know more about us which we are inextricably a part, just as we are reading more about the unfolding world events. The obvious solution is a collaborative effort, one that bring together the special knowledge of many expects it will be a balanced and judicious distillation of historical knowledge that is the characteristic mark of the open minds it will not be an ideologists seeking to convert naive readers to preordained views. What I am advocating for will contain wisdom and clarity, characteristics that have illuminated the world, western and part of the eastern world in particular.
It is sad that apart from the Network Newspaper as a medium that you can graciously vetoed some publications on Ogoni the debt on the revitalization of Ogoni star, voice of Ogoni, inside Eleme, Fortunes Newspaper etc most of which the publisher in Chief is an Ogoni and it is difficult to find it on news-stand in some Ogoni Local Govt. Area. Even if some are being read on line, there are still some Ogoni’s and Ogoni’s in fishing and farm settlement and Ogoni’s in diaspora who needs and on a serious note some hard copies.
I did some of my kinsmen some favour by procuring some hard copies of network and dispatch them to Ogoni’s in the Cameroun, Gabon, Putnue, Equatorial Genuine etc. a practicing journalist think of what will happen to a nationality without a newspaper totally owned by them toward the propagation of their own affairs.
I write these to you looking at the fact that you are an Ogoni on a pedestal, a man who had been around everything that is progressive through your influence, dedication exemplary life of industry, clear thinking and more importantly your highly rated media out National Network newspaper that has continue to shape public opinions, Ogoni’s all over Nigeria and the wider world can come to a reason with the idea and to help its actualization.
It is the wish of the Board of Governors of Bebor Int’l Group of Schools to further congratulate you and the National Network Newspaper, the Network printing and publishing company on your held several media related appointments especially you as the secretary, of Director of media and publicity in the campaign council of His excellency Sir Simihalayi Fubara, Chairman interim management committee of Rivers State Independent Newspaper Publishers Association which is an Umbrella body of all private newspaper operating in Rivers State in addition, as a man in the Lord’s vineyard, you were on merit appointed as synod media communicator of the Christ Army Church Nigeria (CACN) a justice of the peace, a mentor to several upcoming journalists, and an apostle of rewarding excellence, Bebor through this medium and on this auspicious occasion salute you as a man who is one of our own.
To us at Bebor Int’l Group of Schools and the Universal Education Care for Empowerment Foundation (UECEF) the Center for creative wiring Chief (Prof) Scott Pegg Research Public Library, Better School Brighter Future Integrated Farm Tijen Pegg Mother’s Association Patrick Naagbanton Leadership Library Rev. Canon Jerry Needam Green House etc. you as a media guru have at hand the unfinished task (Media wise) of the great Ogoni revolution for justice equity and fairness. Please accept our commendation as you take decision on the merit of facts and principles and not on the basis of pressures from individual or group.
We will continue to count on your continuous partnership, cooperation and a sense of good judgment, as you think seriously about the silence points enunciated in this long letter of congratulation.
Sincerely,
Rev. (Evang) Moses Nyimale Lezor Missionary teacher erudite Historian/Scholar freelancer, MOSOP Activist, Itinerant Evangelist and season educationist
