The Pen

Women from different Communities in Edo State in collaboration with Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoEN) have protested against deforestation, land grabbing and gender rights violation associated with Industrial Plantation Model. In their protest to the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Center in Benin City, the women who were mainly from Obaretin, Ologbo and Okomu Communities decried the devastating impacts that the multinational Oil Companies like Okomu and Presco have perpetrated in their Communities.  They said that the arrival of these multinational Oil Companies into their Areas in the name of development has not brought them development,but instead, poverty, hunger, sickness, diseases and even death. They went further to say that the Companies engage in violence against them as a result of their (women) outspokenness against injustice. They gave an instance of one Madam Iyabo Botu from Marioba Community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo Stat

The Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) recently organised a one day Meeting to sensitise Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and women in Communities suffering from Oil Companies devastations.  The Theme of the programme; "Strengthening CSOs Capacity to Challenge Voluntary Certification Scheme that Destroys Forests, degrade Environment and fuel Community Rights Violation was at the instance of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Edo State. Barr. Chima Williams, the Executive Director of  ERA/FoEN in opening remarks said that the Organisation (ERA/FoEN) was committed to doing things that make them happy and also make impacts on the people. He reiterated that in the process of their duty, it is only the truth that is their watchword because it creates collaboration for teamwork. According to him, " We need each other at any level. No permanent friend, no permanent enemy, but permanent interest, which is the good of our people to make a bette

To sanitize a Society that is infrastructurally backward is no mean task. But your son, your brother and your friend, Dcn. Patrick Akhimiemona Idiake has volunteered to embark on this herculean task.  With your total support and votes  for me  in the 2023 House of Representatives Election, I promise you that Esan West, Esan Central and Igueben Federal Constituency will be a Reference Point in terms of  Infrastructure Development in Edo State. LET US DO IT TOGETHER FOR TOGETHER WE WIN. ---- Dcn. Patrick Akhimiemona Idiake     APC Candidate, House of       Representatives, 2023.       

The general Elections in Nigeria are scheduled as from February, 2023. In Edo State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have settled for the Candidates that will slug it out with other candidates from the other Political Parties for the elective Offices ranging from the State House of Assembly to the National Assembly excluding the gubernatorial office that will come up in 2024 when the tenure of the incumbent Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki will elapse. In Edo Central Senatorial District, the most favoured candidate to win the House of Representatives election in Esan West, Esan Central and Igueben Federal Constituency, Dcn. Patrick Akhimien Idiake, his Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have put in place all the political machineries to ensure that the support and acceptance they enjoy now from the Electorates across all political divides continue to gather more momentum till the election proper. In Edo Central Senatorial District, especially in the Federal Constitu

Since after the Political Parties Primaries in Edo Central  Senatorial District, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory in next year Elections. It is on record that the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State have not been able to come up with their candidates for the respective offices that will be contested next year, 2023. This political lakuna or quagmire of the PDP have further dimmed its fragile posture in Edo Central Senatorial District in particular and given the leverage to APC to soar higher. Yours sincerely, the Publisher of The PEN Media Online/ Magazine decided to reach out to some of the leaders of the People's Democratic Party to find out why PDP have not been able to put its house in order. It was a heculean task getting them to speak to me. They gave the excuse that the matter was before a Court of Law and until the outcome, they preferred not to talk about it. I took a step further to interact with the lead