2) ACTUAL MEETING WAS HELD ON DECEMBER 31, 1997, BEGINNING 4:00 P.M. PROMPT. THE VENUE IS THE PALACE MAIN RECEPTION BUILDING. SEE PHOTOS
PROTOCOL IS SIMILAR TO THE BROCHURE PROVIDED BY THE APF.
APF MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
NGOZI OKOTCHA
PATRICK ODUAH
EUGENE IGBEKA
EMY NWAOKOBIA
JOE DANSABA
MRS. DANSABA
ASAGBA OPENED THE DISCUSSIONS BY THANKING APF FOR THEIR FORESIGHT AND NOBLE CONSIDERATION. DURING IWA-OJI.
APF WAS ASKED TO STATE ITS MISSION.
APF BRIEFLY STATED THAT OUR MISSION IS TO FIND OUT HOW WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TOWN ASABA. SEE VIDEO.
EVERY SPEAKER INCLUDING THE ASAGBA NOTED THAT THEY ARE ESPECIALLY IMPRESSED THAT APF ONLY CAME TO ASK WHAT IT CAN DO TO HELP ASABA PEOPLE.
THE PRIMARY REQUEST MADE BY ASABA LEADERSHIP IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BEFITING GENERAL PALACE FOR ALL FUTURE ASAGBAs. A LOCATION NEAR THE RIVER NIGER, (OTU-OGWU/AMILIMOCHA AREA) HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE FUTURE HOME OF THE PALACE. THE PALACE SHALL NOT BE LESS GLAMOROUS AS THE PRESENT PALACE BUILT BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS (HRH). TRANSPORTATION AS DETAILED BY APF WAS THE SECOND MOST POPULAR VENTURE ARTICULATED BY THE LEADERS OF ASABA. PROVISION OF LITERATURE FOR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM AND EDUCATION WAS REQUESTED BY OGBUESHI MADUEMEZIA. PROFESSOR NDILI (THE PRO CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY) INDICATED THAT LITERATURE INCLUDING BOOKS, JOURNALS, ETC. FOR HIGHER INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING IS A PRIORITY. SEE VIDEO EXCERPTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON ISSUES DELIBERATED AT THE SUMMIT.
3) THE RECEPTION TOOK PLACE IN ANOTHER BUILDING DESIGNED FOR THAT PURPOSE. MANY MORE PEOPLE ATTENDED THE RECEPTION. THE CONDIMENTS WERE PROVIDED BY APF. HIGHLIGHT WAS A SPEECH BY OGBUESHI AMUWAH (OBA JAMA WHO IS ALSO THE VIDEO-MAN) ON ISSUES REGARDING ASABA POLITICS. HE NOTED THAT ASABA HAS ALWAYS BACKED THE WRONG OR LOOSING PLOITICAL PARTY. ACCORDING TO HIM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ASABA IS BACKING THE WINNING PARTY AND WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT BY SPONSORING AN ASABA PERSON TO RUN FOR THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE. TIME AND AGAIN THE ASAGBA AND ASABA LEADERSHIP THANKED APF FOR THEIR DARING AND NOBLE VISIT.
IN CONCLUSION: IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL SUMMIT. APF DELEGATES TO THE SUMMIT WERE FLABAGASTED WITH THE RECEPTION AND ENTHUSIASM. ________________________________________________________________________
IN FURTHER DEVELOMENT, APF CONTACTED TWO OUTSTANDING ASABA PEOPLE TO BE OUR CONTACT (LAISON) AS MANDATED BY THE ASSOOCIATION. THE TWO INDIVIDUALS PICKED ARE:
A. PROFESSOR NDILI, PRO CHANCELLOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL: DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA, ANWAI AND OLEH.
B. PROFESSOR OKWUOBI, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE, AKARZ NIG. LTD. ________________________________________________________________________
APF ALSO REQUESTED AND OBTAINED THE BLESSINGS AND COMMITMENT OF THE DELTA STATE NEWS PAPER "THE POINTER".
THE EDITOR IN CHIEF, MR. MIKE OPUTER PROMISED THAT WHATEVER PROGRAMS APF VENTURE INTO WILL BE WELL DOCUMENTED AND PUBLISIZED. PLEASE SEE TWO REPORTS ON APF ACTIVITIES DURING THIS PERIOD ON THE POINTER DAILIES FOR JANUARY 1, AND 6, 1998.
APF CONTACTED THE PRINCIPAL OF ST. PATRICK'S COLLEGE, (SPC) MR. POPULARLY KNOWN AS BONVITA. THE PRINCIPAL CLEARLY ARTICULATED THE PROBLEMS OF THE SCHOOL BOTH IN ACEDEMICS AND SPORTS.
ACADEMICALLY, THE INSTITUTION HAS IMPROVED IN TEST SCORES DRAMATICALLY SINCE HIS TAKE OVER. STUDENT BODY IS 1,800. APPLICATION FOR ENROLLMENT HAS MORE THAN QUARDRUPLED AND ONCE AGAIN, THE SCHOOL HAS BEGUN TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO CAN ATTEND.
SPORTING: THE SCHOOL HAS NO FACILITIES OR EQUIPMENT AND BASICALLY DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN SPORTING ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND BEYOND.
THE PRINCIPAL SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED FOR JERSEYS, SOCCER-BOOTS, SHIN-GUARDS, SOCCER BALLS, STOCKINGS, ETC. ________________________________________________________________________
SUGESTED IMMEDIATE PROJECTS APF CAN EMBARK ON: a)
PROVDE A 486-COMPUTER WITH A SMALL PRINTER FOR THE ASAGBA PALACE, ESTIMATED COST NOT TO EXCEED $700.00. b)
PROVIDE SOCCER EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES FOR SPC, ESTIMATED COST NOT TO EXCEED $3,000.00. a)
PROVIDE BOOKS, JOURNALS AND PUBLICATIONS FOR THE DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY IN ANWAI, ESTIMATED COSTS NOT TO EXCEED $2,000.00. BOOKS ACQUISITION SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO UNIVERSITY TEXT. BOOKS FOR ALL GRADES OF SCHOOL ARE DESIRABLE.
APF ALSO MET WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF WOMEN, YOUTHS AND SPORTS, MRS. UKPONU. MRS. UKPONU ARTICULATED LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR SPORTING ACTIVITIES IN ASABA, SUCH THAT SPORTING ACTIVITES WHICH COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT ASABA STADIUM ARE USUALLY TAKEN TO EITHER WORRI OR OLEH WHERE SECURITY IS MORE PREDICTABLE.
APF WAS INVITED BY THE ASABA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO ENROLL. APF SPOKE TO MR. CHIKE OSADEBEY, FORMER HONOURABLE MEMBER OF THE BENDEL STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, NOW A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER, WHO MADE THE INVITATION. ENROLLMENT COST ESTIMATED AT LESS THAN $10.00 PER YEAR.
A FORMAL REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WAS PRESENTED TO APF BY THE PRINCIPAL OF OGBEAFOR PRIMARY SCHOOL. ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPAL, APF CAN SELECT ANY PROJECT AND EXECUTE. ESTIMATED COST OF EACH PROJECT WAS TABULATED BY THE PRINCIPAL.
SEE ATTACHED REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM OGBEAFOR PRIMARY SCHOOL.
INFORMATION NOT CONTAINED IN THIS BRIEF SUMMARY CAN BE SEEN OR OBTAINED FROM THE INTERNET. MANY OF THE PICTURES OF PLACES IN ASABA ARE ALREADY ON THE INTERNET. ASABA.COM