THE DOCTOR WHO NOW LEADS IJAW YOUTHS
From the medical profession to the frontline of youth leadership, Comrade Doubra Collins Okotete has emerged as the 10th President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.
Okotete was elected on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the IYC National Elective Convention in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, which was broadcast live on GbaramatuVoice, marking the beginning of a new chapter for one of Nigeria’s most prominent youth organisations.
A trained medical doctor from the oil-rich Ogulagha Kingdom in Delta State, he now carries the responsibility of leading Ijaw youths across Nigeria and beyond.
His emergence places him at the centre of conversations around youth development, peace, resource justice, political inclusion and the future of the Ijaw people.
For the young doctor from Ogulagha Kingdom, the journey has moved beyond medicine into a much larger field of service.
Behold Comrade Doubra Collins Okotete, the 10th President of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide.
#GbaramatuVoice
UPDATED: Abducted Oyo Pupils, Teachers Regain Freedom – Presidency
According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the victims were freed through the efforts of security agencies.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, have been rescued by our security agencies,” Onanuga said.
He disclosed that eight members of the kidnapping gang were arrested during the rescue operation and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).Onanuga said the rescue operation did not involve any exchange or concession to the kidnappers, noting that a notorious gang leader whose release had been demanded by the abductors remains in custody and is being prosecuted for his alleged crimes.He added that security agencies would provide a full account of the operation soon.
“In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised. There was no quid pro quo in the rescue, as one of the terrorists, a kingpin whose release was demanded by the kidnappers, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon,” he added.
#OyoRescued #OriirePupils #BayoOnanuga #DSSRescue #OyoStateNews #SeyiMakinde #SecurityForcesNG #NaijaNews #BreakingNewsNG #NigeriaSecurity
We captured this beautiful moment of Chimdiebube Onwubiko arriving in Enugu yesterday to a hero's welcome.
He won a gold medal at the International STEM Olympiad Grand Finale in Rome.
I love seeing education reclaim its rightful place in our society.
This is just the beginning of something great.
FROM NDDC LIFT OPERATOR TO LAWYER: THE INSPIRING STORY OF JIM BEABUBARI MARSHALL
For more than a decade, Jim Beabubari Marshall worked quietly as a lift operator at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC (@NDDCOnline).
Every day, he opened the lift doors for officials, staff and visitors. But behind the simple duty of moving people from one floor to another was a man carrying a bigger dream, the dream of becoming a lawyer.
Jim, an indigene of Bayelsa State, was not just a contract staff member at the commission. He was also a self-sponsored student who refused to allow his circumstances define the limits of his future.
Through personal sacrifice, determination and discipline, he earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. But after graduation, his journey to the legal profession was delayed by financial constraints that prevented him from proceeding to the Nigerian Law School.
For years, the dream remained alive, but the road seemed difficult.
That story changed in 2024 after a simple conversation inside the lift he operated.
GbaramatuVoice gathered from a post on the Facebook page of the NDDC Chairman, Chiedu Ebie, that he discovered Jim’s situation during one of his trips to the boardroom.
In his words: “One day in 2024, on my way up to the boardroom in the lift he operated, I engaged him in conversation and that was when I discovered he was a self-sponsored law graduate without the means to attend Law School.”
That conversation became a turning point.
With the support of former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, Jim was admitted into the Port Harcourt campus of the Nigerian Law School. He was also given the needed support to meet the registration requirements, giving him another chance to pursue his lifelong dream.
On April 18, 2026, Jim sent a message to Ebie informing him that he had passed the Bar Final Examinations.
Today, the man who once operated the lift at NDDC has been called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Ebie, who attended Jim’s Call to Bar ceremony in Abuja, described the story as one of resilience, self-belief and determination over adversity.
“Today, Jim is now a professional colleague as a lawyer, and will be offered full-time employment, but this time not as a lift operator but as a full-fledged lawyer,” Ebie said.
He also congratulated Jim for believing in himself and staying committed to his dream.
“Congratulations Jim Beabubari Marshall in believing in yourself and chasing your dreams. I wish you well in your chosen career, and welcome you to the noble profession of law,” he added.
Jim’s journey is more than a personal success story. It is a reminder that greatness can grow quietly in unexpected places, and that opportunity, when matched with determination, can change the course of a person’s life.
From a contract lift operator to a lawyer, Jim Beabubari Marshall’s story speaks to the power of hope, education, resilience and timely support.
For many young people across the Niger Delta and beyond, his journey carries one clear message: where you are today does not have to be where your story ends.
#GbaramatuVoice
Today, Warri Kingdom proudly celebrates our daughter, Temisan Jesse Ogbe, on her remarkable achievement as a Gold Medal winner at the International STEM Olympiad.
Her success is not only a personal victory but a proud moment for the entire Itsekiri nation. Temisan has once again shown the world the brilliance, determination, intelligence, and excellence that define the Itsekiri people.
For generations, Itsekiri women have stood as pillars of strength, leadership, courage, and achievement in every field they enter. There is a reason our women are known as the Lionesses of the Niger Delta not because of words, but because of the results they continue to produce wherever they go.
Temisan Jesse Ogbe now joins the long tradition of outstanding Itsekiri women who carry the name of our people with pride and distinction on the global stage. Her achievement will inspire countless young girls across Warri Kingdom to dream bigger, work harder, and believe that they too can stand among the very best in the world.
On behalf of the Warri Kingdom Blog and the entire Iwere nation, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Temisan Jesse Ogbe for bringing honour to her family, her people, and Nigeria.
The Lionesses of Iwere continue to roar.
Congratulations, Temisan. Warri Kingdom is proud of you.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese firms for the rehabilitation and operation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries has entered a rigorous evaluation phase, insisting that the arrangement is aimed at creating profitable and self-sustaining refining assets.
BREAKING: The Edo State Security Squad has directed business owners across the state to install Closed-Circuit Television cameras at their premises on or before July 30 as part of efforts to strengthen security and tackle crime.
The spokesperson for the squad, Noah Idemudia, announced the directive on Monday while briefing journalists in Benin City.