Oba of Benin on Friday night inspired his subjects who trooped out to partake in the blessings of Ugie Emobo rites at his palace Benin City.Jonah Omorowa who covered the ceremony reports that several sons and daughters from Benin attended the event www.itvradiong.com/livewww.youtube.com/itvradiongwww.facebook.com/itvradiongwww.twitter.com/itvradiongwww.instagram.com/itvradiongwww.tiktok.com/@itvradiong This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers The Ugie High School in the Eastern Cape is expected to operate as normal following the murder of a 45-year-old man outside the premises on Wednesday Police have launched a manhunt for three men who opened fire on the bakkie of the 45-year-old identified in news reports as taxi operator a white Nissan Double cab bakkie parked next to him She says the men got out of the bakkie and fired several shots in front of the school gate before one suspect shot the father in the head The children were not harmed but left traumatized Ugie High School principal Kota Bruwer responded swiftly and allowed children to be fetched from school as they were severely traumatized by the event Bruwer said they've contacted social services and the Department of Education to assist with counselling of the learners an exclusive podcast on the life of Vicki Terblanche Dive into the expansive world of motoring with Naresh Maharaj Join Mark Marshall as he shares his extraordinary encounters with everything from bees to reptiles i Home | South Africa The rural Eastern Cape town of Ugie was rocked by a multiple murder on Saturday night when four men were shot and killed says it is alleged the men were driving in Ntokozweni township when they were ambushed and the vehicle they were travelling came under fire Mawisa says the men are believed to be from Engcobo “A case of murder (four counts) is under investigation The motive for the fatal attack is yet to be established Police are appealing to the communities to assist them in positively identifying the deceased persons as well as with any information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects.” — SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) January 7, 2024 As part of activities marking the end of the 2024 Annual Ugie festival Oba of Benin and the royal ancestors will worhip at the Holy Aruosa Cathedral on Sunday Frank Irabor says all well-meaning Edo sons and daughters are invited to the thanksgiving service at Holy Aruosa Cathedral on Akpakpava road The statement explained that the service will is expected to commence at Ten in the morning The debris of the two trucks and bakkie that were blown over by strong winds on the R56 road between Ugie and Elliot in the Eastern Cape has been removed The vehicles then caught fire from the raging veld fire that was fanned by the strong winds in the area Cold and wet temperatures from last night also played a role in extinguishing the blaze Smoke can still be seen from tree logs that are still burning Small patches of snow can be seen in the nearby mountainous areas The low and wet temperatures brought relief to the farming community as the veld fire posed danger to livestock and plantations The roads are now clear of smoke and motorists are advised to be cautious as the wind is still blowing — Mlombile@ECTrafficupdates (@MlombileECTraf3) August 27, 2021 — Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) August 27, 2021 Oba of Benin has celebrated this year’s Ugie-Emorho known as New Yam Festival Okaighele from various communities and several dignitaries from within and outside the state joined the Benin monarch to celebrate As part of activities marking the 2024 Ugie Festival a traditional wrestling competition has been held at the Palace of the Oba of Benin who captured highlights of the competition reports that wrestlers from four local government areas – Oredo and Orhionmwon – participated in the event Chief Sam Igbe and his household on Sunday celebrated Igue-Edohia one of the ceremonies lined up to mark the 2024 Ugie Wellington Akodeja reports that some animals were slaughtered as part of traditional rites Oba of Benin will round off the 2024 Annual Igue festival on Monday with the ‘Ugie Ewere’ ceremony The Ewere Ceremony brings blessings to homes and ushers mankind into a blissful New Year A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Oba of Benin as well as Ohen or traditional priests are invited to the ceremony The statement adds that Okaigheles or Youth Leaders are also invited to the Ewere ceremony The event begins at one in the afternoon at the Palace of the Oba of Benin www.itvradiong.com/live www.youtube.com/itvradiong www.facebook.com/itvradiong www.twitter.com/itvradiong www.instagram.com/itvradiong His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Ukuakpolokpolo Oba Ewuare the Second has approved a programme of activities for the annual Ugie A statement by the Secretary to the Benin Traditional Council says the Omo N’Oba has prayed to God and the Ancestors to keep death away from people’s homes during the festival The statement adds that the Oba announced a total ban on funeral rites and ceremonies of any kind related to burial during the annual Ugie The statement adds that the annual Ugie starts with the Otue Ugieroba ceremony where all Benin chiefs will appear and pay homage to the Oba on Saturday The event will be followed by the Ugierhoba traditional rites on December 17th where all Benin chiefs will appear to pay homage to the Oba which will be attended by all eligible Benin chiefs is expected to include a ceremonial dance procession is slated for the Ugie Emobo traditional ceremony where all Benin chiefs and palace functionaries will be present in the Oba palace at 3 p.m. which is a day set aside for all Edo people to perform their individual worship in their homes Ugie Ewere — the ceremony of bringing ‘Ewere’ blessings to all homes — starts at 3 p.m The palace reminds the general public that engagement may be fixed for any ‘free day’ in which case an announcement will be made as appropriate www.itvradiong.com/live www.facebook.com/itvradiong www.instagram.com/itvradiong www.tiktok.com/@itvradiong Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries Ugie Mac Quarry was looking for a cost effective method of producing 13mm and 19mm stone and " button or swiping left Choose a topic below and thereafter view all articles on the topic using the "Next >" button or the keyboard right arrow key You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security Emergency services responded to the scene of a rollover crash at Airport Approach IPSS Medical Rescue responded to a single-vehicle accident on the N2 near Dokodweni ejecting the occupants from the back of the vehicle Sadly one occupant succumbed to their injuries Police were involved in a high-speed chase and they collided with the suspects' vehicle in an attempt to stop them Suspects arrested and robbed property recovered A two (2) year old girl locked in her mother’s vehicle on Inhlaba Grove in Waterloo - KZN was freed by Reaction Officers a short while ago (Monday) The infant’s mother contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) at approximately 09:39 She informed the Controller On Duty that she accidentally A 49-year-old woman was arrested on the N1 freeway near Mokopane for driving 180km/h in a 120km/h zone She'll appear in the Mokopane Magistrate's Court today Let's prioritize road safety and respect the law Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) tracked down & arrested a 21 year old female suspect who kidnapped a two (2) week old baby in Durban - KZN yesterday (Sunday) Baby Owami Lonathando Sindani (picture 1) was found safe by Reaction Officers this morning (09:15 Monday) in the vicinity Home   Sport   Article Ugie picked up their first Moray welfare league victory of the season in some style on Friday More welfare: Scottish Welfare Cup round-up The Keith side returned to the league after a few years out this term starting with a draw and a defeat before their trip to Elgin to take on fellow new boys Seaforth Seaforth have found things tough in their debut campaign and Ugie showed little mercy at Thornhill A Mikey Simpson penalty broke the deadlock for the visitors and Levi Taylor added a second The Keith men kept pushing for goals with Ewan Hills netting twice Ollie Croft and Cammy Thomson getting one apiece in a 6-0 victory Champions FC Fochabers moved to the top of the table with a 3-0 success at home to Cullen Fochabers took the lead through a Jordan Clark shot from edge of box which the Cullen keeper saved but Clark followed up to net Ben Stewart made it 2-0 with a header from a corner and Clark grabbed his second of the game to seal the points Buckie Rovers collected their first victory since returning to the football ranks Rovers hosted Elgin side Thunderton and came closest to scoring in the opening quarter when Matthew Henderson latched on to the ball more than 30 yards out and smashed it off the bar with the Thunderton keeper motionless Five minutes later Matthew McMillan had a chance for the home team when a good move put him through on goal but the keeper made a save Rovers finally scored on the half hour with good play down the the right from Ross Fiske leading to a cross to the back post for Andy Walker to score Within five minutes it was 2-0 when Jordi Mackie and William Morrison combined for Morrison to fire high into the net Morrison tapped in for his second of the game Namesake Owen Morrison then saw an effort cleared off the line by Thunderton defender Gary Leslie The visitors came back in it and a lovely finish by Warren Orford took the score back to 3-1 Thunderton’s keeper then denied both Morrisons but was beaten by a late Mackie strike to seal a 4-1 Rovers win A driver failed to stop after reversing into an elderly man in Peterhead The incident took place on Ugie Road in the town at about 5.45pm on Thursday Police are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward The elderly man was walking on the street when he was hit by the reversing vehicle It is understood he suffered broken ribs in the incident The driver failed to stop and identify themselves at the scene Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or fill out an online form quoting incident number 1219 of February 9 Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments Cullen strengthened their bid for Moray welfare football’s first division title on Tuesday The Logie Park men were 5-1 winners away to bottom side Seaforth in Elgin Taylor Smith and Greg Hay got the Cullen goals Ugie notched up their biggest victory since returning to the welfare league with nine different players on target in a 10-1 success over Lhanbryde United Calum Dunbar and John Geddes brought the Keith side into double figures Craigellachie defeated Portsoy 3-0 with only the Portsoy goalie keeping the score respectable with some outstanding saves The first goal came from a beautiful through ball from deep in the midfield from Colin Coutts setting Jack McConnachie on his way to lift the ball over the ‘Soy keeper McConnachie added a second five minutes later after good work on the left from Jordan Gray The scoring was completed by Jacob Imlach in the second half with a low drive from the edge of the box AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale NTOKOZWENI - Eastern Cape police have launched a manhunt after four people were shot and killed at Ntokozweni Location on Saturday night READ: Three Eastern Cape pupils fatally shot while studying It is alleged that a dark grey Toyota Avanza was driving just outside Ugie when it was ambushed by suspects using rifle and handguns Champions FC Fochabers needed a last minute Evan Smith goal to return them to the top of the Moray welfare league on Tuesday The short trip to Keith to take on Ugie proved to be a tough test for the reigning champs but they managed to squeeze out a 3-2 win With Aberlour Villa ending Hopeman’s unbeaten start on the same night both winning sides climbed above leaders Buckie Rovers in the table Fochabers knew they were in for a game when Ugie gave as good as they got in a goalless first half where chances were at a premium Ugie then set up a possible upset by taking the lead when good build up play led to a defence-splitting pass to send Cammy Thomson through on goal and beat the Fochabers keeper for the opener It took Fochabers just a couple of minutes to level Jordan Clark hammering a 25-yard free kick into the roof of the home net who is set to leave Fochabers soon and join junior side Islavale edged his team in front with his second goal after the home side failed to clear their line The visitors looked to wind the clock down but Ugie kept plugging away and were rewarded when John Geddes responded to a fine save by the keeper by bundling home an equaliser Play went from end to end but the final say came from Fochabers with a superb cross into the danger area being crashed home by Smith for the winner with 11 wins from their previous 12 outings in all competitions saw their title credentials put to the test by a Hopeman side defending an unbeaten league record Home keeper Kyle Rowe had to save a deflected Barry Grant effort early on while Aberlour grew into the contest with efforts by Kelvin Main and Barry Grant going close Grant then struck from long distance and Rowe parried but Gary Morrison reacted to tap-in a deserved Villa opener It became 2-0 on 16 minutes when the same two players combined for Grant to cross the ball over and Morrison to smash in his second of the game and 12th of the season Burr was put through by a Stewart McLaren pass but fired inches over from the edge of the box McLaren then crashed a curling effort off the face of the bar from wide on the right Villa keeper Shaun Robertson did well to keep out a low Matthew Herley strike before half time Hopeman made half time changes and player boss Danny Gresham moved from defence to midfield to give his team more of a presence with Morrison heading just over from a chance to complete his hat-trick Grant then beat the offside trap and headed past keeper Rowe but the ball drifted just past Hopeman hit back with McLaren firing just past and Robertson denying sub Connor Taylor-Fraser The Villa keeper thwarted another home substitute Liam Petrie with a terrific save as time eventually ran out on Hopeman’s challenge and their undefeated league run was over The teams meet again this weekend in the Scottish Welfare Cup Thunderton posted a 6-1 victory away to Rothes A on Tuesday Russell Geddes and Scott Ross did the business for the Elgin visitors with Kayden Davies on target for the Speysiders Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Skill training institutes Government ITI Rourkela and Utkalmani Gopabandhu Institute of Engineering (UGIE) have got advanced facilities & infra now Various trades being offered at these facilities have been modernized with the financial support of Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) students are getting various employment opportunities in different organisations post completion of industry ready training OMBADC has supported the infrastructure development work of government ITIs and engineering schools in various mining-affected districts of the state An enabling environment for imparting training has been nurtured with the renovation of ‘Rourkela Govt ITI’ and ‘Utkalmani Gopabandhu Institute of Engineering’ the major skill institutes at Sundargarh district under Skill Development and Technical Education Department (SDTE) students can secure employment in various organisations within the state and outside With advanced skill development training from Govt ITI Rourkela and UGIE about 2,500 students have got employment between 2018-2023 There are total 24 departments in Government ITI Rourkela About 2,100 students are undergoing skill development training in major advanced fields such as fitter Smart classrooms and IT labs have been modernized in this center with the support of OMBADC students can avail practical training along with theory classes “The IT lab at our ITI has been modernised and new computers are installed we can gain deeper knowledge about the latest technology used in the country and all around the globe,” said a student a multipurpose hall and a cafeteria have been setup within the ITI premises special workshops for various trades have also been upgraded “Govt ITI Rourkela has become a major attraction for the youth of Sundargarh and other districts There are modern facilities for training in various subjects The overall development of the Govt ITI Rourkela has been made possible with the financial aid of OMBADC” said the principal D Khura “Various departments have been renovated in our college Now we have the provision for practical training along with theoretical knowledge It will be very helpful for our future and career ahead,” said Akash Kumar Panda a student of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Institute of Engineering He thanked OMBADC for their role in the initiative IT Lab and Digital Language Lab have been modernized at UGIE Rourkela for the convenience of students the cafeteria and guest rooms have been refurbished Due to the improvement of playgrounds and construction of modern infrastructure the skills of the students can now reach a greater potential there has been a massive change in our educational institutions the skills of the students are being redefined They have the confidence to work in major industrial companies of the country,” said Pragati Das Principal of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Institute of Engineering Infrastructure development and establishment of Centers of Excellence (CoE) in Government ITIs and Engineering Schools with the help of OMBADC is creating skilled human resources for the future Aberlour Villa and Buckie Rovers strengthened their Moray welfare title bids with convincing victories on the road on Friday night Villa made the journey to Cullen and raced into a 2-0 lead with Gary Morrison making it nine goals in four games with a well-taken double with a square pass across the edge of the box intercepted by Reece Cooper to run clear through on goal and make it 3-0 The home side pulled a goal back through Elliot Findlay and almost found a second minutes later through Calum MacLeod but his header was well saved by Shaun Robertson in the Aberlour goal Just as Cullen looked to have a glimmer of hope Aberlour found a fourth before half time through Ruari Watt Villa extended their lead early in the second half with Craig Watt flicking the ball up and volleying from the edge of the box for a spectacular goal Substitute Struan Kelly topped off an excellent performance for the visitors Four goals by Jordan Bisset helped Buckie to defeat Portsoy by six goals and continue their undefeated start Rovers punished defensive errors to go 2-0 up inside the opening eight minutes adding two more by the 35-minute mark and another on half time to lead 5-0 at the break ‘Soy made three changes at the interval and competed far better conceding just one more goal midway through the second half the visitors had William Morrison and Owen Morrison on the scoresheet where Ugie just staving off a Rothes A comeback to get all three points Ugie striker Mikey Simpson turned on the style with a Ronaldo-like ‘chop’ to deceive the Rothes defence before smashing home the opener from the edge of the box A second home goal soon followed with Lewis Milton getting past two defenders before teeing up Ewan Milne to stroke the ball home Ugie were really in command when Cammy Thomson met a Milton cross with a scissors kick to net another spectacular home goal The contest looked all over when Thomson fired home his second of the game to give the Keith side a 4-0 lead after just half an hour One player was a particular thorn in Ugie’s side to trigger a revival from the visiting team Matthew McConachie got the Speysiders back in the game from the penalty spot after Ryan Dyer brought down Reece Davies in the box The visitors still had a lot to do after the break but straight from kick off McConachie turned David Preston inside out and tucked the ball beyond keeper Dyer to bring it back to 4-2 Rothes were now in the ascendency and piling all the pressure on with McConachie completing his hat-trick when he broke through and rounded Dyer to score Ugie were hanging on desperately and Dyer needed to make a series of clearances and saves to deny Rothes an equaliser as their heavy pressure was resisted and the home team just managed to cling on for victory Craigellachie and Lhanbryde United have both started the campaign well and a closely-fought encounter was expected when they met in Speyside - with a dramatic finish ensuing Both sides created chances in an even start and Lhanbryde thought they had scored an opener with an effort which seemed to beat everyone but Tom Henderson raced back to make a spectacular goal-line clearance That stop was all the more important when Craigellachie took the lead a minute later Brad Mills whipping in a cross for James McPherson to slide in and score Five minutes later United levelled when Craig Sim finished well from a cross Craig keeper Finlay Ross made a fine save to keep his team on terms but only for a short while as Lhanbryde’s Sim broke through again and rounded him for his second goal of the night Colin Coutts saw a home free kick saved as Lhanbryde held their advantage until the break It was back to all-square early in the second half as Lhanbryde failed to clear their lines and Jordan Gray continued his fine start to the season by driving the ball under the keeper for his seventh goal of the campaign Both teams had chances to grab a third goal but it stayed 2-2 until time added on when Lhanbryde pounced on the break to win a corner from which Craig Harrold steered the ball home for what looked like a winner Craigellachie responded when Charlie Anderson launched a free kick into the box player manager Mark Thomson flicked it on and Mills got the final touch to level the game again Home keeper Ross then produced a fantastic save right at the end to deny Lhanbryde the most dramatic of winning goals as a pulsating match finished 3-3 Thunderton proved too strong for bottom side Seaforth in the Elgin derby Both teams had opportunities for an opener before Thunderton were awarded a penalty for a foul on Raymond Anderson who took the kick himself as scored with the Seaforth keeper unlucky not to stop it the home side were awarded their second spot kick of the game - their fifth in three matches - when Warren Orford was upended and this time Jon Mallinson stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way Thunderton made some subs for the second half and got an impact when Ethan Matthew who had only been on the pitch less than five minutes Four minutes later the super sub provided another assist to set up Anderson for his second goal of the game Orford also got his second from a Scott Ross pass and a third Thunderton player doubled up in the closing stages when Mallinson collected a good kick from his keeper Darren Wood down the left wing and and he cut inside to drill the ball low to the keeper’s right hand side from 20 yards to seal a 6-0 victory Hopeman’s match against RAF Lossiemouth was postponed THERE are 258 RDP houses in the Eastern Cape that have remained unoccupied for years the Democratic Alliance has found in a response to a question in the provincial legislature In a reply to a legislature question DA shadow MEC for Human Settlements Sanele Magaqa asked the MEC for Human Settlements she said houses had been standing empty for eight years in two towns – 25 in Jamestown in Walter Sisulu Municipality and another 79 in Ugie in the Elundini Municipality a total of 154 houses had been vacant since 2013 For the reply, click here this was mainly due to beneficiaries that had relocated to bigger cities in search of decent employment with their families is that the beneficiary should report their pending relocation to the department so that the house can be allocated to the next beneficiary the relocating beneficiary is supposed to be moved to the list of another housing project This indicates poor planning and oversight on the part of the Department of Human Settlements [pullquote]It is inhumane to allow houses to stand vacant while thousands of families live in horrific conditions[/pullquote] He said when houses are not occupied they often become vandalised and stripped resulting in fruitless and wasteful expenditure “It is inhumane to allow houses to stand vacant while thousands of families live in horrific conditions The Eastern Cape has is a backlog of over 600 000 houses Poor planning of this sort does little to tackle the ever-increasing problem of informal settlements,” Magaqa said “Vacant homes due to relocating beneficiaries are part of the reason why shacks continue to mushroom close to city centres When a beneficiary relocates to another city in search of better employment those people often resort back to living in informal settlements while the government-subsidised houses stand empty.” municipalities publicise beneficiary lists at their local offices for public scrutiny “This simple step would go a long way in eradicating some of the problems experienced in the Eastern Cape.” He said he had written further to Sauls-August and to the chairperson of the legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements to request that communities have proper access to information about their houses by having the beneficiary lists made public “The Democratic Alliance is committed to creating access to housing for those in need We believe that the process needs to be speeded up.” Talk of the Town is the weekly newspaper of record for the community of Ndlambe and serves readers in and around Port Alfred has concluded this year maiden edition of the Ugie – Emoro (New Yam festival) with an ancient traditional dance performance by top palace chiefs the Chief Press Secretary to the Oba of Benin is meant to usher all into a new harvest season as well offer prayers to God and ancestors for a bountiful harvest ahead of next year’s farming season He said that the ceremony witnessed various chiefs dancing to ancient traditional beats from their different homes to the palace with their families and friends who is already seated at the throne of his forebears alongside his Queens watched chiefs of different categories in accordance with their title endowments take the dance floor amidst shout of IYARE IYARE by families and friend present Shortly after performing the traditional dance explained that the traditional performance was done in honor of the monarch at the end of the festival Speaking on the significance of the festival stated that he is joyful to be part of the historic event commended Oba Ewuare II for achieving milestones in all fronts Visitors from different religions backgrounds were also present at the event The Eastern Cape department of transport has announced that it will close the Langeni Mountain Pass between Ugie and Mthatha the decision to close the 17km pass was taken after numerous messages were received from people warning of imminent danger said the concerns were endorsed by the department’s road engineers He added that the route will be closed as from Wednesday saying drivers will be diverted to alternative routes He said: “Preliminary investigations indicate that the damage is partly due to the steep and mountainous topography where this road is constructed as well as the heavy-duty trucks which are often fully loaded with logs and farm produce “This has resulted in the formation of transverse and longitudinal cracks and displacement over the years appear to have been eating away on the very ground the pillars of the pass are anchored in have seemingly fast-tracked the damage on the road.” Binqose further said the department has given inspectors a month to attend to the problem and find a quick solution “We know that this will be slightly costly to both businesses and motorists They [the drivers] can use the R61 from Mthatha and go via Ngcobo,” he said Attempts to reach trucking and logistics companies that will be affected by the closure were not successful at the time of publishing Langeni pass is beautiful 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/EHeAeEgCUO — Sonwabile Spayidile (@soso_spayi) December 7, 2021 Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy Staff at a closure-threatened hospital claim they have been left in the dark causing morale to plummet to “rock bottom” Ugie Hospital in Peterhead is currently under review by Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership the only one which could save it – “investment and modernisation” – has already been identified as a costly exercise And campaigners believe all the proposed options put forward by the AHSCP will result in the ultimate closure of the hospital former hospital manager Margaret Morgan claimed staff are “frightened” for their jobs but keeps in close contact with her former colleagues – and admitted last night she felt like she had “abandoned” them just as trouble hit She claimed: “They’re not being kept informed about the chance of the closure “Many of them are looking for other jobs due to the fear of being redeployed to another area they can’t manage and some have already left to the uncertainty – who can blame them for looking for other jobs “Since January staff have struggled with the possibility of the Ugie Hospital closing and were told a decision would be made in June “No-one has received any updates about what is happening leaving staff morale at rock bottom.” Ugie Hospital provides treatment for patients who require further rehabilitation after being discharged from Aberdeen hospitals before going home The 111-year-old facility currently has 14 inpatient beds in the Ravenscraig Ward had space for 14 more but was boarded up in 2011 Ms Morgan claims that since her “strong team” started leaving for other jobs amid the uncertainty posts have been unfilled – resulting in the closure of beds She said: “The sad thing is they are closing beds due to the staff shortages as they aren’t advertising these posts “I retired in December and my job hasn’t even been advertised “The staff are asking if this was the plan to close all along – forcing the Ugie into a position of not enough staff to make their decision easier to close it She handed in a petition with thousands of signatures against the closure to Anne Stirling chairwoman of integrated joint board which oversees the AHSCP in April but says she has still not had a reply Last night North East MSP Peter Chapman called for better communication from the partnership “It is worrying to hear reports that staff morale is so low,” he said it is not surprising given the uncertainty over future of this facility “It is vital that there is good communication with those who work at the hospital “We cannot have a situation where people are simply left in limbo wondering what is going to happen “We have seen a gradual erosion of local health services in the north-east in recent years and I hope that we are not about to lose another site.” assured staff and the wider community that the review findings will be published on August 22 for the public and staff to see He said: “Ugie currently runs at one of the highest occupancy rates in Aberdeenshire and will continue to do so “Two of our beds were closed for a very short period of time due to a particular set of circumstances.” The head of north-east health partnership has insisted no decision has been made about the future of a hospital Ugie Hospital in Peterhead could be closed as part of review of Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s local services Like many other minor units it has struggled for staff and funding in recent years and is currently under review The integration joint board (IJB) is due to discuss the unit – which provides rehabilitation care for elderly patients before returning home from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary – next month there is some speculation online that a decision has already been made behind closed doors AHSCP’s manager for north Aberdeenshire Mark Simpson insisted all options were still on the table He said: “I can categorically state that a decision about the future of the Ugie Hospital building has not been made and will not be made until the October 30 meeting of the Integration Joint Board “I think it is really important to clarify that even if the decision is taken to close the Ugie building the services which are currently provided at Ugie will continue.” Concerns have been raised online that a decision has already been made with some staff members claiming they would be moved to Peterhead Hospital on November 4 One former employee said it was not “acceptable” that staff were not being kept properly informed if a decision had been made behind-the-scenes She claimed: The staff of the Ugie weren’t even informed properly about this “I’ve been fighting against this for a long time and I’m absolutely disgusted by it and I know other people who are also concerned “I care a lot about the staff and the hospital – this is really not acceptable.” Mr Simpson urged people to attend a drop-in session on plans for Peterhead’s new care village next week and said it would be the ideal chance to find out more about health care provision planned for the town community centre and eight supported accommodation bungalows Claymore Homes is seeking planning permission in principle for the proposed development at South Ugie. Housebuilder Claymore Homes is seeking planning permission in principle for the proposed major mixed-use development at South Ugie. The site is also expected to feature space for a nature reserve, business opportunities and a potential future train station. The application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council following a number of “positive” consultation events with stakeholders and local residents. Architecture firm Halliday Fraser Munro said the development would create “much needed housing and community facilities” and provide Peterhead with a “sustainable long-term expansion benefiting future generations”. The proposed housing development will include a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced properties along with flats. It is expected that 25% of the new homes would be affordable. Halliday Fraser Munro said the blueprint includes an “excellent mix” of house types from bungalows up to large six-bed houses to “meet the needs of a wide range of people from the first-time buyer, families or those looking to downsize”. Potential new shops, takeaways, offices and community facilities could feature in a neighbourhood centre due to be constructed in the middle of the site. Meanwhile a traditional village green area is also expected to feature in the heart of the development that will give residents space to meet up, play or exercise and it could even host a community orchard. Pedestrian links will be formed to allow future residents to easily access Peterhead town centre and the nearby Formartine and Buchan Way. Locals can also look forward to visiting the proposed Southern Park that will be located to the south of the development site. Early concept plans show that the park will feature walking routes, play areas and seating for visitors to enjoy. The planned nature reserve would have a number of paths allowing residents and visitors alike to explore the space with ease. However, the proposal has already received objections from Peterhead residents. STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" interceding to almighty God and his ancestors on behalf of Nigeria The spiritual rites was performed to ward-off evil spirits that might be hovering around any part of the country through prayers The spiritual dance was kindled by Oba Ewuare II who offered prayers to God and his ancestors The Oba thereafter took his ivory gong which he strikes and chased away evil forces The exchange of communication with ancestral spirits underscores the significance of Ugie Emobo rites that began centuries ago Spectators trooped out to partake in the blessings of Ugie Emobo rites with caution at the event that has gained wide scale acceptance after Oba Ewuare II — the star icon’ beats the Royal drum Ogbelaka Royal drummers led by Chief Okpamen Eghobamien supplied the needed impetus that saw a rare display of Edo Cultural heritage Letema was armed with the collective ancestral staff of Benin sang and danced around the King Square in Benin City along with Oba Ewuare II © 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved © 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved. The Igue festival is an age-long tradition of Benin Kingdom in Edo State where indigenes offer sacrifices of thanks to God for the New Year The tradition which started during the reign of Oba Ewuare I has transcend many monarchs of the kingdom the rich tradition of the kingdom is on display Daily Trust on Sunday’s findings revealed that the people use the festival to offer sacrifices for good health and prosperity while entering a new year 30 Oko prisoners exhibit skills at talent hunt Thrills of Gbagyi festival in Karu is a ceremony where the monarch pays homage to the spirits of his ancestors (enikaro) in his palace in Benin City with the rites performed on the Ugha-Erhoba altar dedicated to previous obas poured libations at the Ugha-Erhoba shrine and used kola nut to offer prayers of protection to God and his ancestors made supplications unto the oba in a special performance with his ceremonial sword pledging their loyalty to the great Benin throne The Edion group led by Chief Edionwe Oliha also played their various roles at the Igue festival which started at Ogiso Era in 40BC Ifiento (soldiers) cleared the way for the monarch while a set of royal drummers took part in the traditional rites led the procession by paying tributes to his ancestors at Ugha-Ozolua and Ugha-Erhoba in accordance with the dictates of the ancestors Traditional songs and performances by Ohen-Ebor Oba (priests and priestesses of different deities) along with Emehe (ancient royal praise singers) supplied spiritual renditions to the admiration of all The Ugha-Erhoba was followed by Ugie Emobo rites in which the monarch inspired royal fans who trooped out to participate in the blessings of Ugie Emobo in his palace held at the oba’s palace gate where different rites were performed is designed to ward off evil spirits from Benin Kingdom engaged in dancing with his white ivory gong which he struck to ward off evil forces that might be hovering around any part of Benin Kingdom had performed the necessary rites that drove away evil spirits from Benin and thereafter prayed for the oba and left the scene without turning back exhibited a grand cultural dexterity during the spiritual rejuvenation and fortification exercise while Ogbelaka Royal drummers supplied the impetus and rhythm for the dances In a rare display of royalty and splendour with his ceremonial sword (eben) and ancestral staff (ukhurhe Edohia) proceeded to Argue-Edion (elders porch) where he offered prayers of protection and bountiful harvest family heads preformed the Igue-Edohia rite to thank God and the ancestors for the outgoing year and usher in the New Year with good health and bountiful harvests This provided an opportunity for families to offer sacrifices of adoration and supplication to gods of the land protection of the royal household and peace for the entire kingdom explained that the ceremony was paramount to Benin’s customs and tradition He said the thanksgiving was key to receiving  abundant blessings from the ancestors and Almighty God including Uhuala Ndiocha masquerades and Ugo cultural troupe from Ihete noted that the festival was very dear to the Benin people because it afforded them the opportunity to pray and offer sacrifice to God and the ancestors for reaching the year as well as starting the New Year in good health UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now earn US Dollars through domain flipping buy domain names for cheap and have it resold to earn up to $15,000 Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.