The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Sanwo-Olu hailed for reappointing CoS

    Sanwo-Olu hailed for reappointing CoS

    Chairman of Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) UK, Tayo Shodeinde, has thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for reappointing Tayo Ayinde as Chief of Staff.

     In a statement, Shodeinde,  director of Tinubu Support Organisation and Independent Campaign Council Diaspora, congratulated Ayinde for his reappointment.

    Chapter Secretary, Afolabi Adebayo, described his appointment as a blessing, and wished members more appointments in the state and federal level.

     ‘’The chapter wishes the governor a successful second term and prayed our hope will be renewed under President Bola Tinubu

  • Medical team takes outreach to palace

    Medical team takes outreach to palace

    Ta’awun Health Initiative (THI) has taken its medical outreach to the palace of Oloworo II, Oba Babatunde Saliu.

     Led by Taiwo Lasisi, director, the team visited the palace to mark his one year anniversary coming up on June 15.

     Lasisi said the outreach will provide free medical advice, check up and treatment, adding the focus will be on prevention, which is cheaper in addressing health challenges.

     He said the government could not do it alone, hence corporate bodies, NGOs and individual should invest in the sector.

     Responding, Oloworo II appreciated the initiative and thanked the organisation for bringing succour to the community.

  • Ndokwa greets pioneer VC of Medical Varsity

    Ndokwa greets pioneer VC of Medical Varsity

    • Omo-Agege gets kudos for efforts 

    Ndokwa Neku Union, (NNU), umbrella body of people of Ndokwa/Ukwani Federal Constituency has congratulated Prof Abel Onunu, on his appointment as pioneer vice chancellor of University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kwale, Delta State.

    The message was contained in a statement  by Secretary of the Board of Trustee, Henry Okechukwu, in Asaba, Delta State capital.

     Okechukwu said the appointment was the first in the annals of Ndowa, noting the Ukwani, second homogenous entity in the oil-rich state, were overjoyed.

     The organisation said this marked an end to the “criminal neglect of Ndokwa people by past administrations” and signals a renewed hope for the people. 

    Okechukwu said it was the first time “one of our own is appointed as vice chancellor, and of a medical school for that matter,” adding only a visionary leadership could end decades of “poverty of recognition” meted out to the Ukwani.

    He hailed former President Muhammadu Buhari for considering the imperatives of such citadel on the soil of Ndokwa. 

     Born in 1962, in Obiaruku, in Ukwuani Local Government, Onunu schooled and graduated from University of Ibadan  and later became a professor of Dermatology/Infectious diseases at University of Benin, in 1985.

    He started at St Georges College, Obinomba,  1977 set, and had his Higher School Certificate at Government Collage, Ughelli 

    The BOT secretary noted establishment of the university will change the narratives for Ndokwa from inattention and add value to the people. 

    Onotu Okechukwu commended stakeholders who made the establishment of the first higher institution possible, particularly, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District. 

     He stressed but for Omo-Agege who he described as the initiator, Ndokwa would have perpetually walloped in obscurity and denial by operators of the political system. 

     Omo-Agege, Okechukwu noted, demonstrated love for the people, taking quality representation beyond the constituency due to his knack for infrastructural development of his state and growth of the people. 

     With the establishment of the citadel, Senator Omo-Agege who is a Saint Georges College Old Boy, has proved to be a statesman, whose legacy knows no colour or creed as long as development is concerned, adding the lawmaker has written the name of Ndokwa nation in the map of nations of the world bearing a higher institution in their land. 

     “Permit me to say this, with establishment sequel to the efforts of the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Olorogun Omo-Agege, has written his name in gold and history of infrasteural development in Ndokwa will never be complete without the mention of his name and history shall be kind to him another day.

     “Remember same feat he achieved when he attracted massive face-lift development in infrastructure to his alma mata just last year here. He built the ICT centre and many other structures in Saint Georges College, Obinomba, for which we are still celebrating, and now a university; how else do we celebrate such a beacon of hope? How else do we thank a man who has chosen to uplift our nation in the face of deliberate marginalisation by the system? We commend him and wouldn’t be tired to thank Senator Omo-Agege for catapulting our nation into the realm of infrastructure development.” An elated Onotu Okechukwu enthused.

  • Subsidy: Private schools seek palliatives

    Subsidy: Private schools seek palliatives

    President of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Yomi Otubela, has urged the Federal Government to provide palliatives to schools to lessen effects of subsidy removal.

     Speaking yesterday at a webinar organised by NAPPS Roundtable Initiative, Otubela noted the removal has ripple effect on private schools.

     He said transportation, cost of goods and services have increased, forcing schools to reassess budget and raise tuition.

     Otubela appealed for tax holiday, grants and loans for owners, teachers and parents.

     He urged government to provide school buses on lease, and sponsor state and private teachers training.

     Otubela said it is imperative for government to recognise the role private schools play and  invest in solutions to mitigate effects of rising fuel costs and support their growth.

     Guest speaker, Managing Director of Financial Derivatives, Bismarck Rewane, urged government to fix education to improve the economy.

    He advised owners to engage in virtual classes to reduce costs, minimally increase fees, among others.

  • Embrace solutions journalism, Nigeria Health Watch tells media

    Embrace solutions journalism, Nigeria Health Watch tells media

    Nigeria Health Watch has urged journalists and media organisations to embrace solutions journalism.

    The not-for-profit health communication and advocacy organisation stressed instead of focusing on ills and problems in society, they can tell the story of solutions.

    Speaking at the close-out event of Solution Journalism Africa Initiative (SJAI) in Abuja, Managing Director, Vivianne Ihekweazu, said through its solutions journalism programme, it has engaged over 90 journalists, 30 media organisations, with 250 solutions journalism stories published.

    She said: “Why we did this is because many stories talk about problems; people get tired of listening to problems. However, using a solutions approach to reporting is a different way of reporting news.

    “This initiative has been important to shape the tone and the way news is reported. The idea is how do we change the narrative of how news is reported in Nigeria and the global audience.

    “News has a catalytic impact on changing the way people deal with situations. Throughout the collaboration, this project has supported newsrooms and journalists to inspire change in their communities. We have seen the activation of solution journalism platforms in media organizations.”

    Senior Programme Manager, Chibuike Alagboso, said: “In spite of problems, solutions are working. The programme hopes to change the narrative, to finding out about things working and reporting them. It kicked off in 2021. It is supported by Solutions Journalism Network.

    “The idea was for journalists to learn that there is a way to report on issues. We did this through newsrooms engagements, fellowships, field visits, radio and social media engagement, support newsrooms, beacon newsrooms, collaborative stories, among others.

    “Over 250 solutions-focused stories have been published. Also, over 1,000 people have been reached with solutions journalism. We realized that it was not only important to support journalists, but to encourage them to become advocates. These journalists turned advocates, in turn, will start teaching their colleagues about solutions journalism.”

    Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria, Buki Ponle said: “Journalists must abide by ethics of the profession. Today, there is bastardisation of ethics. Some are not resourceful enough because they rely on press statements and events. Journalists must develop nose for news.”

  • UNDP unveils Ngarannam: ‘The Homecoming’ documentary on restoration of displaced Nigerians

    UNDP unveils Ngarannam: ‘The Homecoming’ documentary on restoration of displaced Nigerians

    Ngarannam: ‘The Homecoming’ documentary focused on restoration of displaced Nigerians back to their communities, has been unveiled by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

    The film, directed by Nigerian award-winning filmmaker, Joel ‘Kachi Benson was recently screened at a private event held by the UNDP at the Alliance Française in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Resident Representative for UNDP Nigeria, Mohamed Yahya, shared: “Ngrarannam offers us an opportunity to rethink our work and how we can leverage Nigerian talent and homegrown ideas to address the challenges of displacement and other development issues. Through this film, we are telling a powerful story of people who are normally not visible in a dignified manner. Nagarannam: The Homecoming is about people who are rising above their circumstances and willing to collectively be part of a journey that shifts the trajectory of their future – it is the unbeatable power of people when they are part of something that is meaningful.”

    Yahya further added, “We are grateful to the Borno State government and our partners for their unwavering support. Without the generosity of our donors we would not have been able to undertake the rebuilding a community of this scale and significance in such a short time. The story of Ngarannam as depicted in the film gives people hope that they too can be part of solutions that prioritizes their needs and ambitions. – We now have a proof of concept that provides us with the blueprint to scale up and replicate the same work in other affected regions”.

    In his words, Professor Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno state said, “Borno has gone through a lot of internal and external turmoil over the last decade. The only way to prevent the next generation from joining the extremists is to make sure that many villages are stabilised, allowing people to return and use their agricultural lands, which will allow them to earn their living. That is why, I’m glad UNDP has joined hands with us in giving the next generation renewed hope, and by helping us to reach others to continue to support more work like this.”The film provides an insight based on a first hand account into the lives of a community that suffered displacement as a result of the Boko Haram conflict.

    Read Also: Gambari opens 804 houses built by UNDP, Borno

    The documentary shines light on the story of hopefulness by Ngannaram, a community in Northeast Nigeria, that was once lost in despair when they were forcefully removed from their homes following a devastating attack by Boko Haram.

    The film provides an insight based on a first hand account into the lives of a community that suffered displacement as a result of the Boko Haram conflict.

    The film also highlights the visionary and innovative approach of the Regional Stabilization Facility (RSF) – a groundbreaking program which aims to restore lives with dignity, and bring a sense of normalcy back to people facing conflict. Ngannaram: The Homecoming is centered around three residents of the Ngarannam village – Amina, Falmata, and Hassan.

    The documentary chronicles a touching story of struggle, loss and fear as it follows their journey right from the very first 2015 insurgency attack on their village that launched their world into disarray, to the 2022 intervention program engineered by UNDP.

    The donors who made the rebuilding project a reality include the Federal Government of Nigeria, Borno State Government, The European Union , Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

  • Jodie’s Chinua Foundation trains mums of children with special needs

    Jodie’s Chinua Foundation trains mums of children with special needs

    Chinua Foundation marked the 2023 Children’s Day celebration with a weekend-full event, comprising of a digital skill acquisition seminar for mothers of children with special needs, a radio talk show on mental health awareness for special mother and the grand finale of a three-week long online competition, themed “Why My Child is So Special.”

    The digital skill acquisition program, which took place on Thursday, May 25 in partnership with Wevvo Foundation, was facilitated by Damilola Anwo-Ade, Managing Partner, Sprout Digital. During the event, the mothers were encouraged to see endless opportunities in the special motherhood journey, citing career examples and tips compatible with stay-at-home breadwinners.

    In alignment with the mental health awareness month of May, performing artist and founder Chinua Foundation, J’odie was hosted at Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Lagos, to give a talk on the mental health awareness of special needs mothers.

    The three-day event came to a climax on May 27, with the grand finale of the competition, “Why My Child is So Special.”

     According to J’odie, the purpose of the competition was to encourage parents to identify and share the positives of having children living with special needs, and consequently cultivating a positive mindset towards special needs parenting.

    Fumbi Ajayi emerged the winner while the top ten mothers were rewarded with cash prizes. The mothers, who participated in the competition expressed gratitude for lending their voices in reducing cultural stigma associated with diagnoses, such as cerebral palsy and autism.

  • Kingmodel hosts 14th season of Dreams Model awards

    Kingmodel hosts 14th season of Dreams Model awards

    Since 2008, when King Daniel Isong aka Kingmodel launched his Dreams Model international agency, it has been progress upon progress.

    He recently organised the 14th edition of his modeling show and awards ceremony, Dreams Model awards.

    The show had several attendees and awardees expressing gratitude to Kingmodel and his agency.

    Speaking on the success of the show and awards ceremony, Kingmodel said, “The successes of our shows and award ceremony is just an example for others to follow. Never look at your start, keep pushing on your talents till you get to your final destination.”

    Kingmodel, who is also a writer and filmmaker, has produced two seasons of a TV show, ‘Agatha of Jezebel Country.’

    An indigene of Akwa Ibom, Kingmodel has trained more than 250 models, artists, actors, and dancers, many of whom are outside the shores of the country.

  • Sharon Ooja leads Showmax campaign

    Sharon Ooja leads Showmax campaign

    Nigerian actress Sharon Ooja has led the streaming platform, Showmax’s masterbrand campaign with the theme, “No one tells a story like we do.”

    The campaign officially launched with a super crisp and relatable television commercial, which pays an ode to the vibrant, larger-than-life storytelling streak of Nigerians and Showmax’s apparent efforts to tell authentic Nigerian stories through its slate of originals – eight of which were launched over the past one year.

    Speaking on the campaign, Opeoluwa Filani, General Manager at Showmax Nigeria, says that the campaign is a celebration of the wealth of stories that abound in Nigeria and Showmax’s commitment to telling them as a truly Nigerian brand.

    “In Nigeria alone, we have over 300 tribes and thousands of untold stories. We can tell 300,000 stories in a year, and you will still find a new and exciting story to tell for the next 10 decades. That’s the beauty of our diversity,” he says.

    Continuing, he said, “As a brand, we believe it is our duty to tell these stories and tell them in their most original and purest form. And this is even more important to us because we’re Africa’s original streaming platform and we truly believe that no one can tell our stories better than we do.”

  • MC Oluomo petitioned over official’s misconduct

    MC Oluomo petitioned over official’s misconduct

    The former Chairman of Ifelodun Local Council Development Area, Fatai Ajidagba (aka AJIFAT) has petitioned the Chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC Oluomo) over misconduct of an official of the agency, Jamiu Ademola (aka Muliko).

     Ajidagba, who was attacked by some hoodlums at the secretariat of Ifelodun Local Council Development Area on Friday, accused Ademola, the Branch Chairman of Amukoko ‘B’ and Assistant Secretary, Zone J, of leading the attack.

     He described Ademola’s action as bad image for the agency

     Ajidagba said: “This is to bring to your attention the acts of criminalities perpetrated by Ademola, the Amukoko Branch ‘B’ Chairman, under the Lagos State Parks and Garages. Ademola led a gang of touts and thugs, to attack me with various dangerous weapons.

     “I escaped death by the whiskers. I was subjected to gruelling direct attacks by these sponsored thugs led by Ademola. I hold it dearly that the person of Ademola is not worthy of being a branch chairman under your leadership.

     “I seek the intervention of your good office to carry out a thorough and unbiased investigation into these allegations against him and if found culpable, the appropriate action be taken against him.”