Author: The Nation

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), Hallmark Health Services Ltd (Hallmark HMO) is giving a huge discount on cervical cancer screening kits for women.

The kits with 80 per cent off were first made available for women of associated companies and other clients during the week of the IWD celebration and the offer remains open till later in March.

The Director/CEO of Hallmark HMO, Mrs. Oladotun Adeogun, said: “It is in partnership with an organisation that has a network of pharmaceutical outlets to provide huge discounted cervical cancer screening kits for women.”

IWD is an annual event set out in the usual manner to celebrate women around the world and make them aware that they have the same right as men in all aspects of life.

The theme of this year’s celebration is: “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality and advocates for embracing equity in the use of technology by males and females.”

Adeogun expressed belief in equity and also in technological tools deployment.

She said: “We believe a woman should be given equal opportunity to advance her career and should be supported by enabling systems and work tools that recognise the value she is bringing.”

She added that Hallmark HMO embarked on the discounted cervical cancer screening as a CSR initiative to ensure women were in the best state of health.

According to her, the International Women’s Day Celebration presents a good opportunity to do that.

The company has embarked on commendable projects in recent times, including a Stakeholders’ Engagement, which drew key participants from the Health Sector, and also the Annual Collaboration with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for donation of blood during the World Blood Donor days.

Ekiti State House of Assembly members have hailed the contributions of the late former Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, in maintaining peace and resolving chieftaincy and boundary disputes.

The lawmakers, led by the Speaker, Olubunmi Adelugba, made the remarks when they visited the family of the late deputy governor, who was a member of the old Ondo State House of Assembly in the Second Republic.

A statement yesterday by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Speaker, Odunayo Ogunmola, said the delegation was received by the family of the late deputy governor led by his daughter, who is a member-elect of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mrs. Bolaji Olagbaju.

Describing Egbeyemi’s death as a “huge loss to Ekiti State,” Adelugba said the deceased lived a fulfilled life and was very successful in public service, community service and in his professional calling.

Adelugba said Egbeyemi excelled as a House of Assembly member, local government chairman, commissioner for Education, attorney general/commissioner for Justice and lastly as the deputy governor during which he complemented his boss, former governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

The speaker noted that the deceased brought vibrancy and relevance to his last assignment as deputy governor and helped to resolve conflicts within and among communities.

She said the deceased advocated peaceful coexistence among residents, leveraging on his experience as a teacher, lawyer and community chief.

Adelugba said the late former deputy governor was helped by his mastery of history of towns and communities and good relationship he had built over the years as a lawyer, politician and community leader.

She said: “His death is a great loss to us in Ekiti. Baba used the greater part of his life to serve humanity. He was a man of many parts: a teacher, a lawyer, a community leader and a politician.

“Baba’s demise was a shock to us, but we take solace that he lived a good life. He finished his course. He was of tremendous benefit to all and sundry. His legacies will continue to speak.

“He was a man of peace and Ekiti was peaceful when he held office as the deputy governor. This was largely due to his skills in diplomacy, negotiation and conflict resolution. He was a blessing to the Fayemi administration.

“His contributions to maintenance of peace, resolution of chieftaincy and land and boundary matters will remain unforgettable. They are documented for generations to come. Baba really distinguished himself in every assignment he handled.

“We pray that the Lord will give us, especially the immediate family, the fortitude to bear this great loss to Ekiti.”

Responding on behalf of the family, Mrs. Olagbaju thanked the legislators for commiserating “with us during our period of grief.”

She conveyed the appreciation of the family to the entire people of Ekiti State for standing by the family, noting that the love and solidarity shown the family would keep it going and would serve as a challenge to sustain the legacies of the departed.

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has described the call for the dissolution of the Executive Committee (Exco) of the state chapter of the party as ridiculous, immoral and reprehensible.

It urged those behind it to use their time for meaningful and rewarding things.

The party said this was imperative in view of a report published by an online newspaper yesterday, which quoted a former chief of staff to the late ex-governor Abiola Ajimobi, Dr. Gbade Ojo, as agitating for the sack of Isaac Omodewu-led state Exco of the APC as a result of the loss of governorship election to the incumbent PDP governor, Seyi Makinde.

But reacting to the call, Oyo APC said in a statement in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, that it was regrettable such position was being advanced by “a supposed political scientist, who ought to understand what constitutes illegality, immorality and criminality in a constitutional democracy.

“It is quite unfortunate that the likes of Ojo will be the one to force us out of shock and disbelief, which the outcome of last Saturday’s election had subjected us to. Meanwhile, it’s imperative for us to express our heartfelt sympathy to all genuine members and candidates, who were direct victims of the conspiracy, which made Oyo APC lose the March 18 poll scandalously. We urge them to remain hopeful and strong, as we shall all be vindicated in the end.”

“Interestingly, Dr. Ojo has just revealed to the world the role he played in the conspiracy, which played out last weekend. The medium through which he made public his outburst is enough to tell his story as one is out to finish a hatchet job. We are aware of the fact that many fake members of Oyo APC were involved in the script, which gave second term to Governor Makinde and Ojo is just one of them.

“We regard him as a member of our party only because he called himself one, even though there is nothing on ground to buttress his claim. Ojo neither attends party meetings at any level nor mobilises voters for our candidates and each time he featured on a radio or television interviews, he would give his identity as an academic or a pastor without any attachment to any political party. When did he now become a stakeholder in Oyo APC?” Sadare said.

Oyo APC warned those it described as dissidents and opportunists in the state political turf to refrain from activities capable of causing division and distrust within its fold with a view to hijacking the rewards due to genuine party faithful, who worked for the electoral victory of the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the state.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has cautioned the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, against inciting Lagosians to violence, following his defeat at the polls.

The party advised him to desist from his familiar vituperations and apologise to the people for assaulting their sensibilities during the campaigns through unpretentious hate, religious bigotry and tribal rhetoric.

Publicity Secretary Seye Oladejo said in a statement that law enforcement agencies should invite the LP candidate for questioning over his incitement and call for anarchy because he lost an election.

He said Rhodes-Vivour’s understanding of justice and fairness “is when he wins an election by leveraging on opportunism and unsustainable spur of the moment.”

Oladejo recalled that during the campaign, Lagosians laboured in vain to identify his selling points, pedigree and the substance of his manifestos.

He said: “The reality remains that a campaign based on blind, uninformed and bitter criticism of the ruling party without a credible alternative can only end in failure.

“He failed to discern the political sophistication of the largely civilised Lagos voters, who were able to successfully draw a line between political choices, religious beliefs and tribal sentiments, which were the kernels of Chinedu’s campaign.

“It’s now clear to all and sundry that his interpretation of free and fair elections is only when he wins. This is consistent with the position of his principal, Peter Obi, who has successfully hypnotised his minority followers.”

Oladejo added: “It was convenient to ignore incidence of violent attacks and killings of APC supporters across the state and play the victim by allegedly visiting unidentifiable and unverifiable patients.

“For Chinedu, his healing process should start by tendering unreserved apologies to Lagosians for his attempt to desecrate the land, needless bloodletting, unprovoked insults to the ancestors and an attempted civilian coup by claiming victory like his principal after being defeated.

“We may, however, understand your plight for misunderstanding the religious rites that have being a periodical ceremony to ensure peace and harmony in our dear state, after all, you do not ‘think in Yoruba’.

“We chose to ignore his disrespect and disdain for traditional rulers and institutions by his utterances and posture.

“Your apprehension about free and fair elections under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Presidency shows Chinedu as a poor student of history. Tinubu has unmatchable democratic credentials built on many years of sacrifice and painstaking service to our fatherland.

“By voting Tinubu, Nigerians have opted for a prepared Presidency that can only usher in unprecedented development, peace and the restoration of our place of pride in the comity of nations.

“Perhaps we need to wake you up to the reality that the elections are over. True Lagosians will not appreciate further distractions from you, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu focuses on finishing strong and prepares for a greater Lagos in the next dispensation. You may, however, wish to approach the courts and put a stop to this immature grandstanding.”