The Nation Newspaper

Category: Grassroots

  • ‘Nigeria needs to tap young girls’ potential’

    ‘Nigeria needs to tap young girls’ potential’

    By Muinat Ajibade-Alasela and Zainab Olufemi

    President of Nigerian Girl Guides Association (NGGA), Dame Abimbola Fashola, has urged Nigerians to recognise the potentials of young girls.

    She spoke at the 105 Anniversary Celebration of the NGGA.

    Dame Fashola said: “Today is about envisioning the future. It’s about recognizing the untapped potential within every young girl and ensuring they have the resources to thrive. Our society needs dynamic, visionary and empathetic leaders and these leaders are among us – the young girls we nurture, the students we mentor and the youths we inspire.”

    She advised girls and young women to seize every opportunity and believe in their capabilities.

    NGGA Commissioner Deaconess Rhoda Thomas stressed the impact the association has had on many girls and young women across the country.

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    “Many girls and young women across Nigeria have shared heartwarming testimonies about the impact of our work. We are always thrilled to hear the success stories and see the tangible difference we make in their lives,” she stated.

    Thomas added that the association has been igniting change through trainings and advocacy they initiated for girls and young women, adding that  some of the programs include Free Being Me, Action on Body Confidence, Stop the Violence, Menstrual Hygiene Management, Her World Her Voice, Plant and Nurture, Plastic Tide Turners among others.

    NGGA National Training Commissioner, Dr Helen Obi, stated that the 105 Anniversary was not meant for celebration only but to also train and empower girls and young women.

    “We are not just celebrating but also here to train girls and the nature of our training is such that it is non-formal education. You learn through experiences and through activities, so must of the things we do whenever we have activities are mainly practical,” she said.

    NGGA National Youth Commissioner Asmau Naphattti said: “The association has positively impacted my lives, it has made me grown from the shy Asmau to the outspoken one right now, and I would say that this association has instilled in me a sense of responsibility and purpose because right now, i feel like guiding is more like a lifestyle and not an association,” she said.

  • Lagos empowers 200 out-of-school children’s parents

    Lagos empowers 200 out-of-school children’s parents

    By Sherifdeen Amusa and Naimat Dauda

    The Lagos State Government has empowered 200 indigents’ parents and guardians of out of school children in the state.

    This, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs Bolaji Dada, said it’s to strengthen its zero tolerance towards out-of-school children.

    The empowerment followed a three-week skills acquisition training and empowerment programme by the ministry in collaboration with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB).

    She said the training marks the beginning of new opportunities for the beneficiaries.

    She added that irrespective of the skills learnt, beneficiaries were given comprehensive entrepreneurial skills ranging from marketing gimmicks, business strategies, sources of financing, health insurance and orientation on Human Papillonia Virus (HPV).

    She also said that a similar initiative is being done for would be pensioners to sustain themselves after retirement from public service.

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    “We have Women Development Centre in Agege where retiring civil servants are being trained to sustain themselves after retirement”.

    Mrs Dada appreciated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his passion towards eradicating poverty in the state and making women financially empowered.

    Chairman of LASUBEB, Dr Hakeem Shittu, said empowering the parents of out of school children was necessitated by their inability to sustain sending their children to school after the first incentives they gave those children.

    “We discovered that after being in school, if we do not empower their parents, they will be out of school because their parents cannot afford to continue sending them to school. To address this, we have launched a program to empower parents, ensuring they have the resources needed to keep their children in school,” he said.

    Shittu added that necessary checks were done to ascertain that the beneficiaries were deserving of the programme.

    “Additionally, we conduct background checks on applicants to ensure they are serious and in genuine need of this program, which is completely free,” he added.

    National Programme Officer of United Nations Women in Nigeria, Patience Ekeoba, said economic empowerment is the heart of all development and empowering a woman is akin to empowering a nation.

    While urging the beneficiaries to utilise the skills, Ekeoba said the UN in partnership with WAPA would see to the betterment of the lives of women and girls in Lagos.

    A beneficiary, Ibikunle Elizabeth, said she would not only make better use of the skills learnt but ensure she passed it down to her generation.

    Another beneficiary, Ganiyat Ogunleye, who lauded the initiative, said she had started earning from the training before completing the training.

  • Coker-Aguda holds summer coaching for students

    Coker-Aguda holds summer coaching for students

    The Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has organized a summer coaching for students.

    Chairman of the council Razaq Ibrahim said the initiative was to keep the students busy during the holiday period.

    Ibrahim made this known during a visit to the L.A Primary School, Orile, the venue of the event.

    He said the visit was to access the progress of the programme and offer support to educators and students.

    The council boss admonished participants to develop a strong sense of identity.

    He said their future is before them, hence they should believe in themselves.

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    He also emphasized that sustained focus and commitment are essential for achieving their academic and personal goals.

    He encouraged the students to imbibe perseverance and hard work and remain dedicated and goal-oriented throughout their educational journey.

    He prayed for the students and promised that the council will continue to prioritize their well-being and welfare.

    Leader of the House, Ogedengbe Bolaji and the Supervisor for Education, Taiwo Dadanla, commended the council boss for his efforts in engaging the students by keeping them together through summer coaching.

  • Ojo holds Stakeholders’ forum on budget

    Ojo holds Stakeholders’ forum on budget

    The Ojo Local Government has held Budget Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum ahead of preparation of 2025 budget.

    The event took place today at the Multipurpose Hall, Ojo with stakeholders from the five wards in attendance.

    Chairman of the council Rasulu Idowu commended participants for working towards the progress of our dear Local Government

    He highlighted some projects at the stage of 65 to 70 per cent of completion and the complete ones that were in the year 2024 budget.

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    He stressed the need for participants to group themselves, deliberate and submit their needs to the lawmakers representing their wards.

    Some of the participants requested various projects for their communities at the event.

    The council boss assured them of attending to their requests based on the available capital.

  • I did menial jobs to buy GCE form, says C57 Secretary

    I did menial jobs to buy GCE form, says C57 Secretary

    The Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Razaq Olusola Ajala, has said that he engaged in menial jobs to sponsor his education.

    He spoke during the distribution of 250 GCE forms to students.

    The beneficiaries were selected through written exams from thousands of people that applied.

    According to Ajala, students hardly come by such gesture in his youth days.

    “Things are getting better and you here should thank God for this gesture. During our time, we know what we went through to get money to buy GCE forms. I, in particular, had to do menial jobs for me to get money to purchase the form then,” he said.

    While congratulating the beneficiaries, the council boss enjoined them to face their studies, work hard and avoid distractions.

    These, he said, would make them record success in their exams.

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     “You’ve to avoid distractions of all forms especially from the social media. You’ve to be focused and be determined. Hard work and diligence are prerequisites for success,” he said.

    The Conference 57 Secretary encouraged the students to put in their best during the exam proper, noting that the success of previous beneficiaries has encouraged the council not only to sustain the project but also to increase number of beneficiaries from time to time.

    Ajala expressed appreciation to the teachers for creating time to set the exam questions, supervise and mark the scripts.

     “By initiating the examination process, we were able to remove political interference. Interested candidates are expected to apply and sit for the examination. The questions were put together by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and they marked the scripts. The process is transparent hence the issue of political interference is completely eliminated. I appreciate the teachers for your dedication and commitment in ensuring the success of this exercise,” he said.

    The Chairman of Parents’ Forum for Education District 6, Aliu Adeyemo, hailed Ajala for ensuring transparency in the selection process.

    Aliu urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the opportunity so that others will benefit in future.

  • Adebule gives 1,000 skill  acquisition forms to youths in 28 councils

    Adebule gives 1,000 skill  acquisition forms to youths in 28 councils

    A senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Dr. Idiat Adedule, has given out 1,000 forms to youths in 28 local councils for skills acquisition training.

    She made this known during Stakeholder’s Engagement with her constituent in Ikeja.

    The event was witnessed by party leaders and members across the district.

    According to her, the skills acquisition training would be in five areas ‑ Leather work, Confessionary, Fashion Designing, Barbing and Hairdressing.

    “Our focus is to train 1,000 constituent youths in Lagos-West to be proficient in the listed vocational skills before the end of 2024. On completion of the training, the beneficiaries will be supported with starter-packs to make their introduction to the league of employers of labour seamless,” she said.

    Reeling out her activities so far, Senator Adebule stated that 10,000 food packs were distributed throughout the 28 local councils as an intervention to cushion the effect of high cost of living for residents of the district.

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    She said: “I have also ensured continuous engagement with the grassroots through implementation of various social intervention programmes in support our people at the grassroots. Some of the people centered interventions include: regular distribution of grains and other items, as well as cash gifts during major celebrations such as Christmas, Eid-ul-Adha, and others since December, 2022. In each of these celebrations between 750 and 1000 bags of rice were distributed to constituents including party members, CDC/CDAs and other stakeholders across the Senatorial District.

    “We have also support our young and old farmers with about 300 bags fertilizer in January in preparation for the planting season.

    “Last November, I facilitated the training of 200 young people in fisheries at the Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, Victoria Island and each participant was given starter capital of N100,000 as my contribution to integrate the young people of Lagos West into the new drive for the Marine and Blue Economy in Nigeria.”

    She said plans were at advanced stage to lobby and attract more and bigger projects to our various communities in Lagos-West.

    Pleading for the constituent’s patience, understanding and moral support, Senator Adebule said she would do more to enhance the living standard of the constituents.

  • Commissioner to youths: use diversity to strengthen social cohesion

    Commissioner to youths: use diversity to strengthen social cohesion

    • By Sherifdeen Amusa

    Lagos Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, has urged youths to use the diversity in the country to strengthen social cohesion, rather than dividing the country across various border lines.

    The call was made at a Peace Forum, organised by the Kukah Centre with support from the MacArthur Foundation. It was themed: “Embracing Diversity: Youth as Catalyst for Strengthening Social Cohesion”.

    The event was centred on providing a platform for youths to become active participants in advocating for inclusivity, unity, tolerance and mutual respect within their communities.

    Ogunlede identified five aesthetic values to achieving social cohesion: Empathy, Critical Thinking, Unity in Diversity, Peaceful Dialogue and Active Participation.

    He said: “Do not accept information on face value. You have the right to question in an era where misinformation is rampant. Let us understand that our differences are our strength. When conflict arises, let dialogue be our first throw as youths and not violence. Let us engage in simple and healthy conversation in our community. When we talk about our community, it requires active participation.”

     Executive Director of The Kukah Centre and Head of Secretariat at The National Peace Committee, Father Attah Barkindo, said the lessons learnt from the events surrounding the 2023 elections in Lagos birthed the project, and the intervention could be used across the country.

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    “After the 2023 general elections and the things we have witnessed particularly in Lagos, we got support from the MacArthur Foundation to come to Lagos and engage critical stakeholders about identity, politics, social cohesion, and common citizenship.  Our intention is that the lessons we learnt from what happened in Lagos can be put together and use for proper intervention not just in Lagos but across Nigeria. Lagos is a small Nigeria, if things go bad in Lagos, it’ll affect the whole Nigeria.”

    Life Editor at Independent Newspapers, Tomi Falade, advised that people from other race and places should be embraced, not because they’re different but because they have something to offer.

    “We are all one and the same people and we can’t keep expecting people to behave in the box we have created. We must learn to accept people for who they are not because they are bad, but because they have something to offer,” he said.

    Channels Television Kayode Okikolu said that border lines should be seen as blessings rather than fault lines.

    He advised youths to invest in themselves, adding that such would prevent them from having time for baseless conversations around our differences.

    He cautioned against inherited stereotypes about people from other tribes, religion, rather than learning about other people’s culture to strengthen social cohesion. He also advised youths to be excellent at what they do.

  • 300 Ikorodu residents empowered with N15m

    300 Ikorodu residents empowered with N15m

    In a remarkable effort to uplift the lives of Ikorodu residents, philanthropist, Hon. Abdulkareem Shittu, has launched a transformative empowerment programme in the Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    This innovative initiative provides zero-interest loans to marginalised groups, offering them renewed hope and the chance to create a brighter future.

    At the programme, 300 beneficiaries were empowered with N50,000 each, zero-interest loans for marginalised groups, empowerment of market traders, artisans, students, and widows, improved economic opportunities and financial stability, inspiration for community development, and social responsibility.

    According to Shittu, the programme extends support to market traders to enable them to expand their businesses and equip artisans, students, and widows.

    He said: “I am committed to making a positive impact in the lives of our people. This empowerment program is a testament to my dedication to Ikorodu’s growth and development.”

    Read Also: Eight youth entrepreneurs win Sanwo-Olu’s N10m business grant

    He further affirmed his commitment to Ikorodu’s growth and development. He stated that his leadership inspires a sense of community, fostering a ripple effect of kindness and social responsibility.

    Some of the beneficiaries appreciated Shittu for his support to the less privileged in society.

    A trader, Mrs. Adeola Olugbodi, said the loan would help her expand her business and provide for her family.

    Another beneficiary named Oyedele said: “This support has lifted a weight off my shoulders, allowing me to focus on my craft.”

    While Monsurat Akanji, a widow, said she would be able to cater for her family.

  • Surulere lifts 600 residents with cash, items

    Surulere lifts 600 residents with cash, items

    Surulere Local Government Chairman, Sulaimon Yusuf, has empowered over 600 residents by distributing essential items and financial aid.

    The items included deep freezers, grinding machines, generators and industrial sewing machines.

    Yusuf explained that the council collaborated with various associations before arriving at the beneficiaries.

    To prevent the resale of the items, he mentioned that they had appointed monitors to ensure that the beneficiaries used the items for their intended purposes.

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    “We gave them what they requested so they wouldn’t feel the need to sell it. For instance, someone who asked for a deep freezer also received soft drinks and water to start their business immediately. We are giving them a head start, and it’s up to them to make good use of it,” he said.

    Yusuf highlighted other achievements during his tenure, including the renovation of the local government secretariat into an ultra-modern office complex and various other developmental projects aimed at improving the community’s infrastructure and services.

    A beneficiary, Mobolaji Deka, expressed her gratitude, saying, “The local government chairman here in Surulere is doing a great job. I received a deep freezer, soft drinks, and water. I pray that God enables them to do even more for the people.”

  • Ikosi-Isheri sensitises mothers on breastfeeding

    Ikosi-Isheri sensitises mothers on breastfeeding

    By Sherifdeen Amusa and Ayokunle Adebiyi

    Health experts in Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area have sensitised nursing mothers on the importance of breastfeeding and how it should be properly done.

    They spoke during the celebration of Breastfeeding and Year 2024 Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Plus Nutrition (MNCAN+N) Week at the Council Secretariat, Ikosi.

    The experts highlighted the importance of breastfeeding to nursing mothers, infants and the society at large.

    Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Princess Samiat Bada, said breastfeeding provides infants with essential nutrients to reduce risk of diseases and promotes maternal-child bonding.

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    Represented by Mrs. Muyibat Balogun, Princess Bada said: “It is imperative to note that breastfeeding provides infants with the essential nutrients, antibodies, and emotional bonding that are necessary for their growth and development. Breastfeeding not only enhances the health and wellbeing of infants, but also benefits mothers by reducing the risk of various diseases while enhancing maternal-child bonding.”

    The Permanent Secretary, Health District 2, Dr. Dayo Olajide, stated that breastfeeding made infants healthier, and provides a strong immune system with high intelligence quotient.

    Olajide called for communal support for nursing mothers, noting that breastfeeding is a tedious job.

    Medical Officer of Health in the council, Dr. Okunade Adebayo, said nursing mothers could be susceptible to some diseases if they didn’t breastfeed.

    He also added that breastfeeding was cheap, readily available and contributed immensely to having a healthy nation.

    “Breastfeeding is very important to the community at large, the mother and to the child, because if the mother breastfeeds, the child will be very healthy and breast-milk is very cheap and readily available unlike other foods that are expensive,” he said.

    The council’s Apex Community Health Officer, Mrs. Fari Olabisi, said personal, food and environmental hygiene were vital to healthy living.

    She also urged nursing mothers to eat nutritious food.

    The event held at Ikosi Isheri Council Secretariat, Ikosi Road, Ikosi Lagos. It was attended by top officials of the council, nursing mothers and many residents