A group, Igbo Progressive Leaders’ Council , has urged those using the crisis at the Ladipo Spare Part Market, Mushin, Lagos Mainland, to fan the embers of ethnicity to refrain from such act.
Speaking through its President-General, Eze Uche I Dimgba, the group described as unfortunate the fact that some elements have read political meanings to the local crisis within the market.
Eze Dimgba, in a statement, said: “We have noticed with gross dismay the divisive move of certain groups and some individuals, who parade themselves as enemies of unity in Nigeria and we wonder what really their mission is.”
Dismissing the erroneous belief that Ladipo market belongs to the Igbo, the group said the issue at the market has nothing to do with support or lack of it for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the March 28 and April 11 general elections.
Dimgba accused those he called ethnic jingoists as hiding under partisan politics to cause divisions amongst the traders and their hosts, pointing out that it was not only the Igbo that did not vote for the APC in Lagos.
His words: “They are just heating up the polity and causing friction between Ndigbo and their host community. The issue at stake has nothing to do with the support of the Igbo for the Peoples Democratic Party or not.
“It is purely the traders’ problem with their landlords. The Lagos State Government should not be brought into the picture.
“Leadding our people out to match to the streets for solidarity over every little thing that could have been solved amicably without much ado, is not a trait of good leadership. We therefore warn our people to be careful of who they follow and why they are following such people.
“We wish to categorically state that electioneering campaign is over. Whichever party you belong to, whether you lost or won, from whichever divide you are from, we calling on all Igbo to desist from anything that will cause trouble, or misunderstanding in Lagos.
“Over the years, the Igbo in Lagos have maintained a peaceful co-existence and will continue to enjoy same. We hereby warn desperate politicians who are hell-bent on dividing the Igbo into hundreds of uncoordinated groups for selfish goals to desist from promoting negative propaganda against the government of Lagos State.”
In the last four years, Agege, Lagos suburb-based P &G Hospital has brought free medical services to the people. This year, medical experts from JAYPEE Hospital in India spent one week offering comfort to the sick. Seun Akioye reports
For about a week, the consulting rooms at P&G hospital wore a busy look. Patients with varying ailments ranging from the common to the severe trooped into the hospital seeking expert opinion on their ailments. In one of the rooms, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, an orthopedic and joint replacement surgeon, patiently asked an elderly woman about her knee problems, conducted several examinations, wrote down some prescriptions and offered his counsel to the grateful woman.
•Dr. Sonaike
In other rooms, other doctors and consultants were engaged in similar exercise, conducting medical examinations and offering expert advice to patients free of charge. For four year, Kunle Sonaike, the medical director of P & G hospital has conducted free medical services for the people of Oko Oba Agege and beyond, bringing experts in various diseases from India to Nigeria.
“We do this once a year, bringing experts from India to treat people here for free, most of the ailments for which people travel to India are treated here and the special cases that need expert care in India are referred,” Sonaike said.
The visit of specialized doctors from JayPee hospital which is described as “the jewel in healthcare delivery” was facilitated by a renowned medical assistant company, High Beam Global based in Delhi, India. According to Abhik Moitra, the President and Director, the company is in the business of helping individuals and organizations to bring out options and outlook for immediate, cost effective private medical treatment in India.
“Our aim is to make it hassle free for people around the globe to travel for world class and affordable medical treatments to India,” Moitra told Southwest Report.
But Sonaike has other motives for providing free medicare for his community; he wanted to create awareness about cancer and other ailments which are often attributed to spiritual attack and the diabolical.
“But we are trying to change all that. People know now that these are medical conditions that if presented early can be solved. That is why we have decided that once every year we will bring experts who are our partners from India to this community to also see and treat people for free, we have been attending to people free for a week now and we have seen quite a number of patients,” Sonaike said.
The Indians are also coming to build capacity for Nigerian doctors with the aim of building a multi specialty hospital in Nigeria which in due course will be able to handle cases hitherto referred to India.
“Our motive is humanitarian, but we are also trying to build capacity here. We are coming to create a giant hospital in Nigeria, we will build capacity here, Nigeria has skillful doctors already but doing a surgery needs more than a good doctor, we are starting a process partnering with P & G hospital and we hope to start from there,” Moitra said. The other doctors agreed with him.
But Nigeria has major challenges in creating a post surgery support system. “The first thing is to have a good intensive care programme, there are people who have died due to poor post surgery treatment, that is why we need to create the right environment,” Sonaike said.
We receive 25 Nigerian patients every month
For many years, India has been the preferred destination of Nigerians for medical tourism especially for heart diseases and other complex sicknesses. But India did not become the favoured medical tourism destination overnight. In 1993, the government overhauled the health sector initiating a Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme. The government also encouraged many of its over 30,000 doctors practicing in the United States back home and creating supportive policies.
Today there are about 120 countries including the developed world sending patients to India and in the developing world, Nigeria tops the list of countries with the highest medical tourism in India. According to the figures from the Indian Ministry of Health, in 2013, 35,000 patients came from Nigeria to India, the figure dropped drastically in 2014 with only 18,900 patients. Through the facilitation of High Beam Global, there have been more than 12,000 Nigerian patients in India in the last five years.
“Every month, we have at least 25 patients from Nigeria come to India through us for medical treatment,” Moitra said.
All the medical doctors on the trip has had robust engagements with Nigerian patients, Ashutosh Marwah a Pediatric Cardiologist who has treated many Nigerian children for heart problems said the high birth rate in Nigeria ensures that there are more cases of heart problems involving children in Nigeria.
“I have seen complex heart conditions close to 100 from Nigeria and because you have younger population so the cases are more. Also, you have more women giving birth after 40 years which is a high risk index. But the trend is that most of the cases that we have seen are presented when they become complex especially cancer and cardiac cases,” Marwah said.
But if the partnership between P & G and High Beam Global progresses, then some categories of major surgeries will be done before the end of the year at the hospital, says Sonaike. This prospect should be good news for thousands of medical tourists who get swindled by unscrupulous agents every year. “The reason why High Beam is involved is because many Nigerians go to India without expert guidance which is what High Beam provides. They have the best specialists and they are here to help,” he said.
Sonaike said Nigeria must attract back home the thousands of Nigerian doctors in the US and Europe.
“We have to get them back, this is why our vision here is to help create the best private teaching hospital in Nigeria, we have seen it in India and we can do it here, most of the ailments that travels to India can and should be done here.”
So what do the Indians think about Nigeria? Gupta who was one of the Indian Diaspora doctors said: “The impression is that Nigerians are humble, great hospitality, patient people. You have great command of English even better than Indians and will some economic reforms you will be good.”
Gupta also has an optimistic view of Nigeria’s medical future: “ The attitude is there and the skills too, already the doctors have started to do some complex open heart surgeries and joint replacements, soon the expertise will flow back to Nigeria,” he said with a smile as another patient waited for his attention who will be treated free of charge.
No fewer than 10 communities and five secondary schools in Ondo State have been trained by the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme of the Federal University Technology, Akure (FUTA) for food production.
The training was on information disseminations, capacity building on poultry management, fish pond management and cassava multiplication.
The project, which is a World Bank sponsored programme known as WAAPP-FUTA, started in 2013 but took off last year.
FUTA Vice Chancellor Prof Adebiyi Daramola spoke at the opening ceremony of the training programme.
He expressed concern that the abject poverty and hardship being experienced in the nation with its attendant problems of hunger, misery, disease and starvation may not abate until the necessary mechanisms are put in place to address these daunting challenges through effective food processing strategies.
According to him, the ever-increasing gap between population growth and food supply was the most serious threat to the survival of humanity.
Daramola, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Prof. Tolulope Akinbogun, noted that addressing many of these challenges brought about the training by the WAAPP- FUTA initiative with the goal of increasing food supply by bridging the gap between the domestic food supply and the total food requirement.
He said: “With these programmes in place, it becomes imperative that food insecurity should be a thing of the past. I think there is need for Nigeria to have Food Research Agenda that will be pursued since a well-articulated and founded research agenda will deliver the necessary capacities for knowledge-based development.”
The Coordinator of WAAPP – FUTA, Prof. Taye Amos, noted that the most critical challenge for governments globally was how to feed the world’s over 7 billion people and reduce poverty.
According to him, the trend in world hunger has not abated with sub-Saharan Africa the worse hit.
He said this was because 40 per cent of its population live on less than $$ 1 per day and one in three people being undernourished and that since one in every four persons in the sub region is a Nigerian, the need to look at the food situation is very critical.
Amos pointed out that many authors have observed that there is high rate of increase in food prices due to deficit in local food production saying that WAAPP-FUTA is one of the steps towards mitigating the observations.
NO fewer than 334 officers of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) serving in Lagos and Ogun states were rewarded for rejecting bribes from motorists who violated traffic rules.
The Lagos and Ogun Zonal Commander, Nse-Obong Charles Akpabio said the officers stood to the truth.
The FRSC chief urged the officers to continue with their loyalty and committed to the service.
‘’You must shun any act that will drag the name of the Corps to disrepute. FRSC has good image. It is no longer a matter of you even resisting bribe, but a matter of you exposing those among you who usually involve themselves in the dirty act of extorting road users,” he said.
He urged the Sector Commands to increase their surveillance patrols, noting that the corps had declared war against bribery and corruption and would ensure the policy was sustained.
He explained that the new thinking of the corps would ensure that there was adequate consultation with its officers and men, adding that the hardworking ones would be adequately rewarded and those found wanting would be copiously sanctioned.
He ordered the Sector Commanders to ensure they organised road safety clubs in schools and to ensure all weekly activities reports of the commands were submitted to his office weekly.
He also appealed to vehicle owners to stop allowing underage to drive vehicles on the highway. He added that no vehicle owner was expected to drive with worn-out tyres, especially during wet season.
He urged trucks owners to install speed limiter on their vehicles before September 1. He noted that any haulage vehicles without the device would be arrested and impounded.
The Itori Unit Head of Operations, Mr Olumide Adebajo (CRC) who spoke on behalf of the recipients, thanked the Corps for the award.
The Bishop of Akure Diocese (Anglican Communion), Dr Simeon Borokini, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint professionals into the board of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure proper management of the nation’s oil sector.
Also, the Cleric urged Buhari to set up a probe panel to investigate the activities of the dissolved board of the NNPC.
This, according to him, would justify the dissolution of the board.
Declaring open the third session of the 11th synod of the Akure Diocese, Rev Borokini lamented that corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of all sectors of the nation’s economy.
He urged the Federal Government to take a decisive stand on fuel subsidy to prevent corrupt practices in the oil sector.
His word: “This government should take a definite decision on the issue of fuel subsidy now to save Nigerians from the agonies experienced always due to fuel scarcity.
“Government should not only make a pronouncement on subsidy removal but also put in place appropriate machinery to prevent further corrupt practices currently prevalent in the oil industry where tax payer’s monies are embezzled or paid for services not rendered.
“The government should ensure the effective management of the NNPC and review the composition of the Board of Directors of the corporation. The board should be headed by professionals and not politicians. The present wastage needs to be checked so as to improve accountability and optimise the economy.”
Bishop Borokini also enjoined the Buhari- led government not to have any sacred cow in the fight against corruption, stressing that his anti-corruption war should affect all sectors of the economy.
He recalled that the last general elections threatened the peace and unity of the country, and thereby enjoined Buhari and all the 36 governors in the country to uphold democracy and ensure that the nation is not divided by politics, tribe or religion.
He said: “God saved Nigeria from evident chaos and collapse that would have resulted from the tensed atmosphere before, during and immediately after the 2015 elections.
“The peace of the country was highly threatened with insecurity of life and property, Boko Haram and bombings in the North East and kidnapping in the South East, now fast spreading to the South West.
“Communal clashes, religious and political intolerance were on the increase, with corruption, apathy and lawlessness having a field all over the country.”
While calling on Nigerian leaders to trust in God, Bishop Borokini also enjoined Nigerians to support the rulers in all things which are just and morally good.
He stressed that “we should pursue all things that promote peace and unity among each other at the national, state, local and community levels.”
The Anglican Bishop challenged the three tiers of government to take more proactive steps to secure the lives of Nigerians in all parts of the country and safeguard their fundamental human and constitutional rights to freedom of religion.
He said each state of the federation should be allowed to have a say in the management of the natural resources available in its area, while the Federal Government acts just as the umpire.
The Renaissance Social Development Group, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), on Monday distributed West African Senior Certificate Examination (WASCE) application forms to 128 secondary school students in Epe, Lagos State.
The Chairman of the NGO, Mr Abiodun Muritala, said the gesture was to commemorate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode`s 52nd birthday, and to assist the beneficiaries from the different wards of the area in their academic pursuits.
He said the group believed that education was the only pathway to sustainable development.
The chairman described Ambode as an illustrious and outstanding son of Epe, adding that the distribution of the forms was to highlight the governor’s great passion for education.
Muritala explained that, though, the group started as a social club where indigenes could network socially; the yearnings of Epe indigenes for more development had informed the group’s transforming into a development one.
“No investment in education is a waste, we are aware of the economic situation of the country and we want to support our youths in the area of education.
“Epe needs more development, that is why we are involved in promoting the capacity building of our people so that they can in turn help to build the ancient city,’’ he said.
Ambode, represented by Mr Olufemi Onanuga at the event,commended the group for supporting the youths through educational development.
The governor said that he was impressed by the gesture and urged other associations and individuals to emulate the NGO.
“I congratulate the group for supporting our youths; I also urge the private sector and other stakeholders to support educational development in the state.
“Government alone cannot deliver all the improvement in the education sector, that this why individuals and groups have to support us,’’ the governor said.
He pledged that his administration would do its best to further raise the standard of education and economic development of the state.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) commended the group for its kind gesture.
Master Rabiu Lawal from Ibeju- Lekki, thanked the group for the gesture saying, it would greatly help him pursue his academic career vigorously.
“With this form, I do not need to disturb my parents about WASSCE because it will take away some financial burden from them.
“I am happy at what the Renaissance has done for me and pray God will continue to help them,’’ he said.
Also, Miss Edith Joshua from Epe said that the group had relived her of some of her problems.
She commended the group for deeming it fit to give back to the young people in the area, adding that the gesture would bring about development to the area.
“I have been thinking of how to get money to purchase the WASSCE form, but now, all my worries have gone, I am very happy,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that traditional rulers, top government officials and other illustrious indigenes of Epe graced the event.
Prominent sons and daughters of Ondo Kingdom in Ondo State have converged to see how the ancient town can be proclaimed a city before December.
The Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo Jilo III, during the 500th anniversary celebration of the town last year, set up a committee on Ondo City vision 2015 to actualise the objective of transforming Ondo into a modern city.
At a news conference at the Osemawe’s palace and attended by members of the committee, Oba Kiladejo and prominent high chiefs, the Committee Chairman, Ondo City Vision 2015, Chief Fidelis Akinwolemiwa, said Ondo has all facilities on ground for its to be proclaimed a city.
He listed the facilities, such as palace and Heritage Museum, a Cathedral and Central Mosque, a University and other allied educational facilities, road networks that make all of the city easily accessible with functional transportation, modern health facilities among others.
He boasted that Ondo has a three dualised roads, Mega schools, Gani Fawehinmi Diagnostic Centre, Mother and Child hospital, University of Medical Science, Adeyemi University of Education and Wesley University of Science and Technology.
Akinwolemiwa added that: “ The granting of community and commercial radio licenses has also lent credence to the fact that several efforts from many front would help propel Ondo kingdom to enviable height. We applaud this laudable achievement and will do everything possible to see that the radio projects take off without any hitch.
Akinwolemiwa said there were sub-committees on Ondo kingdom Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industry and Agriculture, Technology innovation and education units, Infastruture development and government liaison, cultural renaissance, board of funding, green up unit, proclamation and Monitoring and Evaluation sub-committees
He hailed the traditional ruler and Governor Olusegun Mimiko, an indigene of the town, for their support in transforming the town.
At least 195 prison inmates in Ogun State have completed an eight-week “transformation training,” to enhance their ability to adjust effectively and also become better persons in the society.
The beneficiaries from the Oba Prison and Ibara Prison – both in Abeokuta, were tutored on moral regeneration and consientisation of the prisoners using biblical principles and teachings of Jesus Christ.
The transformation training, which also include vocational skills transfer, is a programme of the Prison Fellowship International and implemented yearly by its Ogun State chapter.
The state chairman of the Fellowship, Dr Elege Emmanuel, in an interview with reporters in Abeokuta, said the task of reforming prisoners should not be left to the government alone.
According to Pastor Emmanuel, 275 inmates benefited from the programme last year.
He said the body has come to the conviction that the “government cannot handle the work alone, making the assistance of the Prison Feålowship and that of well meaning Nigerians pertinent”.
He lamented the congestion being experienced in most Nigerian prisons fuelled by the increasing number of people who violate the laws. He blamed it on the breakdown of family discipline and neglect by the society and government.
Pastor Emmanuel said some of the inmates of the five prisons in Ogun State were suffering from different ailments.
He said the fellowship needed the services of lawyers and doctors to meet the health and legal challenges facing inmates.
Of all the regions in the country, more women are circumcised in the Southwest, it has emerged.
The co-ordinator, Good Health and Community Development (CSJGHCD), Mr Abiodun Oyeleye, revealed this at a one-day conference on reduction of harmful traditional and cultural practices.
The conference was organised by CSJGHCD with the support of Australian Ggovernment under Direct Aid Programme (DAP) at Bodija, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Mrs Roseleen Akinroye, said more than 125 million girls and women have been cut in 20 countries in Africa and the Middle East.
According to her, as many as 30 million girl are at risk of being cut before their 15th birthday if current trends continue.
She noted that UNICEF has been working with government and civil society partners towards the elimination of female genital mutilation.
The UNICEF representative said: ”The 2013 NDHS reports that 25 per cent of women in Nigerian undergo circumcision of which 82 per cent had it before their 5th birthday although with regional variations from state to state. The highest prevalence of 76.6 per cent is fou nd in Osun State and this is higher than the prevalence of 55 per cent for the Yoruba people. Although 11 state government has passed the law prohibiting female genital mutilation, but enforcement is still lacking in Nigeria, as no parent or circumcisers has been prosecuted. Many reasons have been adduced for the continued perpetuation of the act, which include: reduction of sexual desire in females, ensuring husband’s sexual pleasure, promoting social integration and initiation of girls into womanhood.”
Mrs Akinroye suggested that the practice could be curbed through legislation, increase awareness and provision of prevention and protection services.
Oyeleye said 55 per cent of women who have been cut in Nigeria are Yoruba. Igbo women are next with 45 per cent.
According to him, 32 per cent of urban women are circumcised, as compared with 19 per cent of rural women.
“There are also urban-rural differences in the proportion of women who had cutting with flesh removed 65 per cent and 60 per cent respectively. In Nigeria, 68 per cent of women and 57 per cent of men who have heard of female circumcision believe that the practice is not required. Overall, men are more likely than women to think that female circumcision is required by their religion,” he said
He also called for implementation of legislative provisions and stern measures to prohibit the practice.
“Implementation of the laws prohibiting FGM in all the Southwest States, Development of alternative source of income for circumcisers and strong advocacy campaigns against the practice,” Oyeleye said
The representative of the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Latoria Dabiri-Mpamugo, said his country shared the concern over the harmful traditional and cultural practices which take place against women and girls in Southwest.
“Australia has joined global efforts to combat these harmful practices,including supporting the unanimous United Nations General Assembly resolution in December last year calling for intensified efforts to eliminate FGM wherever it occurs,” she said.
Women in Oyo State have urged government to strengthen its support towards family planning.
The women urged the Oyo State government to partner theNigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI).
They appealed to government to provide technical assistance for primary health care centres in the state to run its family planning initiative.
The women and the Chief Nursing Officer of the Bode, Ibadan Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), Mrs Wumi Baruwa, spoke at a family planning outreach organised by NURHI. Women were given the opportunity to ask questions on the health initiative.
Mrs Baruwa urged the state government to also key into the methods being used by the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to achieve its objective.
She lauded the activities of NURHI in sensitising women at the grassroots on the importance of family planning,noting that the efforts of the NGO had helped to create more awareness among rural women.
“The awareness created by the NURHI has now allowed health workers to counsel women on family planning easily. Unlike before it was not easy to convince and counsel them easily.
“We used to have more women participating now everyday in one family planning technique or the other; atleast 20 weekly, while we have between 35 to 40 new clients every month for family planning. During NURHI outreach like this we used to have like 50 new clients coming for family planning,” she said
Mrs Baruwa dispelled the rumour that there is a side effect associated with family planning, stressing that most women that have issues with it do not go to professional health officers for family planning.
Also, some women who came for the NURHI outreach at Apata Primary Health Centre told Southwest Report that that the intervention of NURHI had led to increase in the number of women seeking such services in their communities.
Mrs Bola Babatope said they were given orientation and counselling on family planning methods and other health issues.
“I want to commend NURHI for renovating the family planning unit and for the training of workers.
“If we can get NGOs like this that will assist, the health sector will improve greatly,” Babatope said
She advised women to plan their families for sustainable healthy living.
Mrs Afusat Jinadu said she preferred the implant family planning method, stressing that NURHI had changed her perception of family planning.
She urged government to assist NURHI in order to create more awareness among women about the essence of family planning.
