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Tag: donate

  • Seadogs donates mobility canes

    The President of the National Association of Seadogs (Pirates Confraternity), Abia State chapter Okechi Utah, has advised visually-impaired persons not to be deterred by their situation but strive to attain the highest position in the society.

    He said they could only achieve this when they take their studies serious, noting that education is the best avenue the less privileged can explored to greater heights.

    Okechi gave the advice in Umuahia while handing over 60 mobility canes and T-shirts donated by the group to the inmates of School of the Blind in Afara, a suburb of Umuahia.

    He noted that it was by acquiring formal education through self-determination that they could realise their life regardless of their visual disability.

    He said: “In any little way we can, we want to say we are with you. We are your brothers and your sisters. It is in line with our tradition of identifying with the people in the society we feel are in need of assistance and encouragement that we have come today.

    “The T-shirt we have given you has an inscription: ‘blind with vision.’ Though you are blind, that does not stop your vision of becoming what you want to be in life. So, we want to encourage you to utilise very well whatever opportunity you have been given to acquire formal education.

    “What you are may be a temporary setback; that should not deter you from realising you goal in life. God who created you knew what you, will be from your mother’s womb and whatever God has ordained for you, you would accomplish.”

    Utah also presented some quantities of Braille books.

  • Monarch donates to homes

    Monarch donates to homes

    The Ojora of Ijoraland, Oba Abdul Fatai Oyeyinka Aromire has donated to motherless and old people’s home in Lagos.

    The monarch made the donations as part of activities marking his 19th anniversary of the ascension of office. He donated bags of rice, baby materials, pampers, bicycles, food flasks, clothes and among others.

    On why he chose to celebrate his anniversary by donating to motherless homes and the old people’s home, Oba Oyegbemi said it was his way of appreciating what God has done in his life.

    “This is my little way of thanking God for His blessings on me since assumption of office as Oba. My major problem is that all the wealthy people in the country are not doing what they are supposed to do in assisting the less-privileged peopele. So, what I am doing is an act of thanking my God for His help,” he said.

    The Oba, along with his council of chiefs, was received by the Matron of the Nigeria Red Cross Society Motherless Home, Mrs Juliana Obanife who, with the state’s secretary of the association, Mrs Nwike Ijeoma urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of giving.

    “The little we can do to help the children we should do because some of them may become leaders tomorrow. There is nothing too much or too small in assisting the less-privileged. I urge all to cultivate the habit of giving to the poor in the society,” he said.

    The traditional ruler also advised the government and the well-to-do in the society to always help the old people and the less-privileged people.

    “My advice to the government and businessmen is that they should take care of these old people and the motherless,” he said.

    The monarch also urged government to consult traditional rulers while carrying out developmental projects in the country.

    “Let us go back to square one. In years past, before the government will do anything, they will seek the advice of traditional leaders because we are the ones at the grassroots. We are very close to the people and we know how to talk to our people concerning any issue. Let the government see traditional rulers as partners,” he said.

     

  • Lagos Corps members donate blood

    Lagos Corps members donate blood

    Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Lagos have donated blood in a voluntary blood donation programme organised by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC) in the Orientation Camp, Ipaja, Lagos.

    During the two-day exercise, the Corps members were told how they could contribute their quotas to national development and be responsible citizens during their service year.

    The blood donation drive was to get the youths involved in saving patients, who may be in need of blood at any point in time, thus make blood readily available in the blood bank of hospitals.

    The donors used the opportunity to undergo medical test such as HIV, Hepatitis and Syphilis. Their blood pressure, sugar level and height were also tested.

    Ayo Onalapo, one of the donors, said the government should make blood donation lively, saying many volunteers were unable to donate blood because they could not stand the stress of going to the hospital to queue for hours.

    Henry Ugezene, another donor, said he felt good parting with a pint, adding that people should not be afraid but rather make it a culture.

    Imo Uzoma, Corps member, said the exercise should be voluntary because “it is to save the lives of others”. He urged government not to sell donated blood to patients in need of it.

     

  • Obi’s wife donates items to 50 communities

    This year’s International Women’s Day in Anambra State was marked in a unique style. Over 5,000 women under various groups attended the celebration presided over by wife of the Anambra State Governor, Mrs Margaret Peter Obi. Former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Mrs Cordelia Ego Uzoezie was in attendance.

    No fewer than 50 communities in the state represented at the event received machines worth over N40 million from the Anambra State government to enable them fight poverty. Venue was the Women Development Centre, Awka.

    Mrs Peter-Obi distributed the items comprising of Garri processing machine, soap processing machine and Palm oil processing machine among others to the beneficiaries.

    The beneficiaries were full of praises for Governor Peter Obi and wife Margaret, as exemplified by Mrs Josephine Ndubaku from Akili-Ogidi in Ogbaru Local Government Area. She got a Garri processing machine from Obi’s wife on behalf of her community.

    Mrs Ndubaku said her community is happy to be remembered and assured they would put the equipment into use to enable them leverage their finances. She asked for God’s blessings on Obi and family because he changed the orientation and attitude of Anambra women and children through his empowerment schemes.

    Obi’s wife said the theme, A promise is a promise : time for action to end violence against women, is apt. She said in each local government at least two communities got empowered with one or two equipment. She added that the 177 communities in the state have also been empowered with one or two equipments to enhance their source of income.

    Wife of the Governor announced that the Governor Obi’s  administration is sponsoring 21 indigent  women on pilgrimage and has given women more than their rightful 35 per cent affirmative action in his government. She appealed that everybody joins hands to eradicate women abuse and violence against women.

    She reminded that the state government has signed into law the gender equality bill to end all forms of violence and injustices against women, noting that government at all levels are discussing to find a solution to violence against women in the society.

    Obi’s wife said:’’ going down memory lane , it is fairly reasonable to say that our society has been essentially patriarchal. The men folk, for some reasons have appropriated the rights and privileges offered by society at the expense of women. Recall that these denials forced women into protests in the mid 1800s.

    ‘’Unfortunately, the end is yet to come even though we have made some progress. I recall efforts of people like Elizabeth Cady, Susan B Anthony, Alice Paul, Amelia Bloomer to mention but a few, which gave rise to women suffrage in August 26,1920.

    ‘’Back home in our country, we have not forgotten our own Nnenyeruwa of the famous Aba Women riots of 1929, Margaret Ekpo, Madam Tinubu and Gambo Sawaba among others, whose activities went a long way in protecting the rights of women.

    ‘’ ….the efforts so far made since those early protests through the Beijing conference and several other conferences, these were no doubt, steps in the right direction.

    ‘’However, there are still cases of discrimination going on in our society today. Some customs still inhibit women from carrying out some functions. It is a glaring practice in some cultures that women are not allowed to sit alongside men to deliberate on how to run the affairs of their communities. Worse still,  some cultures still treat widows with humiliating condescension. This is reminiscent of the old obnoxious practice in ancient Greece where women were classified as properties owned by men.

    ‘’ However, the greatest threat to the affirmative action to end violence against women is the impunity with which undesirable actions are taken against them. On several occasions, we have witnessed incidences of acid bath on women for unrequited love. Nor are we unaware of brazen cases of rape involving women, both old and young.

    ‘’Paedophiles have not hidden their determination to wreck havoc on our young girls even as some cultures still send under aged girls off to early marriage. Our newspapers are awash with innumerable reports of several atrocities meted out to the feminine gender. Pointless to tell the enormous toll this has taken on victims of these barefaced acts. Many were known to have died in the process while several others have since become emotional wrecks,” she added.

     

    ‘’………..it is my view that time has come for us to bring to an end whatever vestiges of violent acts against women which have persisted. It is true the progressive emancipation has since yielded some fruits actions here and there,  but it is also a fact that until the rotten tooth is out , the mouth must chew with caution . Yes, women are country leaders in Liberia , Malawi , Germany , Brazil , Argentina etc.

     

    ‘’some states are doing better in their efforts to close this gap. I must state that Anambra is leading in this wise , while a few other states are taking a cue from her (Anambra). It is gratifying that His Excellency , Governor Peter Obi, who incidentally is my husband , treats everybody fairly equally. Merit is the watchword in making appointment in the state . It is my prayer that before long, governments at all levels will come up with policies and laws which will totally eradicate all forms of injustices suffered by womenfolk. I thank you for your attention.

    In her address of welcome, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development , Lady Henrietta Agbata represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry , Mrs Gloria Ngozi Okeke informed that about 112 communities were given food processing machines which have been installed and functional even as she restated that the machines given out to 50 communities would be installed within one month of delivery.

    She informed that over 400 groups in Anambra state have benefited from Anambra state poverty eradication programme (ASPEP). She added that Obi’s wife had visited all the 177 communities in the state three times to empower widows, Orphans and the vulnerable children, indigent and physically challenged persons numbering over 600 people.

    Chairperson , House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development in the state House of Assembly, Hon Rebbecca Udoji-Paragon insisted that women are their own problems in all the abuses and violations as the same women crying out loud champions it in various rural communities and called for a change of attitude to enable the abuses and violations to stop.

    Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Right Hon Chinwe Nwaebili condemned all forms of violence against women and advocated for gender equality in distribution of national resources. She lamented the injustices meted out on women who lost their husbands adding that no matter the level of the injustices , the dead cannot be raised and therefore fairness and love should be shown to women who lost their husbands than wickedness and unprovoked suspicion and envy.

    Chairman on the occasion, Sir Alex Nnabuife , KSJI intoned that the right the women are seeking for they have got as women have taken over all the sectors of the society. He expressed gratitude on how the Anambra state Governor, Mr Peter Obi and wife Margaret have continued to empower women and children as well as youths in the state.

    There were presentations of papers from Director National Open University Awka study center , Dr Mrs Chibuogwu Nnaka on ‘’family upbringing: the bedrock for early girl child Development and former HOD Mass Communication Department, Anambra state University, Igbariam Campus, Dr Chijioke Agbasiere on violence against women. They harped on the curbing of violence against women in the society.

     

     

     

     

  • Law students donate gadgets to faculty

    Law students donate gadgets to faculty

    The management of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), has hailed the outgoing of executive members of the Law Students’ Society (LSS) of the institution for rendering quality leadership to their fellow students.

    The management made the commendation last Monday at the presentation of eight new 1.5 HP split unit air conditioners and eight 5,000 watts Automatic Voltage Regulators donated to the Faculty of Law by the outgoing members of the society.

    Receiving gadgets, which were meant for the faculty’s lecture rooms, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Femi Mimiko, who was represented by the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Oluyemisi Adebowale, said: “We want to appreciate the effort of the Law Students’ Society for making the university conducive for learning.”

    Prof Mimiko, who noted that the students, through the gesture, had added value to the system out of their own volition, said: “It is remarkable to find students coming together to think of how to make life more comfortable for those who will come after them.” He said members of the society had set the pace for the prospective students’ leaders to follow and surpass. The VC prayed that God grant the students success in their future endeavours.

    The Registrar, Mr Bamidele Olotu, in his remark, noted that the donation was a confirmation that students in the faculty were known for noble activities, adding: “we are always proud of you.” Olotu said the students had proved their nobility and diligence.

    The Acting Dean of the faculty, Barrister Tajudeen Ibrahim, said the gesture was unprecedented in the faculty. He said the era of students expecting the authorities to provide all facilities had gone, saying the donation was a confirmation that students were stakeholders in building of 21st century institution. The Dean thanked the management for giving necessary support to the faculty.

    In his speech, the outgoing president of the society, Oladimeji Oyesusi, disclosed that the appliances were worth N740,000, adding that the initiative was informed by the desire to give back to the university that impacted knowledge on them.

  • A season of death: Justice Kayode Eso; Justice Promotion= injustice to accused; Customs: Don’t burn, Donate!

    A season of death: Justice Kayode Eso; Justice Promotion= injustice to accused; Customs: Don’t burn, Donate!

    This November is the season of death. Death is hurrying to make the 2012 quota, just like government’s budgetary ‘last quarter’ mis-spending rush. With the murdered victims of Boko Haram bombs, cattle-farmers wars and floods we also see major deaths in politics, medicine, media and law. No one is ever old enough to die. Professor Bayo Olumide, eminent neurosurgeon, Alhaji Lam Adesina, Dr Olusola Saraki Mr Bode Alalade, broadcaster par excellence and now Justice Kayode Eso. He was the Truth and Reconciliation Icon, true Nigerian, author of books and ‘executive lawlessness’, primus inter pares, legal stellar light, doyen of arbitration, outstanding conversationalist, with great wit. It was always a pleasure to be in his presence. He was partial to the youth and an inspirational iconic role model whenever he graced an Educare Trust activity. Many will recall him being the trial judge who found Wole Soyinka ‘not guilty’ as ‘the man with the gun’ at NBC, Dugbe. May his large heart and soul Rest In Perfect Peace. Amen. With these deaths, governments and media producers have again lost the opportunity to fund historical and motivational documentaries, interviews, Nollywood and radio programmes on making and broadcasting the ‘life and times’ of these great men. Unfortunately, in spite of the well-known anticorruption efforts of Justice Kayode Eso and others, the judiciary is still suspected of corruption, and also stands accused of unnecessary injunctions and adjournments.

    A small inexplicable observation on the legal learned world: The recent celebrated and well deserved elevation of certain justices raises an important legal, moral and economic question while the National Assembly and the Legal Council are preoccupied with deliberating on weighty issues like gay marriage, constitutional review and plea bargaining. Why does the judiciary always make an ‘ass of itself’? Imagine a judge trying several complex cases some for 19 months. Suddenly she is promoted with ‘immediate effect’. If this happened in another professional, business or family sphere we would be in court claiming damages for ‘breach of contract’, ‘deception’, ‘false pretences’ et cetera. Remember this was believed to be the problem at the heart of the Justice Salami affair –to get him out of the way, kicked upstairs. The result is that the cankerworm of injustice breaks out right in the judge’s chambers and the courtroom. If the judges themselves were victims of such injustice would they not be up in judicial arms? Can a country like Nigeria, not known for its expeditious justice delivery service, really afford such expensive judicial ‘luxuries’ or delays? Unfinished cases are abandoned even as we celebrate well-deserved judicial promotions. Later another judge has to start all over again.

    Social science departments, lawyers’ groups like the NBA and FIDA and NGOs like JDPC and Consumer Protection bodies should compute the huge multimillion naira cost of this cause of ‘delayed justice’, cost of a retrial in emotions and frustration, in repeat legal fees and transportation and feeding, the cost to the accused and witnesses, the cost to the country-all totalling N50-100m for such elaborate cases and unquantifiable ‘judicial inconvenience’ by police, prisons, prisoners, witnesses, litigants and lawyers. This cost does not take into consideration the well-known judicial slogan that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’. Would it not be better to promote the judge, start the new salary grade but keep him or her as a judge of that court until he or she has finished all existing cases expeditiously, cleared the courtroom desk? Fellow Nigerians, languishing in prison ‘awaiting trial’ and innocent till proved guilty, should be protected from such judicial licence. We are happy when judges are promoted but it is good judicial judgement to ensure that they finish all cases pending before abandoning the court. Indeed why do judges not set aside several days for continuous hearing of a particular case to prevent the ‘adjournment syndrome’.

    Another socio-legal conundrum: On TV we regularly see goods, drugs and tyres being burnt by Customs or NAFDAC or NDLEA. Environmentally speaking tyres should never be burnt in the open because they environmentally toxic substances which pollute the air badly and also damage the lungs of passers-by, even NAFDAC and Customs officials. Tyre burning should be banned nationwide by a Law ‘Burning of Tyre Prohibition Act’. Burning may be the only option to disposal of seized hard drugs if you do not breathe in the drug filled air around the fire, but why does Customs burn all seized goods? Many such endangered goods are not harmful and are still good enough to save lives if donated to the needy flood victims, and repatriated prostitutes from Italy, freed trafficked persons, orphanages, Red Cross and religious organisations known for their non-corrupt humanitarian work. This would be punishment enough for the smugglers. Fund-raising for these groups is a difficult task in Nigeria. So why this ‘seized wealth to waste’ burning? If the authorities burn tyres, a known major pollutant method, why do they not burn the ammunition and guns they seize and what happens to them? So why burn sieved frozen chicken, rice, cloth and clothes in a country where environmental pollution from smoke is a major problem and 70% of the country is in poverty? Customs should be legally empowered and forced to give seized goods to an independent ‘Bureau of Smuggled and Recovered Property’ or NEMA for forwarding to recognised NGOs, orphanages and handicapped schools. Let the poor, not environmental pollution, benefit from seized goods.

     

  • Waziri leads NGOs to donate drugs, foodstuffsto flood victims

    Waziri leads NGOs to donate drugs, foodstuffsto flood victims

    A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri has urged well-meaning Nigerians and friends of the country to assist victims of flood ravaging parts of the country.

    Mrs Waziri made the call yesterday when she led some international organisations to donate relief materials such as drugs, foodstuffs, water, mattresses, clothes and others to flood victims in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

    The former EFCC boss had on Sunday led top officials of her Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Women, Youths, Children and Crime(WYCC) and its partners Helping Hands Foundation (HHF), Primus International Super Specialty Hospital and others to visit the affected areas and relief camps before handing over the relief materials which were received on Monday by the Deputy Governor, Chief Steven Lawani. Lawani led members of the state executive council to welcome Mrs Waziri and her team.

    Presenting the materials, the former EFCC boss quoted former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who once said: “you make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give” to challenge other Nigerians, organisations and friends of the country to stand up and identify with the victims of the flood disaster.

    She said: “I am encouraged by the fact that I know I can contribute, and I therefore believe I can volunteer my contribution. This is equally in the spirit of the call by President Goodluck Jonathan that all Nigerians and organisations both local and international should give a helping hand to governments at all levels to alleviate the sufferings of those that have been affected by this natural disaster.

    “As someone committed to service, I believe that in or out of government, we should strive to make a contribution to better the lives of others. As a result, we have to reach out to other like minds who have given us drugs, food stuffs, cloths and other materials necessary for the wellbeing of children and women especially.

    Replying, Lawani thanked Mrs. Waziri and her team for identifying with the displaced persons.

    “We have received a couple of donors but, this is the first time we are having a foundation like this come to support us. Because of the nature of what your organisation is doing, the state government will like to partner with you on how to resettle the victims. Your visit today is a good omen for us because we just learnt that President Jonathan will also be visiting us this week”, he added.

    On Mrs Waziri’s team were Beverly Nelson, Delitta Whitfield and Louisa Walter of Helping Hands Foundation; Dr Nilesh Vishwakarma and Dr Jojo Vaighue of Primus Hospital, among others.

  • UBA staff donate to flood victims

    UBA staff donate to flood victims

    Staff of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc have provided relief materials and other items to flood displaced persons in Delta State.

    In a statement, the donors said they were moved by the plight of victims of the recent flood in parts of Delta State and decided to support them.

    Specifically, UBA staff at Ughelli mobilised funds through voluntary contributions and bought relief materials for displaced persons at the Oharisi Primary School camp caused by the recent floods in the state.

    At the Oharisi Primary School Camp for Flood Displaced Persons where the exercise took place, the Regional Bank Head, Mid-West, David Isiavwe, conveyed the sympathy and message of hope from the management of the bank.

    He noted that management and staff decided to visit the camp as part of being socially responsible and offering a helping hand to the affected communities.

    “The UBA team took a tour of the camp visiting the various skill-acquisition centers that are training the youths and women on hair-dressing, tailoring, bead-making and other vocational trades. Items presented include, several bags of rice, garri, toiletries and ram,” it said.

    While thanking the Bank for the visit, the Camp Coordinator noted with delight and much appreciation that UBA was the first of all financial institutions in Nigeria to visit and give support to the flood victims.