The Nation Newspaper

Tag: hand

  • Lofelofe.com extends helping hand to less-privileged

    Lofelofe an online firm held a charity event at the Oba Sanni Komolafe Sport Centre in Lagos last Saturday, which saw the convergence of the less-privileged.

    According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Funmi Odushola, the event was aimed at assisting the poor in the society.

    She said: “The food kitchen was organised to reach out to Nigerians, who have no choice but to live on the street of Lagos and other destitute around the location of the event.”

    To achieve their aim, the firm registered 2,500 people who were given free medicals, household/personal items and a hot meal for the day.

    The beneficiaries of the  event were organised from places, such Alabado, Begger, Ikeja, Toll-Gate, Sango-Ota and Agege at their popular spot. The Lagos State District Officer of the Fititianul Islam of Nigeria, Mallam Yaukaka, who registered the beneficiaries, appreciated the firm. “Lofelofe has tried for the beneficiaries as everything given to them were all free of charge ranging from food, clothing, medical attention and the drugs,” he said.

    The beneficiaries were very pleased with this benevolent act of the firm as they expressed their gratitude. Muhamadu Sani, a physically challenged man, said: “I am very happy and I thank God for the opportunity this does not come always and I hope other people will copy them and help us I thank the organization also,”. Another was Zakariyawu Muazu, who said: “I am very happy and I pray God should give them power and support just like they have supported us and also God should be patience with them just like how they are with us.” So also was it for other beneficiaries like Hajiya Abu Zainab and Adida Musa.

    As for the volunteers, they believe that event like this can help reduce the spread of diseases and early death among the poor masses as some never knew they had infections and some internal health challenges. They also hope they could get more donors and more sponsors from wealthy Nigerians to help the poor masses.

    He added: “the things you take for granted, someone else is praying for”. These items you don’t need cost you nothing, so give them to someone that really needs it. We are in a community and whatever happens within it, whether to the beggar or the street vendor happens to you in the long run.

  • ‘No hand in student’s death’

    Akaka Community (Gold City) in Remo North Local Government Area of Ogun State has denied involvement in the gruesome ritual killing of a female student of Sapade Polytechnic.

    In a statement by Samuel Obasa (Chairman), Oye Adetayo (Secretary) and Oyedele Ogunwale (Treasurer), the Akaka Development Council (ADC) described the reports linking the community to the crime as embarrassing, provocative, untrue, professionally wrong, scandalous and malicious.

    The ADC said: “Our attention has been drawn to reports linking the murder at Oposo Community to Akaka, Remo. We say that such heinous crime cannot happen in our community, the food basket of Ogun State, a progressive town that boasts of many sons and daughters who are professors, lawyers, doctors, pharmacists, top police officers, religious leaders, engineers, captains of industry, and several other professionals and top businessmen.”

  • Lending a helping hand

    Lending a helping hand

    Hug For the Needy Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), that caters for widows and orphans, was born last Saturday at Neca Event Hub in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State. SAFIYYAH ABDUR-RAZAQ writes.

    For the President of Hug For the Needy Foundation, Pastor Felix Olorundamilola, it was a day of fulfilment. It was the official launch of the foundation and the celebration of his 50th birthday.

    The NECA Event Hub in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State was tastefully decorated in blue and white for the twin event.

    The celebrator was dressed in black suit, his wife, Oluwafunmilayo, dazzled in black dress and blue jewelry, with matching shoes.

    The Chairman on the occasion, Pastor Peter Oludipe, urged the guests to do good.

    He said: “What you do in life is what people would say about you when you die.”

    The celebrator’s wife assisted him to cut his 50th birthday cake.

    It was followed by the inauguration of the four-member board of trustees for the foundation.

    Inaugurating the board, Pastor Oludipe said: “The poor would never cease to exist in the land. It is part and parcel of this day. I pray that God should use you to be a blessing to people around you.”

    The celebrator appreciated his guests for coming and said he was using the opportunity of his birthday to make the foundation public and to raise funds.

    He said: “The foundation was founded in October 2009 and has been running on private funding. I am using the occasion of the birthday to make it as public as it can be and to inaugurate the members of the board of trustees.

    He said he feels great, good and happy that he is able to make 50.

    “I have always thought of 50 as too far. Now that I have made it, I am grateful,” he said.

    He said he is not completely fulfilled because his foundation has not been thriving as much as he would like.

    He said the NGO has been using private funds in the past five years, noting that it needs to attract public funds and philanthropic organisations to help it.

    He urged Nigerian youths not to lose hope easily.

    “Nigerian youths should not lose hope. They should not give up. There are public-spirited people out there that are ready to assist,” he said.

    The board of trustees Chairman, Pastor Simeon Afolabi  said the foundation was established to assist the widows, helpless and the needy in the society.

    “The foundation is there to lend them a helping hand and provide for their basic needs”

    He described the celebrator as a man that has passion for the poor and needy in the society.

  • Hand washing crucial in Ebola fight

    This year’s Global Hand Washing Day celebrated yesterday underscored the need for young children to maintain hygienic practices.

    The message, “Choose hand washing, choose health”, was taken to millions of children in schools where hand washing demonstrations were mounted.

    UNICEF’s representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough said hand washing should become a habit for all Nigerians so that fewer children die from complications caused by drinking unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene practices.

    Every year, Gough said over 150,000 children die from diarrhoea alone. He added that washing hands with soap is one of the cheapest, simplest and most effective means of preventing diarrhoea and pneumonia, the leading causes of child deaths in Nigeria.

    “Nigeria has done well so far to contain the spread of Ebola, what Nigeria needs now is sustained promotion of hand washing. Let’s pledge to make hand washing with soap a national habit and reduce the number of Nigerian children who die from diarrhoea annually,” he said in a statement.

  • Giving a helping hand to the elderly

    Giving a helping hand to the elderly

    A non-governmental organisation, Ewenla Socio-Cultural Foundation recently extended a helping hand to the elderly in Ode Remo, Ogun State through its ‘care for the elderly project’,  ERNEST NWOKOLO was there.

    Succour came the way of the elderly – men and women, of the seedy Ode Remo community in Remo North Local Government Area of Ogun State recently as no fewer than 1000 of them benefited from the ‘care for the elderly project’ of the Ewenla Socio – Cultural Foundation (ESCF), a non – governmental organisation.

    For over six hours, they were the centre of affection and care at the Ode Remo Town Hall where they were hosted. Scores of the elderly men had their hairs neatly barbed free of charge by tested barbers in the community while their women counterparts also had theirs plaited or weaved by stylists and hairdressers that made a good number of them wore younger looks than the true age.

    Food items, detergents, toiletries among others were also packaged and given to each as take – home.

    Many of the elderly women and men also received free medical tests and treatment.

    Among the medical tests conducted by the medical teams from University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) include test for HIV, visual acuity, screening for cataracts and glaucoma – and no fewer than 40 of them were found to be suffering from cataracts.

    And while they savoured light food in wait for the real thing, health workers from UCH and OOUTH, using local language sensitized them on how to care or manage old age, save their eyes from going blind with age and on cancer awareness.

    Dr. Adedayo Afolabi of the Department of Public Health, OOUTH, who spoke on cancer,  advised the women to check their breasts for early detection of cancer of the breast at the early stage.

    Afolabi explained that if cancer is detected early, it would be easy to get rid of it quickly and warned that if allowed to linger in the body, it could result in a terminal health challenge.

    He said: “Let all women stand before the mirror and examine their breasts frequently at least once a month. Run your left hand on the right breast and vice versa to check if there is any lump. If you detect any strange thing, report to the doctor in the hospital.”

    He also pointed out that men too could detect on their own if prostate cancer is developing in their male organ, saying should they begin to experience strain in the urinary tract or finding it difficult to urinate, they should quickly see a surgeon for medical check-up.

    The Chairperson of ESCF, Chief (Mrs.) Folashade Filani, a philanthropist, who facilitated the programme in conjunction with the Ode Remo Development Council (ODC), presented awards to eight aged people for excellent and meritorious performance in their various trades and professions within the community.

    Those conferred with awards are the octogenarian, Alhaja Sauli Sonuyi, a traditional midwife, Pa Olagade Oluyide (Bricklayer of old times) and Alhaji Adebisi Bello (Posthumous award, Butcher of old times).

    Chief Filani said she set – up the Foundation to empower the indigent members of Ode Remo community irrespective of their ages, including giving of scholarship to students, and advised the wealthy and corporate bodies to lend helping hands.

    Citing the case of 40 people having cataracts, she said it cost an average of N15,000 to carry out a surgery for the removal of the problem from a sufferer, adding that if more persons support the cause, the operation could be performed to restore the sight of the affected people.

    The town’s traditional head, Oba Adetunji Osho (Owadaniyan11), who chaired the event, urged his subjects home and in the Diaspora, to use their God – given wealth to bless the less fortunate members of the community.

    Osho lauded Mrs Filani for “bringing succour to the elderly,” making them to once again feel loved and have a sense of “belonging to the rest of the active members of the community.”

    Oba Osho said: “whatever blessing or wealth God gave you, use it to empower others. You are only a custodian of God’s gift of wealth in your hand. When you use it to develop others, you gain more blessings.”

    In the reckoning of the monarch, the woman philanthropist should not only be “emulated,” but also supported by individuals and the government to impact more on the indigents.

    Also, billionaire hotelier, Prince Buruji Kashamu, who was a special guest, enjoined those who aspire longevity, to cultivate the habit of caring for the aged members of the society.

    Kashamu who was represented by Mrs Ibilola Osilaja, said the aged are mothers and fathers of the younger ones, whose prayers are potent force that could attract more blessings and long life for those who care for them.

    The chieftain of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) who supported the project with food items, said there was the need for the young ones to attend to the needs of the aged, especially those who can’t help themselves.

  • Spurs hand new deals to Nigeria trio

    Spurs hand new deals to Nigeria trio

    English Premier League (EPL) side, Tottenham Hotspur, have extended deals for three Anglo-Nigerians from their Academy.

    The trio of Nathan Oduwa, Daniel Akindayini and Emmanuel Sonupe were among the nine players offered new deals by the team’s hierarchy.

    As members of the Under 18 side last season, the team won the Southern Section of the Barclays U-18 Premier League before losing to Everton in the play-offs at Goodison Park.

    At the moment big things are expected of Daniel Akindayini who was top scorer last season for the Under-18.

    However, Nathan Oduwa is the only one among the trio who has expressed his desire to play for the Nigeria senior national team after representing England at Under 17 level.

    The powerful attacking player was born and raised in central London and made six appearances for the U-18s, scoring in his first three matches against West Brom, Stoke City and West Ham United, while he also netted in the NextGen Series against Sporting Lisbon.

    Emmanuel Sonupe born to Nigerian parents in London is a midfielder who likes to operate down the flanks and is equally at home on either side of the midfield.

    He made five starts and four substitute appearances for the Under-18s last term, his debut coming against West Ham United in January. He’ll be looking to push on and figure more prominently in 2013-14.

  • The hand is Esau’s

    The hand is Esau’s

    Almost eleven years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York and Washington by global terrorism network, Al Qeada, the United States is not giving up on tracking down and punishing the perpetrators of one of mankind’s greatest tragedies.

    Last week, Suleiman Abu Ghaith, the son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, the founder, leader and funder of Al Qeada, killed by US SEAL in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011, was arrested by American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), working in concert with Jordanian security, in Jordan and flown to New York on Thursday where he was due to appear in court a day later on a charge of conspiracy to kill Americans. The charge obviously relates to the 2001 attacks.

    Though not directly or physically involved in the terror attacks, Abu Ghaith offence is linked to his appearing on video immediately after the attacks, speaking on behalf of Al Qeada.

    In the run up to the September 11, 2001 attacks he had also held meetings with Al Qeada operatives where he urged them to swear allegiance to the cause as well as Osama bin Laden. He also appeared in video with his father-in-law threatening attacks on American and western targets around the world. So in essence, the man who had been hiding in Iran all these years after September 11, before being deported to Turkey and later Jordan, is being held and is to be punished for what he said, which in all intent and purpose could be linked to the 9/11 attacks.

    Closer home in Kaduna last Saturday, the State Commissioner of Police led a team of armed policemen to the premises of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, in the city to arrest a serving senator and one time governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmad Sani, of the emerging opposition All Progressive Congress, APC for comments he made in the course of a live radio phone-in programme, deemed capable of causing the breach of the peace. And what did the senator say?

    The man in response to a question whether there was any move by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to register the APC, and if that happened what would be the next line of action of the opposition, responded that if having met all legal requirements for registration as a political party and INEC still refused to grant APC registration, the opposition would march on the Eagle Square in Abuja in a peaceful protest. He added that the Tahrir Square protest in Egypt would be a child’s play to the protest at Eagle Square if the newly formed party was denied registration.

    Now pray in what way is this simple and clear answer to a question likely to cause the breach of the peace such that the Commissioner of Police, on a Saturday, had to rush to the radio station, even before the end of the live programme to arrest the senator? In what way could this harmless comment be construed to be a threat to Nigeria’s security as in the way, for example, that Abu Ghaith’s pre and post 9/11 video comments on behalf of Al Qeada is being construed by the US? Agreed that both incidents appear unrelated but the inference being drawn here is that both are rooted in perceived threat to state security, in the eyes of the respective security services in the two countries, by the comments made by the people involved. The question here is whether what the senator said was enough to warrant his arrest and detention by the Commissioner of Police?

    On the surface the CP’s action could be termed a pre-emptive move to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order, but a closer look could reveal the likelihood of a more sinister motive on the part of police. The police boss reportedly got a call from Abuja that Saturday morning as the senator was on air, ordering him to arrest the lawmaker. Who made the call? Force Headquarters or the Presidency? With Senator Sani’s comments posing no serious, if any, threat to the peace and security of the nation, one can only deduce form the Police’s action that it was part of the much expected grand plan by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to destabilize and frustrate any attempt by the opposition to come under one umbrella to challenge the PDP in future elections. Shall we now say that the Nigeria Police as now an arm of the PDP, the same way INEC is being viewed by the opposition? If this later prove to be the case then our democracy is in grave danger.

    I am sure if there was no indication of the likelihood of INEC not registering the APC, Senator Sani wouldn’t have made that comment and I think the man was merely warning or rather advising the electoral body and to a large extent, the Federal Government against doing anything inimical to the good health of this democracy.

    And in what looked like a confirmation of the fears of the opposition, INEC has come out that a fledging political organisation named African People’s Congress (APC) had applied to it for registration as a political party. What a smart move. The hand here is definitely that of Esau while the voice is that of Jacob. One needs no soothsayer to know that the PDP and indeed Jonathan’s Federal Government is at work here.

    The same way Jonathan sponsored a PDP Governors Forum mainly to frustrate the Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s led Nigeria Governors Forum following his inability to wrest control of the NGF from the Rivers State governor, is what he is attempting to do now with this other APC, to frustrate and disorganize the opposition ahead of the 2015 presidential election. If Professor Attahiru Jega’s INEC fail to see through this, then this democracy is in serious danger.

    And there is more danger ahead if the police continue on the path set last Saturday by the Kaduna CP. It then means that we should expect more arrest of opposition politicians and other political elements, even within the PDP that are not on the same page with President Jonathan on his 2015 project. But the president is well advised to note that it is strong arm tactics like this, together with lack luster performance that can imperil this democracy and not what the opposition says.

    The police should also remember that its unholy alliance with the Shehu Shagari led Federal Government of then National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the second republic, especially as regards intimidating and witch hunting opponents and collaborating to rig elections led to the fall of that republic. We are in the 4th republic now and I hope the police have learnt their lessons.

    The quick response of the Kaduna CP to the Abuja call to arrest Senator Sani is at odd with the character of the Nigeria Police that we know when it comes to response to distress or danger call. May be the Force is changing, but it better be for the good of the nation and not just a few.

    One would have expected the Kaduna Police Command and not the military to have discovered the bomb making factory that was uncovered at the Kaduna home of an Abuja based politician last week. The discovery by men of the Intelligence Unit of the 1st Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna was shocking considering the number/volume of arms and ammunitions including IEDs involved. Where are we headed in this country if one may ask?

    Not that it was a bad thing that the Army discovered this bomb factory, but internal security is the primary responsibility of the police and the earlier the Force steps up its activities in this area, instead of being a willing tool in the hands of politicians to fight their personal battles, the better. We have a greater battle on our hands, the battle against terrorism and the police should take the lead role.

     

  • 21-day hand hygiene campaign for Lagos schools

    Pupils of Ire Akari Model Nursery and Primary School, Isolo Lagos, joined about three million school-aged children that Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited, makers of Dettol anti-germs soap, has educated about hand hygiene in the past four years.

    Many more are billed to join in what remains of the 21-day hand washing campaign flagged off last Monday – on the Global Handwashing Day (GHD).

    The organisation employed the fun method to attract the pupils’ attention in learning the six steps of handwashing.

    After Project Manager for Touch Point Ms Omowunmi Mumuni addressed the pupils about the significance of handwashing, another facilitator, who introduced herself as Ms Ronke to the pupils, and a cartoon character modelled after Dettol soap, taught the pupils when to wash their hands and the techniques to use.

    Some pupils were selected to demonstrate the techniques.

    Communications Consultant to Reckitt Benckiser Mr Israel Opayemi said care was at the heart of the school hand hygiene initiative. He said since 2009 when the company started the hand hygiene education, millions of children, families as well as teachers have been availed the right knowledge which they need to know to be free from germs and diseases.

    “To increase participation of kids and families and make the habit of hand washing a way of life, Dettol encourages children to wash their hands regularly and keep good hygiene to prevent illnesses that can stop them from being active,’’ he said.

    Commenting on the initiative, Head Teacher of the school, Mrs. Victoria Oluropo, praised Reckitt Benckiser for teaching the pupils to imbibe a good habit in an interesting way.

    She said: ‘‘We love the fun-filled initiative that we have seen here today because it makes hand washing a fun that kids will love to practice.’’

    Speaking in a similar vein, when the Dettol team reached Queensland Academy, Okota, Mrs. Iyabo Olopade, affirmed that health education was integral to grooming children.

    Therefore, this hand hygiene programme by Reckitt Benckiser is in line with our commitment to making our pupils live healthy. Dettol’s presence here today reinforces our message that good health is indeed in our hands.’’