The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oluseyi Soremekun

  • Orange the world: Women’s rights are human rights – UNIC

    Orange the world: Women’s rights are human rights – UNIC

    It was an onset of the harmattan season on a dusty December morning in Zaria, Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria. The students, all girls, arrived in droves, eager to participate and host an educational briefing on the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence in their school, Government Girls Secondary School, Fada Zaria City. The educational briefing was organised by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos in collaboration with UN Women and Arewa Women And Youth Empowerment (AWAYE) Foundation.

    Excited by the gift of thousands of orange scarfs and a few branded T-shirts to ‘Orange the world’, the students, numbering over 2,500, assembled and carved out a space for their drama presentation on ending violence against women and girls. They set the ball rolling quickly and set the stage on fire as they highlighted, through drama presentation, issues of domestic violence, sexual harassment in school, girl-child labour, and challenges of girls’ health, among others. In all these, the importance of the traditional institution was emphasised as the Emir’s scene was constantly on the front burner.

    “Women’s rights are human rights. When a woman’s rights are violated, then her human rights have been infringed upon. Today we bring the message of ending violence against women & girls.” The National Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Dr Oluseyi Soremekun, took the cue from the drama presentations. He emphasised that domestic violence was not a family affairs but a human rights issue.

    He noted that the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence started on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and would end on 10 December, the Human Rights Day. Explaining the 2017 theme, ‘Leave No One Behind: End Violence Against Women and Girls’, Dr Soremekun said that it ‘reinforces the UNiTE Campaign’s commitment to a world free from violence for all women and girls around the world, while reaching the most underserved and marginalized, including refugees, migrants, minorities, indigenous peoples, and populations affected by conflict and natural disasters, amongst others, first.’

    According to him, leaving no one behind, specifically women and girls that are threatened by or are suffering violence, or have been subjected to it in the past, requires resources, policies, commitments and programmes that focus on reaching the most marginalized communities. To end violence against women and bring change, the National Information Officer urged the students to raise their voices and speak out against any act of gender-based violence.

    Speaking, Ms Iris Nxumalo, representing UN Women, highlighted the need for determination to speak out and bring change. She urged everyone, “Let’s Say ‘NO’ and UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls during and after the 16 days of activism period.”

    Addressing the students, the Principal of Government Girls Secondary School, Fada Zaria, Hajiya Safiya Abdul, thanked the UN team for the educational programme and informed the students that all women and girls deserve to live a life free from violence and fear. She implored them to report any act of gender-based violence directed at them.

    In her remarks, the Founder of AWAYE, Hajiya Laila Muhammad urged the students to speak out against gender-based violence. The 16 days started on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on 10 December, the Human Rights Day.

  • UN sues for increased peace, diplomacy in Nigeria

    UN sues for increased peace, diplomacy in Nigeria

    The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, has called for a surge in diplomacy for peace and for a new emphasis on preventing conflicts in Nigeria and the world in general.

    Guterres made the call in a statement made available by the National Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Nigeria, Oluseyi Soremekun.

    The Secretary General was quoted as saying this in a message to the Lagos Model United Nations (LMUN) 2017 organised by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in collaboration with UNIC Lagos.

    Guterres’ message was delivered by UNIC Lagos Knowledge Management Assistant, Ms Bolanle Olumekor.

    The LMUN with the theme, “Innovation, Development, and Diversity for Global Sustainability” was attended by 200 delegates from 14 Universities in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

    “We are also working to improve living conditions everywhere through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    “All parents want a better life for their children.  All religions value peace.  All communities thrive when they value diversity.

    “Today people around the world are inter-connected.  Conflict, environmental destruction, poverty and injustice affect everyone.  We have to work in common cause for our common humanity,” Guterres said.

    He urged the delegates to follow the UN social media accounts and stay fully engaged in their communities.

    “Together, let us create a more compassionate, inclusive and peaceful world,” he said.

    Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama in a message noted that the LMUN was “essential in preparing our minds on the need to achieve global peace and prosperity through your simulation of global actions by modelling the UN through your Committees.”

    The Minister explained that simulation in communication skills, diplomacy, public speaking, resolution writing, international law and politics as well as trade relations would assist in understanding the overall objectives of the UN.

    He said that it would also assist in understanding its rules of procedure and its modus operandi, adding that the future of Nigeria and the world rested in the ability of the delegates to succeed in reinventing the wheel positively.

    He said that this was also “to actively challenge old traditions and models that do not necessarily translate into this era, to explore the ways they can marshal the amount of time spent with technology for good”.

    The Dean, Faculty of Law of UNILAG, Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa, thanked the UNIC and other partners for ensuring the success of the event.

    Atsenuwa emphasised the commitment of the student-organisers for their drive.

    The Secretary General of the LMUN, Mr Aliu Gabriel, in his message, urged delegates during committee sessions to foster innovative ideas towards addressing some of the prevailing issues around the world.

  • UN, movie stars take climate change message to the grassroots

    UN, movie stars take climate change message to the grassroots

    Joy rents the air as emotion runs high on Monday in the densely populated Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State when movie stars under the aegis of The Golden Movie Ambassadors of Nigeria (TGMAN) in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, embarked on a public awareness campaign on climate change.

    The campaign, led by the President of TGMAN, veteran actor, Ambassador Saidi Balogun, and the National Information Officer of UNIC Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun, attracted the attention of motorists and pedestrians who were obviously excited to see and engage with their movie idols.

    Anchored on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: ‘Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts’, it informed and educated members of the public about climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. From LASU-Isheri Road through Idimu to Egbeda area, the movie stars including Actors, Actresses, Producers and Directors engaged members of the public in Yoruba, pidgin-English and occasionally in Hausa language.

    Speaking at the Egbeda terminus on the campaign trail, Soremekun said climate change remained a threat to all. He explained that the economy and people’s livelihoods were suffering due to unpredictable weather as the lakes were drying up and dry lands were getting drier while flooded plains were increasing. This, according to him, had serious health implications. He urged the public to be vigilant as flash floods have been predicted in some States of the Federation.

    Balogun, in his message, urged the public to take tree planting as a way of life. According to him tree planting is the best gift anyone could give to himself stressing that trees break the devastating effect of storms, reduce erosion and flood, and provide cleaner and healthier air for the well-being of the people.

    The SDGs awareness campaign was an outcome of a partnership meeting held between TGMAN and UNIC Lagos a few months ago and it is the first in the series of collaborative activities to leverage on creative arts and the movie industry for the promotion of sustainable development in Nigeria.

  • Emotions flow as UNIC Lagos screens Holocaust film

    Emotions flow as UNIC Lagos screens Holocaust film

    A picture is worth more than a thousand words’, goes a popular idiom. The import of this saying manifested on Wednesday 26 January 2016, when scores of students and a few adults went emotional after watching the Holocaust film, ‘The Path To Nazi Genocide’ and afterwards taken round the Holocaust Posters Exhibition.

    This was during the Day-One of the 2016 observance of the International Day of commemoration in memory of the victims of the holocaust organised by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos and Education District III of the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

    Attended by 140 participants comprising of 111 students from 5 different secondary schools; 12 NGOs representatives and 5 representatives of media organisations and 12 others, the film screening and Poster exhibition started with a briefing session. Speaking, the Tutor General and Permanent Secretary of Education District III represented by Mr Dele Obaba, a Director in the District, advised the students to stand-up in support of Human Dignity and stay away from political and social prejudice.High Table 1

    Delivering the message of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Director of UNIC Lagos, Mr Ronald Kayanja noted that with this year’s theme, “the Holocaust and Human Dignity”, the UN links Holocaust remembrance with the founding principles of the United Nations, as expressed in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  ‘As we do, we are reminded of our shared obligation to assure everyone the right to live free from discrimination and with equal protection under the law,’ he added.

    Contributing during the interactive session that succeeded the film screening, the Health Prefect of Ireti Senior Grammar School, Miss DorathyOnaji, became emotional when she observed that ‘Adolf Hitler manipulated the whole country and spearheaded the killing of about 6 million Jews.

    Curating the Poster Exhibition, the National Information Officer of UNIC Lagos, Mr Oluseyi Soremekun, explained the good life enjoyed by the Jews in the pre-war Europe; the persecution, the state-orchestrated discrimination, the final solution according to Nazi Germany; the end of the Holocaust and the birth of the UN as well as the efforts of the UN in ensuring that the events that led to the Holocaust never happens again anywhere in the world.

  • UN@70: Seven schools exhibit 78 works of arts in Lagos

    UN@70: Seven schools exhibit 78 works of arts in Lagos


    School Arts Exhibition has taken the centre stage in Lagos as seven schools, public and private, converged at the Library Auditorium of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos to express what the United Nations (UN) meant to them in different artistic forms.

    From oil paints on canvass to pencil drawing, tie-dye, modeling, textile design and waste-to-wealth cultural Industry exhibits, the students put on display a total of seventy-seven (78) creative works of arts which reflected their rich knowledge of the works of the UN and what the organisation stands for.

    Curating their works, the students explained the UN as a Peace-keeper, the human rights protector, a gender equality advocate, an umbrella organisation of all nations and the hope of the people. They also exhibited works that show what the UN does in the area of environment, housing, culture, education and health.

    Addressing the students and other participants, the National Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun, conveyed the gratitude of the Centre to the participating schools and urged the students and pupils to continue to learn about the United Nations having earlier made a presentation on ‘UN for school children’.

    The one-week Exhibition which will end on Thursday 3 December 2015, was on the opening day livened up by music rendition by the Dothedream band led by Olaiwo Stephen and another solo by ‘Tripple T’ all from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

    Participating schools are Covenant University Secondary School, Ota; Intesida Schools, Alagbado; Ojodu Junior Grammar School, Ojodu; Southfield Academy; Sunglee Formation Schools, Awoyaya and The Outliers Schools, Surulere, all in Lagos.

  • Domestic violence, not a family affairs – UNIC

    Domestic violence, not a family affairs – UNIC


    The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, has reiterated that domestic violence was not a family affairs rather a criminal offence and a breach of fundamental human rights. ‘Incest, rape, abuse and all other forms of domestic violence cannot be a domestic affair,’ the National Information Officer of UNIC Lagos, Mr Oluseyi Soremekun had said at a programme on ‘Domestic Violence: Breaking the Cycle, Dealing with the Consequences’ in Lagos. The programme, jointly organized by UNIC Lagos and Warien Rose Foundation, was attended by students, media and other members of the public. Speaking further, Mr Soremekun called on victims to speak out and seek help, being a bold step to breaking the cycle of domestic violence. He added that everyone should revisit family and societal values which place premium on good conduct and good family name. In her opening remarks, the President of Warien Rose Foundation, Ms Efe Anaughe, expressed concern about the alarming rate of domestic violence especially those related to sexual assault, child abuse and rape. Delivering a keynote address on the occasion, the Information Manager of Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Mr Timothy Melaye, noted that domestic violence ‘is a problem for all of us, no one knows the next victim, could be your brother, sister, friend, neighbour, cousin, niece, nephew, son, daughter or even you.’ He therefore, called on all Nigerians to work to raise our voice against this, shame it, shout it down and support the victims. [news_box style="3" display="tag" link_target="_blank" tag="UN" count="4" show_more="on" show_more_type="link" header_background="#22d83a"]

  • UNIC engages 210 girls at summer camp

    UNIC engages 210 girls at summer camp


    The United Nation Information centre in Lagos has concluded plans to engage no fewer than 230 girl children in different vocational trainings.

    It is summer time, widely known as ‘long vacation period’ within the education circle in Nigeria, during which students and their parents get engaged in some predetermined activities both locally and abroad.

    While many pupils have gone on vacation with their parents after a tedious academic year, some are in camps developing their skills and nourishing their interests without hurting their academic studies.

    The latter, of course is in line with the United Nations strategic framework for the Post-2015 Agenda, especially the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No 5 which dwells on achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.

    It is in the light of the above that ‘Yes I believe Academy’, a strategic partner of the United Nations Information

    [caption id="attachment_415469" align="alignleft" width="300"]A trainee shoemaker briefs UNIC Director, Mr Ronald Kayanja about shoemaking. A trainee shoemaker briefs UNIC Director, Mr Ronald Kayanja about shoe making.[/caption]

    Centre (UNIC) Lagos, organized a Summer Camp for 210 girls aged between 10 and 18 years. Titled: "Summer Skills Acquisition Workshop", the one week programme featured different training sessions including those on Beadworks, Shoe making, Make-up, soft furnishing, among others.

    Addressing the participants who were students of Gbagada Girls Junior Secondary School, Bariga Lagos, the Director of UNIC Lagos, Mr Ronald Kayanja spoke about the works and history of the United Nations especially the 70th anniversary.

    He noted that skill acquisition was a lifetime gift which should be embraced by everyone who had the opportunity to get one.

    He commended the parents of the participants for sending their children to the summer camp and to the students he congratulated for being a part of the programme which he assured, would have a positive impact on their future.

    In his remarks, the Executive Director of ‘Yes I Believe Academy’, Mr Niyi Adekunle, disclosed that within four days of training, the children demonstrated high level of seriousness and commitment to learning specific skills.

    Later in company of the facilitators, Mr. Adekunle conducted the UNIC team lead by the Director round the exhibition of some of the products produced by the participants. ‘I am highly impressed,’ Mr Kayanja noted.

    [news_box style="2" display="tag" link_target="_blank" tag="UN" count="6" show_more="on" show_more_type="link" header_background="#606060"]

  • UN@70, empowers Nigerian women

    UN@70, empowers Nigerian women

    As part of activities to mark the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN) as well as the Post-2015 Development Agenda, over 152 women were trained on how to become better homemakers.

    The training on ‘Homemakers Lifestyle and Empowerment Workshop’ organized by the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos and Brightlight Studios was themed: ‘A Better Me’.

    Defying the biting fuel scarcity in Nigeria, the women clad in beautiful dresses turned up in their numbers to be a part of the programme which also contributes to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 3: Promote Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

    In his welcome address the Director of UNIC Lagos, Ronald Kayanja, reiterated that women remained a priority group for the United Nations and reassured that the organisation would continue to make a positive difference to the lives of millions of people especially in terms of vaccinating children and distributing food aid.

    The UNIC Director also mentioned sheltering refugees, deploying peacekeepers, protecting the environment, seeking peaceful resolution of disputes and supporting democratic elections, gender equality, human rights and the rule of law as other on the UN priority list.

    Quoting the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, Kayanja noted that “The theme of this anniversary year: ‘Strong UN: Better World’, captures the importance of multilateralism. This is a time of test but far more one of tremendous opportunities.”

    Represented by the UNIC National Information Officer, Oluseyi Soremekun, Mr Kayanja further said that the empowerment workshop aligned with the message of the UN Secretary-General on UN@70 that the United Nations looks forward to working with people everywhere to build lives of safety, prosperity and dignity for all.

    The Homemakers Lifestyle and Empowerment Workshop featured the business side of beauty which included Make-up skills and head-gear (Gele) tying lessons; Marriage/Relationship Counselling; Building a Successful Fashion Designing Business; and the Art and Science of making Desserts, Cocktails and Mocktails.

    The programme also featured exhibition of women’s products from the cultural industry; beauty products; Cakes and Pastries and women wellness products among others.

    Exhibition - Cultural industry
    Exhibition of some wares at the workshop

    Having been asked to bring along their gele for the lesson on Head-gear tying which is gradually developing to be a thriving business in the country, the women brought out their different, colourful head-tie to go through the process of tying elegant, head-turning ‘Gele’.

    The ‘Gele’ tying session appeared to be the climax of the workshop as all the women looked upbeat and determined to learn the art of tying the head-gear.

    A participant, Ms Olaitan Ajilogba, expressed her delight that she eventually mastered the process after a long trial during the session and ‘tied a beautiful and glamorous head-gear.’

    Similarly, another participant, Ms Aisha Joy Omosun, noted that the Make-up session was very instructive and educating and would add both social and economic values to the women.

    Consequently, Ms Lanre Anjola-Oyebode, Executive Director of Brightlight Studios, who had earlier explained the rationale behind the programme, said it was meant to grow the number of women who are economically independent and sufficiently empowered to support their husbands in raising educated and morally upright children.

  • UN challenges youths on peaceful polls

    The Officer in Charge, United Nation Information Centre, Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun, has charged youths to chart a course for free and credible polls within their immediate communities.

    Soremekun spoke at a youth roundtable dialogue by the African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention (AYICRIP) in collaboration with Lagos State Police Command and United Nation Information Centre, (UNIC) at the weekend.

    According to him, the forthcoming general elections will be violence-free when young leaders brace up to the challenge of engaging their peers at the rural level on activities that would promote unity, harmony and love.

    Restating the commitment of the UN towards violence- free polls, he said: “We are not unaware that there is some kind of tension in the land in respect of the elections especially by the utterances of key players on the political terrain.

    “This is one of the reasons we are engaging youth as part of our many contributions of in Nigeria to achieving violence free elections.”

    The Public Relation Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Kenneth Nwosu, implored youth to toe the path of peace and shun every form of violence during the polls.

    He said: “Youths should say no to violence during the elections. We are involved because we cannot talk about elections without taking about security and we are ready anytime to provide that security.”

  • Ebola: UN deplores travel restriction on countries

    Ebola: UN deplores travel restriction on countries

    The UN regional team based in Dakar, Senegal, has deplored the travel restrictions on countries with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

    The team supported efforts to eradicate Ebola and urged regional and international solidarity with the affected countries and people in West Africa.

    It met yesterday.

    At the meeting were heads of regional offices of the UN in the region, who reviewed efforts to address the Ebola virus.

    A statement by the National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Mr. Oluseyi Soremekun, “deplored the socio-economic consequences of the spread of the virus, including the isolation of the affected countries with a risk of stigmatising the population.

    “The meeting observed that the solution is not in travel restrictions but in ensuring that effective preventive and curative health measures are put in place. In this context, the participants warned against possible impact on food security, freedom of movement and the provision of services, which can also undermine efforts by the governments in the region.”

    The special representatives and the regional directors reiterated their support for a joint, coherent and orchestrated response led by the national authorities.

    The UN is scaling up its humanitarian presence and operations in the affected countries and encouraging preparedness measures in other countries of the region.

    The participants enjoined further engagement of the international community, including the United Nations, to support regional efforts against the spread of the virus, particularly through resource mobilisation.

    The meeting also welcomed the appointment by the Secretary-General of Dr. David Nabarro as the Senior UN System Coordinator for Ebola Virus Disease, who concluded his tour of the region on August 28.

    They praised efforts by the governments of the affected countries to tackle the spread of the virus, with the support of the UN and other international partners.