The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Steve Aborishade

  • World AIDS Day: Foundation conducts free HIV screening in FCT

    Residents of Daki-Biyu, a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Wednesday benefited from the free HIV screening and distribution of condoms organised by AIDS Health Care Foundation (AHF).

    The Foundation’s Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Mr Steve Aborishade, said it was part of the organisation’s activities to commemorate the 2018 Worlds AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1 annually.

    He said the activities of the Worlds AIDS Day which was also in line with the global theme, `Know Your Status’, would screen no fewer than 50,000 Nigerians and distribute 300,000 condoms across six states.

    According to him, the states are Abuja, Anambra, Cross River, Kogi, Benue and Nasarawa State.

    “AHF is the largest global NGO, with about one million people on treatment globally and Africa contributes more than 500, 000 clients.

    “AHF vision 20/20, however, aims to get about 20 million people by the year 2020 on treatment, we believe more people should be on treatment as we support the Nigerian government to eradicate HIV in the country.

    “It is also important to note that the government, stakeholders and individuals must play their parts by keeping the promises made on AIDS,’’ Aborishade said.

    Mrs Chinelo Achebe, Prevention Coordinator, AHF Abuja Programme, said the significance of the testing drive by AHF was aimed at reaching many people in urban and rural communities to know their HIV status.

    Achebe said free HIV screening and distribution of condoms was being conducted simultaneously in various locations in the FCT and its environs of Zuba, Kuje, Waru, Tuganmaji and Abaji .

    According to her, sensitisation programmes on prevention and distribution of condoms at the various locations is aimed at reducing  transmission of the virus.

    Read Also:  HIV: National survey on AIDS out by March 2019

    She added that clients who test positive would be enrolled into AHF clinics where they would receive counseling and free treatment.

    Some of the beneficiaries of the HIV screening told NAN that the exercise was a laudable and impactful one.

    Miss Favour Godswill, said she was happy and satisfied with her test result while appreciating the organisation for the exercise and encouraging members of the public to get tested and know their status.

    “I advise people out there to know their HIV and health status, they should not always trust their partners but protect themselves sexually by using condoms if they can’t abstain from sex.

    Miss Honourer Moses said she was glad to have been screened for the first time in her life, she appreciated AHF for bringing the services to their community.

    “I was really scared initially but am happy I did the test for the first time, I have learnt to protect myself sexually by using a female condom and I advise other people who are scared to be courageous and get tested.

    Mr Emmanel Matthew said the screening exercise had educated him on the mode of transmission as well as the prevention methods of HIV and AIDS.

    “I have learnt different ways through which HIV can be contracted, which is by not protecting myself during sex, through contact with sharp contaminated objects like needles and razor blades.

    “Am also happy I know my HIV status and I advise everyone to get tested and be interested in acquiring more knowledge about the disease,’’ he said

    Muhammadu Alhamin a trader in the community said he was excited to be screened for the diseases and to get a negative result.

    “All I use to know is that HIV is a killer disease, it destroys the human body gradually until the person dies.

    “But today I am better informed that HIV is not a death sentence, that with treatment, a healthy life is very possible, and I really thank the organisation for coming to test us at our community,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Odumoye: Once upon a gay rights activist

    Odumoye: Once upon a gay rights activist

    Until his death in 2007, Dare Odumoye was one of Nigeria’s foremost sexual minority rights activists whose advocacy  have now been outlawed by the recent same-sex law signed by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    In his tribute Steve Aborishade  writes on the life and times of Odumoye who he says saw the future of gay rights in Nigeria

    Several things divide Nigerians. But two things unite them. On these two issues, the over 250 ethnic nationalities that make up the country speak with one deafening voice. One is the national football team, the Super Eagles. With the Super Eagles everyone is a Nigerian.

    Interestingly, there is also a general consensus across lines of religion, ethnicity, or social standing when homosexuality is mentioned. The general conclusion is that homosexuality is a sin that must be uprooted from our midst. So from early on in our history, government has been open and proud about its stance on homosexuality. With so much discrimination, it was only rational that homosexuals be discreet about their sexuality.

    This comes with daunting challenges. Extreme stigmatization ensures multitudes of gay men in Nigeria have no choice but to lead double lives, with resultant psychological torment for themselves and their partners. With little information about how to protect themselves from HIV infection due to shame in seeking desired information, the community today remain a key at risk population with HIV prevalence rate as high as 17.3% as against the 4.1% in the general population (2010 IBBS Survey).

    To compound the situation, the health sector in Nigeria has no reliable information on the gay community including the most basic of questions regarding the community’s size and structure. Because of this, efforts to reach the gay community with HIV-prevention interventions usually die at infancy.

    It is with this background that remembering Dare Odumuye, popularly known as ‘Erelu’ comes into perspectives. At a time when Nigerians are unsure and in great denial about the existence of gays or homosexual in their midst, Dare came forward, boldly giving a face to what many are wont to belief is an alien conception. To the legion of gay men and women across Nigeria, this Ijebu born but Ibadan based Erelu becomes the rallying point.

    At great risk to his life and safety, Dare began to organise and succeeded in bringing homosexuality into the public consciousness. He uses facts about realities from the community to advocate for public acceptance of homosexuality and the need to direct prevention efforts on sexually transmitted diseases to benefit the community. At the same time he was implementing direct training to prevent the spread of HIV amongst the community having himself tested positive to the disease in 2001. Till today, no one has been able to match his pioneering effort geared towards greater tolerance among the gay community and the general population.

    It was to Dare’s credit that the National AIDS and STD Control Program was able to include the category “men sleeping with men” in all its studies by being able to show the importance of the gay community to all programs for public health given their interaction and intersection with the general population. The 2010 IBBS Survey said 50% of gay partners also involve in heterosexual sex, while about 49.8% have sex in the last year with a girlfriend.

    Odumuye was able to raise a new corps of gay activists instilling in them the zeal to fight for their rights and their rightful place in Nigeria. He also targeted the media and policymakers with education to ensure greater understanding of the effects of homophobia. He inspires confidence and self-esteem in the army of gay men he has raised, and, it is rightly to his credit that, today, all the gay groups in Nigeria today are founded or headed by his protégés.

    For Dare, the journey to adulthood was a nightmare on discovering his sexuality. He was a victim of constant and vicious harassment by his peers with his mannerisms which they interpreted as strange for a boy.  Seeking supportive communities in underground groups and club houses, he met with further beatings and harassment, not to mention the frequent police arrests. He thus gained an understanding of homophobia and its impact in extreme conditions. In his desire to seek help and make a change, he went public with his status in 1999, setting up Alliance Rights, Nigeria’s foremost gay rights organisation. The rest is history as they say.

  • KIND inducts peace project learning community

    The Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), through its peace project-Nigeria’s exemplars of love and forgiveness http://www.nijaexemplarsoflove-forgiveness.org/ has inducted a regional member based learning community in support of her peace initiative.

     

    The learning community is made up of individuals and organisations from the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria who are committed to championing the need for a credible knowledge base that ensures credibility in the process of nomination and for direct linkages to active but unsung heroes of peace.

     

    Community members (organization) include: Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC) headquartered in Kaduna, Bauchi based Christian Muslim Peace Movement, Adamawa Peace Makers Initiative, Jos based Youth Peace and Empowerment Program, South-South OneDreamNigeria (a clap of thunder for peace and child alert), Lagos based Peace and Development Projects (PEDEP),

     

    Individual members of the learning community include from North-Central- Mr. Sadeeq Musa Hong , North-East- Mrs. Charity Garba and Mr. Aminu Garba Sidi and North-West- Mr. Umar Farouk Mohammed and Ms. Andy Bako Peace .

     

    Others are South-East- Ms. Anthonia Echefu and Imam Animasaun , South-South-Sir Alex Rostum and South West-Mrs. Taiwo Akinlembola and Mr. Francis Banji Abayomi

     

    The peace project according to the Administrator, Steve Aborishade  is designed to recognize, learn and share from, and contribute to the process of community and individual peace building initiatives through identified peace actors working within communities in the country.

     

    US based Fetzer Institute is collaborating with KIND on this initiative.

  • KIND invites nomination for Examplars of love and forgiveness

    The Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) has invited nomination of exemplars of love and forgiveness -from conflict actors to peace builders- from the six geopolitical zones of the country.

    The project in collaboration with Festzer Institute according to Project Administrator of KIND, Steve Aborishade is designed to identify and highlight the works of unspoken heroes of peace who have relied on the transformative power of love and forgiveness from different communities.

    “It is hoped that their examples will serve as an inspiration to other communities in ways that will transcend primordial sentiments of ethnicity and religious leanings and further promote and advance the capacity of our people to love and forgive,” Aborishade stated.

    Individuals and groups are to nominate worthy individual(s) on this website http://www.nijaexemplarsoflove-forgiveness.org/?page=welcome.

    “It is meant to replicate and localize the ever increasing transformative impact that love and forgiveness can have on conflict situations ranging between individuals, communities, and the society as a whole, in Nigeria.

    “We ask, beyond amnesty, can love and forgiveness heal our wounds? Can it place us on a new landscape of mutual coexistence based on respect and sensitivity to each other’s diversity?

    “ KIND sees this project as a chance and platform for exchange of ideas and opportunities, and, an avenue for broader practical application of the lessons that can be gleaned from the works of identified exemplars, which can be replicated and built upon while growing an enduring awareness around the concept of love and forgiving as a transformative energy among individuals, communities and the larger society,” Aborishade explained.