Oba Lekan Balogun

By David Adeoye

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Olalekan Balogun has sought partnership with the Nigerian Police to get rid of the land grabbing menace in Ibadan.

A statement issued on Saturday in Ibadan by the Personal Assistant to Olubadan, Mr Dele Ogunsola, indicated that Oba Balogun sought for the partnership when the Olubadan in Council hosted the State Commissioner of Police, Ademola Hamzat in his palace.

According to the statement, Hamzat and some senior officers of the command were on a familiarisation visit to the Olubadan palace at Alarere area of Ibadan.

The statement added that the Ibadan traditional ruler noted that there must be synergy between the traditional institution and the police before the war against the land grabbing could be successful.

It said the traditional ruler maintained that the commitment of his reign to the total eradication of land grabbing could not be compromised, hence his request for all hands to be on deck.

“I’m passionate about ensuring that the unwholesome tag of Ibadan being notorious for land grabbing be permanently removed.

” Let everybody desirous of owing land in Ibadan be free to do so without let or hindrance.

“A code of conduct is already in place that any of my Baales or Mogajis found getting involved in shady land deal would be removed and I seek for your cooperation as law enforcement agent,” Olubadan said.

The statement said that he commended the leadership of the police command for the efforts made so far to track down the culprits behind the recent killing of a newly inducted nurse, whose corpse was found at Oke-Sapati junction, Yemetu in Ibadan.

He charged the police authority not to relent until the truth about the incident manifests and the offenders face the wrath of the law.

The statement said in his remark, Hamzat assured Olubadan of his command’s commitment to work with the traditional institution as being requested.

It added that the CP recalled that the same issue of land grabbing was part of his discussions with the state governor, Mr Seyi Makinde during his visit to him.

According to the statement, the CP said the governor had assured him that his administration is working to strengthen the law against the land grabbing.

“This, to us in the command is cheering and enabling, when we have in place an enabling law that empowers us to work optimally, we will be motivated.

“So, with the new law coming as promised by the governor, I can assure our revered father that your wish for a city free of land grabbing menace is almost in place,” he said.(NAN)

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang 

By Peter Amine

Mr Sunday Abdu, Executive Secretary, Plateau State Emergency Management (SEMA) has assured the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state that government is working towards addressing their needs.

Abdu who gave the assurance on Thursday when he visited the IDP camp in Mangu, Mangu Local Government of Plateau, urged them to be of good behaviour as they wait for the interventions.

The executive secretary told the IDPs that government was doing everything within its powers to nip in the bud, the problems that brought them to their current predicament.

“I want to tell you that this predicament will not last long and I encourage you to be appreciate government, private organisations and individuals for what they have done so far to assist you.

“Government is aware of your challenges and our coming here is to further assess your situation and see what we can do to reduce your sufferings.

“Please be patient, government is working tirelessly to meet your needs and that will be done very soon.

“While you’re here, please stay in peace devoid of any rancour and desist from any acts that are contrary to our norms as Plateau people. Desit from illicit activities like drugs, sex, theft and all what not.

“Be rest assured that government is working hard to address what has caused this disaffection and confusion in our land,’’ he stated.

Mr Artu Markus, Management Committee Chairman of Mangu Local Government commended SEMA for the role it is playing since the beginning of the unfortunate incident.

Markus assured the people that government is working closely with security agencies, community leaders and relevant groups to ensure that normalcy is restored so that the people would return to their communities.

Mr Markus Gomwesh, Financial Secretary, Mwaghavul Development Association, thanked the state government and promised to pay the medical bills of the IDPs.

“We also thank government for tilling the lands where the crops were mowed by the invaders who want our people to die of starvation.

“We were thinking that the possibility of this people returning to their ancestral homes would be a very big challenge but seeing the tractors recultivating the destroyed farms we have hope,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

By Monday Ajogun

A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, the Spiritual Director, Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry has placed 300 elderly people on N5, 000 monthly salary.

Obimma who stated this on Wednesday in Onitsha, said that it was always good to take care of the elderly ones in the society.

According to the cleric, in John 10:10, Christ said that He came so that you may have life and have it in abundance.

“I am taking part in the Christ Ministry because Christ preached the good news and gave food to the poor people.

“It is always good to take care of the elderly ones, I have special package for their hospital bills, though secretly.

“I will open up an account for them; I have soft spot for the elderly. I will continue to pay them the salary until I die. I will write it as a will.

“I will open an investment that will be yielding money for the apostolate to the elderly and generation yet unborn.

“I thank my parents for sending me to school, education is an enabler,” he said,“he said.

He called on the youths in the community to engage in legitimate business, adding that hard work pays instead of living life of recklessness.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Chris Eluemuno, former Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo in Anambra described the event as a remarkable venture.

He thanked the Cleric for remembering the elderly in the community.

Earlier, the President General of the community, Mr Willie Okafor, expressed satisfaction with the kind gesture and prayed to God to keep him for them.

The event attracted the elderly men and women from 75 years and above. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

Palliatives

Mr Moyosore Ogunlewe, Executive Chairman, Kosofe Local Government says his administration is irrevocably committed to the welfare and well-being of residents and will continue to do its best to positively impact  lives in the area.

Ogunlewe made the statement at a programme to commemorate the second anniversary of his administration in  Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council chairman distributed food palliatives  to no fewer than 5,000 residents during the programme.

Ogunlewe said the distribution of the items, such as rice, beans and yam, and launch of “Kosofe Food Bank“ were  part of  the council`s interventions to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

“We are launching Kosofe Food Bank to assist our people here in Kosofe with foodstuffs in order to alleviate the burden  of fuel subsidy removal.

“When we were given this mandate, we promised the good people of Kosofe that we would erase poverty and all forms of human miseries and usher in success, liberation and renewal of hope.

“What we are doing today is just a step in that direction,” he said.

Speaking on plans of his administration for the next two years, Ogunlewe said his  administration would continue to be about service to the people and  would always carry them along  in the scheme of things.

The council chairman added  that he would fashion out policies  to make his administration inclusive and participatory.

“By this, we will make people the centre-piece of our administration, they will be involved in our day- to day management through their suggestions.

“And we shall create suggestion boxes in various wards and area offices for people to air their  views, which will help shaping our policy formulation,” he said.

The chairman said that his administration would also hold periodic town hall meetings to interact  with  the people to know their needs.

He added that the commitment of his administration to reinventing    the local government area  was irreversible.

“Our administration will not relent in its efforts to ensure that we touch every area of needs. Our construction works took off immediately we assumed office.

“To God be the glory, we  have embarked on series of projects such  as Primary Health  Care Centre at Oworonshoki  Ward A in collaboration with Access Bank.

“We  have constructed a new customary court and administrative offices.We have also done massive grading of roads at Mechanic Village, Ogudu.

“Education is key and very dear to our administration, and we have made our impact felt in this sector.

“We distributed free 150 GCE e-pins and completed registration for 150 beneficiaries at the  maiden edition  of  in 2021,” he said.

Ogunlewe added  that the council distributed  300 GCE e-pins, 1,000 JAMB/UTME e-pins and completed  registration for 300 beneficiaries in 2022.

In the area of health, Ogunlewe  said his administration had procured ambulances to improve service delivery in Primary Health Centres in the area.

“We have also been fueling generators in all Primary Health Centres to ensure 24 hours supply of electricity.

“We have provided  toll- free   ambulance emergency number : 09093000011, for rapid response .“ he said.

The chairman said his administration  had provided 1,900 glasses  to people in need  and had treated  residents  with eye problems such as glaucoma and cataract, after screening. (NAN)

Edited by Bolaji Buhari

By Damilola Nubi

A non-governmental organisation, Menitos Charity Foundation, says it has empowered no fewer than 2,000 children through its ‘Back2School’ projects

Its founder, Ms Daramola Toluwalope, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

According to her, the projects aim at taking children off the streets.

Toluwalope said the programme, launched about a decade ago and had turned to be an annual event, plays a pivotal role in supplying essential school materials to underprivileged children.

She said that the foundation, a crowd-funding platform, provides school essentials like notebooks, textbooks, bags, and other items, at ensuring that disadvantaged students stay in school and not drop out.

“When the programme started over a decade ago, we empowered over 200 beneficiaries every year. But, in 2022, we exceeded that for Back2School.

“We introduced feeding programme in 2019 and as at that of 2022, over 7,000 under-privileged pupils have benefited.

“We focus mainly on those that can’t afford notebooks, bags, shoes despite free education and those that are not lucky to afford two to three meals a day.

The founder said the beneficiaries, mostly identified through schools and community engagement events, are invited to a centre, where they receive the empowerment materials.

She added that this endeavor not only equips children with the necessary tools for education, but also fosters hope and motivation for their academic journey.

Toluwalope said that the foundation runs a school lunch intervention programme to improve school attendance among the disadvantaged children.

This, she said is done by offering nutritious meals to children that attend school, regularly.

“We, therefore, call on parents to prioritise education of their children. At our foundation, we do not only tackle hunger-related barriers to education, but also foster a supportive environment that values and nurtures children’s overall well-being.

“At our foundation, we are dedicated to eradicating child abuse as an instrument in shaping a brighter future for communities in need.

“Through our multifaceted approach, we empower children to enable families, and entire neighborhoods break free from the cycle of abuse and fostering a society where every child can thrive and reach their full potential.

“Funding our numerous projects is through voluntary donations and sponsorship from people who support the vision to reduce and possibly eradicate school drop-out rates in Nigeria.

“With a shared commitment to education and community support, this initiative by our foundation seeks to alleviate financial burdens, instill confidence, and ensure equal access to education.

“We are therefore soliciting for more help from well to do indigenes to be able to expand our scope and increase the numbers of beneficiaries.

“To be a part of this cause, in making a difference in the lives of deserving children, please click this link: www.menitosng.com or Info@menitosng.com.(NAN) www.nannews.ng

==================

Edited by Remi Koleoso/Olawunmi Ashafa

The Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN) on Friday graduated 44 dancers from its K-POP Dance Academy in Abuja.

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN) on Friday graduated 44 dancers from its K-POP Dance Academy in Abuja.

The KCCN Director, Mr Kim Changki said he was happy that Nigerian youths are takingpart  in the K-POP Dance Academy and doing so well.
“Here in the Centre, we have K-POP Dance Class annually. Last two weeks, we had a K-POP Dance Competition in Lagos and I am very happy about it. Nigerians are talented.
“The Centre is about K-POP, K-Food, K-Beauty, etc which has a touch of Korean culture that Nigerians can benefit from.
“From my observation, Nigerian youths are good dancers, but they have to do more exercise to be flexible. This makes dance easy. In Korea, dancers do a lot of exercise.
“We graduate about 44 students this year. And every year, we have K-POP Dance Class in the Academy and especially this year we will have K-POP Vocal Academy for the first time in Nigeria,” Changki said.
Similarly, a professional choreographer from South Korea, Jay Kim said Nigerian youths are talented and have ability and energy, adding that they need to learn details of K-POP Dance.
“It is about details. Nigerian youths are cooperative and care for one another. They are good and I appreciate and enjoy working with them.
“My advise to them is that they should try to be creative by creating their own styles and not strictly copying the styles of others,” Kim said.
One of the graduates, Jethro Luka Damina from Kaduna state said he was excited about the dance classes.
“We have been coming for classes for four weeks for practice. We learned a lot of dance movements and it feels so amazing to be here at the graduation ceremony.
“I feel happy. What is next for me now is that I am planning of starting a K-POP Dance Group here in Nigeria. I will try to push it to the next level.
“Nigerian youths and dancers should not relent. They should keep pushing. Try to do other styles of genre and dance to explore and belong to a dance community.
“If governments can support dancers in Nigeria, it will go a long way to help get youths off the streets,” Damina said.
Another K-POP Dance Academy graduate, Miss Success Nwaeze said she never felt intimidated when dancing with the opposite sex, adding that she is bold and would always want to be the best.
She explained that the academy was good, but that it was a bit challenging.
“We were working with people from different background including non-dancers. So as a team, we had to cooperate to be on same page.
“The Jay Kim is an amazing man. He has a lot of stuff and I wish I can keep learning from him for the next two months, because he has so much to give out.
“He is a versatile dance coach. The way he shared us into groups made us to know ourselves and communicate better.
“I will use the knowledge and apply it to my day today life; in my dance and fitness classes, and it will help me a lot.
“For the female dancers, keep doing what you are doing; go for your dream, don’t settle for less and be the best you can be,” Nwaeze advised. (NAN)
CMY/NAN
=======
(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)
Comments

By Cecilia Ijuo

Sen. Shehu Sani has inaugurated a foundation, “Go to School Support Project”, to cater for out-of-school and special needs children.

Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna Central, unveiled the foundation at the School for the Deaf on Friday in Kuje, Abuja.

He said his desire to touch the lives of the vulnerable in the society, particularly children, led to the establishment of the foundation.

Sani also donated items ranging from office equipment, mattresses and other forms of beddings to kitchen wares to the students and management of the school.

“Two weeks ago, I was here to familiarise myself with the school.

“It is part of my passion, principle and conviction to come to the aid of people with special needs.

“To sustain the actualisation of this passion, I decided to establish a nationwide programme called ‘Go to school Support Project.’

“The project focuses on out-of-school children and children affected by insurgency and banditry across the country.

“We are also targeting children in rural areas who have no access to education,” he said.

Sani said it was high time government and relevant stakeholders prioritised education.

He said until that was done, Nigeria would continue to grapple with insecurity and economic challenges.

“Education is the solution to economic problems, security challenges and other problems we face as a people.

“We are faced with so many challenges because we failed to educate the children of the poor.

“Today, those children we fail to educate are coming after us and making life unbearable for us,” he said.

Receiving the gift items, the management of the School for the Deaf thanked the lawmaker for his kind gesture.

They commended his concern for the less privileged, adding that his show of love was overwhelming. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

CJM/ACA/VAO

By Emmanuel Oloniruha
An NGO, Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF), has donated over 1000 garments to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) at Durumi, Abuja, in commemoration of “2023 World Youth Skills Day”.
The Executive Director of LMF, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya said the garments were made by youths between ages 12 to 18 from the just concluded Incentivized Pilot Sewing Schools’ Championship 2023 (SSCP23) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Osikoya said the SSCP23 had a participation of over 1, 000 youths across the six Area Councils in the FCT, where three schools and some individual winners received over 50 Sewing Machines including industrial, manual and special purpose sewing equipment.
She added that the SSCP23 was initiated by LMF, supported by UNESCO, FCT Education Secretariat and other relevant partners.
Osikoya encouraged the youth at the IDP camp to embrace skills acquisition for personal financial empowerment, saying the garments being donated were made by youths like them.
The executive director said the garment industry has the potential to lift millions of Nigerian youths out of poverty.
“We are actually saying education cannot solve all our problems. The clothing industry in Nigeria, if properly harnessed, will compete with other countries like India. Bangladesh and the rest of world while our economy is also growing,” she said.
Osikoya opined that education provided a platform for mentorship and nurturing but emphasised that more attention should be paid to skills, especially for the younger generation.
“Imagine if every school in Nigeria is providing workshop for skills training, we will be able provide solutions to our basic needs of shelter, food and clothing and not just to speak English”, she stated.

While handing over the garments to the IDP, the Vice Chairman of LMF Board, Kashim Ali, charged youths in the Camp to rise up and take hold of their destiny by learning a skill.
On his part, the Secretary General, Nigerian National Commission (NATCOM) for UNESCO, Dr Olawale Olagunju, said future of the country’s development lies on the firm shoulders of skilled youths.
“The world is changing rapidly; hence, it is crucial that we empower young people to navigate these changes effectively,” Olagunju said.
Olagunju, represented by Mrs Omotosho Bukola, said that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was strategically placed to improve access to the world of work.
He stressed that TVET would ensure that skills gained are relevant, recognised and certified, promoting green skills and practices, and offering skills development opportunities for youths of all cadres, either educated or not.
In his response, Dr Sanwo David, who received the garments on behalf of the IDP Camp, thanked the LMF for the gesture, saying it would go a long way to improve the wellbeing of IDPs.
He said the gift was timely as the people in the IDP were less privilege and clothing was also a challenge to them
David commended the LMF for the initiative in promoting skills acquisition among the youths especially in schools, and urged other NGOs to emulate the gesture.
The theme of this year’s World Youth Skills Day is “Skilling Teachers, Trainers and Youth for a Transformative Future”. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=============
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Isaac Aregbesola