1 billion rising raises the vibration, sensitizes Ajegunle, Nigeria against rape, slavery

1Billion Rising, the Nigerian partner of Irise, an internationally recognized Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) devoted to fighting institutional slavery and Exploitation of the girl-child and women, on the 18^th of February took its sensitization campaign to Ajegunle Roundabout in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government where the group talked to market women, children and general public. SUCCESS DAMIAN reports.

 

Ajegunle unarguably a city known for its good, bad and ugly definitions and brandings due to crimes such as rape, area boyism, hawking, girl-child molestation, child abuse, environmental dirtiness, school dropout syndrome, teenage pregnancy, parents sexually assaulting and harassing their children, suicide, among other crime is also prominently known as a place where illiteracy scores high marks due to poverty, unbridled unplanned family leading to population explosion in the area.

With the theme ‘2020 Raise the Vibration’ while at Ajegunle, the group called on all Nigerians to Rise against all forms of violence against women and girls, as it observed an intensified rising trend of killing, Rape, Displacement in crisis area in Nigeria, police brutality, men raping women and children with impunity, among others.

The campaign which the group is taking to different parts of Nigeria commenced February 14 would run through 17,18, 20, 21 and ultimately come to a successful end on March 8, 2020.

Omodele Ibitoye, Coordinator, I billion Rising, Executive Director, Irise spoke on reason for the campaign in Ajegunle. “Year 2020 Rising, we are raising the vibration, this is the fifth year we are doing it in Lagos, Nigeria, we have been holding indoor workshops, symposia, organizing campaigns, and now we decided to bring this campaign to a popular ghetto known as Ajegunle in Lagos State. It is the most popular ghetto in Nigeria. This place has produced a lot of prominent people, but still has lots of stories of infamy and stigma. So it is not all about going to the halls and talking but talking to the people who really need to listen to us: Market women, school children, bike riders, men going and coming back from work, the community people.”

She spoke further on the choice of method to be able to pass their message to the people, “We thought about talking to the community people, like a street campaign, where we would pass our message to the people through dance, drama and music, and it has been striking, outstanding, it is beautiful.”

Ibitoye spoke on the reason for choice of Ajegunle as venue for the sensitization, saying it was her way of giving back to the community to raised her. “Ajegunle is a beautiful community, it has produced a lot of prominent people like I said, Ajegunle is like a de facto Lagos in Lagos; it is difficult to walk around Lagos and not finding somebody from Ajegunle. This community has giving so much, but people find it difficult to come and give back, we don’t have this culture of giving back, this is my way of giving back to the society, to the community.”

She then spoke on what can be done to stop rape, slavery and other crimes in Nigeria and Ajegunle particularly, “Rape could be stopped through educating the society, by educating people, by letting people know that humans are humans, we should think about humanity first, before thinking of religion, culture and other needs. Rape dehumanizes, it destroys, so for us to stop rape, is for us to be educated, for us to understand that we are humans and we have to act like humans and not animals.”

On her vision for the organization in the next five years, she said “In the next five years we must have educated the whole of Nigeria, and we are going international, 1billion Rising is an international Organisation, it is taking this campaign to the 36 states of the country and more, I am excited, I am delighted.” 

Maryjane one of the coordinators of 1 billion Rising speaking on the successes of the NGO, said “The success story is numerous, you know when people call and say 1billion Rising, I thank you people, I encountered domestic Violence, I know exactly where to go, and I got my sucour, you know, that encourages us. We are also rising to ensure women have their body autonomy, their reproductive rights, with the campaign also, people no longer keep quiet, they call and say, my neighbor’s child was raped and all that, people are beginning to be aware, information they say is power.”

Maryjane further disclosed that Nigerian Government has not supported the group, adding “This is a good cause, lets pursue it, the government, everybody should come out together, it is a collective responsibility. We alone cannot do it, so we are pleading with government, please support this cause, even if not financially they can support giving us other things, like asking us to come to do our campaign and all of that. 

On the group’s mission to Abuja she said, “Expectation is very very high, this time around we are taking the campaign to the IDP Camp, we want to let those women there know that we care for them, After the Boko Haram menace chased them out of their homes, they are now in the camp in Abuja, so we are going there too. We know they are passing through so many things there.”

Breaking: Rio Production Fashion Week debuts in Africa-Nigeria

Success Damian:

 Port-Harcourt Audition

Rio Production Fashion Week, organized by Rio Production India, an internationally acclaimed top brand in fashion shows, in collaboration with Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide, is set to make a debut in Africa-Nigeria come June, 2020.

In a press statement released to the media by Charles Umege, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide, the fashion show which is designed to attract the crème de la crème in fashion industry, top designers and models from different parts of the world will be LIVE in Nigeria.

The release disclosed that Final audition for Lagos Models will take place on the 15^th of February, 2020 at Le Paris Continental Hotel, 16 Babatunde Badiri, Off Akwuuzu, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, time 10am, while those in Port-Harcourt axis of Nigeria have already completed their own Final audition.

Described as the biggest fashion show in the African continent, the show is aimed at projecting African fashion designers to the global fashion industry and also raising African models from obscurity and turning them into global stars.

Also the international fashion week is already getting media attention from different parts of the world.

According to the press statement the show is designed for African designers and Models to rise to the international scene.

Anyaoku reiterates call for restructuring of Nigerian System of Government

Success Damian:

Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku has reiterated the call for restructuring of Nigerian system of government.

He said such arrangement would bring about a change from presidential system to true federalism of four regions, with each region catering to its own development.

Anyaoku who made the call at the inaugural dialogue and book launch in honour of Hon. Justice Chinwe E. Iyizoba, JCA Rtd. and founder, African Women’s Forum for Good Governance (AWFG) noted that the Nigerian state was doing better when it was a true federation of four regions.

He said: “I believe our government structure is sound, it is operating it that is the challenge that the country faces. We have a structure that can cope with the challenges the country faces; the challenge of security, the challenge of climate change, and economic challenge. But, as I have said all the time, the present structure is not efficient, and cannot successfully cope with the challenges the country faces. 

“I have been advocating a restructuring of the architecture of governance in our country. I think this country was doing a lot better when it was a true federation of four regions. Each region were coping with its development, coping with its security, coping with its education and health facilities. We should return because the present structure in my view is not likely to lead us to where we want to get to.”

Expressing his concern at the current rate of criticism of the Nigerian judiciary, Ayaoku called on the judiciary, as well as the executive arm of government to do more to ensure they do not provide grounds for casting aspersions on the integrity and independence of the judiciary. 

Speaking on the rate of insecurity in the country, he said: “I think that the government is going in the right direction, am now advocating community policing. I think the security challenge we are facing in this country will be more effectively met if the different areas, different states of the country were to play more active part in safeguarding the security; life, property of the citizens.   

While commending AWFG in its bid to bring more women participation in leadership positions and interweaving good governance into the fabric of the African society, anyaoku noted that the womenfolk have been cheated out of governance.

He also commended Hon. Justice Chinwe Iyizoba whom he said has had a very distinguished career as a university teacher and attorney General before she went to the bench, adding that on the bench, she has acquitted herself very creditably, as she is retiring with a glorious record behind her. 

His words: “She is an intellectually active judge, and I hope now that she is going to retirement, she is going to write books, and push this initiative of African Women Forum for good governance; I am sure she will go a long way with that.”

Also speaking on the occasion, former governor, of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi said if a country gets everything right, and its politics and governance, wrong everything goes wrong, adding that Nigeria has not made the progress she should make in education,  economy and other areas because of bad politics and governance.

He said Nigerians need to fix their politics and governace by voting in the right people into public offices for things to work out smoothly in all sectors of their economy.

“The problems we are facing have nothing to do with government structure. We may have a structure problem, yes, we have issues, but once we have good human beings involved in governance, these problems will be solved. We need good people to be involved and those who are in office should know that they are holding public trust”, he said.

On her part, Hon. Justice Chinwe Iyizoba urged Nigerian women to vote right, and put into power people who are worthy to be their leaders.

Said she: “Women are the bulk of voters, if only they (women) will learn to vote right, then that will help us to put into power people who are worthy to be our leaders. I think time has come for our women to understand that they hold all the aces. If women would understand the power of their votes, and it is no good to simply vote somebody in because he gave you money, then we will begin to make progress. 

“As someone rightly said, the right people are out and the wrong people are in because the right people don’t have the money or are not willing to spend their money to fight for politics or for power if they intend when they get there to do the right thing. So, why would he? He has something to offer and you want him to pay for it, he doesn’t want it like that. It’s about time that our people learnt that  progress is putting the right people in power; people who have something to offer, who want to serve the country.” 

Williams lists Stigma, others as challenges militating against sexual reproductive health in Nigeria

Success Damian:

Elizabeth Williams, a Youth Advocate for Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Founder, Sustainable Impact and Development Initiative, a youth-led organization that is committed to promoting the sexual reproductive health and right of young people in Nigeria, has listed stigma among other challenges militating against Sexual reproductive health in Nigeria.

Speaking on how aware the Nigerian youths are on issues of sexual reproductive health she said, “Currently many young people are still facing the issue of stigma, discrimination and in the area of accessing information. With regards to sexual reproductive health many young people don’t know, they want to know but they don’t have the right resources, they don’t know the places they can go to get those information, they don’t know people they can talk to in order to get those information.”

Williams spoke to Newworldnewsng at an event in Lagos where she taught her audience on the significance of Advocacy as a vital tool for bringing changes and tackling the myriad of challenges bedeviling sexual reproductive health system in Nigeria. 

Williams called on Nigerians to ensure that youths have access to sexual reproductive information and services “I think it is high time for every stakeholder, parent, individual and non-governmental organization to come together to see how young people can have access to sexual reproductive health information and services that are nondiscriminatory, non-judgemental, and that which will of course guarantee their sexual health.”

On her topic she said “I gave them a brief understanding of what advocacy is, which is aimed at bringing about change, talking to decision makers to influence decisions that are being made concerning them, and to also make use of different tools like the media, policy brief, opinion, articles, different media to be able to advocate to policy- makers and decision-makers to bring about change.”

Speaking on issue of abortion as a means of population control she said “Well abortion is illegal in this country; that is one, personally I am not a supporter for abortion, I believe prevention is the best strategy. So if you can prevent you don’t have to abort and that is why I am a strong advocate for family planning especially for the young people who are sexually active.

“So for them they should actually be able to have access to family placing services and commodities, so that they can prevent themselves from getting pregnant, so that they don’t have to consider or getting themselves involved in of course unsafe abortion, because currently in the country abortion is illegal and most time they go to quacks and for people who are not professionals to have these things done some lose their lives in the process. For me family planning is the way to go,” Williams stated.

On how the youths should be made to know that family planning is not just for married people she said, “From the moment a 14 or 15 years girl start getting pregnant then they should start having a reality check as to what family planning actually is, because the term family planning doesn’t actually mean that it should only be for married people, although of course not every form of family planning is recommended for young people.

“However, young people who are already sexually active or young people who are married or cohabiting should be able to access at least the basic things like the condoms, that is easily accessible almost everywhere, so for me I will say that we should start creating that change to break down on the stereotype that family planning is just for married people,” Williams said.

On whether another name should be adopted for young people instead of family planning she said “Within the field I work in, we don’t use the term family planning so as to enable young people to relate better, so we use the term life planning instead, because we know that young people want to plan their lives, they want to have very good life, they don’t want to fall victim of teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and the rest.

“So using life planning, for us, has really worked because we now see young people who are sexually active take up different methods of family planning,” Williams added.