Unit2Unit moves to ensure Atiku, Agbaje’s victory in Lagos

Success Damian:

The Unit2Unit Initiative, a pro-Atiku Abubakar campaign group, has resolved to mobilize voters for Jimi Agbaje, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos.

Dr Vincent Anyigor, the group’s National Coordinator, who addressed all the state, local government and ward leaders of the group in Lagos on Monday, maintained that they owed it as an obligation to ensure that Agbaje won the state’s governorship election in a landslide.

He maintained that while the members would be mobilizing voters for the Atiku/Obi presidential ticket, they should endeavour to woo supporters for Agbaje’s victory.

He maintained that Unit2Unit had been recognized by the PDP leadership at both the national and state level, stressing that the party’s victory at both levels was of paramount importance to Nigerian. 

Anyigor stressed that efforts were being made to ensure that the group reeived the necessary material for both the presidential and governorship elections, adding that Jimi Agbaje Campaign Committee was working out modalities for this.

He urged the members to redouble their efforts to ensure that the vision of Unit2Unit was realised during the elections for benefit of the present and future generations, as he maintained that a change in leadership would mean a better Nigeria for all.

Dr. Victor Enweruzo, the Lagos State Coordinator of the group also urged the members to redouble their efforts in their house-to-house and market-to-market campaigns, stressing that no group was less important in ensuring PDP victory in Lagos during the coming elections.

He also reminded the members to continue to inform the people to guard their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) jealously and should not sell them to anybody in whatever guise.

Jumia Food dismisses allegation of fraud, detention against its MD, Guy Futi

Success Damian:

Jumia Food, a subsidiary of e-commerce giant, Jumia Nigeria, has stated as false a newspaper report which had it that Jumia Food Managing Director, Mr. Guy Futi was arrest and detained.

Speaking at a press conference which took place at the company’s office in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, the Chief Legal Officer of the Company, Mr Seyi Oni stated that Jumia Food Managing Director, Mr. Guy Futi, neither defrauded the company nor was he detained contrary to a story published by Vanguard newspaper on Monday, February 4th, 2019 which claimed that Futi was arrested and detained.

Oni disclosed that the allegation that Mr. Futi was arrested by the men of the Nigerian Police Force, Zone II over allegation of fraud and conversion of company’s funds for personal use, was a mere fabricated allegation.

Speaking further Oni said “The current Country Manager of Jumia Food Nigeria, Mr. Guy Futi neither misappropriated the company’s funds nor converted them for personal use. If this had happened, Jumia would have taken a legal action against him, and probably involved the press. He was never involved in any fraudulent act.

“Mr. Futi was invited for questioning by the Nigerian Police Force on Thursday, January 31, 2019 in relation to an ongoing case of fraud filed by Jumia Food against one of its vendors, Castle Logistics Services. Mr. Futi was never detained by the police. He was invited for questioning, and left the station after the interrogation same day. At the time the incident for which Jumia took a legal action against Castle Logistics occurred, Mr. Futi had not joined the company.”

He said the allegation of fraud by Castle Logistics is thus a malicious attempt to distract Jumia Food from carrying out a legal action against the company.

We condemn in strong terms the libelous intent of the article published by Vanguard newspaper because the allegations are completely untrue, and appear to be a cheap effort by Castle Logistics to malign Jumia.

Vote for a thief, if we are thieves, Bishop Otusanya tells Nigerians

Success Damian:

Bishop (Dr.) Olufemi Otusanya (Omomajemi), the Prophet of the Most High God & General Overseer of True Covenant Church of God (TCCG) has asked Nigerians to vote for a thief if they, Nigerians are thieves.

Otusanya stated this during the Church dedication of Alapere-Ketu Branch of TCCG and Fund Raising for Musical Instrument which took place on Sunday, January 27, 2019.

While advising Nigerians on the upcoming general election in 2019, the young bishop said “Nigerians should pray very well. If we did any mistake now, it is going to be a problem, because the outcome of this election is going to be the defining moment, Nigerians depend on this election so much in order to move forward or move backward.

“I am telling you the truth. We should not make mistake in choosing.  Again Nigerians should pray very hard because there is going to be some bloodshed, we should pray against that. Third we should try and choose right,” Otusanya said.

On his choice of presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election he said “I will just tell Nigerians, if we are thieves, we should vote for a thief, but if we are not thieves we should vote for somebody that is fighting against corruption.”

On his take on the anti-corruption fight by the present administration he said “Though some people complain that they are not satisfied, I agree with that, but all is politics. I also believe if the man comes back the second time he will change the system.”

Speaking on his vision for Alapere branch, he said, “Alapere is going to have another branch that is bigger than this particular branch. I see that in two years’ time, it will get bigger because people want us in Alapere. God is going to use us mightily in Alapere.”

Otusanya has advice for the youths “Our youths must be calm, we should be prayerful; they should believe more in God because it is only God that can do it. And I believe Nigeria will be better by the special grace of God. I always think about the youth because government has not done much for the youth.”

On empowerment, he said his church has empowerment programmes under the Bishop Omomajemu Foundation. “I want to empower many women, the youth, many less-privileged, we are going to start this month, so I want to do more.”

Otusanya spoke further “The youth is the future, but I don’t see that future yet, because the people in government continue to recycle themselves, the government should please pave way for the youths in their administration so that the youth can prepare for the future. When it comes to religious matter as leaders of tomorrow, God has used some of us, so tomorrow is going to be okay when it comes to religious matter in Nigeria.”  

NOSA rewards excellence in Newland, promises scholarship

Success Damian:

Newland Old Students Association (NOSA) was brought to existence with vision to be model Alumni association worthy of the name of the great institution it represents and help develop the alma-mater to its fullest capacity.

It is also part of its mission statement to develop sound and latest communication network to reach all the old students as well as harness resources in a pool which will be beneficial to not just members but the current students, teachers and society at large.

NOSA recently gave out awards to 10 best students of Newland Secondary School, located among the 19 schools at the Tolu Schools Complex in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government of Lagos. The students were chosen based on their excellent performances in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Kunle Adebambo, the initiator and global president of NOSA said membership of the association currently is made up of set 1987 to 2018. “I graduated from this school in 1993 and since then, we started this association, and we registered the association with the corporate affairs commission two years ago and since then we were able to bring together all the other sets and we have been coming to the school on a quarterly basis, to give motivational talks to current students, as well as encouraging them, including scholarship and awards.

‘Last year we gave award to best students in art, science and commercial, the same as today. We have also extended award giving and scholarship giving to the best ten students; that graduated from the school. The association will take care of their tuition fee from first year till graduation,” Adebambo revealed.

While stating that the school was established 37 ago, Adebambo revealed that he leveraged on information Technology especially Facebook and Whatsapp platforms to coordinate the entire 31 sets which the school has produced.

Adebambo spoke also on various initiatives designed by the group to assist members, and the school as a whole “As I speak to you we have a cooperative society running under this alumni, The Newland Alumni Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited (NACOMS LTD), a registered society under Lagos State Cooperative where interested members pool funds together for lucrative and legitimate Business opportunities, we also have a registered cooperative society on Ogun State, Newland Alumni Farmers’ Cooperative, as I talk to you we have a farm, I am talking of the business arms.

On the membership strength he said once you graduate, automatically you become a member of the association. We have over 16,000 members.

He said the current First Lady of Kogi State graduated from the school in 1996 and most of the NOSA members are doing well in their various human endeavours. So we are working towards bringing every member in Newland as time progresses.

Among the students awarded for their excellent performance were Joy Ekeh, Best in Humanity; Onyegbule Christian, Adetinehin Daniel, among others.

Nwankwo Victor the Best student in Sciences as well as Overall Best Student speaking on behalf of other awardees thanked NOSA for the award. He said the award goes beyond the medal and cash reward, it is an added motivation to do better in all their human endeavours.

Hyacinth Ahaneku is a 1993 graduate of the Newland Secondary School, currently practicing Medicine in America as a doctor. He said the Association is an opportunity to connect with school.

On impact of the association on the student he said it is an opportunity for the students to find their role models, and to connect with people that have been there before. One of the things being talked about today is an opportunity to give back to the society, if we can shape as many of the students leaving our schools today, then we can shape our future.”

Odesanya Olusegun Adenuga is the Principal of the School, he said since he assumed duty three was ago, “NOSA has been visiting the school every year, to donate prices to the best three students, from science, humanities, that is art and Business and commercial departments as a way of motivating the current students to work harder in their studies, they also come to give them motivational talk.”

He appreciated NOSA in the following words “It is a great idea having the old students coming to encourage the current students, because for them to sacrifice their time and money, it is very commendable, and for the current students, it is a great source of motivation. By December last year when they held their award party, the three best students were invited, it is another way of encouraging them.”

Mrs Nkechi Sandra Chikeluba Onyebuch also a 1993 graduate of Newland, now a fashion designer and a mother she advised the current students to be good to their parents, teachers and constituted authorities.

Lagos Anglican unveils Centenary logo, as Danjuma, Olumakaiye make case for the poor

Rt. Rev. (Dr.) Bishop Humphrey B. Olumakaiye, Bishop of the Lagos Diocese Anglican Communion and Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, a strong pillar in Anglican Church and Grand Patron of the Centenary Anniversary celebration of the Lagos Anglican Communion made advocacy for the poor at Lagos City Hall, Lagos Island on Saturday, during the unveiling of Centenary logo to mark 100 years Anniversary of Lagos Anglican Communion. CYRIACUS NNAJI reports.

The unveiling of Centenary Logo/Inauguration of Divine Mandate Partners of the Lagos Anglican communion attracted who is who in society.

 Speaking to the crème de la crème of the church, captains of industry and politicians who graced the occasion, Gen. Danjuma, expressed appreciation to the Diocese for the laudable centenary city project especially as it was designed to also harbor a low cost housing estate for the poor and needy. He stated that Housing and Transport were two ingredients of survival Lagosians.

Danjuma stressed his total commitment and support for the centenary city project saying “I observed the very ambitious programme to build a centenary city. I am very happy, particularly with the mention of providing housing for the poor and the needy.” He encouraged the people to ensure that funds for the project are realised as early as possible.

He also thanked the bishop of Lagos Anglican Communion for resolving in a peaceful manner all the grievances he met as soon as he assumed duties as Bishop of the Diocese.

On his part, Dr. Olumakaiye, in his address of welcome titled, ‘Our Vision: The Devine Mandate’ said it is gratifying to know that the programme for the centenary celebration include issues that deal with both spiritual and physical wellbeing of the faithful.

While he disclosed the Centenary Anniversary theme which is Stronger, Deeper & Higher, Olumakaiye, 

Olumakaiye itemized the five Divine Mandate (5Ps) of his administration which include Priestly, Pastoral, Prophetic, Prayer and Praise ministries all targeted at the spiritual and physical well-being of not just the faithful of the communion, but also the society at large.

He said as part of the centenary celebration, the diocese will commence building of a centenary city which among other facilities will include Empowerment and Youth Development Center; Rehabilitation Centre; Games and Sporting Centre and a low Income Housing Estate.

Olumakaiye said of particular interest to the dioceses was the establishment of the low income housing estate.

Sitting along the Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos and on a land mass of 2000 plots, the 1^st phase of the Centenary City project, the Bishop said, will gulp N5 billion.

While expressing appreciation to the congregation for their unalloyed support since assumption of office, Olumakaiye said his administration has found time to pay what he called Episcopal Visitation in which the diocese visited all the 121 churches under the diocese, including the Lagoon to see the struggling churches.

 

He thanked the women organization in the diocese under the leadership of Prof. Mrs. Motunrayo Olumakaiye which donated a brand new bus to the college, and said part of education programme of the church were sponsorship of some indigent students in the diocese, giving facelift to the Diocese Secondary School in Igbooye in Epe, Lagos.

“We have being able to bring on board latest development in the diocese which include electronic billboard and online radio to continue dissemination of word of God.

Experts decry low participation of private health practitioners in PPFP project

Success Damian:

Health experts have decried low participation of private health practitioners in Post Pregnancy Family Planning (PPFP) project.

Dr. Saidat Okaga, Reproductive Health Coordinator, Lagos State Ministry of Health and other renowned experts explained as unsatisfactory the level of participation of private health practitioners in PPFP and called for action. As it were, many women have died from avoidable pregnancy related issues and time to stop it is now.

The experts took the position during a media Roundtable on Post Pregnancy Family Planning organized by Nigeria Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) in collaboration with DEVCOMS in Surulere, Lagos recently.

The theme of the event ‘Post Pregnancy Family Planning (PPFP) and the Private Sector: Opportunities and Challenges”. It also included Discussions on Communications/Media Approaches to Increasing Access to PPFP Services.

Okaga who expressed goodwill on behalf of the Hon. Commissioner for Health, the Permanent Secretary Health, Special Adviser to the Governor on Family Healthcare and the Director of Family Health and Nutrition Lagos State, revealed that “while more than 60% of health care services are being rendered by the private health practitioners in Lagos, but to our greatest displeasure, data has shown us that only about 13 of this 60% of private practitioners are actually involved in the family planning programme, so we want to encourage them, that is why when the PPFP project came on board we were happy because for us to get 74% contraceptive prevalent rate by the year 2020, we have to work very hard, so we encourage more private practitioners to come on board.”

Post pregnancy family planning (PPFP) / post abortion family planning (PAFP) is a service delivery strategy that expands access to FP through integration with the existing continuum of maternal, newborn and child health services.

It is aimed at delivering family planning services to post pregnancy women in their first two years after birth using the continuum of care to ensure that all women achieve their reproductive intentions. It is also a key investment to fulfil the FP2020 commitments and SDGs

According to Okaga, If family planning programming is accessed appropriately, it would save 30% of mothers from maternal mortality, abortion and unwanted pregnancies. She said nobody wants any pregnant woman or the one that is breast-feeding to die prematurely. “When a woman has the requisite number of babies that she can naturally, physiologically, mentally, even financially have, family planning has so many ripple effects, and not just for the health of the mother, it affects the family wellbeing generally, the children would be able to get the best both in health and education. We are not saying that women should stop having babies, no, what we are saying is space them, have the number that you can take care of so that for the woman, her body would be able to get back to normal.”

Okaga also spoke on vision FP 2020, which was designed to ensure a global partnership of everybody, women, men, children, private partners all geared towards guaranteeing a right based approach to family planning. It also enhances achievement of what she called the 3Ws. “The 3Ws include What number of children a woman should have, When she should have it, and Who she should have it with. There are so many Ws one can think of. Again, there is no coercion, no force. So vision FP2020 is for us to have right based approach for family planning”

Saidat said the role of the media in the FP2020 is to report correctly, “You have to know the initiative, the core value of post pregnancy family planning (PPFP) issues. We have seen that from the moment a woman delivers to two years post delivery period, she must be well taken care of and must have family planning services available to her before she decides to have another child. So you should be conversant with the trend.”

She said the gains of family planning may not be immediate but in the long run, you are going to feel it, “we would be able to avert millions of women dying unnecessarily.”

She encouraged the media to help in propagating the message of women and men adopting PPFP, adding also that “There a lot of stigma associated with family planning, however we should be able in our report to stress the fact that it is highly beneficial to everyone not just the woman who is taking the method.”

She said PPFP started in 2015 even as Lagos always scoring first in every initiative has already taken the lead in reduction of maternal and child mortality. “We ensured we have master trainers on board who are training our family planning providers, our managers; we have trained up to forty master trainers on PPFP because these are the ones that will train others, both in the private and in the public.

Barr. Ayo Adebusoye, chairman of Lagos State Advocacy Working Group LAWG delivered a paper on the need to scale up private sector involvement on family planning. He stressed the role of the private health care practitioner and need for them to play active role in PPFP.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos Chapter set to inaugurate women wing Executive, January 25

Success Damian:

Woman leader Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos Chief ( Mrs). Violet Uche Obiora, (Middle) with her are l-r Publicity Secretary Mrs. Joy Anurika Uzomefuna, Deputy Women Leader   Barrister Nkechi Agubuzor ,General  Secretary Mrs. Asikogu Patricia Nonye, and Public relation Officer Mrs. Chika Mareen Ashara, during a Press Conference   on the forth coming  inauguration of Women’s wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos   scheduled  to take place on muson center on 25^th January held in lagos on 23/1/2019.

Arrangements are on top gear for the inauguration of the elected leadership of women wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos Chapter.

Chief (Mrs) Violet Uche Obiora (Olaedo), the women wing leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos made the disclosure at a press conference which was held at Ohanaeze office at Surulere, Lagos on Wednesday.

Obiora stated that the event would take place at Muson Centre Onikan Lagos on Friday, January, 2019 and would involve several awards which would be bestowed on illustrious Igbo sons and daughters.

She expressed appreciations to all the women leaders and executives of the women wing representing the Igbo women in all the Local Governments and Local Council Development Council Areas in Lagos, for the success recorded at the just concluded women wing elections held on December 16, 2018.

Obiora stressed, "The essence of the inauguration is not only to legally, socially, and culturally empower the women for the great task of rebranding the image of Ohanaeze in general, but also to promoting and upholding the cause and dignity of all Igbo women in Lagos"

"The epoch-making event affords us the opportunity to give awards to deserving sons and daughters of Ndigbo and also the launching of 'Egwu Ndigbo Jibiri". 

She added that fund realised from the launch would be used for the economic empowerment of the Igbo women youths as panacea for growth.

According to Obiora, there would also be discussions on the episodic drama of Ikemefuna in China Achebe's " Things Fall Apart" which highlights the Igbo culture of Candour which is expected to take place in the month of February, 2019 and designed to ensure peace and patriotism.

The briefing which was attended by chairman of the organising committee, Chief Damian Okoye (Omeudo Nanka) and his secretary, Chief Thomson Ohia, the inauguration was described by Chief Mrs Obiora as the biggest event among Igbo people in Lagos.

Flanked by the entire executive of the women wing of Ohanaeze Lagos Branch, opinion leaders and presidents of all the women wing of the seven states of the South East Geo political zone in Lagos, Obiora said the inauguration of the executive would mark fundamentally the formal kick off of the women wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos.

While conveying the goodwill message from the President General of Ohanaeze worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwoso to Igbo women, Chief Obiora assured that her leadership would be guided by transparency, empowerment and accountability (TEA)