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Omo-Agege, Lalong, AbdulRazaq, Owoseni Others Laud Women FM on Fifth Anniversary, Uphold Women’s Rights

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By Eric Elezuo

It was no different from a one on one meeting when some of the society’s best gathered via virtual to celebrate the fifth edition of the Voice of Women (2020) Conference, a programme of the Women FM 91.7

The 2020 edition of the Voice of Women (VOW) Conference, which was anchored by veteran broadcaster, Ambrose Somide, featured series of topics bordering on gender relationships, and had Men Voices Against Gender Based Violence as its general theme. This year’s edition took a different turn as instead of women, men and boys took centre stage and lent their voices against gender-based violence, especially against the female folks. It was an all men affair, but in favour of the women!

From the panel of discussants, keynote address makers, special guests responders and others, men spoke glaringly against violence against women, and projected various avenues women could escape violence. Some of the projected solutions were rooted in education, technology, law, security among many others.

Kick starting the event, the Governor of Plateau State, who doubled as the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Simon Bako Lalong, gave a passionate opening speech, where he eulogised the womenfolk while congratulating the Toun Okewale Sonaiya-led Women Radio for their steadfastness all through the five years it has existed as a specialised Radio station. He lauded the theme of the event as “not only appropriate, but timely considering the prevailing challenge we face on this subject.”

Governor Lalong noted with sadness that most of the violations women suffer are largely from people they trusted including friends and family members, and of course leaders who are supposed to protect them. He moved for the mindset of boys and men.

“Sometimes It is sad to note that some of our women and girls were violated and molested by people who were sometimes friends and family members. On other occasions, the violation was perpetrated by leaders who are supposed to protect them. This is a sad development that we must end without further delay.

“As we advocate for a safe Nigeria for our women and girls, we must change the mind-set of our men and boys to not only appreciate that women and girls deserve protection, but have rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution as any of us. We must also make them understand that any violation of the rights of women and girls is a serious crime that carries weighty punishment under the law,” he said.

He noted that the NGF, which he leads has ‘declared a state of emergency on the increasing rate of sexual and gender based violence in the country’ and ‘resolved to ensure that member States promulgate laws with stiffer penalties against perpetrators of sexual based violence.

Speaking on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Through Legislation in his address, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who was represented by Mr. Otive Igbuezor, identified that violence against the female folks is rooted in gender inequalities measured via social, economic and political yardsticks, saying that perpetrators must be brought to justice. He also called on women to stand up for women.

While acknowledging that gender-based violence also affects boys and men, he stated emphatically that women and girls are the ‘disproportionately’ affected. Omo-Agege was of the opinion that no man has any right to assault any woman except for self defence.

“As a Nation, we must resolve to have zero tolerance for these abhorrent acts of violence against our mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, aunties and friends. We must move quickly to address the legal and cultural challenges facing our womenfolk. But more importantly, addressing gender-based violence against women would require collective effort of every individual, especially men who are the most perpetrators, to stand up for the protection of women. Men should take more responsibility, intervene and do what is right to keep women safe. No man has a right to assault a woman for whatever reason, except of course in self-defense. It is a matter of inalienable right of persons to liberty.

“The time to hold perpetrators accountable has come. Religious leaders, community leaders, and traditional leaders should challenge men to stand up as protectors and not abusers of women. We can no longer look the other way while women are being abused next door or turn deaf ears to the cry of many women across our country for freedom from violence and sexual abuse,” the Deputy Senate President said.

In the same vein, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, who spoke through his chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ojekaiye, condemned violence against women, saying one of the ways to bring an end to the scourge is to introduce political inclusion for women and girls. He said his administration is achieving the standard as 56 per cent of his cabinet members are women.

The traditional stool was not left out in speaking out against gender-based violence as the Sarkin Yakingagi Sokoto, Alhaji Sani Umar Jarbi lent his voice, saying without women, humanity cannot achieve anything, and as a result must be handled with utmost care. He noted as well that there would be no progress without women engagement and gender equality.

The Director-General, National Associations of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Amb. Ayo Olukanmi, who took the first shot among the panel of discussant, in his assessment, recommended the He for She initiative, which he said is prolific, and asked for a radical socialisation of boys and education of men to sensitize them towards respecting women’s spaces.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer, Netherlands Business School, Prof. Lere Baale, added his voice on the call to end violence against women, saying that education remains the viable option to empower women. Using 17 parameters, among which is marketing, he described the superiority of women over men.

“Empowerment of women is a global imperative considering the fact that they account for about half of the world’s human potential. They should be given the best of education for the world to realise its full potential,” Baale submitted.

The event dovetailed into a one minute video commercial which showcased the journey of Voice of Women conference from inception in December 2015 to date.

But for the anti-corruption activist and Founder, Follow the Money, Hamzat Lawal, the message is simple, “let’s be good people’. He maintained while speaking on ‘What Should the Role of Men and Boys Be in a Social Nigeria’ that things just have to be put in their right places, and then the people we enjoy peace and security.

Lemmy Ughegbe, founder of Make a Difference Initiative echoed the voices of earlier speakers, adding that ‘education is the greatest vaccine to gender-based violence’.

Speaking on Law and Security as an avenue of tackling gender-based violence, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State and now, Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Security, Fatai Owoseni, canvassed for the straightening of the capacity of law enforcement agencies.

Mr Eric Onuoha was also on hand to lend his voice, saying violence against women can be adequately addressed through technology, especially with the rising influence of social media.

In his vote of thanks, the Chairman, Women Radio, Dr. Tunde Okewale, who was represented by Mr. Abayomi Sonaiya, appreciated all the guest speakers and participants for their their contributions, acknowledging that with the voices raised, the lots of women will get a lot much better. He promised a greater event when the sixth edition is held on December 17, 2021

The 2020 VOW conference was sponsored by Action Aid Nigeria in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, and broadcast live via Zoom, AIT, Facebook, Women Radio and YouTube.

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Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: Prioritize Existing Unfinished Projects, Peter Obi Tells FG

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Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has advised the federal government to prioritize existing unfinished projects spread across the country instead of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.

Obi, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stated that the project was a misplaced priority given the numerous unfinished roads throughout the country.

The former governor of Anambra State mentioned that the budget allocated to the Ministry of Works is insufficient for significant progress on the country’s various unfinished roads, much less their completion.

Obi therefore, advised that the government prioritize the existing infrastructural projects in the country before embarking on any new and colossal projects like the Lagos-Calabar super highway project.

“The Federal Ministry of Works 2024 capital budget of N892,461,262,656.00, additional funding from multilateral loan projects of N94,828,535,243.00, alongside other expected contributions from sources like the China-Exim Bank and the World Bank, will not be enough for serious work on all the critical roads, some of which I enumerated above, let alone their completion.

So, why embark on another huge project that will not be completed in the next 20 or 30 years?

“To do so will only exacerbate the problem of abandoned, uncompleted projects that are not contributing to economic growth and overall development.

“Therefore, while acknowledging the potential benefits of coastal superhighway infrastructure, I urge prioritization of our existing uncompleted projects. We must allocate resources towards repairing and completing existing infrastructure.

“In any development formula, the primary focus should be on completing and rehabilitating existing infrastructure rather than embarking on colossal new projects that may never reach completion within the next 30 years,” Obi said.

Back in March, the Federal Government began constructing the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, designed to extend through 9 states with two spurs leading to the Northern States.

Recall that former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had earlier described the project as a fraud.

“Umahi had announced that Hitech would fully fund the project, and based on this, there was no competitive bidding. He (Umahi) then said that Hitech could only raise just 6% of the money for the pilot phase. This smacks of deceit,” Atiku said.

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2027 Presidential Race: Opposition Parties Under Attack

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By Eric Elezuo

While it is still a whole three years before the next general election in 2027, The Boss has learnt that opposition parties in the countries are being muffled to pave the way for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to, and retain power.

From the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the Labour Party (LP), and down to the New Nigerian Peoples Paty (NNPP), crises have engulfed the rank and files, in what a source told this paper was the attempt and making of the ruling party, APC, to decimate, destabilize and make redundant the machineries of the opposition parties.

It is believed that by 2027, the apparatuses holding together the various opposition parties would have weakened irredeemably to the extent the country would seemingly nosedive into the inglorious one party state that every civil right advocate and democrats abhor.

It is alleged that all the crises in all the opposition parties are being engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led ruling APC, with the hope of getting the fibres of their system weakened, thereby luring the members of the crisis-ridden parties into the APC.

Slightly one year after the last presidential election, the two major opposition platforms, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, have separately been embroiled in a crisis of confidence which has diminished their capacity to provide viable opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The crises in both opposition parties got to a head. The Labour Party led by its national chairman Julius Abure held its much-opposed national convention which was boycotted by its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; its only governor, Alex Otti of Abia State; federal and state lawmakers elected on its platform, and the organised Labour.

In the Labour Labour, members have been embroiled in endless battle of supremacy with a faction led by Mr. Apapa steadily contesting the leadership of Julius Abure.

Consequently, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, reverence as a leader in the fold, noting that whatever the party faces presently, that Nigeria’s problems are far bigger than the crises in his party.

The LP has been embroiled in crises — ranging from allegations of misappropriation of funds, and leadership tussle, to calls for the resignation of the party’s national chairman.

TheCable reported that “On March 27, the LP conducted a national convention in Anambra state where Julius Abure was re-elected as its national chairman.

Obi did not attend the convention, fuelling speculations that he may be mulling over ditching the LP for another platform.

Speaking during an appearance on HaveYourSay247, an interactive online session hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo over the weekend, Obi said he is confident that the crises rocking the LP will soon be resolved amicably.

“Whatever is happening in the Labour Party is so minute compared to what is happening in the country,” Obi said.

“So, for me, it is something we will resolve amicably, and it is not anything to worry about. Let us worry about the country.

“Let us worry about how the average Nigerian would be able to have a means of livelihood to be able to eat, that should be our worry.”

Obi said he has no interest in being the party’s leader but only to make sure things are done properly.

“I don’t see what I do in politics as being the leader of any place or not. My position is that just like I always say, I am not desperate to be president of Nigeria, I am desperate to see Nigeria work because I know it can work,” he added.

“We have a more desperate situation. Parties are just a means to be able to contest elections. What is important is that being a leader of a party does not reduce the price of food.

In the PDP, the shenanigans of former Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has practically kept the party in constant crisis with many observers concluding that the now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is working for the APC, and is just a mole in the PDP. Wike has denied the allegation, however,

But news filtered in last week as that the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NEC meeting on Thursday was not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party  state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

While political stakeholders concluded that the outcome of the Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan; every page of what finally transpired at the meeting pointed to the fact.

The much touted removal of the party chairman, who is believed to be a crony of the Abuja minister, Damagum, retained his seat, with his executives.

“It is very clear to everyone that a lot of money politics is being played to cajole many loyal members of the party, forcing them into frustration, and eventually it of the party. The option afterwards, will be the APC. This, will for all intent and purpose actualize the intended one party state as an APC agenda.

The Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso-led NNPP is not faring better either. The only governor under their ticket, Abba Kabir Yusuf, just had the confidence of their party on him withdrawn. He was fighting for his political life until suddenly it was announced the the APC in Kano has collapsed its structure into the NNPP.

“This is just another APC strategy to actualize their hidden intentions. Time will reveal the very sinister agenda they harboring,” an analyst said.

Much as 2027 is still three years away, but intrigues are in play to render Nigeria a one party state, and perpetuate the APC in power. The three other opposition parties are basically under attack to bring to pass this unpopular agenda.

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Akwa Ibom Government, Governor Umo Eno Receive Top Honors at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos

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The Akwa Ibom State Government and Governor Pastor Umo Eno were recognized with Travellers Awards at the 10th Wonders of the World Expo in Lagos for their sustained enhancement of infrastructure, support for local talent, and dedication to investment in the tourism sector. The ceremony took place at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos.

 

While Akwa Ibom won the Most Active Tourism State of the Year, Governor Eno was adjudged the most Tourism-Friendly Governor of the Year at the event that had Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade John in attendance.

 

According to Amb. Ikechi Uko, Founder/Publisher of ATQ Magazine, the organizers of the event which is in its tenth edition, Akwa Ibom State won the top prize “in recognition of its valiant and resourceful efforts to drive and sustain domestic tourism by promoting the industry.

‘In 2023, Akwa Ibom was one of the states that hosted World Tourism Day (WTD ) events. The state also organized the famous Christmas Unplugged, which featured music, food, and cultures from all 31 LGAs as well as ensured friendly policies.”

 

While hoping that the Travellers Awards would spur Akwa Ibom to do more to dominate the domestic tourism industry, the organizers hoped that the state would gradually evolve into one of Nigeria’s top international tourism destinations.

 

That was not all, the state Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria for demonstrating exceptional leadership and innovation in the travel and tourism industry, while other Akwa Ibom indigenes and entity were also celebrated: Mrs. Ime Udo, Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor( Tourism) won Tourism Promoter of the Year, Favour Udo won Tourism Photographer of the Year, Loretta Effiong and Prince Uduak Sunday (Qua Tours) were listed among the Tourism Personalities of the Year and Ibom Air won Airline of the Year International.

In his remarks, Sir Charles Udoh, who represented the Governor at the event, thanked the organizers for the awards and noted that Akwa Ibom is certainly enjoying the golden era when it comes to tourism development. He stated that Governor Umo Eno is very keen on making Akwa Ibom a leading tourism destination with his programmes and policies.

He revealed that with the new Victor Attah International Airport nearing completion, the purchase of a ferry for the Oron-Calabar route, new developments along its coastline and the restoration work that will be done at all its major tourism sites, Akwa Ibom is well on the way to becoming the number one destination for all domestic and foreign tourists.

In her speech, Tourism Minister, Mrs. Ade John hailed the organizers for hosting the Expo, where practitioners were lectured by top experts while also rewarding those who have excelled in the past year.

 

She affirmed that her ministry is open to partnership with public and private sector operators, adding that tourism development can only be successful through collaborative efforts.

 

The event, which attracted leading and budding tourism professionals, also featured interactive and entertainment sessions.

Apart from Sir Charles Udoh and Mrs. Ime Udo, the Akwa Ibom State delegation, also included: Mr. Michael Effiong James, Senior Special Assistant (Lagos Liaison) to Governor, Mrs. Eme Bassey, Special Assistant to Governor (Lagos Liaison) and Akparawa John Offiong, Deputy Director ( Culture) Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

 

More photos below:

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