Tag Archives: developments

Shaping Nigeria’s Future is Your Responsibility – India Tells FG

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The Vice-President of the Republic of India, Mohammed Hamid, yesterday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), charged the federal government to recognise its enormous responsibilities in shaping the future of the country.

Hamid, who stated this in a lecture at the University of Lagos, entitled Legacy of Indian Freedom Movement,’ said: “Nigeria and India, as large developing countries with multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual societies, have enormous responsibilities within their countries and in shaping the future of their region and beyond.

“Our youth, with 60% Nigerians under the age of 25 years and more than two-thirds of India’s 1 .2 billion population under the age of 35 years, are our strength. We have a great opportunity to work together to channelize this demographic dividend.”

He disclosed that Nigerian youths in India were contributory and constituting their strength, considering their size.

Hamid, who urged the youths to have a sense of history, said that natural experiences could have relevance beyond borders in a fast shrinking world.

According to him, legacies do endure but no legacy, however, strong can last forever, adding that legacy tended to erode and become irrelevant unless reinforced and developed.

‘’Youth should know that the environment that encourages their aspirations was built on the sacrifice and toil of others before them,’’ he said.

He further charged youths to emulate the legacies of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi of India, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Aminu Kano of Nigeria who positively influenced their generations.

He said: ‘’India was blessed that a set of people of incredible talent and wisdom graced the period marking our struggle.

‘’The possessed moral integrity of the highest order; the tallest among them was Mohanda Karamchand Gandhi, whose singular efforts transformed the struggle from a campaign by the elites into a true mass movement.’’

Lagos Assembly Approves N500bn Bond for Infrastructure Development

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The Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday approved a three-year N500 billion bond for the state government spanning 2016 to 2019.

The approval followed the presentation and adoption of a recommendation by the Ad hoc Committee constituted by the House on the bond.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the committee, Yinka Ogundimu, informed the lawmakers that the bond was necessary for the development of the state.

According to him, it will be repaid through deduction of 23 per cent of the state’s internally generated revenue.

Ogundimu, who is also Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, added that necessary plans had been put in place to ensure that the money was judiciously spent for the purpose it was meant for.

Contributing to the debate, Rotimi Olowo, the Chairman of the House Committee on Budget and Economic Planning, said Lagos State remained the future of Nigeria.

He said that the bond would assist in the infrastructural development of the state.

Olowo stated: “If the bond is geared towards development, it will open Lagos state to other parts of the world and generate more employment for the people.

“We have enough to take care of the bond. By 2019, Nigeria will be out of recession and Lagos will be better for it.”

In his contribution, the Chairman, House Committee on Waterfront Infrastructure, Gbolahan Yishawu, said the state had always been at the forefront of development in the country.

The lawmaker said the bond was meant to increase spending and develop the state.

Other lawmakers from the majority and minority political parties in the assembly gave their support for the bond’s approval “to further move the state forward”.

In his remark, Speaker of the house, Mudashiru Obasa, said the bond would help to develop the state and ensure its adequate infrastructure development.

After the debate, the bond was approved through a unanimous voice vote by the legislato

NYSC Seeks UN’s Intervention In Camp Development, Others

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The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General Sulaiman Kazaure, has requested for the United Nation’s intervention to address the problem of deficit in Orientation camp infrastructure, as well as capacity building for members of staff of the scheme.

nyscmembersnyscmembersAlso, the DG sought the world body’s assistance in the establishment of the skills centre for corps members undergoing entrepreneurship programme in the country.

Kazaure made the requests, Thursday, when he received the Country Director of UNAIDS, Mr. Bilali Camara, in his office, in Abuja, said this would enhance the achievement of the scheme’s mandate.

He informed him of the Scheme’s plan to establish a skills acquisition centre in each of the six geo-political zones in the short term, and eventually in all the states of the federation as a measure towards enhancing the functionality of its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme.

Earlier, Camara explained that the purpose of a three-day visit by the UN Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, to Nigeria, which ended yesterday, was to discuss with stakeholders on areas of the United Nations’ assistance to the country.

According to him, Alhendawi had met the Vice-President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as well as top officials of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Youth and Sports amongst others, adding that the discussions centred on the design of a coordinated framework for the UN’s development assistance to Nigeria.

The Country Director further disclosed that the assistance framework would have special focus on youth and would address issues of empowerment as well as peace and security amongst other areas of intervention.

Jake Okechukwu Effoduh: 10 Lessons From My Experience With 300 Hearing Impaired Women

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On the 5th of May 2015, about three hundred hearing-impaired women from across Nigeria convened in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State for the 7th National Deaf Women Conference. I was invited to deliver the keynote address titled: “Deaf Women, Make It Happen” and to also commemorate the International Deaf Women Day. I set off from Abuja at 5am, driving all the way to Lafia. The approximately three hours journey took me five hours because of rain and military checkpoints.

On arriving the venue at about 10 am, I was surprised by the attendance. I never knew we had a huge population of hearing impaired women in Nigeria: 316 hearing impaired women from across the country. According to one of the participants, “these are the few who could make it down to Lafia.” This count does also not include the men or children in attendance. These women belong to the National Deaf Women Association of Nigeria with chapters in all 36 states of the country. Very conspicuous was the Asoebi (uniform) for the day: All the women were adorned in shiny green and gold colored clothes, with matching accessories, including their head ties down to their shoes. It was a huge party, very bubbly and filled with life. Security detail were scattered all around the entrance of the old auditorium, a famous DJ was on sight and the scent of firewood jollof in the air and the clinking sounds of bottled soft drinks comforted me.

I delivered my speech with the help of 2 interpreters standing at either corners of the stage interpreting to the crowd of excited women. One of the interpreters is Simi, a daughter to one of the hearing impaired women, and the other is a husband to another participant. They waved their hands so fast like experts; I couldn’t help but admire them. Many family members of these women were also present to show solidarity and support.

Below are ten things I quickly learned from my experience at the National Deaf Women Conference:

  1. To give a round of applause, you don’t clap; you waive both hands in the air
  2. Do not to touch or poke or grab a hearing-impaired person to get their attention. It is rude. You can get noticed by facing the person, or waving your hands.
  3. There are approximately 22.5 million Nigerians living with (dis) ability
  4. Sometimes you may need to write down your words and let it be seen. Also, if a hearing impaired person asks you to go ahead and speak, please speak very slowly so that your lips can be read.
  5. Learn the sign languages for “Please”, “Sorry” and “Thank you”. You will be amazed how much these can do for you.
  6. 25% of Nigerian hearing-impaired women would benefit from devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants but are constrained by funds
  7. There are insufficient job opportunities and learning utilities for hearing-impaired women in Nigeria. Also, another issue they repeatedly complained of is the high incidences of physical and domestic abuse, even in marriages. When I asked Hauwa, she told me punningly (with the help of an interpreter): “Dem say we no dey hear word!”
  8. The current ‘Most Beautiful Deaf Girl in Nigeria’ gave a speech about the need for ‘deaf inclusion’ in social, cultural and health spaces. She also emphasized the need to have interpreters in television entertainment programmes and not just news. ‘The Most Beautiful Deaf Girl in Nigeria’ is a pageant show that has been running for several years. It is aimed at showcasing the beauty and intellect of hearing impaired women for national and international acclaim. And in adherence to the international beats, the ‘Mr Deaf’ has been included in the pageantry with the inaugural ‘Mr and Miss Deaf Nigeria’ scheduled to hold in 2016.
  9. As simple as this sounds, remember to always send a text, never call.
  10. Deaf Women Association of Nigeria (DWAN) has been able to stand in gap providing guidance/counseling services to our hearing impaired girls and women as well as their parents and guardians, helping them to know and fight for their rights and advocacy for comprehensive laws to tackle various challenges facing them.

The theme of this year’s International Day of Persons living with Disabilities (IDPD) is tagged “inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all disabilities.” This is crucial because people with disabilities must be able to fulfill their role in society and participate on an equal basis with others. For the tens of thousands of hearing impaired women in Nigeria, we have to focus on their ability and not the disability. I met hearing-impaired women who are leading impressive lives as doctors, traders, farmers, teachers, artists and models, to mention but a few. Hauwa shared her intention to run for political office in 2019. Impossible is nothing for these women! However, sadly, the Disability Rights Bill which will give equal opportunity to persons living with disabilities in Nigeria has still not been passed into law.

Jake Okechukwu Effoduh (@Jakechukwu) is a Human Rights Lawyer based in Nigeria.

Change Is Still A Long Journey Ahead By Jude ‘Feranmi

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Arise O Compatriots! Let’s celebrate the beautiful thing we have together achieved as a people. If this were to be other climes, books would have been written of how an incumbent president was unseated by a popular general who would now assume the most prestigious civilian title in the land. In scriptural imitations, what we have together done is wonderful and marvelous in our sight. Congratulations are in order as we transit from 16 years of selfish, pro-pocket, elitist rule to 4 years of what we all hope would be a direct opposite of our experiences for the past 6 years.
The hashtag #ChangeIsHere trends this week with Nigerians showcasing their sense of humor and sarcastic ability in the mood of celebrating the manifestation of the removal of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan from Aso Villa through the voting process on March 28. To be considered a Nigerian, you possess an aggressive survival instinct that exudes an ability to find humor in some of the hardest circumstances. This is understandable, but those of us who keep finding out the path to a prosperous nation day and night know that CHANGE is a long journey ahead!
The last two weeks of the Jonathan-led administration gives us an inkling of what problems Nigeria really faces, how deeply intertwined and connected they are, the difficulty of the measures to be adopted in solving them and the sacrifices that Nigerians would have to make in seeing the problems become a thing of the past. Many a Nigerian expects the Buhari Miracle. Unfortunately, that miracle might take years to manifest. Everybody including myself would love a possible world where GMB would just wave a wand and all our problems would disappear, but such a possible world is epistemologically and metaphysically impossible.
Fellow Countrymen, this is a few things we should not forget in the midst of our celebrations and felicitations, CHANGE does not come in a day, nor does it come in a decade. Most times, CHANGE comes gradually. It took Lee Kuan Yew 35 years to turn Singapore into a success story he could write about after he was booted out of Malaysia with people of different tongues and backgrounds.
Now that we have successfully booted out those who think the luxury of power is the end of it, and we now have a party whose slogan is CHANGE, the greatest mistake we would make is sitting down and watching whether what we hoped for would materialize. We did not kick out PDP by sitting down, watching and hoping. This CHANGE of the people occupying the positions of power, the only CHANGE we have so achieved was not gotten by wishes and painting fantasies. We took ACTION. If we would achieve the true CHANGE; in our standard of living, in our industrialization figures, in the unemployment rates, in the level of corruption, ACTION and not sitting and watching and hoping, is what need to take.
Itemizing what the incoming government has to do will be boring you with rhetoric. However, I need to itemize one thing that we, the people, need to do. Demanding for good governance is priority. Without an active citizenry, a lot can go unnoticed and the government would be seen to be trying their best while we remain the way we are. One thing we should not forget is the capacity of the ruling party to maximize the media. The kind of Nigeria we get is the kind of Nigeria we demand. Favorable policies will not make themselves. When we keep reminding the ruling party that it is the people’s mandate that brought them into office, Only then would we achieve the true CHANGE that reflects in the average Nigerian’s life.
Jude ‘Feranmi can be engaged on twitter @juded27

Views expressed are solely that of author and does not represent views of www.omojuwa.com nor its associates