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Nigerians Have No Reason To Be Poor — President Tinubu

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Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has encouraged Nigerians in the U.S. to rise above failure by having a change of mindset for success in all their endeavours in life.

Tinubu who gave the advice at the Presidential Townhall Meeting with Nigerians in the diaspora on Wednesday in New York noted that Nigerians had no reason to be poor.

It was gathered that the Townhall Meeting was organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

Tinubu, who commended the efforts on out-of-school children, the healthcare programme and the need to eradicate poverty, said Nigeria was a blessed country.

“Sincerely, we don’t have any reason to be poor, we are just poor in some leadership areas.

“That is what I harped on during my campaign. It was a very gruesome campaign but I won the election but if I didn’t thrown myself into it with strong determination and result, I wouldn’t have won.

“There were so many hurdles on my way that would have stopped me. I refused to be stopped, you can do the same as many of you here that are contesting elections”, the President said.

Speaking further, he said, “I want to give you a measure that will resonate with you. I was once a diaspora. What you have been through, I have been through it. A change of mindset is necessary.

“Take it this night that Nigeria is home for business opportunities.

“Also, anywhere you stay, there is always going to be an opportunity in, and in everything you do, there is always going to be an opportunity, if you know how to search and put your mind into it,’’ he said.

The president, however, expressed delight in the conduct of Nigerians who have continued to excel in their chosen fields in their host country.

“You are lucky to be among those who are celebrated for good manners and behavior and are operating in an acceptable manner.

“I’m very proud of you; I have also been beneficial of inspiration, determination, commitment and perseverance and that is all you need  to get to pull through.

“But, we need you back home, Nigeria has arrived; forget the frustration of the previous year’s leadership,’’ he said.

In addition, he urged the Nigerians to embrace one another, urging that there should not be no sentiment and discrimination among them.

Tinubu said: “You ought to embrace one another. No labeling, no identity, you should remove ethnic identify that tend to differentiate us.

“We are one single family, living in the same house but living in different rooms,.”

Earlier, the Chairperson of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, introduced some Nigerians excelling in their chosen fields in in the U.S. to the president.

Some of them who spoke expressed their delight in the leadership courage of the president, pledging to continue to support him in his efforts to reform Nigeria.

They promised that they would continue to make Nigeria proud in their host country and also contribute their quotas to the development of the home country.

In his remarks, the first Nigerian-American elected into the United States Congress, Oye Owolewa, said 25 per cent of business orders in the U,S. were black and 1.7 per cent got federal contracts.

Owolewa, who represents Washington DC, said they have been supporting people to take advantage ot such opportunities for their economic empowerment.

“Those are the opportunities to make investors biggest in New York.

“In my office, we do the talk, we teach our people how to get contract, we teach our people how to get grants.,’’ he said.

Also speaking, a Nigerian-American, Olufunmilola Obe, an Inspector working in the New York Police Department, briefed the president on her efforts to make Africa, especially Nigeria proud in her office.

She told Tinubu that she  was the coordinator of an African Law Enforcement Organisation, an association within the NYPD, as Vice President.

Obe is the first African ever to be promoted to the rank of an Inspector in the history of NYPD.

The Town Hall Meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign of Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola and the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, Amb.Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Amb. Uzoma Emenike; Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Lot Egopija; and Consul General in Atlanta, Amb. Amina Samaila were also in attendance.

Others were: Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom; Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State and Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq of Kwara, among others.

 

Credit: NAN

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Governor Sanwo-Olu Hails Morayo Afolabi-Brown’s Appointment As MD Of TVCe

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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated popular television presenter, Dr. Morayo Afolabi-Brown, on her appointment as the Managing Director of TVCe, the Entertainment Channel of TVC Communications.

He said the new role given to Afolabi-Brown, the host of the TVC’s breakfast programme, ‘Your View’ is well deserved.

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement issued on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, said Afolabi-Brown’s appointment as Managing Director of TVCe is inspirational to young media practitioners that they can get to the top position of their career with hardwork, commitment and discipline.

He said: “The appointment of Dr. Morayo Afolabi-Brown as the Managing Director of TVCe, the Entertainment Channel of TVC Communications, is deserving having distinguished herself at TVC Communications and the media industry for almost two decades.

“Morayo Afolabi-Brown is one of the most influential women presenters not only in Nigeria but Africa. She has been recognised as one of the top 25 most influential women in Journalism Africa (WIJA) 2020 where she ranked 18th on the list.

“I believe strongly that Morayo Afolabi-Brown’s new appointment is an inspiration to young media practitioners, particularly members of staff of TVC Communications, that they can get to the top of their career in the company if they put in a little more than is expected from them by their employers.

“Morayo Afolabi-Brown’s new role attests to her exceptional track record of achievements in TVC Communications as a former Deputy Director of Programmes TVC News, where she created content on three independent channels for broadcast. She has also made a lot of impact as a host in addressing basic issues in society through the TVC’s breakfast show ‘Your View,’ programme.

 

SIGNED

GBOYEGA AKOSILE

CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY

30 NOVEMBER 2023

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NDLEA Chairman Marwa Warns New Cadets Against Fraternising With Drug Traffickers

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The chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, has asked new cadets not to “fraternise” with illicit drug offenders.

Marwa spoke on Thursday during the passing out ceremony of 2,500 cadets of senior officers basic course 16 at NDLEA academy, Jos, Plateau state.

The NDLEA boss said the agency will not tolerate “internal sabotage” in the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the country.

Marwa, who was represented by Victoria Egbase, director, planning, research and statistics of NDLEA, said the agency cannot “decelerate” its efforts on the war against illicit drugs.

“We are currently on the verge of expanding our presence to all 774 local government areas in the country,” Marwa was quoted as saying in a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson.

“What that should tell our new officers is that there is work to do, and you cannot afford to be complacent or compromise the high standards we have set.

“On that note, let me also inform you that you must not fraternise with offenders of drug trafficking laws.

“Doing so is dangerous to your safety; it is catastrophic to your career; it sabotages organisational goals; and it is inimical to society’s wellbeing.

“Remembering this nugget of advice and abiding by it will ensure you a colourful and gratifying career.

“I must prepare your minds for the task ahead of you. The duties are such that there is no room for compromising the ethics of your profession or subverting the goals of the organisation.

“In our renewed campaign against illicit drugs, we are at a stage of ramped-up interdiction against cannabis, opioids, and other psychoactive substances.

“We cannot afford to decelerate our effort and we will not tolerate sabotage from within.”

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GBV: Rapists To Be Castrated In Kaduna — Human Service Commissioner Rabi Salisu

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The Kaduna State Government has reiterated its resolve against all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV), particularly for those who engage in any form of rape, the State Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajia Rabi Salisu, has said.

This is just as she said that male rapists will be subjected to surgical castration as punishment while a female rapist will undergo bilateral salpingectomy.

The Commissioner stated this during a press conference as part of activities at a Gender-Based Violence Stakeholders Meeting/Press Conference organised by the ministry in collaboration with Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP).

According to the Commissioner, the punitive measures were contained under the Kaduna State Government Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPPL), 2018, adding that the law followed a lengthy process of advocacy, lobbying and awareness raised by civil society organizations in the state in collaboration with relevant government agencies.

Also speaking, Dr. Austin Azihaiwe, the State Technical Lead for CIHP, in an interview shortly after the briefing, said the day marked 16-day activism against GBV which was also referred to as ‘Orange the World Campaign’ which began in 1991.

“The essence of these activities is to bring all stakeholders together and harness their resources and capacity to ensure that the fight against GBV is made more impactful in our communities.

“Beyond the presence of the key stakeholders, other community members are here and the aim is to educate stakeholders on how to report GBV cases and enlighten ourselves on the essential services available for GBV survivors.”

Similarly, Mr Hosea Bako, CIHP’s Gender Integration and Mainstreaming Lead for Kaduna State, also mentioned that CIHP, as part of its activities, engages in facilitation and referral of GBV cases.

“Part of our mandate is to provide preventive services through facilities like the Sexual Assault Referral Centers and Community Based Organisations particularly, Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) which is important to prevent HIV,” Bako said.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, however, said the reported cases of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) have been notably on the increase in Kaduna State since the passage of the VAPPL in December 2018, which she said could probably be attributed to increased awareness about VAWG and also the availability of the law.

She also disclosed that the state has witnessed a rise in cases of gender-based violence according to the National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Data Situation Room and dashboard for prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria, adding that a total of 832 cases have been reported in 2023 so far.

She said the 16-day of activism which started from the November 25 to December 10, which is known to be International Days for the Elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, a period she said provided a time to stir up action to end violence against women and girls around the world.

“25th November is designated as the Orange World Day to End Violence against Women Campaign. The color orange symbolizes a brighter future, free of violence, It also serves as a means of demonstrating solidarity in eliminating all forms of violence and it is therefore used as the color of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,” she stated.

The commissioner further disclosed that every year, the UNiTE Campaign focuses on a specific theme, adding that this year’s theme was “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against Women and Girls”.

She said the campaign urged the citizens to show how much they cared about ending violence against women and girls by sharing the actions undertaken to create a world free from violence towards women and girls, while some level of progress has been made in this campaign to end violence against women and girls through the VAPPL, some challenges still exist.

The Commissioner identified some of the factors encumbering the implementation of the law in the state to include; Slow uptake of the law characterised by prosecutors not applying the law to reported GBV cases, VAWG cases are reported but not charged using the VAPP Law as other laws – Penal Code and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law take precedence over the VAPP due to stiffer penalties in those laws than the VAPP.

”Others included; Undue pressure on survivors and/or families to accept out of court settlements by community is also a major hindrance, in addition and poor awareness amongst citizens and service providers, delays in prosecuting cases by the Police and the courts also pose a barrier to access to justice by survivors and victims of VAWG.

“It is therefore imperative to strengthen the justice system, intensify GBV case findings, provide crucial clinical and non-clinical services to survivors of GBV while improving access to these crucial services, addressing the challenge of poor coordination, absence of a harmonized platform for reporting, and lack of capacity to manage Gender-Based Violence data will contribute largely to ending gender based violence,” she added.

According to her, it was important to address the difference in reporting tools and the upload of data on the National GBV dashboard as this will bridge the gaps in the campaign.

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