Chioma Umeha

BY CHIOMA UMEHA The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has firmly opposed the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel, a Christian 200-level student at Sokoto's Shehu Shagari College of Education, by some orthodox classmates for blasphemy. On behalf of the association, the CAN's General Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola, Esq, stated that the criminals' illegal and atrocious activities must not only be condemned by all right-thinking people, but security personnel must also discover and prosecute them as required. The group suggested that "in the past, the failure of security agencies and the government to respond to such criminalities gave rise to terrorists and bandits." And as long as the state government fails to bring these beasts and criminals to justice, society will continue to be their killing grounds. "We appreciate His Eminence, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar 111's prompt reaction, in which he not only condemned the illegal and religio

BY CHIOMA UMEHA   Adenike Isi Adeeko, an Abuja socialite and hospitality specialist, states that female entrepreneurs in the nightlife business work three times as hard as their male colleague. Adeeko noted poor societal perception, cultural and religious misrepresentation, and financial limits as some of the challenges they face. Adeeko told journalists on the sidelines of the inaugural Ibiza party hosted at Tiki Cultures Abuja, "Few women are in the nightlife business because it is demanding emotionally, financially, and there are so many hurdles placed against us." In a statement made on Thursday, she stated, "Women in the nightlife business must work three times as hard as males to be successful." Adeeko said why she opted to work in the nightlife industry: "First and foremost, I enjoy partying." Second, I saw a few years ago that people in this city aren't used to celebrating themed events, so I decided to fill that hole, and the people love it.&q

BY CHIOMA UMEHA Following the federal government's approval of the sport's two-year suspension from international play, Nigerian basketball has been cast into shadow.The government's move is based on a staged crisis engineered by some presidential figures who feel frightenend over Musa Ahmed Kida's re-election as president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). The government announced the decision as a result of the "unending problem that has afflicted and virtually decimated basketball development in the country," according to the administration. "President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate withdrawal of Nigeria from all international basketball competitions for a period of two years," according to the statement. The statement, signed by Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, noted that the withdrawal will allow the country to revitalize the sport from the grassroots level as well as

BY CHIOMA UMEHA Heineken has hosted its most extravagant Trophy Tour in Africa, in an effort to keep the UEFA Champions League (UCL) experience closer to more football fans around the world. The 10-day tour, which concluded on April 13 in Abuja, Nigeria, ahead of the 2022 final match on May 28, included various public engagements in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, where the UCL trophy was on display. Fans from Rwanda and Congo Brazzaville also attended the tour in Nigeria and DRC respectively. Open-truck city parades, novelty matches with local celebrities, UCL quarterfinal match viewings, fan meet and greets, picture sessions, media rounds, Afrobeats concerts, and visits to government agencies responsible for football were among the events surrounding the tour. Heineken has been a sponsor of the UCL since 2005, and the company's leadership says that its Africa-wide trophy tour for the 2021/2022 season would reach 50,000 Africans directly, with

BY CHIOMA UMEHA In Bauchi state, a total of 30 women were trained in the production of hygienic goods for the management of COVID-19 dangers. The federal government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Bauchi State, hosted a one-day workshop titled "Building Women Economic Resilience for Inclusive Recovery." The training was conducted as part of the Ministry's Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) program, which was a cooperation between the Ministry and QUB Resources Limited, Abuja. Mrs Lydia Shehu, a representative of QUB Resources Limited, stated during the session that the goal of the course was to increase personal protection, improve personal cleanliness, and protect family members from infections and viruses, among other things. "The goal is for them to master the skills and use them as a source of income." They will increase their salary and will also be obliged to train other women. We were fortunate to have a knowledgeable

BY CHIOMA UMEHA Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, has stated that the WHO African Region has long faced a chronic shortage of nurses, which, if not resolved, poses a substantial danger to our journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Based on the most recent recent figures, our 47 Member States have 1.6 million nurses and midwives. Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa account for 66% of all nurses worldwide. This indication was provided in her statement to honor International Nurses' Day 2022, with the theme Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health, which could not be more fitting. To achieve the health-related global Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the world needs 9 million extra nurses and midwives. "According to WHO's analysis in Africa, a crucial threshold of roughly 60 nurses and midwives per 10,000 people is required to achieve at least 70

BY CHIOMA UMEHA The Yobe State chapter of the Muslim Sisters Organization of Nigeria held a two-day training session on social audit, citizens report cards, and community score cards for women's rights organizations and other civil society organizations.With thirty-five (35) participants from the state's six implementing local government areas, the training session is being held in conjunction with UN Women at the Desert multipurpose hall in Damaturu. Hajiya Magajiya Mohammed Kellumi, the Amira of the MSON Yobe State, said the initiative was launched in 2019 and is being executed in the state's Damaturu, Gujba, Potiskum, Bade, Fune, and Nguru local government areas, which are believed to have high rates of GBV and SGBV. She went on to say that the training's goal is to educate individuals, particularly rural dwellers, on how to follow government and non-governmental organization programs in their communities.Yusuf Kagara, a facilitator and Gender based violence (GBV) of

BY CHIOMA UMEHA Notwithstanding that a 60-year-old nurse, Abiola Adekoya, is a retired civil servant, she is still working tirelessly to ensure that every woman who needs to delay pregnancy or totally avoid pregnancy has access to family planning on a pro-bono basis in Lagos. For Adekoya, no Nigerian woman should die from pregnancy-related reasons if there is unhindered access, availability and use of family planning.  The family planning facilitator and resident social worker in Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Lagos State, in an exclusive interview with this Reporter said that the use of family planning enables mothers and their babies to be healthier, and avoid risky pregnancies. “I started my family planning training in ogun State between 1986 and 1987,” the veteran in family planning stated, describing her foray into pro-bono services. “In 1991, I was transferred to the Lagos State Service Commission (LSCC), where I worked in various Local Government Areas (LGAs). I joined

BY CHIOMA UMEHA   Dr. Obi Peter Adigwe, Director-General, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) has beaten thousands of contenders to emerge the first prominent healthcare chief executive to clinch the highly coveted Productivity Awards for the 2019/2020 session. Officials at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity indicate that Dr. Adigwe emerged tops following a vigorous evidence-based selection process that reviewed hard-work, excellence, innovation and productivity output from 2017 to 2020. Barring any last minute changes, sources indicate that Mr. President would personally confer the award on Thursday,  May 12, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. Adigwe is being conferred with the National Productivity Order Of Merit (NPOM) Award by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigería, Muhammadu Buhari, in recognition of his high productivity. It would be recalled that in 2017 and 2018, Adigwe had as Executive Secretary of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

By CHIOMA UMEHA Experts have continued to advocate for the integration of HIV and family planning services as part of a comprehensive strategy to prevent unplanned pregnancies and HIV transmission from mother to child. According to studies, the comprehensive strategy is the most effective way to increase contraceptive use among women who want to avoid or delay pregnancy in order to prevent HIV transmission to their children. Unfortunately, Nigeria is one of the countries where a number of health-care system barriers are preventing the effective and long-term delivery of family planning and HIV services under one roof. Despite the fact that Nigeria has signed global agreements, there are significant gaps in translating policy support into widespread practice. This is just as research has proven PMTCT as a better strategy for HIV management in children as the new antiretroviral treatment (ART) is still at the pilot stage in the country. Regrettably, programmes to prevent mother-to-child

By CHIOMA UMEHA In line with global calls, boosting family planning services for women who want to delay or prevent pregnancy would address preventable maternal and new-born deaths in the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) is 814 per 100,000 live births. Furthermore, the WHO report revealed that increased access and use of modern contraceptives by women of reproductive ages between 15 and 45 years would curb maternal mortality. The goal is to achieve a world where every pregnancy is wanted. Experts insist that maternal mortality would be avoidable if family planning is integrated in the country’s health system to control the country’s fertility and maternal mortality rate. A look at Nigeria’s population dynamics reveals that it is made up of a majorly young reproductive populace. Nigeria’s population is put at 215,105,356 as of Wednesday, April 6, 2022, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.