NEWS
Gov AbdulRazaq Setting Pace On Social Intervention Programmes, Alleviates Poverty For Economic Boost
When speaking about the impending challenges facing almost every nation around the globe today, especially in West Africa Region, poverty remains a peculiar topic, which is taking swift increase and remains a torn in the flesh of millions on the African soil in having economic sustainability.Following the global shock of COVID-19 pandemic and its colossal effect on the entire globe, its impact has by no limit impacted badly to the melting down in human activities, its social economic progression and daily businesses; many still after those years finding it hard to hold their balance.The resultant of course had equally kept every government, all concerned stakeholders and business tycoons on their toes in chatting a new course for the revival of the economy and the living standards of its citizenry.Here in Nigeria, since the constitution has set the foremost priority and mandate of every government to be the safety of life and property of its citizenry, hence the need to uphold the balance in the economic stability and social cohesion of its populace remains unnegotiable.Relatively on such concerned, the Kwara State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, since its assumption of office, has been very particular in its stride in bridging those vacuums left on the social economic status of the state by the scourge of COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant effect through several intervention programmes, which cut across Health, Education, Infrastructure, Business Enterprises and Social enlivening to the poor, vulnerable groups and people living with disabilities.Evident upon that is the annual event of distribution of mobility aids to the People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), where numerous items like, wheelchairs, tricycles, guide canes, hearing aids, walking sticks and crutches, worth hundred millions of naira, were distributed. The programme targeted at addressing the needs of the downthrowden and disabled, easing them of their physical state, thereby aiding them to function well as members of the society.Flashing back to the event, on October, 2023 commemoration of the mobility aids distribution, the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Prince Abdulkadir Mahe, reiterated his administration unwavering passion and kindness to the plight of the vulnerable groups and the less privileged.“I am here this morning to flag off the distribution of mobility aids to people living with disabilities. It is an annual event of this administration to put smiles on the faces of the people living with disabilities. Today’s programme is again one out of the numerous social intervention programmes this administration has executed for the benefit of the citizens. We have continually provided succor to the needy, downtrodden and the less privileged across the nooks and crannies of the State”, he stated.Whilst this laudable effort, there is still room for the critics, for personal view to pass resenting remark or give it a pass mark. As the Chinese Proverb says “a non observant will work through the whole forest and find no firewood”. Gladly, in our case in Kwara State, the semantic reflection of this proverb is on the positive side as the pragmatic and innovative strides of AbdulRahman’s administration speaks volumes, through the vocational training engagement made available through the Kwara State Ministry of Social Development, to the people living with disabilities, who are under her care, underscores Governor’s foxiness and nonpartisan administrative style.This step again is a giant stride, an eye opener that sends a signal that there is ability in disability. It is on record that hundreds of PLWD benefited in the training, acquired various vocational skills and were equiped afterward by the State Government so that they become self-reliant and employers of labour.The Governor said “Our administration has been showing kindness to the people living with disabilities through skills acquisition such as sending them to Farm Craft Centre, Isheri-Olofin, Lagos State to learn certain trades for them to be self-reliant and be productive members of the public.”In the same vein, the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration has not renege in taking the highest realm of its agenda, the social serenity and public safety. His administration in quickest time, has been able to highlight key factors that can proliferate the peace and safety course of the residents within the state. Thus, through a syndicate effort of Ministry of Social Development and Security Agencies in the State, it has been placing serious watch on every element capable of promoting social unrest, poverty and insecurity within the state.To the widest dismay of the government, how many people would have thought that those people considered to be at the lowest par of economic ladder, resulted in begging for alms, would have been the agent of disruptions to public peace and serenity. This was uncovered during the evacuation exercise of beggars and lunatics whose free roaming and unkept activities around the state metropolis were perceived by the government to be inimical to the state’s social status and safety of it citizenry.The press statement from the Ministry of Social Development, on May, 2024, made available through her Press Unit after the event, disclosed that “during the exercise, harmful objects such as knives, a dagger and a plier were recovered from one of those evacuated, hiding under the camouflage of being a plumber at the trado-psychiatric; the culprit was reported to the Ministry and was handed over to the police for further investigation and possible judgement.”Within the space of three months, no fewer than 150 beggars and mentally ill persons were respectively evacuated from the state metropolis, for sanctioning, relapsing, treatment and reintegration. Some of them were placed on vocational training while some of the mentally ill are still undergoing treatment.In addition, the current administration, in its human focused policy, has continually fostered programmes aimed at deepening economic boost and financial stability for all and sundary. This is also showcased as the government recently, on September, 2024, empowered more than 34 children released from detention at Borstal Institutions Ganmo, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.Even though those children by there action had had contact with law and had served their jailed terms, the government was been proactive by not just releasing them to the society but reviving the good spirit, potential and giving them the ample chance through which they can be best useful and responsible members in the society.At the event which was sponsored by the Kwara State Government and the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF), the Kwara State Governor re-echoed the need to empower the juvenile ex-convicts, stating that such was to give them psychological support, mentorship in acquiring needed skills to reduce recidivism and foster sense of belonging.”Let me remind us that, empowerment of ex-convicts is not just a moral obligation, it is a pragmatic approach to enhancing public safety and promoting social cohesion. This humanitarian service is a collective responsibility that all and sundary should embrace with all enthusiasm at providing enabling environment that is more inclusive, where we recognize that every individual deserves opportunities to harness their unique potentials through the provision of our widow’s mite in the acquisition of empowerment tools to the vulnerable groups in our society;” Governor AbdulRazaq, emphasized. Other areas of his socially impacted project were not left unmentioned. “My administration has impacted positively on various forms of activities that are beneficial to the less privileged and down trodden of the state as well as provision of enabling environment to thrive. This is evident in the renovations of Children Reception Center, Gaa-Akanbi; School for the Special Needs, Oyun; Juvenile Correctional Home, Oko-Erin; provision and distribution of mobility aids to PLWD; job opportunity for person living with disabilities; appointment of persons living with disabilities as Special Advisers and Permanent Secretaries, among others.Beyond gain saying, the event was very key in safe guiding the future of the young erring lads released, putting them on the right track thereby preserving the future prosperity and economic viability of the state. Picking from the speech of Dr. Wilfred Mamah, a representative of the UNICEF at the event, “empowering and re-integrating children after a traumatic experience of incarceration should be celebrated by all.””How a country treats her children speaks volume of the country’s level of development. Children are special breed because they carry the gene for humanity continuity. When they falter as they often do, they require love, care and guidance to enable them become the best of what they ought to be.”Dr. Mamah hailed the Kwara State’s Child’s Rights Law as it deeply reflects national and global consensus on how to treat children in conflict with the law. The event also served as an avenue to counselling and reinvigorating the can do spirit in the lads, who are the beneficiaries of the programme. In his words of admonition, the resource person at the event, an Associate Professor, Department of Educational Management, University of Ilorin, Murtala, Abdulyaqin Tukur (PhD.), enjoined the beneficiaries to see the opportunity granted them by the State government as a second chance, which they must leverage on to bring out the best in them on their next life journey.Several working tools worth multi-million naira were distributed to the beneficiaries who had during their terms in the detention acquired different vocational skills such as Fashion Designing, Plumbing, Tilling and PoP Interior Work, Photography to mention but a few.In his words, “a second chance is not just a reset. It is a gift of renewal. It means despite what you may have been through, the future is assured for you to create something extraordinary. Life’s second chance is about – the ability to bounce back, to take what you’ve learnt from your past, and shape your tomorrow with wisdom, strength and hope.”The government has not left any stone unturned as its administration dividend also extended to the families of the fallen heroes who laid down their lives to safeguard the territorial sovereignty of the state and the nation as a whole. The Governor at the annual commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance recognized the valiant and selfless sacrifices of the Fallen heroes likewise the existing members of the Nigeria Armed Forces. A lump sum amount of millions was donated to the widows of the fallen heroes as a means to provide succor and make life bearable for them.To this end and with all identified strides of the present administration and other empowerment projects still continue in its various Ministries, Department and Agencies, the administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has brought unprecedented progress to our dear State of Harmony, interms of socioeconomic intervention, social sanity, social safety and supports across all social stratifications, thus, setting the pace for other states to emulate in decades to come.Alabere Ahmed,Press Secretary,Ministry of Social Development.
“Lights, Camera, Empowerment: Celebrating Women in Film for International Women’s Month”
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day this month, the film and television industry is revealing itself as a powerful arena of gender transformation, and a highly affected vehicle for empowering women.
This is especially the case in Africa, where women occupy several leadership roles in the industry.
These roles are pivotal, as they set the tone for the sector at large, influencing the content being created, as well as the attitudes of the young audiences exposed to the material being created by the continent’s next generation of young filmmakers.
This industry’s transformed leadership is well-positioned to accelerate action even further and to continue building a creative industry where women feel free to express themselves and their views of the continent and its culture.
In the vanguard of this trend is the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) a pan-African network of training institutions training the next generation of African filmmakers. With training academies in Lusaka, Zambia, as well as Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya, the MTF provides fully paid, year-long courses in the fundamentals of film and TV production, with women well represented in every cohort.
Not only do women make up a high proportion of each year’s class, but they also win accolades in prominent film festivals as well as seeing their works premiering on major content platforms. Most recently, Everything Light Touches – co-directed by woman MTF West Africa Academy graduate Elma Baisie – premiered on the Africa Magic Showcase channel. In East Africa, woman director Lynn Gitau – an MTV East Africa Academy graduate – partnered to create Somewhere in Kole, which premiered on the Maisha Magic Plus channel.In every one of the MTF Africa territories, academy directors actively work to empower young woman filmmakers.“We promote women filmmakers in numbers and in terms of creative support,” says MTF Southern Africa Academy director Chris Puta. “Women students consistently make up around 50% of our cohort intake. But I believe what is most important is that they are given license to express themselves as writers, directors and producers. This is how women’s voices enter the mainstream.”“We believe in empowering women in the film industry through training, mentorship, and opportunities,” says MTF West Africa Academy Director Atinuke Babatunde. “We give them all the skills they require to make a statement in the industry. And that is exactly what they are doing.”Proof of this is the recognition MTF women alumni are earning on the film festival circuit. MTF West Africa graduate and producer-director Adeola Andrea Peregrino won first prize at the LEAP Africa USAID Film contest, and second prize at the IOM Film Contest for her film Poached, as well as being selected for the Africa International Film Festival, and as a finalist at the Edo State Festival.“MTF is committed to seeing women pursue careers in film and TV,” says MTF Academy East Director Victoria Goro. “Besides upskilling young women filmmakers, we believe a highly effective way to encourage girls and young women to get into film is to inspire them by seeing great work by young women.”Shining examples of this inspirational work are the achievements of East Africa MTF graduate Doreen Kilimbe’s film Midnight Bride, which won Best East African Film at the Uganda Film Festival, the Audience Award at Zambia’s Sotambe Film Festival, Best International Award at the Kalasha Film and TV Awards, and Best Actress at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.Also making an impact was MTF Southern Africa Academy alumnus Tekla Nakale, won the best scriptwriting award for the film Ataman at the Multichoice Namibia Film Festival.African women filmmakers are also taking charge of their own destiny in the industry by becoming involved in industry forums and even rising to leadership roles. In Namibia, MTF graduate Esther Beukes was recently appointed as Chairperson of the Board for the Namibia Film Commission.In Botswana, former MTF student Serena Mmifinyane took time off from her work as a creative director at TV and film company N&M Productions to establish the Women in Film Guild Botswana, which is affiliated with Women in Film & TV International (WIFTI). In 2022, she was voted onto the WIFTI Board of Directors, and in 2023 became secretary of the global organisation.“I am proud of what I have been able to achieve in the film sector,” said Mmfinyane. “But the hundreds of other young women who have come through MTF Academies have all made great strides in our industry. Their achievements exemplify the talent and drive of Africa’s women filmmakers, and how training can be a catalyst to accelerate gender empowerment across our continent.”
L-R: Nigeria’s first-ever SpIN champion, Amazing-Grace Ahuoyiza Ebiebi Salami and Acting U.S. Consul General, JoEllen Gorg during the prize presentation.
History was made on Friday, March 14, 2025, as Amazing-Grace Ahuoyiza Ebiebi Salami, an 11-year-old from Greenpath Preparatory School, Abuja, clinched the title of Nigeria’s first-ever Spellingbee in Nigeria (SpIN) National Champion. The grand finale, held at the U.S. Consul General’s residence in Lagos, saw 64 exceptional finalists from Abuja, Lagos, Osun and Taraba States compete in a thrilling display of linguistic mastery and academic excellence. The event showcased the incredible talent and determination of Nigeria’s brightest young minds, as they battled through intense rounds of spelling challenges. The atmosphere was electric, with attendees including members of the diplomatic corps, C-Suite executives, parents and educational leaders, all witnessing the birth of a new academic tradition in Nigeria. The competition, which began in September with hundreds of participants across Nigeria, culminated in a fiercely contested finale. After hours of grueling rounds, Amazing-Grace Ahuoyiza impressed the audience and judges by correctly spelling the winning word, “Melange” to claim the championship title. As the winner, she will receive an all-expense-paid trip to represent Nigeria at the 100th edition of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States, a historic centennial celebration of academic excellence. Delivering opening remarks at the inaugural spelling competition, Acting U.S. Consul General JoEllen Gorg highlighted the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the United States’ first national spelling bee. “On behalf of the Unites States Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, it’s an honor to host the inaugural Spellingbee In Nigeria finals as we mark the 100th anniversary of the United States’ first national spelling bee. Since 1925, the Scripps Spelling Bee has showcased American academic excellence, while promoting literacy and a love of the English language among youth. We are very excited this year will also mark Nigeria’s first entrance into the competition, alongside students from all 50 United States and international students from Ghana, Jamaica, Japan, and beyond.” Speaking at the event, Eugenia Tachie-Menson, Convener of Spellingbee in Nigeria, expressed her pride in the participants and the transformative impact of the competition. “This is more than just a spelling competition it’s a platform that builds confidence, public speaking skills and critical thinking in our young learners. Today, we have not only unearthed champion but also inspired a generation of Nigerian students to aim for global excellence. We are grateful to our partners, parents as well as schools for making this dream a reality.” The event also featured a special virtual appearance by Harini Logan, the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion. She shared her journey of resilience, offering heartfelt encouragement to the finalists and emphasizing the power of preparation, confidence, and perseverance. Though unable to attend in person, her words resonated deeply, leaving a lasting impact on the spellers and making the day even more memorable. Spellingbee in Nigeria (SpIN) is a prestigious competition affiliated with the globally renowned Scripps National Spelling Bee, USA. It teaches students the rudiments of spelling, vocabulary development and critical thinking among Nigerian students, equipping them with the skills to compete on a global stage. The success of the SpIN National Finals was made possible through the support of key partners: Indomie Noodles (Title Sponsor), Checkers Custard (Co-Sponsor), Lucid Education Initiative (Local Organizing Partner), the U.S. Consulate General Lagos, the American Business Council of Nigeria, the Rotary Club of VI East, Razzl, First Bank of Nigeria, Seven-Up Bottling Company and AT3 Resources – The Muvmnt Agency (PR Partner). As Nigeria celebrates its first-ever Spellingbee in Nigeria, the future of academic excellence and global competitiveness looks brighter than ever.
Ayobami Dada Elected Chairman of ACYA Agege Diocese ChapterIn a momentous event that marks a new chapter for the African Church Youth Association (ACYA) Agege Diocese, Bro. Ayobami Dada has been elected as the new Chairman of the ACYA Agege Diocese chapter. This election, which took place on the 15th of March 2025 at The African Church, St. Peter’s Blessed Parish, Oke Koto, brings a renewed sense of hope and vision for the youth arm of the church.The African Church Youth Association (ACYA) is a prominent youth organization within The African Church, Nigeria and its diaspora, with a mission to engage and empower young people, ensuring their active participation in both church affairs and societal development. As part of its core objectives, ACYA works towards evangelism, youth empowerment, educational support through its trust fund, leadership development, and capacity building.Bro. Ayobami Dada’s election as Chairman represents a significant step in the ongoing efforts to position the youth for a brighter future, both within the Agege Diocese and at the national level. Under his leadership, the ACYA Agege Diocese chapter is set to further enhance its impact, focus on restructuring, and drive initiatives that will foster the growth and development of the youth in the community.In his acceptance speech, Bro. Dada expressed deep gratitude for the confidence placed in him and pledged to lead with integrity, dedication, and a commitment to serving the youth of the church. He emphasized the importance of unity among the youth in pursuing shared goals, including spiritual growth, community service, and youth empowerment. He also acknowledged the efforts of his fellow contestant, Prince Adebola Adepegba, and looks forward to working collaboratively towards a shared vision for the youth community.Other elected members of the ACYA Agege Diocese executive include:Secretary: Mrs. Akinwale BukolaTreasurer: Mr. Owolabi GbadeboFinancial Secretary: Bro. Abayomi SanyaoluPublic Relations Officer: Bro. Yinka AdelowoJoint Auditors: Sis. Busola Williams & Mr. Dotun OpekiGeneral Committee Representative: Prince Adepegba AdebolaSocial Secretary: Mr. Ige PeterWelfare Officer: Sister Ige TemitayoMedical Adviser: Mr. Adebayo ToyosiStatistician: Bro. Obayomi SegunTrustees: Evang. Adara, Arc. Olujimi Oluwole, and Mr. Tunde AdewusiThe election process was conducted in a spirit of camaraderie, with all members expressing their commitment to working together for the betterment of the youth community in the Diocese.As the newly elected Chairman, Bro. Ayobami Dada is expected to lead the youth of the African Church towards greater involvement in evangelism, leadership, and community service, ensuring that the youth are not only prepared for the future but actively shaping it.
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