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16 Days Activism Against Violence: Group Carries out Advocacy Visits, Demands Implementation Of VAPP

Published

3 years ago

November 29, 2022

Group known as Women Aid Collective (WACOL) Edo South 50-50 Action Women, has demanded an effective implementation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, and all existing Laws criminalizing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

The group also demanded the full implementation by all communities of the state of emergency on VAWG declared by the Nigerian Governor’s Forum in 2020, and that communities should with immediate effect, integrate into the Nigerian Constitution the Supreme Court judgment on the Right of the Girl-Child to Property Inheritance.

The group further implored communities to include women and girls into leadership positions of community governance structures such as cabinet, Town Unions and Youth Wings, through more inclusive processes for elective offices as clearly spelt out in the Constitution.

Prof. Evelyn U. Edosomwan, Chairperson, WACOL, alongside other executives of the group made the demands in Benin during an advocacy visit to head of government ministries/agencies, head of union, etc.

Other issues raised during the advocacy visit included: marginalization, discrimination, spousal neglect and abuse, obnoxious widowhood rites and practices, rape, trafficking in women and girls, defilement and upsurge of paedophiliacs.

The visit, according to her was part of activities to mark the 16 Days Activism Against Violence Against Women which commenced on November 25 globally.

The Chairperson noted that the theme of the 2022 Commemoration is “Unite! Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls.”

At the office of Monday Osaigovo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Edo State, Prof. Edosomwan stated that the rural communities still hosts deviants and social miscreants who lure young girls and even babies into corners and rape or defile them, lamenting that women are still being raped even on farm lands.

She also decried obnoxious widowhood practices which she said still persist in some communities as part of cultural norms, just as she solicited support of the head of Local Government and Community Affairs to be part of the strategic meeting where the Enigie and other community leaders will sit down to advance solutions to end such social anomalies.

Responding, the Commissioner said Edo people cannot continue to obey laws and tradition that are harmful to women and girls in the local communities.

He stated that fifty per cent of offenders or culprits in Sexual and Gender-Based Violence often denied that they were not aware and always traded blames when they were caught in the act.

Also receiving the Advocacy Team in his office, the Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Prince Bamidele Obaitan, expressed zero tolerance for all forms of Gender-Based Violence, Child abuse, sexual harassment, and violence against women in all forms.

“It is sad that lots of parents fail in their responsibility too. Poor parenting is presently an issue in our society. Parents have to wake up to their responsibility to take adequate care of their children and wards.

“Women have been marginalized in many spheres of human endeavour, and this has to stop in our communities. Every woman and girl child need to be empowered to enable us have a better society. Indecent dressing is also an issue. Women and every girl child should learn to dress properly, having the mind that there is time and there is a place for everything. Let’s learn to teach our youth the right values and encourage them to shun all vices.” The Commissioner stated.

Also visiting the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, Prof. Edosomwan and members of the Advocacy Team used the opportunity to condole with the Chairman who was recently bereaved of his mother, just as she stated that the vacuum created by the loss of a mother in a family cannot be filled.

She informed the NUJ boss of the objectives of the visit which, according to her, was to partner with the union in creating awareness on the spate of violence against women and girls in the society, and intention to use the various news media to call on duty bearers, traditional rulers and all others to take more effective action to stop violence against women and girls, especially harmful cultural practices.

She said: “It is imperative to sensitize all relevant stakeholders on the strategic import of the 16 Days Activism in the global struggle. We implore you all, members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, to join us in drumming up awareness on SGBV and several other societal ills impeding on the growth, survival and progress of women. All hands must be on deck in putting a stop on the vicious circle of Violence against Women and girls.”

The Chairperson further called on all stakeholders, Human/Women’s Rights Activists, CSOs, Law Enforcement officers and Youths to act now toward eliminating violence against women and girls in the Society.

In his response, Comrade Festus Alenkhe stated that the demands of the group are germane and commended the group for the initiatives.

“The perpetrators of these acts of violence against women are not aliens who fell from space. They are people in our neighborhoods, people often known by their victims. It is high time all stakeholders teamed up to stop these vices. The Law should be sterner and should be enforced. I assure you that the NUJ will collaborate with you in giving voice to these campaigns. Once again, do not rest on your oars.”

Among those who accompanied the Chairperson on the Advocacy Visit were Mrs Eseosa Onebamoi, Programme Officer, Comrade Adesuwa Ehimuan, Chairperson of NAWOJ Edo State Chapter and Vice Chairperson of the group, Comrade Grace I. Umeh, Public Relations Officer and former Chairperson, NAWOJ, Edo State and Comrade Habiba Sam, member.

News

Gombe Wins Northeast Quiz Competition On Legislature, Democracy

Published

15 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Gombe State has emerged as the winner at the 2025 North East Zonal Quiz Competition on legislature and democracy organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for senior secondary schools across Northeast on Friday.

Speaking before the commencement of the 2025 edition of the zonal debate which focuses on the legislature, democracy and governance, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, said the exercise was to deepen the knowledge of legislative and democratic governance among secondary school students and youth.

According to him, it was also to broaden their knowledge on the history, practice and procedure of the legislature and encourage deeper understanding of civic and democratic governance.

The competition, he added, would stimulate the interest of the young students in politics and make them more proactive in matters relating to the legislature and democracy.

He explained that enhancing the knowledge of young Nigerians in the legislature would not only foster an inclusive and participatory legislature in Nigeria but would also serve as an avenue for citizen engagement in the legislative process.

Represented by Mr Jeremiah Agada, NILDS Northeast Zonal Quiz Coordinator, Sulaiman added that the quiz competition would take place in all the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“It is also to inspire young Nigerians to cultivate the interest to participate in legislative governance.

“This 10th edition of the competition is therefore the fourth time the competition has been held at the national level.

“As the 2025 NILDS Zonal quiz competition is declared open, I therefore urge all competing students and their teachers to abide by the rules of the game so that the desired objectives of the competition are achieved,” he said.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Muhammed Lawal, said the exercise was a welcome development in the circle of education, adding that it was a ground where students in the zone could be tested among other students in the country.

“This will enable us to improve the quality of our delivery in our various schools to our teeming students across the zone.

“I want them to take it upon themselves that in an engagement like this, there is no loser. You put in your best, and if at the end of the day, you don’t make it up to the top, your efforts will be crowned.

“I hope this will be well covered because it will stimulate other schools to be part of and perform better so that they can come up to this level as well,” he said.

Mohammed appreciated the commitment of teachers and moderators who coached the students to fully participate in the competition and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revamping the education sector under Gov. Bala Mohammad’s leadership.

Announcing the winner of the competition, the Quiz Master Mr. Lucky Tongs, announced Gombe State as the overall winner of the debate with 75 points

He also announced Taraba State as the first runner up with 55 points and Yobe State as the third position with 50 points, adding that the winner is expected to represent the Northeast sub-region at the National competition in Abuja.

Other states that participated in the competition included Adamawa and Bauchi.

News

Police Arrest Nollywood Production Manager For Assaulting Crew Member

Published

18 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Police have arrested a Nollywood production manager, Anierobi Courage, for allegedly assaulting a crew member.

Anierobi Courage, better known as Nwa South, reportedly assaulted the head of makeup, Mary Chizzy Eze, on October 28, 2025, while on the set of the film “Lagos to Opulence.”

A trending video of the physical altercation showed the production manager pressing Mary’s throat after slapping her, an act that has sparked widespread outrage on social media.

Reacting to the public condemnation, the Nigeria Film Crew Community (NFCC), in a statement released on Thursday, described Courage’s actions as “animalistic behaviour.”

Announcing his arrest, NFCC called on Nollywood producers and other stakeholders to blacklist Courage across all productions.

“The production manager violently hit and strangled Mary Chizzy Eze for speaking up against unequal treatment among the crew. While she has received medical care, he has been arrested.

“This level of disregard for human dignity is unacceptable. We stand firmly against all forms of abuse, assault, and crew maltreatment,” the NFCC said.

News

‘EFCC Collected N10m Before They Released Me’ – Oladips Alleges [VIDEO]

Published

19 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Popular Nigerian singer, Oladips has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of collecting N10 million from him.

The rapper made this known nearly a year after he was arrested by EFCC during a midnight raid in his estate.

Oladips was arrested with some of his neighbors for alleged fraud in November 2024.

He was released after spending five days in detention.

Speaking about his experience with the EFCC, Oladips in his latest interview on Trending podcast, stated that nothing was found on him after the EFCC investigations.

While revealing that the EFCC collected N10 million from him before his release, he lamented that “Nigeria just happened to me”.

“It’s just one smelling place like that. They just packed us there like sardines and they gave us nonsense food. Funny enough it was Zlatan that was sending me food. Zlatan is not even a friend, that’s my blood.

“He was sending someone to buy good food for me because the food there is bad. They just packed us there like sardines. I’m not even supposed to be there first of all. Like, why did I spend four to five days there when you people (EFCC) didn’t find anything on me, not even a single thing. And they still collect N10 million from me before they released me.”

When asked “Is it a thing you can take up against the EFCC later, or you will just allow the sleeping dog lie?”, the singer responded “Who is my father?”

“Who is my father now? At the end of the day, who is my father? It’s just me and my truth. It’s not something I will want to. I don’t just know how the system works. I for dey their page now if to say I dey do Yahoo. They didn’t find anything on me. If they are watching this, they know that I’m saying the truth.

“They collected money from me before they released me. They didn’t find anything on me. So, what was the money for? What was all that stress and suffering for? It’s just Nigeria. Nigeria just happened to me,” he said.

https://x.com/i/status/1983504280972615813