News

Bassey First Nigerian To Be Honoured With Wallenberg Medal, HOMEF Celebrates

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2024

Editor

The Executive Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has been honoured with the prestigious 2024 Wallenberg Medal.

The award which took place on 10 September 2024, at the Ross School of Business Robertson Auditorium, at the University of Michigan, was in recognition of Bassey’s long list of accomplishments.

Bassey is the first Nigerian and the fifth African to have received the award.

The Wallenberg Medal is a tribute to outstanding humanitarians who have gone above and beyond to protect the vulnerable and oppressed, much like
Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews during World War II, whom the award was named after.

Earlier, the Swedish Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador
Urban Ahlin, extolled the virtues of Raoul Wallenberg and enjoined the
audience to dedicate their lives to the cause of humanity so that they
may be remembered just as Wallenberg was being recognized.

In his acceptance speech and lecture title We Are Relatives, Dr Nnimmo Bassey stressed “love, humility, dignity, and respect” as core to his vision of a livable future for all beings.”

He stated that “as an
environmental justice advocate whose work has been based on
understanding the polycrisis confronting us, we have a duty to always seek to uncover the roots of the crises rather than treating the
symptoms.”

He continued, “Seeking out those roots helps us avoid superficial
responses and pursue real solutions, some of which may be unattainable in our lifetimes. One of our key struggles has been understanding the mindset that permits inequalities in our societies. The mindset that elevates might over care and love. The mindset that promotes the
individual rather than the community. The mindset that refuses to understand that we are relatives. The mindset that grabs, trashes, and feeds on the misery of others. The mindset that permits environmental racism.

“Understanding the roots of polycrisis helps us to see the phenomenon of expanding sacrifice zones in our world today. It also

placed on us the duty of standing with the oppressed to halt the
expansion of sacrifice zones in Nigeria, in Africa, and elsewhere by
seeking to overcome the energy and other hegemonic transitions that sacrifice nature and are driven by colonial extractivism built on
embedded geopolitical power imbalances”.

Bassey further stated, “Climate action and inaction provide pictures
that help us see the difficulties we face in trying to build a consensus
that the climate crisis is a global crisis and not a national crisis. It
also shows that the world is not yet ready to make the hard decisions by accepting that the pursuit of infinite growth on a finite planet is a
false dream.”

Celebrating the Bassey on behalf of other staff members, Director of Programmes, HOMEF, Joyce
Brown, applauded the executive director for his outstanding performance, stating that Bassey’s exceptional work and contributions have led to undeniable global recognition.

“It was also a veritable opportunity to showcase the work that HOMEF does and show the key place that cultural tools like poetry play in healing a hurting world, ‘ she stated.

Besides being an environmental activist, Bassey’s work includes
significant environmental books like To Cook a Continent: Destructive Extraction and The Climate Crisis in Africa (2012), and Oil Politics: Echoes of Ecological War. His poetry, including We Thought It Was Oil But It Was Blood (1998), I Will Not Dance to Your Beat (2010), and the
latest I See the Invisible (2024), continue to inspire the spirit of
resistance and hope in all who read or listen to him.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

6 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

19 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.