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Be More Actively Involved In Child-Nutrition Programmes – UNICEF Urges Traditional Rulers

Published

9 months ago

March 20, 2025

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on all the Traditional Rulers in Nigeria to be more actively involved in propagating programmes that would enhance children’s well-being and nutrition in the country.

UNICEF Deputy Country Representative, Programme, Dr. Rownak Khan, made the call while visiting the palace of Toro Local Government District Head in Bauchi state to monitor UNICEF activities in nutrition.

According to her, the roles the traditional institutions played in improving family health, issues affecting children and nutrition as well as safe motherhood could not be overemphasised in the society.

She added that their active involvement in those programmes would go a long way towards addressing child and maternal mortality rates across the country.

The UNICEF boss also commended Dandore Community in Toro LGA, adding that the community was a model of example in healthy living and expressed happiness with the setting of the Community describing it as a model to be emulated across the country.

“I am very pleased to visit the Dandore Community. The community has a very good leadership, from what I have seen, the community leaders do take care of their community members.”

“I have seen a lot of the women looking good and healthy, nursing mothers looking well fed. I have seen that they have been taking their children for Immunization, they also have toilets in their houses.

“They are also doing a lot of kitchen gardens and making nutritious foods for their children using the local sources. I think this is a very good example of how communities should be.

“They can be sufficient and can improve not only their nutritional status and their children U-5, but overall health conditions and I hope other communities in Nigeria can follow the example here in Dandore,” she said.

The Deputy Country Representative, Programme, reiterated the commitment of UNICEF to providing technical support to communities in Bauchi State in order to sustain its various interventions on improving the health of women and children.

She assured that UNICEF would continue its support at various levels just to ensure that women and children were not denied access to quality healthcare services and education.

Also, the District Head, Alh Umar Adamu, who received the team, commended UNICEF for championing the cause of women and children in the area.

He explained that the nutrition initiative has improved the lives of women and their children in Toro.

“Here in Toro LGA, our women have embraced the nutrition initiative, we have healthy children and mothers who are engaging in exclusive breastfeeding of the children.

“We engaged in serious advocacy and sensitisation meetings before we achieved the stage we are now. Without the cooperation of the women, we will not be here. The women have been supportive and cooperative of the initiative,” he said.

News

Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

11 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.

News

Otuaro Tasks Media On Objective Reportage

Published

20 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Dr. Dennis Otuaro has charged media practitioners particularly members of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum to promote ethical journalism through their reportage.

He gave the charge in Warri on Wednesday during the 2nd Annual Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF).

Represented by Princewill Binebai, spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Otuaro while stating that the Niger Delta stories have been told in such a way that is quite different from what is obtainable in the real sense, said this, IPF must do everything possible to correct.

The administrator added: “I am happy that Ijaw journalists have boldly come out together to champion the Ijaw struggle in a very dynamic perspective”.

“The Ijaw story was misrepresented over the years, but IPF’s emergence had corrected this error and the story is gradually changing for better.”

Otuaro, however, challenged Ijaw media practitioners to be objective, truthful, accurate and fearless in their reportage to correct many years anomalies of the Ijaw struggle.

He admonished members of IPF to see themselves as brothers and love one another in the discharge of their activities to achieve a common goal.

News

Police Confirm Edo Tanker Explosion, say No Casualty

Published

20 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed tanker explosions that rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Police Publice Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident via the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

Ikoedem said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

She explained that spilled fuel seeped into underground tunnels, which later ignited and caused three explosions in different parts of the Auchi community.

According to her, officers from the Auchi Divisional Police Headquarters and the Area Command were mobilised to the affected areas and successfully cordoned them off to prevent loss of lives.

She added: “No casualty was recorded. Our men on ground were able to cordoned the affected areas.”

It was gathered that three separate explosions rocked the town simultaneously in different parts, which led to properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

A resident who does not want his name in print said via the telephone that the blasts occurred along Igbei Road, Igbo Shade, and along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

The resident, who alleged the explosions appeared to have been coordinated, called for a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Calls put across to Mr. Monday Edogiawere, Chairman, Red Cross, Edo State, were not picked.