News
HOMEF Organizes Reading Series, Wants Nigerians Pick Ideas From Books To Better The Environment
By Joseph Ebi Kanjo
In its pursuant to environmental justice, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), on Friday commenced a book reading series wherein short stories about the environment from a book co-authored by HOMEF team were read.
The eleven chapters and 93 pages book titled ‘A Walk in the Curfew’, and written during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown is a collection of short stories about the environment as it relates to man’s action, politics, challenges in the society, amongst others.
Speaking at the event held in Benin, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, HOMEF, said the reading series was to make Nigerians appreciate books and more so to make them pick one or two ideas from books on how to make the environment better.
“We want Nigerians to pick up ideas from books, music, drama, movies, etc about what they can do to make the environment better,” he added.
READ ALSO: HOMEF Trains Communities On Energy Transition, Approaches
According to Bassey, writing a book during a time the world was locked down is a reminder of the fact that the time of crisis is the best time to pause, reflect, and take real action.
He added: “Most often, when there is a calamity or there is a crisis, people tend to forget that they need to do something. People just panic, and forget about thinking to discuss what should be done.
“Writing a book in a time the world was locked down shows the fact that when things happen this way, don’t just ignore it, it is time to sit down and reflect.
“By writing the stories in the time of the pandemic, the writers show that emergencies are excellent moments for reflection on life.
READ ALSO: Bassey First Nigerian To Be Honoured With Wallenberg Medal, HOMEF Celebrates
“They also hold up the light on how to build resilience and overcome the most dire situations.
“The stories remind us of the power of human connection, solidarity, and creativity in the face of adversity.”
One of the co-authors, Kome Odhomor, said she was inspired to write her short stories after visiting a community in Rivers State where she saw fishes dead in the rivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Odhomor, the Communication Lead, HOMEF, who authored the chapter titled ‘The Fisher’s Pain’, said her story is a portrayal of the challenges faced by fishers in the Niger Delta and the need to protect the environment as humans.
READ ALSO: HOMEF Set To Hold National Conference On GMOs And Biosafety In Nigeria
“One would wonder how the fisherman copes at that particular time when the country was faced with lockdown and people are scrambling for survival.
“It brought to mind that we do need nature as humans, but not nature needing us, as we were made to believe,” she added.
Another co-author, Onome Etisioro, said the COVID-19 pandemic, which inspired fear in her, also made her come up with the thinking that for man to suffer from nature in that magnitude, man must have acted badly to nature in his day-to-day activities.
“The lockdown inspired fear in me in the sense that I saw nature as the opponent at that period. It was something that was scary; but it was also something that made me think that if nature is fighting us now, it means that we must have done something wrong to it, for it to fight back. So, it allows me to reflect on humans’ activities in nature,” she said.
News
Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt
Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.
Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.
Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.
He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.
READ ALSO:US Dept Of War Shares Video Of Air Strikes In Nigeria
According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.
Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.
He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.
READ ALSO:Trump To Attend FIFA World Cup Finals Draw On Friday
The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.
“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.
“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.
“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.
News
Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria
Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.
Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.
READ ALSO:US Dept Of War Shares Video Of Air Strikes In Nigeria
He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.
Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.
He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: US Forces Bomb Terrorists Camps In Nigeria
“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.
“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”
News
UKWU! Timaya Falls On Stage While Trying To Lift Plus-sized Woman During Performance [VIDEO]
Nigerian singer, Timaya fell on stage while trying to lift a plus-sized lady during performance.
The incident occurred during his ‘Ukwu’ performance at the Gbaramatu Christmas Carnival in Delta State.
READ ALSO:Saboteurs Against Presidential Amnesty Reforms – General Ndiomu
Timaya in a now trending video on social media collapsed after the plus-sized woman jumped on him midday into his performance.
The singer later got up and continued his performance amid cheers from the crowd.
Watch video here
https://x.com/hypetribeng/status/2004263337572684157?s=20
-
News4 days agoPHOTOS: New Era In Furupagha-Ebijaw As Okpururu 1 Receives Staff Of Office
-
News3 days agoUBTH CMD Marks 120 Days In Office, Expresses Commitment To Providing Conducive Working Environment
-
News3 days agoOPINION: Gumi And His Terrorists
-
News3 days agoFIRS Confirms NIN As Tax ID
-
News4 days agoFG Declares Public Holidays For Christmas, New Year Celebrations
-
Metro3 days agoFintiri Pardons Man Sentenced To Death For ‘Killing Herdsman In Self-defence’, Others
-
News4 days ago
OPINION: Christmas And A Motherless Child
-
News3 days agoOPINION: My Man Of The Season
-
News2 days agoJUST IN: Kano Lawmaker, Sarki Aliyu Daneji, Dies Hours After Colleague’s Passing
-
Metro3 days agoPetrol Tanker Crashes Into Akpabio’s Convoy, Kills Police Dispatch Rider
