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HOMEF Organizes Reading Series, Wants Nigerians Pick Ideas From Books To Better The Environment

Published

2 years ago

January 31, 2025

Editor

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.

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.

“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.

“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

Six Corps Members Receive N10m Grants To Boost Agribusiness

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Six members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have received a total of N10 million in grants to expand their agribusiness ventures under the Farmers for the Future Programme.

The programme was organised on Monday by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage young Nigerians to embrace agriculture and develop sustainable businesses.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries in Abuja, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, urged Corps members to maximise the opportunities provided by the service year by venturing into commodity marketing and other viable businesses.

Nafiu said agribusiness remained a viable avenue for young people to build sustainable enterprises, create employment and generate wealth.

He also stressed the importance of value addition to the success and sustainability of business ventures, while commending BATNF for placing Nigerian youths at the centre of its entrepreneurship initiatives through value-chain development, employment creation and its partnership with the NYSC.

“I charge you to spread the news around. We have seen the outcome, and it is a good idea,” he said.

The beneficiaries are Dominic Olufemi (FC/25C/1143), who received N3 million; Temitope Adewole (ED/26A/2251), N2 million; Abdulwaheed Bala (ED/25B/1402), N2 million; Olanike Mayungbe (OG/26B/1037), N1 million; Kingsley Udoeyen (KG/26A/1735), N1 million; and Lorember Lorsue (JG/25B/1742), N1 million.

Speaking on the selection process, the Acting Director, Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs Winifred Shopeka, said the programme began with an online registration portal through which Corps Members engaged in agribusiness submitted their business plans.

She said nearly 3,000 Corps members applied and underwent a rigorous selection process that produced 20 finalists.

According to her, the finalists participated in a boot camp and a final pitching session, which produced the 10 best presenters before the six ultimate winners were selected.

Shopeka said the beneficiaries had also been mentored and attached to established market operators to assist them in marketing their products.

She added that Corps Members who did not make the final stage of the competition were also trained by BATNF.

The BATNF Team Lead, Mr Oludare Odusanya, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged Corps Members engaged in agribusiness to master the fundamentals and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.

“We are happy with our collaboration with the NYSC, and it will continue,” he said.

Odusanya explained that BATNF was an independent organisation established to contribute to poverty reduction in Nigeria through sustainable agricultural practices and other interventions.

He said the Farmers for the Future Programme was instituted in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage Corps Members to venture into agribusiness and become job creators.

He added that the beneficiaries would be attached to mentors who would guide them towards achieving success in their respective businesses.

According to him, the programme has, since its inception, continued to enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of Corps Members.

News

CBN Reduces Interest Rate To 23%

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday announced the reduction of the interest rate, also known as Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 23 percent.

Briefing the media in Abuja, the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said at the 307th MPC meeting held on September 22, 2026 agreed the resetting of the MPR and recaliberation of the monetary policy market.

According to Cardoso, the committe is satisfied with the disinflation progress, adding that members noted stable banking sector following successful recapitalisation.

Meanwhile, according to Nigerian Tribune, reports that that the MPC, at its 306th meeting in July 2026, disclosed its resolution to retain the interets at 26.5 percent.

According to the Governor of the CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, “the Committee’s decision to maintain the current policy stance followed a thorough assessment of the balance of risks. Although headline inflation moderated marginally in June 2026, global uncertainties have heightened, due mainly to the renewed hostilities in the Middle East.

“In view of the evolving developments, maintaining a cautious monetary policy stance remains appropriate. In arriving at its decision, the Committee noted the recent resurgence of hostilities in the Middle East, with particular attention to its spillover effects on global energy prices and the potential pass-through to domestic inflation.”

News

NURTW: KWAM1 Settles Long-time Rift Between MC Oluomo, Tafa Sego

Published

1 day ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Nigerian Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1, has brokered a peace deal between the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) National President, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, and the Lagos State Chairman of the union, Mustapha Adekunle, aka Tafa Sego.

The reconciliation took place at Ojusagbola in Ijebu, Ogun State, where several NURTW chieftains gathered for the meeting.

The development was announced on Tuesday on KWAM1’s digital media page on Instagram, alongside photographs from the meeting.

According to the post, the two union leaders have resolved their differences after years of strained relations.

“After years of an age-long rift, MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego have finally settled their differences. And from what we know now, this is final,” the post said.

The musician was said to have intervened as the Mayegun of Yorubaland, with the aim of bringing an end to the longstanding disagreement between the two NURTW figures.

“K1 acted in his role as the Mayegun of Yorubaland by seeking an end to the long-standing rift, once and for all,” it said.

The post also described the meeting as a significant step beyond previous public displays of reconciliation.

“This time, it was not just another handshake for the cameras. The two old friends and colleagues came together at Ojusagbola, with King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1) playing the peacemaker.”

Both MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego were reported to be pleased with the outcome of the intervention.

“Both parties are delighted about the new development,” the post said.

The two men had previously been allies and prominent figures within the Lagos NURTW before their relationship became strained amid disagreements linked to leadership of the union in the state.