News

Kukah, Global Peace Task Religious Leaders On Nation Building

Published

3 years ago

June 24, 2023

Editor

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and a group, Global Peace Foundation have decried the situation where Nigerians lived with mental challenges and called on government to provide support systems that would bring succour in such cases.

Speaking at the Catholic Resource Centre, Durumi Abuja, during a one-day conference on ‘Trauma Care, Social Cohesion and the Role of Religious Leaders as Agents of Nation Building,’ Kukah who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event noted that virtually all Nigerians are traumatized considering that they live in a traumatized environment.

He said that Nigerians were challenged with mental health at various stages and emphasized the need for support systems from both the government, CSOs, and anyone who can provide it.

According to him, “the sense of community has been suspended; fundamental issues like trust have become scarce commodities largely because of what the society has become.”

He called for the aggregate of interest of values for the state to resolve all contradictions, stressing that banditry is one of the most terrible things that has happened to the nation with priests and cleric across religions being targeted by kidnappers in the country as the church is now in solidarity with the nation in its battle with insurgency.

He called on all victims to retain their state of sanity and put bitterness behind them.

The Country Director, of Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, called for the collaboration of religious leaders with CSOs and other stakeholders towards enhancing the sustenance of peace in Nigeria.

He noted that the religious leaders have a role to play in nation-building, urging them to rise to the occasion and use their God-given platforms to provide care, preach social cohesion, and contribute to peaceful coexistence in the country.

The Country Director also spoke at the Catholic Resource Centre, Durumi Abuja, during a one-day conference on “Trauma Care, Social Cohesion and the Role of Religious Leaders as Agents of Nation Building”.

The program was organized by Nigerian KAICIID Fellows in collaboration with Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace, the Interfaith Mediation Centre, and O-Trauma Victims Initiative.

Hayab felicitated and identified with all victims of the numerous traumatic experiences in the country particularly at the hands of bandits, kidnappers, and terrorists.

He lamented that people have lost touch with their common humanity and that it is only by embracing their common humanity that true and lasting peace could be found, stressing that it was the reason why Global Peace Foundation Nigeria started preaching that human beings are members of one family under God, irrespective of any difference.

Rev. Hayab stressed the need for interfaith collaboration in the quest for social cohesion and nation-building, calling on religious leaders to collectively confront and address the challenges being faced by society by providing shelter for the traumatized people to lean on.

“Trauma and other security challenges faced by people in our societies are human experiences that require religious collaborations to tackle them. Unfortunately, religion, ethnicity, and other lines of the divide have encroached into our humanity with detrimental effects, faithful of all religions should collaborate to ensure sanity in society,” he said.

He called on religious leaders and CSOs to continue in their efforts of collaboration and building a network of peacebuilders to salvage the nation and urged that peacebuilding engagements should go beyond town hall meetings to the grassroots and local communities to promote love, peace and tolerance, respect and civic responsibilities among rural dwellers.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

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

Published

3 hours 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

5 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.