News

Why We Don’t Sponsor Female Politicians — UN Women

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2023

…Gives Guidelines On How To Access Fund

Beatrice Eyong, United Nations, UN, Women Country Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, has explained why the body cannot financially sponsor female politicians.

Eyong said that the UN Women does not sponsor female political candidates due to policy restrictions existing in various countries and also that some funders say Nigeria has a lot of money,

Eyong spoke in Lagos at a workshop organised by the UN Women and the government of Canada in partnership with the Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre, WARDC.

She spoke in response to an appeal made by Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, a member of the House of Representatives and former Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, to the UN Women and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

Akande-Sadipe, while delivering a keynote address, had appealed to the UN Women and NGOs to consider funding the campaigns of women political candidates as a means of helping them overcome the burgeoning challenge of finance.

Eyong said: “I have always advocated this also, even while in New York; that money be given directly to candidates.

“However, there is a problem with the rules that govern financing campaigns.

“Sometimes, some countries may allow it while others may not. Some countries have restrictions on direct funding of political campaigns by international organisations.

“Another thing I must put on the table is that when we are mobilising funds, what they (funders) tell us is that Nigeria has a lot of money and does not need money.

“So, we face difficulties mobilising funds for middle-income countries. When I was in Mali, I had nearly double the budget that I had in Nigeria because the argument is always that Nigeria has money and does not need money.

“This is the truth.

“We, however, are working on the electoral process so that it can be gender-responsive even though we are not giving money directly to candidates. So, we are working around the candidates to create a favourable environment.

“With the funding from Canada, for example, we have been working with owners of media houses to influence how the media is reporting on women, especially women in politics.

“Among other things, we worked with the Girl Guides to mobilise rural women to vote for women candidates. We have also mobilised private sector CEOs to support women candidates.

“In addition, in terms of capacity building, we have worked with INEC and security agencies to ensure a gender-responsive security during elections.

“We have also set up three resource centres for women in politics. Also, we mobilised traditional rulers.

“Amid the many things that we have done, the law does not yet allow us to give money directly to candidates to fund their campaigns.”

‘How to access UN Women fund’

Eyong, however, advised that funding from the UN Women can be better accessed collectively, through a formally organised platform; and not individually.

“Another way you can have funding is if you are together. If we have a platform for female parliamentarians, it is easier to tell funders to fund your activities.

“Even when put together at the zonal levels, such platforms can easily have access to funding,” she said.

Earlier, Akande-Sadipe had said: “UN Women and other non-governmental organisations love you for your efforts; but we need money.

“Women’s access to money to finance their political aspirations is very limited.

“It is very important that you identify credible women and begin to finance their projects and campaigns, including vehicles, media, and more.

“We need those tangible cash assistance. The training centres are brilliant ideas but what happens if you train me and I do not have the money?

“What has limited women in this part of the world is money.”

News

Back To School: Lions Club Distributes Educational Materials In Edo Schools

Published

4 hours ago

October 4, 2025

Editor

The Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions of the International Association of Lions Club on Friday jointly distributed educational materials to two schools in Benin City as part of the association corporate services to humanity.

The two clubs in District 404-A4 Lions Nigeria, jointly carried out the distribution of notebooks, maths sets, school bags and sandals, pens and other writing materials to excited pupils in Ivbioba Primary School and Oghede-Ivioba Primary School, Ugbighoko, Egor Local Government Area, and Evbiyenava Primary School, in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Themed, Back to School Project, pupils were also engaged in Reading Action Program (RAP) and Spelling Bee Competition, after which winners were presented with special prizes.

In their remarks, Lions Darlington Uyi and Franca Nikoro, presidents of Benin Etete Unique and Edo Heritage Lions Clubs stated that the vision of the Lions International is to serve humanity.

They, therefore, tasked pupils on commitment to their studies in order to attain their fullest potentials in life.

“Emulate Lions in your visions for tomorrow. We have various professionals as members, and if you are committed to your studies, obedient to your parents and teachers, you will attain great heights,” Lion Uyi Darlinton Stated.

“Our vision is to serve, and we are here like we do every period to ensure Literacy is inculcated in pupils to enable them to attain their full potential. It is our earnest desire that you grow into well rounded personalities. Literacy is important in order to actualize that aspiration,” Franca Nikoro stated.

Earlier, in his address, Lion Sir Dede Henry Idemudia, Zone 6A Chairperson, tasked the pupils on good conduct, honour to parents and guardians and obedience to instructions of school authority.

News

NAFDAC Gives Nigerian Food Companies 18 Months To Cut Trans Fats

Published

5 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has set an 18-month grace period, effectively giving food companies until early 2026 before facing full enforcement of regulations to eliminate industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA).

The initiative, launched as a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for TFA regulation, moves Nigeria from simply having the policy to enforcing its world-class standard: a regulatory limit of no more than two grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat or oil.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasised that the roadmap moves the country beyond policy creation to aggressive enforcement and implementation.

This was contained in the NAFDAC DG’s keynote speech posted on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

Adeyeye stressed the moral imperative of the Agency’s mission.

“The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.

“Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is possible, achievable, necessary, and urgent,” Adeyeye stated, calling for national collaboration.

The moratorium period is designed to allow manufacturers to exhaust existing stock with outdated labels and reformulate their products to comply with the legal limit.

NAFDAC’s action targets a dangerous dietary risk factor strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature death globally.

Adeyeye emphasised the significance of the move beyond technical compliance, noting, “The removal of industrially produced trans fats from the food chain is not only a technical achievement, but a moral imperative.”

This aggressive step builds upon Nigeria’s existing reputation; the country was recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2023 for adopting best-practice TFA elimination policies.

The new roadmap is key to securing WHO validation of Nigeria’s full TFA elimination programme, establishing the nation as a regional leader in public health interventions.

News

Mohbad’s Father Urges Lagos AG To Prosecute Wife, Nurse, Others

Published

5 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

Joseph Aloba, the father of late singer Mohbad, has urged the Lagos State government to initiate criminal proceedings against individuals named in the coroner’s inquest into his son’s death.

Mohbad passed away on September 12, 2023, following an injection administered by auxiliary nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe.

Despite being buried the next day, public outcry and ongoing investigations led to the exhumation of his body on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy.

In a letter dated October 3 and addressed to the attorney general of Lagos State through his lawyers, Aloba demanded that criminal charges be filed against those indicted within 14 days.

“Specifically, we refer to persons indicted by the coroner’s verdict hereunder: Miss Ogedengbe Fisayo, indicted for unlawful medical practice and gross medical negligence; and Mrs. Omowunmi Aloba, indicted for negligence,” the letter reads.

“This includes Ibrahim Owodunni, a.k.a. Prime Boy, and others who either facilitated the invitation of the auxiliary nurse or refused to take him promptly to a recognised medical facility for treatment.”

Mohbad’s father said he was concerned that despite the coroner’s clear verdict, no prosecutorial steps had been taken against those indicted nearly three months after the judgment.

He asked the attorney general to exercise prosecutorial powers within the 14 days, or, in the alternative, grant him and his legal team a fiat to prosecute the matter on behalf of the state.

“Our Client, as a bereaved father desirous of ensuring that justice is done and seen to be done, is deeply concerned that notwithstanding the clear indictments contained in the Coroner’s Verdict, no prosecutorial steps have been taken against the aforementioned persons since the delivery of the Verdict on 11th July, 2025,” the letter reads.

“The judicial observations amount to clear indictments warranting the prosecution of the said individuals in order to give full effect to the Coroner’s findings and recommendations, and to ensure that justice is manifestly and adequately served in this matter.

“We request that you exercise your prosecutorial power on the above subject matter within 14 Days Next, in view of the high sensitivity of this matter and the public attention and outrage it has generated.”

In October 2023, Naira Marley and Sam Larry were arrested over allegations linking them to Mohbad’s death, but were released on bail after five weeks in detention.

By February 2025, a magistrate court cleared them of any involvement in the singer’s demise.