Improved community participation and stronger accountability mechanisms are transforming healthcare delivery at the Primary Health Care Centre (PHC), Nikuchi, under the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) Project of the Association of Civil Society for Malaria, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN). By Anna Moses The initiative, implemented across 13 states, including Niger State, focuses on malaria prevention, immunisation, and nutrition through community-driven strategies such as advocacy visits, focus group discussions, client exit interviews, and follow-ups. In Niger State, the project is being executed in ten Local Government Areas (LGAs) through twenty Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). The Hurting Hearts Foundation (HHF) oversees implementation in the Nikuchi…
Author: Editor
I believe those teasing the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as a land grabber have no idea of the extent of power he, like state governors, holds over land within his jurisdiction. Most of the criticisms directed at him over this dispute are projections of personal dislike for the man rather than sound legal reasoning. While it may be agreed that he should not have been physically present at the scene, the law vests power over land matters squarely in his office. We are under a civilian administration, and any claim that a military officer can interfere with a public institution’s…
I have read competing perspectives on the correctitude (or lack thereof) of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Lt. A.M. Yerima’s conduct in the viral video of their gladiatorial rhetorical combat. My concern, however, is different. Several social media commentators, irrespective of partisan affiliations, appear united in proclaiming that Wike finally “met his match” in Yerima. Interestingly, the Wike-Yerima confrontation reminded me of a puzzlingly paradoxical but deeply philosophical aphorism we were fond of as student union activists in the 1990s. We used to say that when an unstoppable force (which Wike fancies himself as and which many people ascribe to…
Younger generations of Nigerians would not know the famous mad dog story involving late Chief MKO Abiola and troops of the Nigerian Army. Oral account had it that Retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar as a middle Cadre Senior Officer led that operation. Lt. AM Yerima of the Nigerian Navy is equivalent to Captain in the Nigerian Army for those who may not know. The restraint that young officer exhibited today is typical of Nigerian Armed Forces officers. They can be complete gentlemen until you threaten their life which Minister Nyesom Wike’s DSS detail almost did. Ironically, if those guys were not…
Residents of Minna, the Niger State capital have expressed gratitude to the Federal Government as they continue to benefit from the ongoing distribution of Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) by the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP). By Anna Moses The aim of the distribution of insecticide-treated nets, launched in partnership with Global Fund and other health partners, is to reduce child mortality and high cases of malaria in Nigeria. Speaking with our reporter on Mandela Road, Victoria Kumaorun Adugu, expressed joy over the free nets, describing them as life-saving gifts for families battling constant mosquito bites. She explained that before now, all her…
The unsung heroes working tirelessly to serve Nigeria with all their strength are present in every part of the country. Their contribution to nation-building depends on their capacity and resources. Still, the common thread among them is serving the nation and humanity without expecting dividends for their toil, deriving joy from putting smiles on the faces of those uplifted, and their readiness and zeal to do more. In my last article, I discussed two remarkable personalities—Coach OBJ and Hajia Dr. Salamatu Garba of WOFAN—and promised to highlight more unsung heroes deserving national recognition. One such distinguished individual is Dr. Hassan Ahmed…
Conversations around Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) continues to stir mixed emotions in Nigeria as scientists, farmers, and public health experts struggle to find balance between innovation and human safety. By Anna Moses While the promise of GMOs lies in their potential to end hunger and improve crop yield, concerns over their long-term impact on human health and the environment remain unresolved. At a recent training in Zaria on food biotechnology and biosafety, experts emphasized that GMOs are not inherently dangerous when properly tested and regulated. They explained that the process involves modifying the genes of plants to make them more…
In Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria, commercial driving is widely regarded as a man’s job. It is almost unthinkable or unbelievable to see a woman controlling a commercial tricycle, locally known as Keke Napep, in the Caliphate City of Sokoto metropolis. But in 2024, Madam Godiya, a 50-year-old mother, defied the odds. Once a trained nurse, she dropped her hospital uniform for a tricycle key, entering a world few women in her community dared to explore. From nursing to the road For years, Madam Godiya worked as a nurse in a hospital within a military barracks in Sokoto. But after losing…
Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States of America, released a video on Truth Social threatening military action against Nigeria by stating, “I will do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about” and threatening to “go into that now-disgraced country guns-a-blazing.” Trump then claimed there is a genocide against Christians in Nigeria, instructing the Department of War to prepare for possible action, drawing a parallel to what he described as attacks on Christians. This narrative about Nigeria did not begin with Trump. In recent months, campaigners and Washington politicians have alleged that Islamist…
Nigeria’s online and offline discursive arenas have been suffused with frenetic, impassioned, and intensely heightened dialogic exchanges in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and this threat to militarily invade the country to stop what he called a “Christian genocide.” Nigerians are predictably divided largely along the country’s familiar primordial fissures. But beyond the surface disagreements, there’s actually a deeper congruence of opinions we miss in moments of hyper-aroused emotions. And this revolves around the recognition that Nigeria faces an inexcusable existential threat from the intractable murderous fury of terrorists and…