One Year later, Nigerians Remember Dr. Adadevoh, As The World Marks World Humanitarian Day!

As we mark World Humanitarian Day, a day, set aside to celebrate humanitarians around the world. 

We remember, and celebrate the efforts of humanitarians the world over, from the most recognized and celebrated personalities, to those in obscurity either out of choice or circumstance, we salute their efforts. 

Its been a year since Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, of First Consultant Hospital, located at Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, breath her last,  after a brave fight against the deadly Ebola disease. 

Dr. Adadevoh's story is one many knew too well, and at her death, drew national and international attention, concerning her efforts at making sure the Ebola virus was to a large extent curtailed from spreading and taking more lives across the country, than it did.

So many voices, so many posthumous awards, so many promises made to set up a foundation or a memorial in her honor. 

Alas, its been a year, and one can not really tell if anything has in actual sense, been done to that respect. 

As expected, Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh's memorial service will be, or would have been graced with dignitaries from all walks of life, all dressed to tilt, a perfect time to network, trade blames on 'who's done what, and who isn't', chit-chats on how to 'like seriously do something about it'.

Eulogies powerful enough to wake the dead will as expected, be poured out to a 'selfless life spent to save humanity, a course  she lived and died for'. 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing all the above mentioned. The question however remains...."after all these, what next"?

What aids, in terms of Publicity, Expertise and Voluntary Services, Adequate Facilities, and Funds, is the 'Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh Health Trust' currently getting in order to be more effective and reach out to as much people it possibly could, not only withing Lagos state, but the entire country, with emphasis on rural areas? 

What efforts has been put in place to ensure that hence, no single Nigerian have to die as a result of the Ebola virus, and that mortality rate on deadly contagious diseases is greatly minimized?

These are some of the ways to truly immortalize not just the Late Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, but the efforts of so many other Nigerians who had at one point or the other, laid down their lives for a humanitarian course they believed in.

May the soul of Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh continue to rest in perfect peace, Amen.

Bangkok Explosion - Authorities Close Schools On Tuesday!

As a result of the deadly explosion that rocked Ratchaprasong - Bangkok, Thailand's capital, at a road intersection and shopping district near the Erawan Shrine at about 7pm local time, killing scores and injured over 80 people....

Authorities have directed that all schools in Bangkok be closed on Tuesday, August 18, due to safety concerns.

President Buhari at the National Security Summit, As Osinbajo Visits Addis Ababa For IGAD Plus Summit!

President Buhari at the National Security Summit organised by the Nigerian Police and the Sun News in Nigeria's capital city, Abuja on Monday, 17th August.



Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa for the IGAD Plus Summit on the Peace Process in South Sudan, Monday, August 17.

Indonesian Plane Carrying About Half A Million Dollars When It Crashed!

 The passenger ATR 42-300 twin-turboprop plane which crashed with 54 people on board, including four post office workers, on Sunday, August 16,  in east Indonesian Papua Province, was reported to be carrying 6.5 billion rupiah, equivalent to $470,000 in cash, meant  for distribution to poor families in Pegunungan Bintang in the province. 

The ill-fated plane which was operated by Trigana Air, an Indonesian carrier lost contact with air traffic control before 3:00 pm on Sunday, after taking off from Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province. It had 44 adult passengers, five children and five crew members on the flight scheduled to take about 45 minutes.

Local officials said a search team located the wreckage of the Trigana Air plane near the city of Oksibil in Papua Province and rescuers are on the crash site.

The plane went missing 33 minutes after takeoff from the provincial capital of Jayapura, and 10 minutes before reaching Oksibil.

Five People Killed As Planes Collide Mid-Air!

Two small planes, a twin-engine Sabreliner jet and a single-engine Cessna 172 collided mid air at Brown Field Municipal Airport in San Diego County, Southern California, near Mexico border.

The violent crash resulted in the death of four people including the pilot of the Cessna 172.  
Authorities said the Sabreliner jet, which was leased by military contractor BAE Systems, had four of its employees were on board, and that "employees and their families", will be "first priority" as BAE Systems is prepared to offer all its support.

Morgan Freeman's Granddaughter Stabbed To Death In Harlem!

Our post this week is starting on a sad note.....

E'Dena Hines, Morgan Freeman's step-granddaughter was on Sunday, August 16, stabbed to death in New York City. 

According to reports E'Dena was found with multiple stab wounds on her chest area, on West 162nd Street, near St. Nicholas Avenue, in Harlem, upper Manhattan, at about 2:54 am. From there, she was rushed to Harlem hospital, where she was pronounced dead. 

A 30-year-old man later identified as Lamar Davenport, believed to be her boyfriend, was detained at the scene and later taken to New York Presbyterian/ Weill Cornell Medical Center for medical evaluation. He has been charged with murder on Monday.

E'Dena Hines was aged 33. 

May her soul, Rest in Peace.

YOUTHS CALL FOR INCREASED GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN HUMAN AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AS THE WORLD MARKED INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY!

Following President Muhammadu Buhari's call on Nigerian youths to "be the change they want to see", at the 2015 International Youth Day, with this year’s theme “Youth Civic Engagement”. 

A group known as Nasfat Youth has taken up the challenge to visit youths living in some of the suburb areas of Lagos state, to see the various efforts made by these youths to positively engage themselves despite the challenges that confront them.

After a painstaking research, Secretary of the group, Fatai Olayemi (Amir), revealed what the group observed, and what inspired him to take up such project. 

According to Mr. Olayemi, the engagement and participation of youth is essential to achieve meaningful and sustainable developments. Yet, the opportunities for youth to engage politically, economically and socially are either low or non-existent, especially in developing countries. Although there has been increased programming, policy and attention directed on youth civic engagement by governments, United Nations entities, regional and multilateral organizations, CSOs, youth and researchers, much still needs to be done if we must achieve any significant development. 

This is evident in the response received from a recent research we conducted at Ijora Badia community, a large slum in Apapa/Iganmu Local Council Development Area, to ascertain the level of Youth civil engagement. 

There are indications that insecurity, which results in cult killings among the youth, poor infrastructural uplift, indiscriminate and early sexual exposure, teenage pregnancy and early marriage, poor hygiene and living conditions, ironically, lack of access to portable drinking water is also a major challenge that confronts a community, that is neighbour to the Lagos State Water Corporation Building, Ijora. 

Ijora community

Majority of the youths living in this area engage in menial job to earn ends meet. Despite it’s proximity to Nigeria’s leading Ports, Apapa Ports, and few kilometers away from the bustling and affluent Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Lagos Island, Ijora Badia seems to have lost touch with the real world, laments one of the youths. 

                                                                                              

YOUTHS TAKING UP THE CHALLENGE TO EFFECT CHANGE IN IJORA BADIA COMMUNITY:

To help address some of these challenges, and as part of their civil responsibility to the society, some youth came together to find ways to effectively sensitize young people on the need to shun violence. 

One of such groups is the ‘Signature Initiative’ formed by a youth leader in the community. The organization holds an annual event, called the Responsibility Carnival, where they bring in artiste to entertain and motivate the youths to live responsibly. 

Some members of the Signature Initiative group

To support their efforts, the youths have called on the Lagos State Government to put in place, proper security in the community; as they attribute the increased fighting and killings to “loose security”. They equally clamored for increased government involvement through youth focused programmes to channel their energy towards productivity, would make the community stable a bit and would make investors coming. 

Construction of low cost houses for families, this is because the wooden houses have led to reported cases of fire outbreaks, the sad part being that once there is fire on one of the houses, other houses are automatically affected  because the house are built very close to each other.

Mr. Fatai added that empowering youths through financial support schemes to boost innovation and policy development, collaborating with entrepreneurial and capacity building development organisations like Fate Foundation, to build personal development skills and entrepreneurial proficiency of the Youth, for multiplier effect on jobs & wealth creation in Nigerian economy, are some of the ways government and private groups can promote civic engagement among the youths in Nigerian communities. Mr. Olayemi said. 

We hope relevant authorities and well meaning Nigerians heeds this clarion call for change, and are effectively involved.