YOUTHVILLE ISSUE #98
Friday, September 30, 2016 08078068532
youthville@dailytrust.com
...young at heart
Good habits formed at youth make all the difference. – Aristotle
Cases of women abuse spurred my initiative – Legal advocate, Nneoma
Text by Latifat Opoola (@LatifatOpoola)
W
hat is the BEFA project all about? BEFA was established in p 2009 and what we do is that we provide legal Aid and access to the court as well as provide an injured woman or child free legal service, to seek redress and prosecute it in court to a logical conclusion. We also c r e a t e
Barr. Nneoma Albert-Benson is a lawyer and the founder of BEFA Women and Child Care Foundation that provides women and children free legal services. The young advocate is among the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF) team. She spoke with YOUTHVILLE about her advocacies so far. opportunity for wo women and children who have survived odds of issues of domestic violence or abuses to get rehabilitated and empowered. em aggre It provides aggressive quality legal services for these women. In 2011 i we launched an initiative called the Save Women in Prison P Initiative to limit and if possible pos prevent the damage and de destruction done to women due to the t criminal justice system which hardly favours women or the po poor. Two years afte after, we were able to get over 30 wom women out of prison and that encour encouraged us, we then partnered with tthe Nigerian Prison Services to be able to reach all other female prisons. Why did you start the advocacy? I lived iin an environment where wo women were abused violated, victimized. I saw a lot of relations who were really abused, and stud studying law, I have al always had it at the back of my mind that even if am
going to be working anywhere I am going to try to use my legal profession to help some of these people. I observed that most of the victims were not able to help themselves because they need to pay a lawyer. I started BEFA as something I was going to do on the side with my legal profession, like offer some pro bono services to them, but words spread and the thing blew open and so I made it an organization. What was your experience at the Mandela Fellowship? The Mandela experience is a life changing experience. For me it wasn’t my first time in the States because of the UN, I visit there often. I did an extension with the Supreme Court with probation officers who work in prisons and jails and I went to court, so I was learning in a different perspective from what we have here. I met people like the Chief Justice of Arizona Supreme court, the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, and they were able to expound on how they were working on policies because I was very much interested in prison reforms and know how not
to congest our prisons among others. The experience I got at the MWF thought me how to go about those reforms, who to meet, who to talk to and how we can achieve it in Nigeria. It was a life changing experience for me. Do you think these reforms can work in Nigeria? Why not? If we set our minds to it, I think it can because it is not something that is so farfetched and besides we don’t have as much prisoners as they have abroad. Are Nigerian youth exploring entrepreneurship opportunities the way they should? I think youths are going into entrepreneurship out of necessity to make a living. They are not going into it passionately. In America we experienced that they had businesses that were 50, 60 to 80 years old and that is because these people were passionate about what they started. I think Nigerian youth should be more exposed; we should give our youth the opportunity to explore to get their innate potentials.
NIBSS invites gifted students to rebrand office
NAF launches agric scheme, engages over 200 youth in Benue, Kaduna
Text from Sunday Michael Ogwu, Lagos @sundaymichaelog
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has launched the Barrack Youth Empowerment Through Agriculture (BYETA) while engaging over 200 youth across its bases in Makurdi, Benue state and Kaduna. One of the 150 participants at the NAF Tactical Air Command (TAC) base in Makurdi, Chinomso Awozie said he graduated over five years ago but yet to find a job of his dream despite his frantic search. Awozie who is the barrack youth president of TAC said the Air Force agriculture business initiative for the teeming personnel dependents brought relief to him and his peers. Inaugurating the scheme at TAC, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar said NAF initiated the programme to direct the energy of dependents of its personnel to gainful venture. “The youth are full of energy which needs to be directed properly because if that is not done, they will direct such energy for negative purposes,” he said. He said the scheme which covers three aspects of agriculture including, fishery, crop farming and poultry would enable about 3,000 registered youth
The Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) is providing grant to Art students in tertiary institutions for a collection of local arts to adorn the walls of switch provider at its head office complex in Lagos. NIBSS Managing Director, Mr Folashodun Shonubi in a briefing said: “We have focused on business and technology for a while, now we are focusing on the environment and our people because we want our work environment to be warm, friendly and welcoming.” “We will be providing a grant for about 50 diverse art pieces that will adorn our walls and this opportunity is exclusively available to only arts students in our tertiary institution because we want to showcase what they are capable of doing while earning some funds to support their education,” he explained. Interested students should fill the application on NIBSS website for consideration, the firm said.
Text from Hope Abah, Makurdi & Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna
in 20 Air Force Bases nationwide to become independent of their parents and to add value to their families. Abubakar said NAF initiated the idea with several banks financing it while resource persons are drawn from the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi and other agencies. The Air Officer Commanding (AOC), TAC in Makurdi, AVM Mohammadu Muhammed enjoined the youths to take advantage of the opportunity which is a flagship in NAF empowerment efforts. Meanwhile at the NAF Base in
Kaduna, the CAS who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, headquarters, NAF, Air Vice Marshal James Gbum enjoined parents to regularly monitor the progress of their wards to achieve the maximum success rate of the programme. The Commander, 335 Base Service Group (Kaduna), Air Commodore Bello Garba said the Base has established its BYETA association starting with 25 youth on August 30. It has grown to 98 youth, with 35 engaged in fish farming, 25 in poultry, 26 in livestock and 12 in crop farming, he noted.
DAILY TRUST, Friday, September 30, 2016
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YOUTHVILLE
Okiemute wins at Project Fame 9
Nigeria @56 - WHO I AM
Text from Omobayo Azeez, Lagos
I am a noble icon, Call me Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; I am a dynamic statesman, Call me Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
A
winner has emerged at the 9th edition of the African music hunt Project Fame, sponsored by MTN. Twenty five year old Okiemute Igborodje, a graduate of Language Arts and Communication Skills, said she won’t compete in the music industry rather, “I would go into the world to further learn to eat the grass and spit the sticks. “I came into the project fame contest and realised that everyone has unique peculiarities that you can compete. So, I didn’t compete, I instead learnt from all to take myself to this point, same thing I would do in coping with my music life beyond project fame,” she said. The latest entrant into the hallowed hall of fame hopes to keep her energetic props and extra that gave her live audience during the just concluded adventure, the
I am a charismatic leader, Call me Sir Ahmadu Bello; I am a man of the people, Call me Zik of Africa. I am a freedom fighter, Call me Herbert Macaulay; I am an eloquent orator, Call me Maitama Sule. I am a giant of literature, Call me Chinua Achebe; I am a Nobel laureate, Call me Wole Soyinka. I am an illustrious poet, Call me Christopher Okigbo; I am the voice of the voiceless, Call me Gani Fawehimi.
2016 MTN Project Fame Season 9 Okiemute Ighorodje, winner of
satisfaction of watching a music video, so that she could inspire others who will be trailing the same path.
Now over five million naira richer, she added: “I don’t know what the future holds though, but I feel music is
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mail.com.n
Photo: daily
perfectly in line with what I studied in school. I shall work harder to keep moving, no matter the obstacles.”
Spoken word poetry: 2016 WAEC best student What you should know challenged to be an inventor Text by Bamas Victoria @BamasVictoria Young spoken word artist and motivational speaker, Valentine Onyekachukwu Ogunaka has told YOUTHVILLE about the qualities and skills needed to be successful. Valentine, a Library and Information Science graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria described the spoken word poetry form as an oral art that drives intentional use of words, intonation and voice inflection to recite poems. Valentine known on stage as ‘BrainBox’ said “You must be a good communicator devoid of stage fright since one is performing in live, and then
have a flair for writing.” He added that it is important to “have confidence in what has been written and in delivering it” while at the same time be opened to new ideas and research. The poet said constant practice is quite important. “There is no short cut to practice, if you have a piece you want to perform, practice at the mirror, practice in front of friends, you can even record and play back,” Brainbox stressed. Brainbox who has performed at the Nigerian Society of Engineers World Environment Day, Nigerian Teens Choice Awards, FCT Spelling Bee, and Egunec Education Support Foundation. He recently won at the ImpactSensation, the HAG Initiative Spoken Word event with his piece, ‘I Will Speak For Her’, which he said is a campaign against child marriage. He will premiere a documentary on his efforts titled ‘I’m not a failed dream’, and ‘Words for Humanity’, a spoken piece by December.
By Chidimma C. Okeke The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu has tasked the best student 2016 West African Examination Council (WAEC), Abubakar Faizah Sani who had A1s in all the nine subjects to work harder and become an Inventor. Faizah, who sat for the examination as a student of Olumawu College, Abuja had A1s in English Language, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computer Studies, Civic Education and Marketing. The Minister, at an event to celebrate the student, urged to sustain the tempo of her excellent academic feat by taking it to realm of invention
to do Nigeria proud in future. Adamu, who was represented by Deputy Director (Basic Education) in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Opeyemi Ariba said: “Faizah, we want you to go back to your books on more serious template when you get to the University and repeat this academic feat entailing reading and researching.” Governor Nasir El- Rufai of Kaduna State represented by the Director General of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Aliyu Aziz commended her saying she could toil in line to be among the great women, who would use their intelligence to be innovative and creative in solving societal problems.
I am a celebrated heroin, Call me Funmilayo Ransom Kuti; I am a fearless warrior, Call me Queen Amina. I am a generous philanthropist, Call me MKO Abiola; I am a dauntless General, Call me Murtala Mohammed. I am a soccer champion, Call me Rashidi Yekini; I am an Olympic gold medalist, Call me Chioma Ajunwa. I am the heartbeat of West Africa, I am the giant of Africa; I am the most populous black nation on the surface of the earth, And my name is NIGERIA! Poet: Abdulrahman M. Abuyaman is an Economics graduate of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai. He had participated at the Abuja Literary Society Poetry Slam 2016 where he performed his poem “Forgotten Promises”.
Fed Poly Nasarawa gets ICT Centre Text by Simon E. Sunday @SimonEchewofun The Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa has commissioned an E-learning multimedia laboratory supported by the I CT Southern University of USA. Rector of the school, Prof Shettima Abdulkadir Saidu at the commissioning said
the facility will address current developmental challenges by equipping students. He called for urgent need to imbibe the culture blended learning mode in all teaching and learning processes. The pact for the laboratory was signed in July just as delegates from the University led by Prof. Victor Mbarika witnessed the commissioning.
438 Jos youth sensitized on preventing infections Text from Bashir Liman, Jos Sahlan School of Health and Technology, Jos has sensitized 438 youth who are barbers, nail cutters, first aid groups and midwives on
preventing infections. Director of the school, Muhammad Shafi’u Yakub during a closing ceremony of a two-day workshop for the youth said they were trained on health precautions including
hand hygiene, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), needle stick and sharp injury prevention, cleaning, disinfection and waste disposal. Yakub said there was need for barbers and the others to use sterile
objects during their activities to prevent the risk of infections and disease outbreaks. He called on government to set a body that would checkmate the activities of the aforementioned groups.
The main hope of a nation lies in proper education of its youth. – Erasmus