THE ABIDING WORD OF LIGHT CHURCH WUYE CONGRATULATES JONATHAN ON NCWS AWARD

President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR. A president that needs to be encouraged

The Bishop and entire membership of the Abiding Word of Light Church, Wuye congratulates His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR on his recognition by the women for his contributions towards women emancipation and empowerment. We are happy.

We are singularly inspired by the fact that you Mr president choose to be a performer in the face of many reasons to fail. We urge you to keep on with courage. Do not be daunted by the enormity of grief presently in Nigeria, keep showing love and mercy, you might not change everything in in one wish, but be assured that if you continue, one day, you will look back and find out that you took Nigeria to somewhere different from where you found her. The people shall rejoice then because, they would have found out that you gave them what they derserved, that is, you gave everyman his due.

Just Keep working in the consciousness that power must appear and pass, only remembered by glory or fury, earned by the just or unjust exercise of it and God will see you through.

We love you.

Bishop Daniel and Mrs Felicia Okayi

Bishop Dan & Felicia Okayi

 

MOTHERHOOD CENTRE FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN: NCWS RAISES FUNDS

The Motherhood Centre at Abuja, Nigeria.

Guests at the Launch of the Motherhood Centre

By Joy Omagha Idam & Sharon Akuboh, Abuja

20 years after the idea to put up a Motherhood Center was muted under the tenure of late Hajia Laila Dogonyaro, Chief Nkechi Mba, the National President of the National Council for Women Societies, NCWS and her Executives have revived the project estimated to cost #20billion naira with a grand fund raiser at Abuja it raked in over #500,000,000..

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan , who was honoured for standing out as the only President in Africa, who has 13 female Ministers in his cabinet, with 8 Female Special Adviser and several women heads of parastatals, commended Nigerian women ” for the Centre aimed at advancing the course of women and children in Nigeria.

According to President Jonathan, the ongoing transformations and other initiatives provided by my administration is for women’s rights to be protected and for advancement of their course” he declared.

“If anyone wonders why i appointed several women it is because they deliver, transform and act with utmost transparency in the discharge of all responsibilities i have given them with little or no supervision. I therefore charge Nigerian women in all offices to maintain the standard and live above board to justify the faith i have in them to support my administration” he stated.

“This launch am told is to further consolidate on improving the the standard of living of the Nigerian women and i believe that the sky is the beginning for Women in Nigeria congratulation” President Jonathan was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina.

Dr Kema Chikwe, the National Woman Leader of the Ruling Peoples Democratic Party, while commending the Council charged all Nigerian women to take advantage of this Motherhood Centre and support the project irrespective of their political divide, and further invited Nigerian women to register enmass with only party that recognise the important role of women in nation building and have demonstrated loyalty by making 13 women Sensitive cabinet Ministers, especially in areas that were hitherto exclusive reserve of the men. “Such a man who has made this possible deserves a part on the back and for women to register and vote him in come 2015.

Senator Helen Esuene, Chairman Senate Committee on Women Affairs, in her goodwill message called on all Nigerian women to keep doing their best as women have a major stake in nation building and development , adding that ” we must not allow cultural and traditional barriers deny us our right and role to contribute in making Nigeria a better place for our children’s children”

The Minister of Education, Ruqqayatu Rufai, said the Ministry has done alot to reposition the Nigerian woman and we look forward to a synergy between the NCWS and our Ministry to promote the Girl Child Education and adult education for our women as the old adage says “train a woman and you train the nation , we must catch them young, “.

The Minister of Education enjoined all Nigerian women to support the NCWS and her Ministry to meet the MDGs especially those involved with education. “so that we can promote a world where women and children are free from inequality, while working towards partnership. I commend the NCWS for this wake up call to Nigerian women” she added.

Prof Viola Onwuliri, The Minister of State Foreign Affairs, in her goodwill message declared that ” every where i have travelled to i see structures that connote women am so glad that at last in Nigeria we can have one. Thus we must continue to work together as divided we fall”.

” We as mothers must be united first before we can preach peace, we must promote peace in the larger society because every child listens to his mother irrespective of age and status.”

Prof Onwuliri noted that ” God has positioned a President in Nigeria who feels that women are great performers and he is ably supported by an understanding wife, he empowered 13 women and in all countries i travel to i brag about it, in the whole of Africa President Jonathan stands out.

” If the women Ministers do their best in the discharge of their roles , he will empower more women in the next dispensation. She charged Nigerian women not to push their children abroad for the love of money our kids are many in prisons abroad”

Prof Onwuliri said though it is good for parents to seek better jobs still create time to monitor what your children do in your absence the kind of friends they keep and the clubs they join. She advised parents to ” discourage their kids from going abroad , as Nigeria is the freest country in the world. We are blessed with so much”.

” Do not compare your kids with those who have made it as you do not know the source of such wealth it could be drugs or rituals she admonished parents to encourage their kids and wards to work hard to earn a genuine living, everything is not money as a good name is better than all the wealth in the Bank.

Hajia Ramatu Usman, the Immediate Pas National President, NCWS, also advised Nigerians to shine their eyes well, as “God is not mocked and whatever a man sowet that shall he reap, let us as Nigerians resolve to leave great legacies behind so that if we die while rendering service to humanity we will know it was worth the effort, we should not think self but others,am glad this is happening in our time and the Motherhood centre will outlive all of us” she declared.

Former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Dr Pauline Tallen, who donated #1million charged Nigerian women to come together and lets build this huge edifice for the good of man. She promised to raise more funds from her contacts for the project. “It is for the Nigerian woman and not for any political party so lets go home and talk to our friends to donate generously”

The programme that attracted all the who is who amongst Nigerian women held at the International Conference Centre , Abuja the guests ranged from Governors wives, Female Legislators, Captains of Industries, major stake holders in women affairs in Nigeria, Ministers, Politicians, former female leaders, over #500,000,000 was raised at the fund raiser. The NCWS was set up in 1958 and it has continued to grow from strength to strength empowering women from the grassroot to the top.

JCI ABUJA UNITY CHAPTER CONGRATULATES PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, GCFR

JCI Nigeria

The President and members of JCI Nigeria, Abuja Unity Chapter congratulate our amiable president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on an award well deserved from the National Council of Women Societies in recognition of his gender friendliness.
We support all your efforts towards women liberation and the attainment of the MDGs in Nigeria.
We urge you to stay steadfast and tackle insecurity to increase our hopes.

Congrats
Sharon Akuboh
For The JCI Nigeria, Abuja Unity Chapter

FELICITATIONS

President Jonathan, plans for Nigeria amidst unprecedented odds

The entire management and staff of The Weekenders Magazine, an online News Portal felicitate with our distinguished President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR for a well deserved award from the National Council for Women Societies recognizing his indefatigable and unparalleled efforts to return Nigeria to the glory path despite daunting challenges.
We wish you God’s unending mercies while we urge you to remain courageous in the face of scary challenges. We recognize the heavy criticisms about your presidency, yet we see them as demonstrating the value and level of hopes people bear on you. The challenges represent a huge cross, but will fetch you a memorable crown. Hence, do not be discouraged by them, let them prompt you to more committed actions. If people stop complaining, it only means that all things have become well or that they no longer have hopes on your ability to improve their lot. All things are only made well for an individual when he is in the grave (then he has no more needs- he is all satisfied) and there is no worse death than the end of hope for a people. Neither of these, we know you to wish for. Therefore, we are glad people try to remind you our areas of need. It is a show of hope and that it must remain.
Congratulations once more and keep working sincerely to end misery, your report card will speak for you.

Joy Idam
For Staff and Management

YJF LAUDS SURE P’S GRADUATE INTERNSHIP SCHEME

Joy Omagha Idam & Ogonnaya Dibia , Abuja

YJF LAUDS SURE P’S GRADUATE INTERNSHIP SCHEME

The Young Journalists Forum, the youth wing of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, has commended the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme, tagged SURE P, under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Kolade, who they referred to as an astute administrator, and his team,for initiating the Graduate Internship Scheme, adding that it is poised to reduce unemployment.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the coordinator of the group, Chukwuma Nzeh, who disclosed that “This strategic effort by SURE P, under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Kolade, an astute administrator, taking into cognizance his antecedents, to ensure that our youths are be made less vulnerable to societal vices, by actively engaging them, is commendable and should be sustained and expanded to further reduce the mammoth crowd of graduates waiting to be so engaged.”

“We see this concept like a double edged sword which will not only reduce, unemployment and vices in our society but also make the private sector more robust and healthier to contribute its’ quota to the national economy, thereby enhancing the development of the country.”

The statement further reads That” We also urge the SURE P team to ensure that the sensitization is carried to the grassroots, so that graduates who have been confined to the rural areas can take advantage of this laudable programme of government.”

Nzeh, also affirmed that the YJF would organize a training session, with experts to expose youths on the dictates of the Freedom of Information Act, (Access to Public Information) which he said would hold in Abuja soon.

Weekenders magazine commends the laudable efforts of Sure P and the dynamic leadership of Comrade, Chukwuma Nzeh, while urging he and his team to maintain the standard always.

NIGERIAN WOMEN URGED TO JOIN PDP AS A-Z PAYS COURTESY CALL

GROUP PICTURE OF THE NATIONAL PDP WOMAN LEADER AMB DR KEMA CHIKWE WITH THE NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON A-Z WOMEN INITIATIVE MAJOR RIATA IZUNWANNE WITH THE 100 WOMEN MEMBERS WHO VISITED THE PDP HQ WITH HER AT ABUJA 22ND APRIL 2013

Sharon Akuboh & Joy Omagha Idam, Abuja

Nigerian women have been urged to register and join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, the only party that cares for the welfare of women, PDP. The call was made by the National Woman Leader, Amb. Dr Kema Chikwe at the national head quarters of the party at Abuja, when the When the National Chairperson, A-Z Millennium Women Initiative, Major Rita Izunwanne led 100 women to pay her a courtesy visit.

The National Woman Leader PDP, noted that Nigerian owe this to President Goodluck Jonathan, the only Leader in Africa who has empowered women up to 35% since political era in the entire African continent. Adding that for this reason the National Council for women Society is celebrating him on tuesday, April 23rd 2013 at the International Conference Centre Abuja.

According to Dr Chikwe while other political parties pay lip service to the welfare of women, the PDP has created special seat for women to collate data, ascertain the needs of Nigerian women and urgently attend to it.

She also noted that the PDP in the past 14 years have been consistent in tackling the affairs of the party as well as attending to the needs of the Nigerians generally, women and youth in particular.

Adding that no nation can strive or have any meaningful development without involving women ” Nigerian women should count themselves lucky to have a hard working President like President Jonathan and his wife who have left no stone unturned in attending to the needs of the Nigerian woman.”

She commended the national leadership of A-Z Millennium Initiative for bringing women from all over the country under this umbrella, she adviced them to build stronger networks as that is the only way they can be carried along and achieve results as ” united we stand and divided we fall.”

Earlier in her address, the Chairperson A-Z Millennium Women Initiative Major Izunwanne, commending Dr Chikwe for the giant strides she had embarked upon since assuming Office as the National Woman Leader PDP, she noted that NGO has mobilised and collated the data of 11,000 Nigerian women and youth and that the target is 200,000 women before the 2015 general elections.

Major Izunwanne hinted that A-Z Initiative is set to partner with the Office of the National Woman Leader to complement her efforts at mobilising the Nigerian Woman and to meet their needs before 2015. ” The welfare of the Nigerian woman is our utmost concern and we are determined to give them reason to smile” she declared.

Major Izunwanne who has lived the better part of her life in Europe, Britain, USA, Germany said she was back in Nigeria share some of the things she laernt abroad and also noted that her NGO is still very active in Britain, USA, Germany, Lagos, PH, Calabar, Owerri, Ebonyi and the FCT adding that she intends to expand the scope by having offices in the 36 states of the federation.

She commended President Jonathan for his resolve to empower women and also Dame Patience Jonathan whom she nicknamed Mama Africa. Adding that ” in 2015 we expect President Jonathan to increase women appointments to 50% it is achievable she concluded. .

She noted that like other NGOs the Initiative desires to empower women with small scale business but the resources to do so was unavailable , she therefore call on the Dr Chikwe to use her Office to attract same to her members.

Speaking to one of the youth members of A-Z Initiative Angela Chukwu, she noted that she and other youth are optimistic that the future will be bright for Nigerian youth adding that ” am glad to be a member i know i will learn alot from the Initiative”

PRESS STATEMENT FOR THE RELEASE OF NATIONAL RESULT OF POLICE STATION VISITORS’ WEEK 2012

Altus Global Alliance

CLEEN FOUNDATION

PRESS STATEMENT FOR THE RELEASE OF NATIONAL RESULT OF POLICE STATION VISITORS’ WEEK 2012

Protocols……..

Introduction

On behalf of the Altus Global Alliance and its member organization in Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation, the Nigeria Police Force, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Justice 4 All, warmly welcome you all to this press briefing, which is being organized to publicly announce the Altus Police Station Visitors’ Week (PSVW) 2012 results and the National Award ceremony.

About Altus

Altus is an alliance of 6 non-governmental organizations and academic centers in five continents, created in 2004 to promote safety and justice around the world from a multicultural perspective. These organizations are:

1. Centre for Studies on Public Safety, Santiago, Chile
2. Centre for studies on Public Security and Citizenship, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
3. CLEEN Foundation, Lagos, Abuja, and Imo
4. Institute for Development Communication, Chandigarh, India
5. INDEM Foundation, Moscow
6. Vera institute of Justice, New York

One of the focal point of Altus’s work is Police Accountability and since 2006 Altus Global Alliance has been carrying out the Altus Police Station Visitors’ Week in different countries across the 5 continents. Together, these organizations offer a greater capacity to work across matters on issues of safety and justice and a larger role for the civil society in advancing justice from a multicultural perspective.

What is PSVW all about?

The Altus annual Police Station Visitors’ Week (PSVW) is an international program that is organized to facilitate local community groups visiting police stations and assessing the quality of services delivered by police departments, to identify best practices used by police and to strengthen the accountability of police to the local community.

The program relies on planned annual visits by community groups to their local police stations. They join with people around the world to visit and review their local police stations by using a simple assessment tool kit composed of 20 questions based in 5 indicator areas. The indicator areas are drawn from international laws and protocols on policing and human rights. By participating in the visits participants are overseeing and improving police services. The information they gather from during the visits are uploaded on to an innovative web- based model which simultaneously generates as a database.

For many of the visitors especially those who are female, poor, physical challenged persons or marginalized for other reasons the experience provides their first real access to local law enforcement and a platform for expressing their views about whether the police are serving all members of their community. The visitors use the PSVW Tool Kit to guide their visit, following protocols that are the same for visits around the world.

The PSVW Tool Kit includes a simple scoring system that allows each individual to assess each station in 20 areas, producing scores on five categories of service: 1) Community Orientation, 2) Physical Condition, 3) Equal Treatment of the Public, 4) Transparency and Accountability, and 5) Detention Conditions.

Immediately after each visit, participants answer a series of questions about what they observed. Their answers are later collected and uploaded to the Altus website. Using the ratings supplied by the visitors, the Altus website will calculate an overall score for each station and separate scores into five categories of service. Police stations that receive the highest overall scores will later be recognized with an award at a forum where it will share with colleagues, information about its winning practices. The Inspector General of Police and Commissioners of Police in the participating states will receive a summary of the scores of the participating police stations, this would directly help them enhance, modify or change the strategies of engagement and interaction with groups within the communities the police serve. The program does not seek to “shame and blame” any participating police department, but only provides score information to participating stations and visitors.

PSVW provides a unique platform for police departments to establish better relationships with their host communities by receiving valuable and difficult to obtain feedback from community members on where services lag, and how to improve the quality of services available. In the same aphorism, as part of a global program, visitors are able to place their individual judgments about the quality of police service at their own police stations in national, regional, and global contexts.

PSVW 2012 Edition

PSVW 2012 edition took take place from the 3rd December – 9th December, 2012. A total of 6 countries participated in African. These are:

1. Benin
2. Cameroon
3. Ghana
4. Kenya
5. Liberia
6. Nigeria
This year we mobilized more women, low income, religious, ethnic minority and other marginalized / vulnerable groups to participate in the visits.

PSVW 2012 in Nigeria

Summary

The sixth edition of the Police Station Visitors’ Week (PSVW) was conducted from 3rd to 9th of December 2012 in Nigeria. 897 visitors participated; 483 (53%) of them were female while 414 (47%) were male. Two Hundred and Sixty Two 262 Police Stations were visited in 14 police state commands namely: Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Niger, Rivers and Zamfara states. The visitors were sent in groups or teams; each team made up of an average of three persons. The team leader was responsible for coordinating the visit including writing narrative reports in line with the narrative report guideline by Altus.

Visitors were drawn from diverse groups and organizations including Market Traders Associations, Artisans Associations, Women interest groups and special interest groups such as Persons living with Disabilities, Schools, Local Government Councils, CSOs, CBOs, Ministry of Police Affairs, National Human Rights Commission, Legal Aid Council and everyday ordinary citizens. The leader of each team coordinates the visit to the police station and thereafter uploads the scores with the narrative report of their findings to Altus website specially designed for the purpose. He/she will then send the kits and the narrative report to the Altus representative’s office which in Nigeria is the CLEEN Foundation.

Overall Assessment
Overall assessment of a good police station is as follows:
 A good police station is oriented to the community
 Remarkable police station present adequate physical conditions
 The station personnel have to know its public and treat them equally by providing trained staff and sources of information to attend to different community needs.
 Transparency and Accountability are two major aspects of a good police station
 A good police station respects detainees rights and provides good detention conditions

1. Victoria Island police station, Lagos (98.67%)
2. Alakuko police station, Lagos (96.25%)
3. Badagry police station, Lagos (87%)
4. Ajah Police Station, Lagos (83%)
5. Ilupeju Police Station, Lagos (83%)
6. Kuje Police Station, FCT (82.67%)
7. Ijaniki Police Station, Lagos (88%)
8. Alakara Police Station, Lagos (85.67%)
9. Central Police Station Awka, Abia (83.33%)
10. Olu- Obasanjo Police Station, Rivers (82%)

The Summary of the performance of the top ten in Nigeria in the 5 Indicator Areas:
Community Orientation Physical Conditions Equal Treatment of the Public Transparency and Accountability Detention Conditions
Alakuko, Lagos – 100% Victoria Island , Lagos – 96.67% Victoria Island, Lagos – 96.67% Alakuko, Lagos – 100% Victoria Island, Lagos – 100%
Victoria Island, Lagos – 100% Badagry, Lagos – 93.33%
Alakuko, Lagos – 90% Victoria Island – 100% Alakuko, Lagos – 98.75%
Ajah, Lagos – 91.67% Alakuko, Lagos – 92.5% Bode thomas, Lagos – 81.67% Central Police Station, Awka, Abia – 95%
Central Police Station, Awka, Abia – 98.33%
Ijanikin, Lagos, 91.67% Ajah , Lagos – 91.67% Kuje, FCT – 81.67% Badagry Police Station, Lagos – 91.67% Owutu, Lagos – 98.33%
Alakara, Lagos – 90% Ilupeju, Lagos – 90%
Ajao Estate, Lagos -88.33%

Badagry, Lagos – 80%
Kuje, FCT – 91.67% Badagry, Lagos – 88.33%
Chachanga, Niger -90% Chachanga, Niger – 87.5%
Central Police Station, Awka, Abia – 80% Ikeja Police Station, Lagos – 90% Ilupeju, Lagos – 87.5%
Kuje, FCT – 90% Apapa, Lagos – 86.67%
Uwani, Enugu – 80% Nkwere Police Station, Imo – 90% Agbowa, Lagos – 85%
Ipakodo, Lagos – 88.33% Akukanaw, Enugu- 83.33% Alade, Lagos – 75% Central Police Station, Court Road, Awka, Anambra – 86.67% Ajah, Lagos – 85%
Olu Obasanjo, Rivers – 88.33% Ijanikin, Lagos – 83.33% Alakara, Lagos – 75% Alakara , Lagos – 85% D Division (Itam), Akwa Ibom – 81.67%
Ogui Divisional Hqtrs, Enugu – 86.67% Chachanga, Niger – 75% Ijanikin, Lagos – 85% Igwuruta, Rivers – 81.67%

Comparative Analysis of the overall assessment of performance of the police stations in Nigeria in 2012 and 2011

S/N Indicator Area Score (2012) Score (2011)
1. Community Orientation 58.80 59.44
2. Physical Conditions 49.77 49.39
3. Equal Treatment of the Public 46.92 46.45
4. Transparency and Accountability 55.12 55.83
5. Detention Conditions 49.76 50.13
Overall National Average 52.07 52.25

GOOD PRACTICES

Adeniji Adele Police Station, Lagos State Police Command
1. Hotspot patrol within the police station’s jurisdiction
2. Police Community interactive forums
3. Pictorial documentation of detainees

Alakuko Police Station, Lagos State Police Command
1. There is a borehole in the police station
2. There is a canteen
3. More female than male police officers in the police station

Ebute Ero Police Station, Lagos State Police Command
1. Good interpersonal skills exhibited by the police officers
2. Readiness of the DPO and his team to help the team

Gusau Police Station, Zamfara State Police Command
1. Ongoing community and police interaction program
2. Open forum for receiving and treating complaints

Isokoko Police Station, Lagos State Police Command
1. Prompt response from majority of the officers on duty
2. Adequate information about crimes in the areas
3. Adequate information about human rights of suspects and related matters

Mpape Police Station, FCT Police Command
1. Neat Premises with locking ties and flowers
2. Conducive working environment
3. Cable TVs
4. Stable power and water supply
5. Good interpersonal skills exhibited by the police officers
6. Well-furnished offices with oil stainless oil paint
7. Neat and well sanitized cell detention facility
8. Functional traffic section
9. Good police and corporate relations
10. Equitable gender staffing

Victoria Island Police Station, Lagos State Police Command
1. Separate open office space for female officers and it is comfortable
2. Separate toilet facilities for female officers
3. Separate cells for female detainees
4. GIS mapping of jurisdiction

Most Engaging Commissioner of Police
Mrs Desire Nsirim – CP Niger State

Most Distinctive Improvement
Mpape Police Station – Abuja –SP Ayobami Turajudeen

We also use the opportunity to appreciate those that have made the PSVW a reality. The funding support for Nigeria is being provided by Justice for All (J4A) and Frederick Ebert Stiftung (FES); the CHASE program of the UK Department for International Development, London for Africa; the police organizations that have open their doors to the visitors – this is an indication of commitment to working closely with their communities. We thank you all for taking out time out of your busy schedules to grace this press briefing, thank you all for coming.

Blessing Abiri
Africa Regional Representative
Altus Global Alliance

Altus Global Alliance and Cleen Foundation Justice Sector Reform on Police Sector Press Statement after Police Station Visitation

Altus Global Alliance and Cleen Foundation Justice Sector Reform on Police Sector Press Statement after Police Station

JCI Nigeria working to End Polio

That Polio Might End. JCN Nigeria, Abuja Unity Chapter pioneering

JCI Nigeria in Action

 

National Executive Secretary JCI Nigeria, JCIN Amb George Onuma at Utako village picking dirts as part of the clean up exercise.

 

National President JCI Nigeria JCIN Amb Oyebanjo Okunuga deworming a student of Nurul BAYAN Intl Academy while other members watch during the Area C 29th Conference hosted by JCI Abuja Unity .

 

The National Executive Vice President JCI Nigeria Area C JCIN Amb Saheed Adegoke deworming a student at Nurul Bayan Intl Academy Abuja while others watch as part of corporate social responsibility

 

The National President JCI Nigeria JCIN Amb Oyebanjo Okunuga EVP C JCIN Amb Saheed Adegoke with members of JCI Abuja Unity at Nurul Bayan Intl Academy during the deworming project

 

THE PRESIDENT JCI UNITY, Chi Aisha David, DEWORMING A STUDENT OF NURUL BAYAN ACADEMY

 

BUSINESS INNOVATIVE SEMINAR AT LAPOUR HOTEL, UTAKO, ABUJA

By Joy Omagha Idam, Abuja

The Junior Chamber International, JCI Nigeria has successfully held its 29th Area C Conference that was tagged Unity in Diversity while the theme focused on ” The Role of The Youth In Promoting National Peace & Security” the theme Speaker the commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ade Abolurin, in his 10 page paper traced the involvement of youth in acts of terrorism to absentee parents, adding that ” parents are all busy at work and no proper care or attention is given to the children who often allow peer pressure to make them join bad company and get involved in evil vices.”

Dr Abolurin called on parents to monitor the type of friends their children keep and insist they bring their friends home and also know their parents that way it can tell you more about the type of friends they keep so you decide whether to stop them or not.

He called on all Nigerians to go back to the era when community policing was the business of all and that once you notice a funny or suspicious character in your community hurry to the nearest police station or security agency and make formal complaint. ” Do not allow or encourage any act of terrorism he noted. All hands must be on deck. Do not allow your wards to keep late nights or sleep out” he advised.

The NSCDC Boss also identified the love for material wealth and to belong to be the root cause of luring the youth into joining acts of terrorism. He enjoined the youth to learn to be contented with what their parents can provide for them and not allow lust for money to make them destroy their future.

He commended JCI for deeming it fit to discuss this topic when others are shying away and urged them to continue to promote peace. He called on Nigerian youth to emulate JCI and join this noble organisation adding that ” any organisation you cannot talk about publicly flee from it very fast and disassociate yourself from it” he charged.

Earlier in his Welcome address the 2013 National President JCI Nigeria, JCIN Amb Oyebanjo Okunuga, noted that the idea to hold this conference with the theme The Role of The Youth In Promoting National Peace & Security, was because of the current state of the nation as we are undergoing security challenges and since one of the major reasons for establishing JCI was to promote World Peace ,we as young active citizens decided to take the bull by the horn and to come up with this topic which the NSCDC have done justice to the topic, i was dissappointed though that the key Security Agencies did not honor our invitation to participate in this work conference.

” However the interlink between development and young citizens participation is one that has invaluable significance and emerging global trends clearly indicate that the involvement of citizens in government and governance process is a sure guarantee for lasting peace ,national security and economic development” The JCI as a leading global network of young active citizens believe that citizens participation in the development process of a country is fundamental in promoting peace and national security.

He commended the recent efforts by the Federal Government to seek lasting solutions and urged the youth to say no to any body who pays them to waste their lives he charged Nigerians not to relax in the search for peace. ” I implore you all not to rest until peace is restored in our various communities.

In his own remarks the Chairman of the Conference JCIN Amb Saheed Adegoke, an entrepreneur and architect said as young people we are deeply worried over the continued mayhem and killings thus our resolve to pick this topic adding that as entrepreneurs no meaning investors will be willing to invest in a nation his business will not be secured.

Adding that business can only flourish in a serene peaceful environment he commended all the 350 delegates who participated in the conference from across the country, the 2013 National Board of JCI Nigeria and charged them to go back to their states and spread the sermon of peaceful coexistence.

Similarly during her welcome address the host Chapter President, Mrs Chinyere Aisha Chukwu David, while welcoming fellow Chapter Presidents and Chief Delegates noted that this years 29TH Area C Conference witnessed community development projects of deworming students of the Nurul Bayan Intl Academy, Clean up of Utako Market, several JCI training courses and the theme session where the NSCDC Boss called on Nigerian youth to embrace peace and shun all acts of terrorism and work towards promoting peace in Nigeria.

“I urge us all as special peace envoys to go back to our states with a working peace document and carry all groups along in our quest for lasting peace the issue of security cannot be left in the hands of government alone as youth we are also key stakeholders to convey the sermon of peace.”

In a related development the Conference Director for the JCI Nigeria 29th Area C Conference, JCIN Amb Sharon Akuboh, noted that if you go down memory lane you will realise that we are all related thus why must we continue to kill senselessly, destroy property worth millions of naira and end potential destinies abruptly. We are all one we are so blessed in Nigeria and must not allow any external or internal forces make us start killing each other. Please let the killings stop she pleaded. The federal installations we keep destroying is our collective wealth, the human lives lost are our brothers and sisters there are other ways of express themselves, she noted.

The Executive Secretary of JCI Nigeria, JCIN Amb George Onuma also confirmed that the conferences attracted past national presidents of JCI Nigeria, Chapter Presidents, 2013 National Board members, JCI Senator Paschal Obinna Dike, The JCI UN Representative, some major stake holders in security in Nigeria, NGOs, Indomie, Seven Up Bottling Company, Nurul Bayan International Academy whose staff Mallam Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi was honoured for his service to humanity through empowering over 5000 Nigerians in various skills acquisition, Weekenders Magazine, Business Day, NTA, News Direct & FRCN, Seel konsult Global Resources Limited, Boff & Company.

The JCI is a federation of young active citizens ages 18 -40 and is located in 124 nations and actively impacting in 6000 community the national Presidential theme this year is “Promoting Our Organisation through Strong Partnership and People. JCI Nigeria cleaned up Utako community and dewormed students of Nurul Bayan Academy as part of its corporate social responsibility. At Utako, madam Nkemdi Obinna who runs a restaurant said ” i want to thank JCI Abuja Unity for being very consistent each year they clean up utako and deworm our children they even do zebra markings we are indeed very grateful for your community development efforts God bless you all.”