UN Women Supports Musical Drama Addressing Gender, Social Issues

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations Women (UN Women) has supported the staging of a

musical stage play, “Bunk Talk: The Musical” in Abuja to raise awareness on sexual and gender-based violence, disability inclusion, mental health, and climate justice.

The production, put together by the Girl Child Value Support Initiative with support frrom the UN Women used drama, music, and dance to spotlight social issues through the nostalgic setting of Nigerian boarding school life.

The performance also employed the interactive Touch Tag method, encouraging audience members to actively engage and co-create solutions.

The Producer and Executive Director of the Girl Child Value Support Initiative, Precious Wakili, explained that her inspiration for using drama came from personal experiences.

According to her, drama remains a powerful tool to “transform minds, build people, and educate society.”

Wakili expressed optimism that the performance left a strong impression on the audience.

She said she expects everyone who watched to return home as advocates for the rights of women and girls.

On his part, the Director of the play, Sola Oyeniyi, described the production as a blend of avant-garde and Brechtian techniques, noting that his creative approach drew heavily on faith and inspiration.

For UN Women Programme Officer, Ibrahim Nurudeen, the play successfully challenged harmful cultural narratives, stressing that gender equality is not about women taking the place of men but about women and girls enjoying the same rights, dignity, and opportunities as their male counterparts.

He urged Nigerians to “become feminists” in order to reshape societal narratives and create a better future.

Programme Manager of the Girl Child Value Support Initiative, Owa Zuriel, said the production was not just entertainment but “a call to reflection, to action, and to justice.”

Zuriel emphasised that empowering girls with the space to dream and learn changes not only their lives but also the future of their families, communities, and the nation.

The cast highlighted key issues faced by young people in secondary schools, including bullying, early child marriage, gender-based abuse, and discrimination against persons with albinism.

The organisers say they expect the play to inspire the audience to become advocates for the rights of women, girls, and marginalized groups, as well as to challenge harmful norms across society.

UN Women Supports Musical Drama Addressing Gender, Social Issues

Tinubu Reiterates Commitment to Promotion of Maternal Healthcare

By: Michael Mike

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated the commitment of his administration to promoting maternal healthcare, stating that:

“There is no greater test of a nation’s character than the care it extends to its women.”

The President gave the commitment at the unveiling of the Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative, Renew Health Equity and Reform (RenewHER).

The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima at the Launch of the Initiative, noted that: “Maternal health is the heartbeat of every family, the compass of social stability, and the truest index of national welfare.”

He insisted that: “A society that neglects the well-being of its women and girls cannot lay claim to building a functional nation. This truth applies as much within the intimate walls of the family as it does in the architecture of our national priorities,” stressing that: “That is why I share in the spirit and mission of this gathering.”

He said: “This mission to place women at the forefront inspires our resolve to build on the programmes already in place to address maternal needs. Out of this collective commitment emerges today’s launch of RenewHER—a Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative designed to serve as the national engine of collaboration among all stakeholders in our campaign for a healthier Nigeria.”

The President added that: “This is the wisdom behind designating a focal person in charge of women’s health at the Presidency—an office that will work hand-in-hand with the Federal Ministry of Health and its State-Wide Approach Coordination Office (SWAp). Our aspiration is to ensure that women’s health priorities are embedded in every state, every local government, and every community across the nation.

“In this collaboration, we also count on the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to secure women’s voices, rights, and priorities in every policy and programme. We count on the Governors’ Spouses Forum to mobilise grassroots action in every geopolitical zone, building trust and momentum in our communities. And we rely on all ministries, departments, agencies, and development partners to push progress, eliminate duplication, and achieve results that endure.

He noted that: “RenewHER is an answer to one of the nation’s most critical prayers. Beyond delivering trusted health information and services, it will connect women and families through an innovative, AI-powered National Women’s Health Digital Hub.

“Through this hub, we will drive geo-targeted national campaigns on maternal survival, adolescent health, preventive care, workforce strengthening, and community coalitions. The initiative also reinforces existing national programmes such as MAMII, while complementing the efforts of our development partners and the international community. These are practical steps to empower women as health champions and entrepreneurs, linking health to economic power and national prosperity.”

He said maternal mortality is a shame against which we must all rally, stating that: “We owe every girl-child not just the eloquent promise of a better tomorrow, but the certainty of a healthier one. Yet we cannot guarantee this in isolation. This future rests upon the collective commitment of us all—whether as public institutions, private actors, ministries, or development partners—to champion the cause of the Nigerian woman.”

He assured that his administration would continue to serve as both umbrella and catalyst of our collective interventions across all arms and tiers of government, until the promise of RenewHER becomes the lived reality of our women.

Speaking on the initiative, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health (OSSAP-WH), Dr. Adanna Steinacker explained that it is a bold, data-driven, tech-enabled, and financially intelligent strategy designed to revolutionize women’s health across Nigeria.

Steinacker said: “RenewHER is more than an initiative, it is a national call to action to redefine the future of women’s health and economic equity in Nigeria. Through the Women’s Health Nigeria Hub and Magazine, we a creating a movement that transforms policy, empowers communities, and inspires a new generation of champions for women’s health.”

Key strategic partners of the initiative include the Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF), the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), and the Women in Healthcare Network (WIHCN), all supporting RenewHER to deliver measurable health outcomes, while creating economic opportunities for women through financial incentives, digital wallets, microgrants, skills training, and women-led health innovations.

Tinubu Reiterates Commitment to Promotion of Maternal Healthcare

Police arrest officer in Lagos over alleged N915,000 rice fraud

By: Zagazola Makama

The Police Command in Lagos State has arrested a serving officer over alleged fraud involving N915,000 in a failed rice supply deal.

Sources said the case was reported on Sept. 11 at about 2:34 p.m.

According to sources, it was alleged that a Complainant (name witheld) in January 2024, gave a Police Inspector attached to Lagos State Command, the sum of N915,000 to supply 20 bags of rice.

“Ever since she received the money, she went into hiding until she was traced to her residence at Olusosun area of Ojota and brought to the station,” said the sources.

The sources added that on interrogation, the officer admitted to the crime and had been detained for appropriate disciplinary action.

The sources said investigation into the case was ongoing.

Police arrest officer in Lagos over alleged N915,000 rice fraud