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HOMEF’s Nnimmo Bassey Receives Wallenberg Medal for Humanitarian Contributions
HOMEF’s Nnimmo Bassey Receives Wallenberg Medal for Humanitarian Contributions
By: Michael Mike
Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has celebrated with her Executive Director, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, on the prestigious honour of the 2024 Wallenberg Medal.
Bassey is the first Nigerian and the fifth African to have received the award. He joins the ranks of other giants like South Africa’s Helen Suzman (1992), Archbishop Desmond Tutu (2008), Rwanda’s Paul Rusesabagina (2005), and Congo’s Denis Mukwege (2010). Bassey’s long list of accomplishments is celebrated as he accepted this prestigious recognition.
According to a statement on Wednesday by HOMEF, the award took place on 10 September 2024, at the Ross School of Business Robertson Auditorium, at the University of Michigan. The Wallenberg Medal is a tribute to outstanding humanitarians who have gone above and beyond to protect the vulnerable and oppressed, much like Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews during World War II, whom the award was named after.
At the occasion, the Swedish Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Urban Ahlin, extolled the virtues of Raoul Wallenberg and enjoined the audience to dedicate their lives to the cause of humanity so that they may be remembered just as Wallenberg was being recognized. Other speakers included the Chair of the awards committee, Professor Sioban Harlow and the provost of the university, Professor Laurie McCauley.
In his acceptance speech and lecture title: “We Are Relatives,” Dr Nnimmo Bassey stressed “love, humility, dignity, and respect” as core to his vision of a livable future for all beings.”
He stated that as an environmental justice advocate whose work has been based on the understanding the polycrisis confronting us, we have a duty to always seek to uncover the roots of the crises rather than treating the symptoms.
He said: “Seeking out those roots helps us avoid superficial responses and pursue real solutions, some of which may be unattainable in our lifetimes. One of our key struggles has been understanding the mindset that permits inequalities in our societies. The mindset that elevates might over care and love. The mindset that promotes the individual rather than the community. The mindset that refuses to understand that we are relatives. The mindset that grabs, trashes, and feeds on the misery of others. The mindset that permits environmental racism.
“Understanding the roots of polycrisis helps us to see the phenomenon of expanding sacrifice zones in our world today. It also placed on us the duty of standing with the oppressed to halt the expansion of sacrifice zones in Nigeria, in Africa, and elsewhere by seeking to overcome the energy and other hegemonic transitions that sacrifice nature and are driven by colonial extractivism built on embedded geopolitical power imbalances.”
Bassey further stated that: “Climate action and inaction provide pictures that help us see the difficulties we face in trying to build a consensus that the climate crisis is a global crisis and not a national crisis. It also shows that the world is not yet ready to make the hard decisions by accepting that the pursuit of infinite growth on a finite planet is a false dream.”
Director of Programmes at Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Joyce Brown, on behalf of the organisation, applauded the executive director for his outstanding performance, stating that Dr. Bassey’s exceptional work and contributions have led to undeniable global recognition. It was also a veritable opportunity to showcase the work that HOMEF does and show the key place that cultural tools like poetry play in healing a hurting world.
Besides being an environmental activist, Bassey’s work includes significant environmental books like To Cook a Continent: Destructive Extraction and The Climate Crisis in Africa (2012), and Oil Politics: Echoes of Ecological War. His poetry, including We Thought It Was Oil But It Was Blood (1998), I Will Not Dance to Your Beat (2010), and the latest I See the Invisible (2024), continue to inspire the spirit of resistance and hope in all who read or listen to him.
HOMEF’s Nnimmo Bassey Receives Wallenberg Medal for Humanitarian Contributions
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Gov. Fintiri’s defection will boost APC’s chances of winning in 2027 – Dr Girei
Gov. Fintiri’s defection will boost APC’s chances of winning in 2027 – Dr Girei
Dr Salihu Bakari Girei, Gubernatorial aspirant under the platform All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 described the defection of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to the ruling party as a welcome development for the APC in the state.
Girei said that his defection is coming at the right time to galvanise the party’s victory in 2027 General Elections at the national and sub national level.
Dr Girei who is one of the founding fathers of the APC in the state disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Yola.
He said, Fintiri joined APC at the right time considering his outstanding performance in the state which he said was in line with President Tinubu’s transformation agenda.
He added that the defection would add value to the APC family and also help deliver dividends of democracy to the ordinary people that are yearning for good governance as well as to fast-track development.
He said Fintiri has performed credibly well, in line with his 10-point agenda for the state to justify the people’s trust in his leadership and administration.
Dr Girei further lauded President Bola Tinubu for his effort and strategy in addressing Nigeria’s challenges for and ensuring rapid development.
He said, “President Tinubu is very strategic in addressing Nigeria’s challenges and many now understood that Mr President meant well for this country and has turned the fortune of the country around for good.”
According to him, records have shown that the dollar has crashed, the economy stabilized, security improved, food is affordable and issues of strikes are no more among others.
Bakari-Girei said, all these are factors that naturally attract people joining the APC across the country for more development in the country.
He queried those saying that President Tinubu is turning the country into a one-party system, recalling that the PDP once had 30 governors and no one complained.
“Today people have decided to join APC because of many factors initiated by the President Tinubu administration that naturally attracted people to join APC and support Mr President.”
He pointed to President Tinubu’s history as governor of Lagos, where opposition platforms continued to function, as evidence of his commitment to multi-party democracy.
He also appreciated the foresight of the President for appointing Malam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser who has invested much in APC in the state.
He further urged unity and understanding of all APC stakeholders in the state for the progress and success of the party at all levels.
Gov. Fintiri’s defection will boost APC’s chances of winning in 2027 – Dr Girei
News
Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Moves to Boost Enforcement of Judgments with High-Level Talks in Republic of Guinea
Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Moves to Boost Enforcement of Judgments with High-Level Talks in Republic of Guinea
By: Michael Mike
The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS will hold a high-level bilateral meeting in the Republic of Guinea from March 2 to 4, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen the enforcement of its judgments across Member States.
The three-day engagement, organised in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States, is expected to bring together the Court’s delegation, Guinea’s Competent National Authority (CNA), senior government officials, and representatives of civil society to address persistent challenges in implementing the Court’s rulings.
At the heart of the meeting is the push to close the gap between judicial decisions and their execution at the national level. While the ECOWAS Court continues to deliver landmark judgments on human rights, governance, and community law, enforcement remains a critical concern in several jurisdictions. The Guinea dialogue is aimed at building a more effective, coordinated, and transparent enforcement framework.
Discussions will focus on practical strategies to improve compliance rates, streamline procedures, and strengthen collaboration between national institutions and the regional court. Participants are expected to review existing bottlenecks, share best practices, and identify sustainable solutions that can enhance uniformity in enforcement mechanisms across the sub-region.
The programme will include a dedicated forum examining the current status of enforcement of the Court’s judgments in Guinea, alongside presentations on the Court’s enforcement processes and the national legal landscape. Civil society organisations will also engage directly with the Court in a bilateral dialogue designed to promote accountability and inclusive participation.
Beyond the technical sessions, the Court’s delegation will pay courtesy visits to key government figures, including the Minister in charge of ECOWAS Affairs, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Finance, the President of the Supreme Court, and the Speaker of Parliament. Meetings are also scheduled with the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission and the President of the Bar Association.
The delegation will be led by the President of the Court, Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, and will include Vice-President Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Honourable Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara, as well as directors and other officials.
Similar bilateral meetings have previously taken place in the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, reflecting the Court’s broader strategy to institutionalise cooperation and reinforce the authority of its judgments throughout West Africa.
As ECOWAS marks five decades of regional integration, the Guinea engagement signals a renewed determination to ensure that the decisions of its judicial arm are not only pronounced but fully implemented—strengthening the rule of law and deepening trust in regional justice systems.
Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Moves to Boost Enforcement of Judgments with High-Level Talks in Republic of Guinea
News
12,000 Muslims, Christians get food, cash support in Adamawa
12,000 Muslims, Christians get food, cash support in Adamawa
A renowned philanthropist, Diaulhaq Abubakar, has provided food stuff and cash to no fewer than 12,000 Adamawa residents as support to Muslims and Christians during the Ramadan and Lent fasting.
Abubakar who is a Gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, 2027 and President of Blue community Africa foundation for humanitarian interventions, urged beneficiaries to understand that the items given to them is not for sale.
He said his action for the provision of the items to beneficiaries is best on God’s command of assisting the less privileged during such times.
Abubakar listed the items being distributed to include Rice, sugar, Maggi and cash incentives to the beneficiaries.
According to him, these will go along way to reduce the hardship faced by some of the beneficiaries considering the economic situation of some families.
He added that his foundation has equipped thousands of beneficiaries with life skills in the areas of agriculture, ICT, painting and education among others years back.
“These aimed at nipping poverty and shoring up productivity along critical windows of human capital development cutting across all demographic strata.
”We are not only dishing out material empowerment but we do skills training and sensitization. A lot of those we trained have acquired talents and are doing excellently well in their various callings.
” We have partnered with the Indian institute of technology Madras to see how we can engage in knowledge transfer.
We have also partnered Modibbo Adama University (MAU) so that we can leverage on the platform to provide a lot of skills when it comes to training on any vocation,” he said.
Abubakar said that in the present age of hyper-technology, a country that aspires to progress will not emphasize white collar jobs at the expense of blue collar jobs.
Malam Malam Umar Baba and Grace Amo who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries appreciated the gesture and urged the wealthy individual to emulate the donor for more blessings in life.
They said, they were really in need of the items given to them and assured to take it for the benefit of their families.
12,000 Muslims, Christians get food, cash support in Adamawa
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