News
Aisha Babangida and the African Rural Woman
Aisha Babangida and the African Rural Woman
…celebrating International Day for Rural Women
By Edwin Uhara
Therefore, the challenges facing African Rural Women necessitated the celebration of Aisha Babangida’s efforts in giving rural women a voice and access through many of her NGOs. Still, because this piece is about the International Day of Rural Women, I limited the scope of this article to the Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman for what they are doing silently.
There is no better time to appreciate the humanitarian gestures of Aisha Babangida, a woman who has been silently transforming the lives of people around her than using the occasion of this year’s International Day for the Rural Women; a day set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness on the status of women and to shed more lights on the inequalities women still face as well as advocate for their recognition and participation in decision-making and demanding stronger social protection systems that reduces the digital divide they face in this century.
Accordingly, the works of Aisha Babangida have become even more pronounced as we mark the 30th anniversary of the famous Beijing Women’s Conference of 1995 this year.
And in line with this year’s theme, “Rural Women Sustaining Nature for our Collective Future,” Aisha Babangida, through the Better Life Program for African Rural Women, has been shaping the lives of rural women by equipping them with relevant skills through training and empowerment.
However, the empowerment of the Better Life Program differs from other empowerment programs, which often employ a general template that overlooks the specific needs of each state or zone. In contrast, the Better Life empowerment program is tailored to state-to-state and region-to-region priorities, based on a SWOT analysis.
Hence, before deciding on the type of training and empowerment to be offered to a particular region, the Better Life Program will first of all get the baseline data and analyse it to ascertain the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the zone before coming forth with an empowerment Program that suits the zone while capitalising on the comparative advantage the region already has.
In other words, their focus is on building on the strengths and opportunities of each state or region. For example, a state with a strong foundation in groundnut production, such as Kano, would be leveraged by training its women and girls in modern groundnut production techniques and empowering them on that basis, so as to add value to themselves and create value chains.
The reason is that the template that works in Kano State will likely not work in Enugu State, because apart from comparative advantage and market availability, topographical differences are also a factor.
All these factors are considered by the Better Life Program before rolling out its programs, and this has helped ensure that empowerment reaches the people who need it most.
Similarly, empowering women is not only a right but also a potent force for alleviating poverty, hunger, diseases and reducing the effects of global warming.
According to a UN report, “Women are responsible for half of the world’s food production while working as environmental and biodiversity stewards.”
Even then, there are still challenges facing rural women globally. The UN report further stated that, “Women and girls in rural areas suffer disproportionately from multi-dimensional poverty.”
“They may be as productive and enterprising as their male counterparts but are less able to access land, credit, agricultural inputs, markets, and high-value agrifood chains and obtain lower prices for their crops.”
The report added that “Women and girls in rural areas lack equal access to productive resources and assets, public services, such as education and health care, and infrastructure, including water and sanitation, while much of their labour remains invisible and unpaid.”
In the same vein, the report added that ‘If women had the same access to productive resources as men, farm yields could increase by 20–30 per cent, feeding an additional 100 to 150 million people.”
Based on the foregoing, empowering our women is no longer a choice but a necessity.
Therefore, the challenges facing African Rural Women necessitated the celebration of Aisha Babangida’s efforts in giving rural women a voice and access through many of her NGOs. Still, because this piece is about the International Day of Rural Women, I limited the scope of this article to the Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman for what they are doing silently.
While I encourage Aisha Babangida to continue her good work for humanity, I also appeal to public-spirited individuals to support this good cause for the sake of the common humanity we share.
Happy International Day for Rural Women!
Comrade Edwin Uhara is a UN-trained Negotiator and writes from Abuja
Aisha Babangida and the African Rural Woman
Troops neutralise bandit, recover arms in Plateau raid
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, under the Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace (JTF OPEP), have neutralised a notorious bandit and recovered arms and ammunition during a raid on a hideout in Plateau State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was conducted on Jan. 8 at Yolan Gboka–Yama Da Lahdi, following sustained efforts to track and arrest perpetrators of the Dec. 16, 2025 attack on illegal miners at Tosho community in Fann District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
According to the sources, troops made contact with the bandits during the raid and engaged them in a firefight.
“One of the bandits was neutralised during the exchange of fire and was later identified as Sadiq Isah, while others fled the area,” the sources said.
The sources added that troops subsequently exploited the hideout and recovered two AK-47 rifles and 162 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition.
The recovered arms and ammunition are currently in military custody, while troops have commenced follow-up operations to intercept the fleeing suspects and prevent further criminal activities in the area.
Zagazola reports that Operation Enduring Peace is a joint security initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability across Plateau and neighbouring states.
Troops neutralise bandit, recover arms in Plateau raid
FG Urges NSCDC to Boost Intelligence as Interior Minister Decorates 113 Senior Officers
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has called on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to strengthen intelligence gathering and operational readiness in the face of rising security threats across the country.
The call was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during a ceremony to decorate 113 newly promoted NSCDC commandants. The minister, represented by the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Corrections, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibrin (Rtd), commended the Corps for its role in protecting critical national infrastructure, lives, and property.
Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for strategic intelligence mapping to counter emerging threats, particularly as the Corps now shoulders additional responsibilities for the protection of Very Important Personalities (VIPs), a role previously managed by the Nigeria Police Force.
He encouraged the newly promoted officers and all personnel to uphold the confidence placed in the service by President Bola Tinubu, noting that the merit-based promotions are designed to boost morale and enhance performance.
The Commandant General of NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Audi, urged the officers to mentor subordinates, embrace leadership responsibilities, and adhere strictly to merit-based postings. He warned against lobbying for preferred postings, affirming that performance and dedication would guide all administrative decisions.
Representing the promoted officers, Commandant Ekanem Ekpenyong pledged unwavering commitment to duty, promising to uphold integrity and the Corps’ Oath of Allegiance.
In a key highlight of the ceremony, the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Babawale was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commandant. The event also featured goodwill messages from the Controller General of Corrections, the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, and representatives from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and the Department of State Services.
The ceremony underscored the Federal Government’s resolve to strengthen the NSCDC and reinforce its role in Nigeria’s security architecture.
FG Urges NSCDC to Boost Intelligence as Interior Minister Decorates 113 Senior Officers
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
.Disburses N1bn to SMEs in 5 LGAs
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday commissioned a fully remodelled “Second Chance School” for vulnerable girls and women in Biu Local Government Area.
The newly inaugurated facility is part of a strategic initiative designed to offer adult women, including those who missed formal education or dropped out of school due to prevailing challenges, a pathway to self-reliance.
The school’s curriculum is tailored towards providing comprehensive skills’ acquisition, critical digital knowledge and basic literacy, and numeracy training.
With the Biu centre now operational, Zulum’s administration has established three such schools across the state, with existing centres already operational in Maiduguri and Bama.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has disbursed N1 billion to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across five local government areas in southern Borno.
The targeted LGAs include Biu, Hawul, Shani, Bayo and Kwaya-Kusar, with the funds intended to support entrepreneurs and enhance business sustainability.
Zulum explained that the direct injection of capital into the SME sector is essential for driving grassroots development and fostering self-reliance in the post-insurgency recovery phase.
In a related development aimed at tackling youth restiveness and promoting social stability, Governor Zulum has ordered immediate employment of 200 young individuals from the Biu Local Government Area.
After the inauguration, Zulum visited Biu Specialist Hospital where he announced the immediate and automatic employment of a number of dedicated volunteer health workers who have served tirelessly.
He also inspected the 100-unit teachers’ housing estate under construction in Biu town. The estate is part of the Borno State Government’s motivational strategy to attract and retain qualified teaching professionals in public schools.
Governor Zulum has also directed immediate commencement of rehabilitation work on the Borno State Hotel Annexe in Biu.
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Troops neutralise bandit, recover arms in Plateau raid
Nigeria Urges Europe and Africa to Build Bridges, Not Walls
FG Urges NSCDC to Boost Intelligence as Interior Minister Decorates 113 Senior Officers
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News9 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
