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HEIR Women Hub engages 40 FCT young women on leadership, civic knowledge enhancement
HEIR Women Hub engages 40 FCT young women on leadership, civic knowledge enhancement
By: Omirin Joshua
HEIR Women Hub hosted a Peer to peer virtual session on Leadership and Civic Knowledge Enhancement for Young Women in the FCT.
The project began in January with a training conference and a public sensitization of young women in the FCT in collaboration with the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) and was implemented by LEAP Africa with support from Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation with the theme: “Advancing Leadership Capacity of Young Women: A cross-generational strategy to tackling Gender Gaps in Governance“.
The Executive Director (ED) of HEIR Women Hub, Añuli Aniebo Ola-Olaniyi in an opening remark stressed the need for young women to do more and thrive amidst societal norms, while expressing hope for positive impact on the project and expectations afterward.
She disclosed that Facts about young women’s participation in leadership shows that global percentage of women’s participation in leadership is at 22.5% and that of the African region around 23.4%, addi8ng that the national average of women’s participation in governance in Nigeria is set at 6.7% despite women accounting for 49.4%of the total population with the mean age of women involved in political processes set at 55years.
“Is there a place for young women” she queried?
According to her, of the 4,259 contestants for the presidential and the national assembly seat in the 2023 elections, only 381 are women constituting 8.9%| with 5 5 states of the 36 states having female candidates contesting for a seat at the National Assembly.
She however blamed the wide gender gap in female participation in leadership on
Lack of support based on cultural expectations of young women ,
sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of support for female leader, traditional perceived gender roles among others and the lack of economic resources
“The report from the world gender gap report 2022 places Nigeria at 123rd with a score of 0.639 out of a total of 146 countries with a gender gap of 63.9%.
“Statistics from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) report revealed that only 30% of companies in Nigeria have attained gender balance in the workforce and women account for 33% of the workforce . Nigeria has less than 65% wealth equality , ranked 50t in economic participation and opportunity, 134th in educational attainment, 97th in health and survival, and 141st in political empowerment
Sharing her past and present political journeys at the meeting , Barrister Juliet Isi Ikhayere, a Principal Partner at MAKHOMS-J Attorneys noted the numerous challenges faced by young women in politics, and how she is still thriving,”she explained.
According to the ED, the involvement of women in nation-building is an inalienable right, as well as an inescapable reality for holistic and comprehensive political, economic, and social advancement.
“When young women are included in leadership across different levels , this will promote productivity and progress for both the women and the country.
“There will be a decline in the case of gender-based violence confronting young women as more responsive policies will be promoted and this will encourage the growth of GDP of the country,”she added.
” It didn’t end with training young women to take on more leadership positions in society. HEIR Women Hub went a step further to take this to the street. We engaged young women and the general public first on their civic rights and also on the benefit of having young women in leadership.
“About 50% of the young ladies who were at the leadership training came out for this purpose and it was an experience indeed. A lot of feedback has been drawn from this engagement and we believe that henceforth, it will go beyond taking as we shall begin to see results.
“It is a cheering thing to see young women from different climes unite for a common goal. The future is indeed female,”she assured
Sharing her past and present political journeys Barrister Juliet Isi Ikhayere, a Principal Partner at MAKHOMS-J Attorneys expressed the challenges she faced, and how she is still thriving.
Similarly, Sylvia Sarki, the National Youth Coordinator, National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) noted that contesting for the position of the President for the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). One can say her experience is a combination of sour and sweet. She urged young women who were in attendance to not give up on their ambition irrespective of the challenges they face.
HEIR Women Hub engages 40 FCT young women on leadership, civic knowledge enhancement
News
Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction
Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction
By: Michael Mike
A former coordinator of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has called on the political class across party lines to support ongoing security efforts of the federal government.
Onaiwu in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday noted that insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation and was religious neutral, therefore, the need for politicians to eschew partisan slant on security matters.
He cautioned that failure by the political elite to support the fight against insecurity leading to several ungoverned spaces could disrupt elections, stressing that except there is a country, then elections are guaranteed.
The former NGF coordinator particularly commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his coordination and strategic efforts in streamlining security policies and engagements in tackling insecurity.
According to him, the recent delivery of military hardware by the United States Government to Nigeria is a demonstration that the NSA was working and his recent foray to the U.S. is yielding the desired results.
“The season requires patriots and this means that irrespective of party affiliations, every politician worth his name needs to support ongoing security efforts as coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“Insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation, it is religious blind and those not respect societal status. Therefore, Nigerians, especially our political class, should lend their support, proffer solutions and galvanise the people to back the government’s security initiatives.
“Only on Tuesday, the federal government received critical military hardware from the United States Government. This is cheering and it shows that the NSA’s recent visit to the United States and the subsequent hosting of delegations in the country is bearing the desired results.
“Also, renewed military and police onslaughts against terrorists and bandits show that the federal government is taking the fight to those who are intent on denying us our peace and well-being.
“The least we can do as citizens is to support the government, provide real time intelligence from our communities and do not engage in fake news on social media against government’s efforts,” Onaiwu stated.
He further called on governors to match the energy of the federal government by supporting the NSA to address the various security challenges in their states as well as continued logistics and equipment to the military and police.
Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction
News
Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case
Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case
By: Michael Mike
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is facing possible committal to prison following contempt proceedings initiated over an alleged failure to comply with a Federal High Court order relating to the abduction and disappearance of Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie.
The action was instituted by legal counsel to Mr. Anozie’s wife, Mr. Vincent Adodo, who accused the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the IGP of willfully disobeying a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 24, 2025.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/865/2025 between Mrs. Nnenna Anozie v. Inspector General of Police, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the IGP to produce for prosecution operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) alleged to have abducted Mr. Anozie from his Lekki residence in Lagos on June 15, 2017.
The court also directed the police authorities to forward the investigation report and legal advice on the matter to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for appropriate action.
The court further awarded ₦2 million in damages against the IGP for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Mrs. Anozie seeking details of investigations into her husband’s disappearance.
The SARS operatives listed in the judgment include officers attached to the former SARS unit in Akwuzu, Anambra State, who were accused of involvement in the alleged abduction.
According to court documents, despite being served with the judgment in October 2025, the IGP has neither complied with the orders of the court nor paid the damages awarded. This development prompted Mrs. Anozie’s legal team to initiate contempt proceedings by serving the IGP with Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order) and Form 49 (Notice of Committal to Correctional Centre).
The applicant is now seeking an order of court committing the IGP to Kuje Correctional Centre until he complies fully with the judgment.
The motion for contempt has been scheduled for hearing on February 9, 2025, before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to the contempt proceedings.
Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case
News
VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem
VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem
Urges African entrepreneurs to close ranks to fully harness continent’s huge potentials
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has lauded the transformative impact of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem that has raised over $1.5 billion dollars and created over 30,000 direct jobs in 20 years.
He, however, urged African entrepreneurs to close ranks in order to fully harness the continent’s huge potentials, leveraging MIT’s resource mobilization network and job creation opportunities.
The Vice President made the remarks on Wednesday when he received a delegation from Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025-2026 led by MIT’s Executive Director for the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, on a courtesy visit at the presidential villa.

Senator Shettima called for unity of purpose among African professionals and entrepreneurs, saying “Africa is the new frontier and future belongs to the continent but its people must unite to transform potentials into tangible results that impact lives and livelihoods.
“Africa is blessed with enormous human and material resources but its people must fuse into one to benefit from the tremendous opportunities that abound across the continent,” he added.

He disclosed that Nigeria President Bola Tinubu is daring to leverage available opportunities to transform the entire economy, noting that “President Tinubu is not afraid of taking bold decisions that will reposition Nigeria’s economy and better the lives of the livelihoods of the people.”
Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sherif, said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to brief the Vice President on the activities of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, assuring that the Centre is dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world”.
She noted that the team was in Nigeria in view of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship programme, which, according to her, has helped to entrench the spirit of entrepreneurship across the continent.

Sherif underscored the significance of collaboration among African startups, noting that Nigeria is a leading country, as evidenced in the progress recorded by startups across the continent.
She further assured of improved support for African-based startups from the centre through its various initiatives.

Also present at the meeting with the Vice President were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, and some fellows of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025 – 2026 Session across Africa.
VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem
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