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UN80: Our Achievements Should Give Us Hope for a Better Future By Philemon Yang
UN80: Our Achievements Should Give Us Hope for a Better Future By Philemon Yang
By: Michael Mike
Eighty years ago this month, the Charter of the United Nations was signed in San Francisco, turning the page on decades of war and offering hope for a better future. For 80 years the United Nations has stood as the highest expression of our hopes for international cooperation, and as the fullest embodiment of our aspiration to end the “scourge of war.” Even in a world steeped in cynicism, this is a milestone worth acknowledging.
The United Nations remains the only organisation of its kind, and the only one to have endured for so long. That longevity is remarkable when we consider the context of its founding: assembled from the rubble of not one, but two global cataclysms. Its predecessor, the League of Nations, had collapsed in disgrace.
No organisation is flawless. But to paraphrase the second Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld: the United Nations was created not to take humanity to heaven but to save us from hell. In that mission, it has not failed.
We continue to witness heart-wrenching scenes of war—in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere. The recent escalation between Iran and Israel is a stark reminder of the fragility of peace particularly in the tension-prone Middle East region.
Yet amid the violence, we have managed to avert a third global war. In a nuclear age, that is an achievement we can never take for granted. It is one we must preserve with the full force of our efforts.
Over the past eight decades, much of human development also bears the direct imprint of the United Nations. Consider the success of the Millennium Development Goals, adopted in 2000 by 189 Member States and more than 20 international organisations, which gave the world a shared roadmap for action.
By 2015, compared to 1990, extreme poverty was more than halved. Child mortality had fallen by nearly 50 percent. And millions of children — especially girls who had long been denied the right — had entered school for the first time.
Now, as we strive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we must build on that legacy of progress. We must continue efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger, achieve universal health coverage and produce and consume sustainably.
There is another story of progress, often overlooked: the dismantling of empire. Eighty years ago, colonialism cast its shadow over much of the world. Today, more than 80 former colonies across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific have gained independence and joined the United Nations. That transition, supported and legitimised by this Organisation, reshaped the global order. It was a triumph of self-determination, a profound affirmation of the Charter’s most fundamental principle: the sovereign equality of all States.
Evolving for the future
The world has changed dramatically since 1945. Today, the Organisation faces a deepening liquidity crisis. Despite the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, progress has been uneven. Gender equality continues to elude us. Our pledge to limit global temperature rise and protect our planet is slipping beyond reach.
These setbacks do not warrant diminished ambition but greater resolve. The United Nations has always shown its worth in times of crisis. Its founders had witnessed humanity at its most destructive and responded not with despair, but with boldness. We must draw on these achievements.
The spirit of San Francisco was not utopian. It was grounded in a sober understanding of what was at stake. It held that, even amid deep division, nations could still choose cooperation over conflict and action over apathy.
We saw that spirit last September, when world leaders gathered in New York for the Summit of the Future. After difficult negotiations, they adopted the Pact for the Future and its annexes—the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact—by consensus. In doing so, they pledged to renew multilateralism for a world more complex, connected, and fragile than the one imagined in 1945.
That spirit endures today. It lives in the resolve of 193 Member States, in the integrity of international civil servants, and in the quiet determination of those who believe firmly in the promise of the Charter. It is carried forward by the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative, which calls on us to deliver better for humanity; and to look to the future with adaptability and hope.
As we mark this anniversary, we must rekindle the call for unity and solidarity that rang out from San Francisco 80 years ago.
We built a world order once, in the ruins of war. We did so with vision and urgency. Now, again, we find ourselves at a moment of consequence. The risks are high. So too is our capacity to act.
H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang, is the President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly
UN80: Our Achievements Should Give Us Hope for a Better Future By Philemon Yang
NHRC Calls for Reforms in Correctional Centres, Cites Systemic Bias
By: Michael Mike
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu has called on stakeholders to reflect on the values that Nelson Mandela embodied, including justice, dignity, equality, and compassion, as the world commemorates World Mandela Day.
Dr. Ojukwu made this call in a statement on the eve of the commemoration, noting that Mandela’s legacy serves as a powerful reminder of the need to promote and protect human rights, particularly in Nigeria’s correctional centers.
According to him, the current state of Nigeria’s correctional centres, which are overcrowded, under-resourced, and lack basic sanitation and healthcare, reflects a failure of infrastructure, justice, and humanity.
He lamented that thousands of citizens are held in pre-trial detention for years due to poverty and lack of access to justice, while the rich have greater access to quality legal defense and bail, perpetuating systemic bias.
The NHRC Executive Secretary urged the Nigerian government, judicial authorities, private sector, and civil society to prioritize comprehensive reforms in detention facilities and correctional centers, including improving conditions, investing in alternatives to pre-trial detention, ensuring speedy trials, and upholding the rights of inmates.
Ojukwu emphasized the need to tackle the root causes of incarceration, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to justice, in order to build a society that values the dignity and human rights of all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status.
Nelson Mandela Day is celebrated annually on the 18th of July.
NHRC Calls for Reforms in Correctional Centres, Cites Systemic Bias
Ondo State Government Signs MOU with Backbone Infrastructure for 500,000 BPD Oil Refinery
By: Michael Mike
The Ondo State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Backbone Infrastructure Limited for the establishment of a 500,000 barrels per day oil refinery and development of free trade zone in Igbotiri, Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
The signing ceremony took place at the Governor’s office in Akure.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti represented the Governor, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the ceremony.
He described the proposed investment as timely and strategic, assuring the investors of a peaceful and business-friendly environment.
He emphasized that the project would boost the state’s economy, create meaningful job opportunities, and reduce crime.
In his remarks on behalf of Backbone Infrastructure, the Vice President, Legal & Corporate services, Barrister Wale Adekola expressed appreciation to the Ondo State Government for the opportunity to partner in the infrastructure development of the State and assured of his company’s commitment to ensure successful delivery of the two projects.
Similarly, the Managing Director / Chief Executive of Backbone Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Engr. Henry Owonka, revealed that the two projects would be accompanied by basic infrastructure such as roads, terminal storage tanks, and other facilities that will change the landscape of the State.
According to the MOU breakdown on the Refinery, Backbone Infrastructure Limited will hold 65% equity, while the Ondo State Government will hold 20% and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) will hold 15% stake.
Meanwhile, the investors have expressed confidence in the leadership and vision of the Aiyedatiwa-led administration, citing the clarity of purpose and support they have received as the reason for choosing Ondo State as their investment destination.
The state government equally pledged its support for the project, which is expected to transform the state’s economy and create jobs.
Present at the signing of the MOU were the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti. Attorney General and commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, SAN , the ONDIPA Team while the Backbone team was led by Dr. Steve Dike, a member of the Board of Directors representing the Chairman, Senator Ken Nnamani, Managing Director/CEO Engr. Henry Owonka, the Vice President, Legal & Corporate Services, other members of the management team from the Backbone infrastructure limited among other top government functionaries.
Ondo State Government Signs MOU with Backbone Infrastructure for 500,000 BPD Oil Refinery
News
Police arrest notorious gunrunners in Benue, recover rocket launcher, AK-47 rifles, thousands of ammunition
Police arrest notorious gunrunners in Benue, recover rocket launcher, AK-47 rifles, thousands of ammunition
By: Zagazola Makama
Operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID–IRT) have arrested two notorious arms traffickers and recovered a cache of deadly weapons in Abinsi town, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
Sources from the Benue State Police Command confirmed the development Thursday, describing the arrest as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal arms fueling insecurity in the North-Central region.
According to the sources, the suspects led by one Adikwu Ikwulono, a known illegal arms dealer were apprehended on Wednesday following credible intelligence.
Recovered from the suspects were one rocket launcher, five AK-47 rifles, and thousands of rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
Police say preliminary investigations revealed that the arms were being assembled for delivery to a gang of armed herders and bandits operating around the Benue–Nasarawa border, with plans to launch coordinated attacks on several communities in Benue State.
“The suspects are currently undergoing intensive interrogation with the FID, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the arms-smuggling syndicate,” the police sources said.
Police arrest notorious gunrunners in Benue, recover rocket launcher, AK-47 rifles, thousands of ammunition
NHRC Calls for Reforms in Correctional Centres, Cites Systemic Bias
Ondo State Government Signs MOU with Backbone Infrastructure for 500,000 BPD Oil Refinery
Troops intensify operations against terrorists in North East, arrest logistics suppliers, recover weapons
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