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West African Traditional, Faith Leaders, Others Gather in Abuja Against SGBV

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West African Traditional, Faith Leaders, Others Gather in Abuja Against SGBV

By: Michael Mike

Traditional and faith leaders from across West Africa, government officials, and representatives from international organisations have gathered in Abuja for the inaugural Annual High-Level GBV Prevention Summit.

In Africa, many instances of GBV are justified under culture and tradition. Harmful gender norms and practices rooted in traditional customs and religious misconceptions perpetuate violence against women and girls.

It is believed that the authority and platforms of traditional and religious leaders can be instrumental in addressing the root causes of GBV, such as patriarchy and gender stereotypes, by mobilizing communities towards change. Recognizing this, UN Women, with support from the Ford Foundation, organized a GBV prevention summit to take stock of achievements made by leaders in their respective jurisdictions and facilitate a space for sharing critical and inspiring insights.

In her opening remarks, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria & ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong expressed her profound appreciation to the Ford Foundation for their unwavering partnership on the Traditional and Cultural Leaders for Ending GBV by Advancing Advocacy, Policy, and Social Norms Change in Nigeria and West Africa (LEAP) program.

She noted that this initiative acknowledges the critical role of traditional and religious leaders in challenging harmful social norms perpetuating GBV, particularly violence against women and girls.

She emphasized the importance of challenging societal norms that condone violence, noting Africa’s rich cultural heritage while acknowledging the imperative to confront practices that deny human rights and dignity. Ms. Eyong also highlighted the pervasive nature of GBV, stating that “GBV is not just against our women and girls, it’s against our economic growth, stability, and our emergence to become a continent that has all it takes to be great and prosperous.”

Also speaking at the event was His eminence, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic affairs beckoned the traditional and religious rulers to work hand in hand to end all harmful practices against women and girls, adding that: “We are 100% behind you in this fight.”

Echoing his commitment, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni Of Ife, urged the traditional rulers to ensure that the outcomes of the summit are implemented in their various communities.

Ford Foundation President, Mr. Darren Walker, who was also present at the summit, expressed the need to continue investing in the prevention of GBV to create a more equitable society for women and girls in Nigeria. Mr. Walker was also decorated as a He4She for his commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria and West Africa.

Despite some progress, disparities persist, with West Africa grappling with high rates of child marriage and female genital mutilation. There is therefore a need for radical shifts in mindsets to end violence against women and girls, which can be achieved through dialogue and knowledge sharing among distinguished leaders from Nigeria, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana.

The summit marks a critical moment in the ongoing efforts to combat GBV in Nigeria and across West Africa. It builds upon the momentum generated by initiatives like the Spotlight Initiative and the LEAP project, focusing on enhancing traditional leaders’ skills and partnerships to prevent and shift harmful social norms and practices.

West African Traditional, Faith Leaders, Others Gather in Abuja Against SGBV

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Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

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Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

By: Zagazola Mamama.

Troops of the Nigerian military, late Monday night, repelled an attempted attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Gajiram, headquarters of Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno.

Zagazola Makama gathered from security sources that the insurgents launched the attack at about 2200 hours but met stiff resistance from troops stationed in the area.

According to the sources, ISWAP fighters were unable to gain access into Gajiram town as they were engaged in a gun duel by security forces, leading to the foiling of the assault.

However, the attackers reportedly fired projectiles during the encounter, one of which landed in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp within the vicinity, triggering an inferno.

Army troops ISWAP Attack Repelled in Gajiram

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ISWAP attacked Marte, two soldiers killed during battle with terrorists

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ISWAP attacked Marte, two soldiers killed during battle with terrorists

…Terrorists fled on sighting Super Tucano…

By: Zagazola Makama

Atleast two Nigerian soldiers have paid the supreme price during gun battle with ISWAP terrorists in Marte town in Borno State on Monday.

Intelligence sources said that the terrorists reportedly infiltrated the town at about 2 a.m.. they were engaged by troops of the battalion stationed in Marte, with reinforcement from the Brigade Headquarters and close air support from the Nigerian Air Force.

The coordinated counteroffensive forced the terrorists to retreat, abandoning their plans to overrun the town. two soldiers were killed in the firefight.

The attackers reportedly fled with some motorcycles and two vehicles. A number of unserviceable military vehicles, classified as beyond economic repair, were also set ablaze by the insurgents during the raid.

“There is no report of any arms or ammunition being taken by the enemy,” a military officer confirmed.

As of the time of filing this report, the Brigade Commander was on ground in Marte to assess the situation.

ISWAP attacked Marte, two soldiers killed during battle with terrorists

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Embrace the benefits of straighter, healthy teeth and confident smiles, Prof. Ajayi Advises Nigeria

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Embrace the benefits of straighter, healthy teeth and confident smiles, Prof. Ajayi Advises Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

Prof Emmanuel Olubusayo Ajayi, the pioneer Nigerian Fellow of the World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) has advocated that the populace should embrace the benefits of straighter, healthy teeth and confident smiles by learning about the life-changing benefits of orthodontic care, and also uptake orthodontic treatment that are being provided by the Consultant Orthodontists in our various Dental facilities throughout the federation.

Prof Ajayi stated that research has shown that the mouth is the most assertive facial feature and the dental appearance is a determining factor in the overall facial aesthetics of an individual.

He further stated that research continues to show that well-aligned teeth are linked to enhanced oral function, improved self-esteem, and a lower risk of developing certain dental or jaw-related problems.

This year’s World Orthodontic Health Day (WOHD) theme, “A World of Smiles” emphasizes how orthodontic treatment can transform not just oral health but also self-esteem and overall health and well-being of individuals. The World Orthodontic Health Day provides the perfect opportunity to raise awareness about how orthodontics, a sub-specialty of Dentistry does more than just the straightening of teeth with fixed appliances which includes braces, removable appliances and aligners butalso to emphasize the utmost benefits the patients gained from their beautiful and confident smiles said Prof Ajayi.

Orthodontic problems are of public health importance and do constitute a great concern as the inability to chew one’s food without difficulties, communicate orally and pronounce words correctly, breathe normally andsmile without pleasing facial appearance will definitely impart productive social interactions and quality of life of individuals. It is therefore obvious that one cannot be truly healthy without good oral health and smiles.

Prof Ajayi emphasized that irregularly arranged teeth, crooked teeth, crowded, misplaced, unerupted or blocked-out teeth, spacing of teeth, protruding teeth, upper or lower jaws that are too far forward or back, upper and lower teeth that do not meet in front or back with gap in-between them or teeth which are abnormally related and oral habits amongst other myriads of occlusal anomalies can be treated by a Specialist / Consultant Orthodontist who are primarily Dental Surgeons but who had undergone at least 3 – 6 years of Post-graduate Master programme and or Residency training at the University Teaching Hospital.

Prof Ajayi further emphasized that a well aligned teeth and beautiful smile will enhance oral function, boost confidence, transform lives, support a positive self-image and contribute to a better quality of life of all Nigerians.
 
Prof Emmanuel Ajayi is also the Chairman of Professor Emmanuel Olubusayo Ajayi Orthodontics Advancement Foundation and he is committed to improving the lives of children, teenagers, and adults through state-of-the-art orthodontic treatment and upholds the highest standards of care, and strives to educate the community on the far-reaching benefits of a healthy smile.

Embrace the benefits of straighter, healthy teeth and confident smiles, Prof. Ajayi Advises Nigeria

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