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Our Brand of Politics (Without Ethics or Morals) in Nigeria is Ruining Families, the Building Block of Any Society: Case study of three crying women-The Mother of Tuface, The wife of Akpabio and now Dr. Nwaeke’s wife

By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja

In this write-up, my major argument is that Nigeria is witnessing the gradual decline of itself as a corporate entity!!!

My argument is that the major sign of this gradual decline is hidden in plain sight for all who are discerning to see!!!

The disintegration of the family unit is the most visible sign that provides evidence of the gradual decline of Nigeria as a corporate entity!!!

My thesis is that the brand of politics that we play in Nigeria, which is politics without morals or ethical considerations is the root cause of the destruction of the cherished value we used to place on marriage and family life. This in turn is resulting in the gradual decline of Nigeria as a corporate entity.

As evidence, I will submit three instance wherein politicians and the politics that they play, has shown no regard for family life or the institution of marriage.

The first example is when during the month of February 2025, the mother of the popular singer, Tuface Idibia, issued a public statement and video to plead with Nigerian women to beg Hon. Natasha of the Edo State House of Assembly to release her son from the “love spell” that she cast upon him.

Hon. Natasha is a politician that displayed no respect for the institution of marriage considering that Tuface Idibia was still a married man at the time.

Out of the over 200,000,000 (two hundred million) Nigerian men, that she could choose from for a romantic relationship, she chose the one man that was married and despite all the entreaties of the mother of Tuface Idibia, she went ahead to cause the divorce of the said couple!!!

Another evidence of how Nigerian politicians are showing disregard for the institution of marriage and family life is when both Senator Natasha and her husband issued public statements to allege that Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio-GOA was sexually harassing Senator Natasha.

The husband of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote and issued a public statement that confirmed that he had privately spoken to the Senate President whom he regarded as a friend to cease-and-desist from further acts of sexual harassment of his wife.

Instead of the wife of the Senate President to show respect for a fellow married woman who was the victim of alleged sexual harassment and seek an amicable resolution, she added fuel to the fire by instituting lawsuits against Senator Natasha!!!

The whole episode shows that the brand of politics that we play in Nigeria is devoid of the cherished value of respect for the institution of marriage and family life because out of over 200,000,000 (two hundred million) Nigerian women why should anyone insist on a married woman as the target of his libido!!!

Finally, it was recently on 29th March 2025 reported that politicians had without respect for the wife and family life of Dr. George Nwaeke, former Head of Service of Rivers State Government, allegedly abducted him from Port Harcourt to Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and kept him in incommunicado away from his family.

Below is the report as follows:

“Days after the resignation of her husband, Florence Nwaeke, the wife of a former Head of Service in Rivers State, George Nwaeke, has raised the alarm over his whereabouts, alleging that her husband was held under duress to lie against the suspended state Governor Siminalayi Fubara. “This morning people started calling to tell me that my husband granted an interview,” Mrs Nwaeke told journalists on Friday. “So when I saw the interview online, I sent him a message and asked if he was under duress or was kidnapped. He didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians help me, my husband is in trouble.”

To conclude this write-up, I will draw a parallel between what is happening in Nigeria of today with what resulted in the collapse of the Roman Empire which ruled the world as a world power for one thousand years.

“The Roman Empire thrived when its citizens valued marriage and family. It fell when the family stopped being cherished.

The Modern Romans, a booklet produced in 1975 by Ambassador College, stated the following (emphasis mine throughout):

Largely forgotten today is the fact that the home is the basic foundation of any society. It is the most influential element in national character. It lays the first groundwork for learning individual character, values, goals, morality, self-control and loyalty. The early Romans basically understood this, and it was a force that helped Rome grow in power and stature. In the book Rome, Its Rise and Fall, the author Philip Van Ness Meyers notes: “First at the bottom, as it were, of Roman society in forming its ultimate unit, was the family. … The most important feature or element of this family group was the authority of the father.”

A Mirror Has Two Faces-The Role of Public Sector Lawyers in the Development and/or Destruction of Nigeria’s Public Institutions: Case Studies of former AGF, and Dr. Monday Ubani, SAN, Lawyer to the Senate President

By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja.

“The phrase “the mirror has two faces” suggests that someone or something can appear one way on the surface but have a hidden, often contrasting, side, implying a sense of duality or deception.”

There is even a 1996 movie of the same title.

In this article, I have, borrowed and culled the title: “The Mirror Has Two Faces” as a metaphor to describe the potential for dual roles that lawyers who are public officials or who work as lawyers for public officials can play depending on their CHOICE!!

Such lawyers could make a conscious choice to either promote public interests or use their office to loot public funds for themselves and/or their principals.

Such lawyers could either uphold both legal and professional ethical standards or do otherwise.

With each choice comes consequences!!!

Such consequences are either for the overall benefit of Nigeria or for the economic underdevelopment of Nigeria.

To illustrate the foregoing argument, I will rely upon the example of two lawyers who served and still serve within the public sector. One of them is a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. The second example is a lawyer who currently serves as the in-house lawyer to the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

On the 26th March 2025, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) made a public announcement that increasingly more Nigerian lawyers are getting involved in infractions of professional ethical standards. Her report is in an online newspaper: https://dailypost.ng/2025/03/26/cjn-kekere-ekun-laments-rising-level-of-unethical-conduct-among-nigerian-lawyers/

Her statement was based upon empirical evidence, based on the 2025 reports of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC). The CJN then charged the Body of Benchers (BoB) to deal with this malaise.

One of the cases that the LPDC has had to deal with in recent times, involved the immediate past AGF.

Although, not reported to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), the former AGF was involved in the total collapse and loss of estimated revenue of over $3,000,000,000 (three billion dollars) per annum that ought to be generated by one of the federal government agencies under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

This is revenue that is supposed to flow from royalties for creative artists under the collective management organisations.

Instead of allowing this ecosystem to be administered in accordance with the laid down legislation and Regulations, the said AGF, intervened in this sector and destroyed the entire ecosystem.

In my capacity as a former Chairman of the Governing Board of a certain federal government agency within this sector, I was an eyewitness to this AGF’s professional unethical actions.

A certain Director-General of one of the agencies under the supervision of this AGF was caught red-handed, with bank statements as proof of rigging this ecosystem by collecting both double salaries from the federal government of Nigeria as well as from one private sector organisation under the regulation of this federal government agency.

Even with all the evidence submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the said AGF, let it slide with the attendant consequence that that whole ecosystem is completely destroyed as no foreign investors are willing to invest in this ecosystem since the Nigerian regulator refuses to play by the said legislation and Regulations that ought to govern the ecosystem. So over $3,000,000,000 (three billion dollars) per annum is lost!!!

The second lawyer that illustrates the potential of public sector lawyers is Dr. Monday Ubani, SAN. He currently serves as the in-house lawyer to the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He was previously a Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association-NBA and former Chairman of the NBA’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).

It is hoped that his previous experience will come to bear on his current position.

We are still watching how he would utilise his current position to promote adherence to professional ethics.

DNA: Should some secrets be kept forever? Intimate Affairs by Funke Egbemode

This DNA problem is steadily becoming a problematic epidemic, isn’t it? It is querying the integrity of our men’s manhood and stripping our women of their belts of chastity. Even good wives are being subjected to bombastic side eyes when their husbands think they are not looking. Hitherto regarded great wives are now being looked at suspiciously, with daddies checking out the noses, nails and hairlines of their sons and skin tones of their daughters to see if they match those of their living and dead ancestors. Home-made DIY (do-it-yourself) DNA all over the place. Husbands who have been itching to pick a fight with their wives are making snide remarks targeted at hitting their wives below the belt. Trust issues are marking territories in even calm homes.

Are women now more wayward than before, or is it science that is blowing modern wind to expose the rump of the hen?

Are there really more ‘bastards’ than the ‘children of husbands’ in many homes these days? Are women opening their legs for their concubines under their fertile moons and luring their husbands to incubate eggs they did not fertilise? Is there a more deadly way to stab a man in the back than to make him father a child that is not his and make him raise children that are not from his loins?

You think I’m asking too many questions? You’ll be shocked at the number of those questions that are running around in my head. And it’s not just the regular ‘how did things get this bad?’ question. There are many other worrisome, deeply threatening ones.

Question 1: For instance, is it true that more and more men are being helped by their wives to become daddies, and is it not a foolish and foolhardy sacrifice for a woman to make?

I know love is sweet. Very sweet. That feeling of wanting to do anything for your partner and seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses. Yes, we all have felt cupid’s arrow a few times but reality is reality. Marriage is a marathon and if you are going to make it to the finish line, you must not take on baggage that will slow you down at any point in the race. I know those who have found themselves ‘covering their husband’s shame’ of no-sperm-count, low-sperm-count, or outright impotence will accuse me of calling myself a warrior when I have not been faced with a fierce battle. Eni ija o ba nii pe ara re l’okunrin.

It is easy to call yourself a strong man until life challenges you to a fight. But I do not think it is wise for a woman to step out of her marriage to make babies for her husband. No, it is not smart. It is short-sighted. It is dangerous in the long run for all concerned. It is even worse if it is without the man’s consent. Don’t we all know how men are when they catch their women with other men? Ah, they expect women to forgive them 70 times 70 times, indeed, all the days of their philandering lives. But if their wives are caught dropping their pants once and letting another nozzle fill their tanks, liquid fire is brought down with Amadioha’s rage in tow.

Some men are already cursing just reading this. So you see, if a man can flip, beat his wife black and blue, ask for a divorce, take a second wife even when all the woman has done is step out for an ‘ordinary dry run’, how can you now go to another man four times or four different men for a ‘wet run’ to bring him four children and expect no dire consequences? Even if it is with his consent and you sealed the agreement with a blood oath, you do not know what tomorrow will bring. Dear Desperate Wife, do not ‘help’ your husband make babies. Do not play God. Do not let your heart override your head just because you have convinced yourself only you can bail him out of his infertility predicament. There are other ways and means.

Question 2:What if a woman goes berserk because she’s wrongly accused?

Uncle Tunji (don’t ask for his surname) accused his wife of importing the only son of their marriage from her ex-boyfriend’s loins. According to Uncle Tunji, ‘I regret till today accusing my wife of bringing home a bastard. No, we did not have a DNA test that said the boy was not mine. I had warned her several times to sever all ties with her ex, but she continued to see him, saying that they were purely business-related meetings. Somehow, I started seeing a resemblance between him and my son. Jealousy started playing games with my mind, but I was too angry to acknowledge that I was just being mean. During one of our quarrels, the accusation just rolled off my tongue, and before you could say paternity test, my wife had stripped herself naked, right there in front of me. She swore that God should take away her joy if another man had seen her nakedness since she became my wife and that if I’d accused her wrongly, God should judge me. I was shocked and shaken. That week, I lost my job, and my health has steadily worsened since then.

Guys, do not accuse a faithful woman of infidelity or father-switching. You are not allowed to do DNA test with your eyes. It could ruin everything. Do not join the DNA multitude to do evil.

Question 3: What if the ‘home daddy’ refuses to let go of the children to their ‘real daddies’?

I have heard some men say they will never release children they have loved and raised to some strange sperm donors, and I can see where they are coming from. I do not envy them. To just wake up one morning and find out your son is no longer your son or that your daughter is now your pastor’s daughter. Who wants to be in their shoes? But then, what does the law say about custody in that situation? What does tradition say about who a father is in the life of a child? In the same way Uncle Tunji’s wife went spiritual when she was accused of father-switching, is it not also possible for a deceived and robbed father and husband to go to the extreme in pain and disappointment? What if he has the wherewithal to take the child or children away, far away, to Australia, away from Mr Sperm Donor? This is Nigeria, you know, where porous borders will annul court-ordered custody. What If the children are grown and can decide who they want to be with? Doesn’t that raise another set of posers? Why will they choose who they choose?

Then finally, in this season of Japa and relocation, what if two ‘siblings’ end up dating in Canada, thousands of miles from where their ‘parents’ switched their fathers and a daughter is impregnated by her brother? What, then?

Whether it is only one child that was sneaked into the house or four or all the children in the house have different fathers, this DNA trouble has only further worsened an already beleaguered and threatened marriage institution, and I am wondering if the fallout of finding out true paternities is worth the trouble. Or am I just adopting an escapist attitude? I am wondering if it is better to just let sleeping dogs lie. Sometimes, lies are kinder than the truth, and some secrets should be kept forever. Am I right or right?

Egbemode could be reached at [email protected].

Rivers’ State of Emergency: No money to give to the NBA for the conference — Wike

  • As NBA continues consultations about possibility of venue change

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has condemned the Nigeria Bar Association’s (NBA) stance on the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers by President Bola Tinubu.

Wike, a Life Bencher, alleged that the NBA discredited Tinubu’s decision because the Rivers government had promised to host their annual general conference.

The minister made the allegation when officials of the Body of Benchers, led by its then-chairman, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Friday.

He remarked that the association did not support the declaration of a state of emergency because there would be no money to give to the NBA for the conference.

“What kind of hypocrisy is this?” he queried.

The minister called on the Body of Benchers to call the NBA to order over the association’s unnecessary criticism of the judiciary.

He said that the body should not sit and watch while the NBA and its members destroy the legal profession.

He claimed that some members of the NBA go on national television to condemn the judgments and criticise judges without reading a judgment; actions which he said have continued with no sanction.

“If you don’t discipline somebody, nobody will learn any lesson.

“We shall no longer allow our profession to be pulled down. I cannot believe, as a lawyer, that you make a contribution to help the legal profession and you will be criticised by your fellow lawyers.

“Sir, time has come that we need to say look, enough is enough. We cannot continue to discourage our judges and justices. It is not done anywhere.

“I have never seen where members of a profession are the ones that are bent on bringing the profession down,” he said.

The minister also accused the NBA of describing any support rendered by the executive arm of government to the judicial arm, as a bribe.

Wike recalled that when the NBA was building its national secretariat, the leadership wrote to the executive for support, adding that nobody saw that as a bribe.

“I was the only one who contributed to the NBA to build the National Secretariat. The NBA didn’t see it as a bribe.

“When you contribute to the Body of Benchers, it is a bribe, but when you contribute to NBA it is not a bribe, they will take it.

“The same NBA will rely on state governments to sponsor their activities, but when the state government supports the judiciary, it is bribery,” he added.

Wike said that the constant taunting of judges and justices had made them to avoid attending social gatherings or going to church or mosque for fear of molestation.

He added that judges could no longer shake people’s hands freely because lawyers would accuse them of collecting bribes.

“It has gotten to the stage that our judges are so scared of going to a mosque or church or even greeting somebody they know because of fear of bribery.

“They run away from shaking people’s hands because they will start accusing them of collecting bride. This must stop,” he said

In the meantime, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at its virtual Emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday, March 27, 2025 has resolved to allow the National Executive Committee to Conduct further Consultations regarding the 2025 Annual General Conference scheduled to take place in Rivers State and report to NEC.

NEC members during the meeting unanimously approved and ratified the position of the NBA President’s statement regarding the declaration of State of Emergency in Rivers State and the Suspension of Government Officials in Rivers State by his Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

A key issue deliberated upon during the meeting was the venue of the 2025 NBA Annual General Conference (AGC), originally scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. After extensive discussions, NEC members considered two motions: A motion to immediately relocate the 2025 AGC from Port Harcourt, Rivers State and another motion to allow the NBA National Executive Committee and the AGC Planning Committee to conduct further investigations, consult stakeholders, and make a final decision, which would be reported back to NEC.

The voting process conducted by the General Secretary of the NBA, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara revealed that 69 NEC members voted in favor of allowing the NBA National Executive and AGC Planning Committee to investigate and take a decision, while 65 members voted in favor of immediately relocating the conference from Rivers State.

Senator Nwaebonyi’s actions were intentional, calculated to undermine the credibility of women speaking out in pursuit of justice —350 women groups

A coalition of over 350 women groups has called for an immediate public apology from Peter Nwaebonyi, the senator representing Ebonyi North District in Ebonyi State, over his verbal attack on former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili.

The groups, in a statement issued on Thursday, also accused the Senate Committee members of failing to call Mr Nwebonyi to order after what they described as his “disrespectful and vulgar” language directed at Mrs Ezekwesili.

The coalition described his comments as a deliberate attempt to undermine women’s voices, saying his actions were “wholly unbecoming of a public official.”

“This conduct is an affront not just to Oby Ezekwesili but to every woman who advocates for fairness, justice, and equity,” the statement read.

The coalition includes organisations such as ActionAid Nigeria, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Bring Back Our Girls, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Women Environmental Programme (WEP), Stand to End Rape (STER), Media & Teens Network, Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), and Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC).

Back story

The controversy stems from a Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges hearing held on 25 March where Mr Nwebonyi directed harsh and dismissive remarks toward Mrs Ezekwesili.

The hearing was convened to address a petition by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central against Nedanwen Imasuen of Edo South, seeking his disbarment from the Nigerian Bar over allegations of professional misconduct.

During the session, which focused on governance and justice-related petitions, Nwebonyi reportedly belittled the coalition’s efforts, dismissing them as “unserious” and a “waste of time.”

He further mocked the petitioners, stating he was “ready to be a witness for the Senate President.”

The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from over 350 women’s groups, who view the senator’s behavior as indicative of a broader culture of marginalisation and disrespect toward women in public spaces.

This incident has also reignited discussions about the treatment of women in Nigerian politics and governance, with calls for accountability and cultural change.

Disappointments

The coalition also expressed disappointment in the senate committee for failing to reprimand Senator Nwebonyi during the proceedings, saying their inaction amounted to complicity.

The group said the committee’s failure to intervene shows a disregard for women in politics.

“The failure of the committee to intervene condoned the disgraceful behavior and perpetuated a culture of disregard for women in political spaces,” the coalition stated.

The coalition praised Mrs Ezekwesili, addressing her as a “national leader and global treasure” whose contributions to governance and women’s empowerment are widely recognised.

“As a former minister and Chairperson of Women Political Leaders (WPL), Oby Ezekwesili has consistently championed justice and the inclusion of women in leadership. Any attempt to demean her is an attack on the dignity of Nigerian women,” the statement added.

The groups emphasised that women would not accept any further disrespect directed at Mrs Ezekwesili or any other woman advocating for justice.

Systemic marginalisation

The coalition noted that the incident highlights the systemic marginalisation faced by women in Nigeria’s political space.
They noted that his behavior translates to gender-based violence.

“Senator Nwebonyi’s behavior is reflective of the abuse of power rooted in gender-based violence. It seeks to intimidate and silence women who challenge the status quo, undermining the principles of dignity and equality,” the statement added.

The women’s groups vowed to hold the Senate accountable for the incident, insisting that it must not be swept under the carpet.

The full statement reads:

Coalition of Over 350 Women Groups Demands Public Apologies from Senate Committee on Ethics Members and Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi Following Nwebonyi’s Disrespectful Outburst Toward Oby Ezekwesili, a National Leader and Global Treasure.

The Coalition of over 350 women groups strongly condemns the recent disgraceful conduct exhibited by Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi during the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges hearing held on March 25th March, 2025. His use of highly insulting and vulgar language towards Oby Ezekwesili, a respected leader and an invaluable asset to this nation, is completely unacceptable and must not go unaddressed.

This hearing, which was meant to deliberate on critical issues related to justice and governance, descended into a spectacle of disrespect and arrogance, as Senator Nwebonyi shamefully targeted Dr Oby Ezekwesili. Instead of maintaining the dignity and seriousness that the Senate hearing demanded, Senator Nwebonyi opted to derail the proceedings, mocking the petitioners and disregarding the importance of the matters at hand. He not only interrupted the process but dismissed our efforts as “unserious” and a “waste of time,” adding that he was “ready to be a witness for the Senate President since we were not serious.” Such condescending and dismissive rhetoric is an open attempt to silence the voices of women advocating for justice. This conduct is wholly unbecoming of a public official.

We, as a coalition, demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi for his actions, and we call upon the Senate Committee members present to take responsibility for failing to call him to order during the hearing. The failure of the committee to intervene not only condoned this egregious behavior but also perpetuated a culture of disregard for women’s voices in the political space. This cannot and will not be tolerated.

Senator Nwebonyi’s actions were not simply a difference of opinion; they were an intentional and calculated attempt to undermine the credibility of women speaking out in pursuit of justice. This is an example of the abuse of power, rooted in gender-based violence, that seeks to intimidate and silence women who dare to challenge the status quo. It is a stark reminder of how women continue to be marginalized in political and public discourse. Senator Nwebonyi’s behavior reflects an alarming disregard for the values of fairness, dignity, and respect.

Oby Ezekwesili is the Former Minister of Education and currently the Chairperson of Women Political Leaders (WPL), who always stood firm in defending the right of women to be heard and respected in all spaces, particularly in politics. We will not allow this assault on our dignity to stand. Senator Nwebonyi’s actions were an affront not only to Oby Ezekwesili but to every woman who believes in fairness, equality, and justice. Women across the country are watching, and we will not accept this disrespect.

We demand that the Senate Committee members take immediate action to hold Senator Nwebonyi accountable for his disgraceful behavior. We expect them to issue a public apology, not only to Oby Ezekwesili but also to the women of Nigeria whose voices are systematically belittled and ignored in political spaces.

Let it be clear that we, the women of this nation, will not allow any further disrespect to go unchecked. We will continue to demand justice, equality, and accountability in every forum. We will continue to fight for the dignity and respect of all women, and we will not rest until Senator Nwebonyi and the Senate Committee are held fully accountable for their actions.

This fight is far from over, and we stand united in our pursuit of justice for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and for all women who have been silenced, marginalized, and disrespected in political spaces. Our resolve is stronger than ever: “This Injustice Shall Not Be Sustained”—and we add, “NEVER.”

100 Women Lobby Group (100WLG)
9jafeminista
Action Aid Nigeria
ACTS Generation GBV
Ade Grange Child Foundation
ADEM Community Human Development Foundation
Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
Advocate for Health and Development Initiative
Affirmative Action Initiative for Women (NCAA)
African Women’s Initiative/ Verity CNET
African Women’s Initiative (AWI)
Ajegunle Community Project
Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation
Alliances for Africa
Amaclare Connect and Development Initiative
Amazing Grace Inspirations
Aminchi Women Cooperative Society
Amuwo odofin local government
ARDA Development Communication Inc.
Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation.
Association Against Women Exploitation and Degradation (AAWED)
Association of Nigeria Women’s Business Network (ANWBN)
Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture (AWITA)
ATATA Development and Empowerment Foundation (ADEF)
AYO Fadugba KYF Foundation
Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
BLECCA Foundation
Bring Back Our Girls
Briskila Emefesi Women Foundation (BEWOF)
Brooklyn College, City University of New York, USA
Cece Yara Foundation
Cedar Seed Foundation
CEE-HOPE Nigeria
Center for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities (CEEGA)
Center for Transparency Advocacy
Center for Women’s Health and Information
Centre for Alternative Development and Self-Enhancement (CEADESE NG)
Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA)
Centre for Media and Development Communications
Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN)
Centre for Peace Education and Community Development
Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN)
Change Managers International Network
Charity Women Spring of Salvation
Chedal Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society
Child Care and Adult Protection Initiative(CCAPI)
Choung-Dung Women Association.
Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS)
Christian Women in Nigerian Politics
Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR)
Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC)
Community and Youth Development
Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
Community Initiative for Healthy and Peaceful Society
Community Life Project (CLP)
Community Partners for Development (CPD)
Community Rescue Initiative (CRI)
Community Women Initiatives (CWI)
Country Associates Network
Country Associates Network (CAN)
Courageous People Health and Development Initiative (CPHDL)
Crestville Development Foundation
Champion Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Association (CWEMA)
Daria Media Foundation (DMF)
Development in Practice Gender and Entrepreneurial Initiative (DIPGEI)
Digi Civic Initiative
Dinidari Foundation
Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF)
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili
Dream Alive Women and Orphans Support Foundation (DAWOS Foundation)
Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives
Edo Women’s Development Initiative
Education As a Vaccine (EVA)
Emerge Women Development Initiative (EWDI)
Empowerment and Action
Enough is Enough (EIE)
Equality Through Education Foundation (ETEF)
Equity Advocates and The Woman Today Newspater TWT
FACICP Disability Plus
Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON)
Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN)
Federation of Paralegal Network (FEDPAN)
Fembridge Development Initiative (FEDI)
First Future Leadership
First Future leadership Company/Gte
Ford Foundation
Former Women Action Organization (WAO)
Forum of Women in Politics (FONWIP)
Forward in Action for Education, Poverty and Malnutrition (FACE-PAM)
Foundation for Justice Development and Peace (FJDP)
Gender Action Awareness Trust
Gender and Community Empowerment Initiative
Gender and Constitution Reform Network (GECORN)
Gender and Development Action (GADA)
Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)
Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)
Gender Development Initiative
Gender Equality Center
Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre
Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI)
Gender Technical Unit (GTU)
Genger Equality, Peace and Development Centre
Gender Relevance initiative Promotion (GRIP)
Girl Child Advocacy and Education Initiatives
Girl Child Africa
Girl Child Education, Care & Rehabilitation
Girl Education Rehabilitation and Care (GERAC)
Girls Power Initiative (GPI)
Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC)
Green Spring Development Initiative
Habiba Dangana (Hadis) Foundation
Heal Disability Initiative
Health Education and Human Rights Advocacy Initiative
Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria(HERFON)
HEIR Women Development
Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development
Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development
Hope for New Life (HNL)
Independent consultant
Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD)
Inter Africa Committee (IAC)
Inter Gender Peace Foundation (IGPF)
International Action Network on Small Arms Women Network (IANSA)
International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)
International Hairstylists, Barber and Body Therapists (IHSTOBAN)
International Women Communication Centre (IWCC)
Iyaniwura Children Care Foundation (ICCF)
Jamatul Nasir Islam, Women Wing
Jana Health Foundation (JHF)
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Julie Oyegun
Justice Development and Peace Mission (JDPM)
Kebetkache Women Development And Resources Centre
Kilimanjaro Youth Foundation (KYF)
KMashi Gamji Women
Koyenum Immalah Foundation
Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Development Initiative (KTMDI)
League of Queens International Empowerment (LQIE)
League of Women Voters of Nigeria (NILOWV)
LEDAP
Legislative Advocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women Initiative (LACVAW)
Lift Initiative
Mary Afansmallscale women farmers organization on Nigeria (SWOFON)
MBULA Women Association
Media & Teens Network
Media Concern Initiative
Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children
MODAC
More Women in Politics
Mothers United and Mobilised (MUMs)
My Voice My Future NGO
Nasrul – Lahi-L- Faith Society (NASFAT)
National Centre for Women Development
National Council of Women Societies (NCWS)
NAWE
NAWORG
NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women
Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation
Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria
Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN
NEWA
Next Initiative for Gender Actions (NIGA)
NGAS Women Farmers’ Cooperative Society
Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
Nigeria For Women Project
Nigeria Labour Congress, Women Committee
Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ)
Nigerian Express
Nigerian Women Politics Forum
Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NTWF)
Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo (NNII)
None for now
Ogayem Merciful Care and Support Initiatives (OMCSI)S
Ogun Women Alive
Okwuzi Women Forum
Olive Community Development Initiatives
Onomese Foundation
Open Arms Initiative for Sustainable Development (OPAISD)
Osi Joe Touching Lives Initiative
Ovie Brume Foundation
OvieBrumeFoundation
Partners West Africa Nigeria
Peasant Dragnet
Princess Olufemi-Kayode
Proactive Gender Initiative (PGI)
Purple Hibiscus Foundation
Quinnipiac University
Ray of Hope Community Foundation
Relief Development Initiative Kaduna
Research Centre (EARC)
Responsible Citizenship and Human Development Initiative
Safe Space Initiative
Save a Child Lend a Hand Foundation
Sesor Empowerment Foundation
She for she Africa Initiative
She Forum Africa
She Mentors Initiative
Shout Global Health
Small-scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON)
South- South Professional Women Association.
Stand to End Rape (STER)
Stephanie Peace Building Development Foundation
Support For Needy Children and Women Initiative (SUNCHI)
Taraba State University
TechHerNG
The Guardian Newspapers, Nigeria
The Inclusion Project (TIP)
The Kilimanjaro
The Priceless Jewels
The Purple Foundation
THR Media
Tonia Bruised but Not Broken Foundation
Transformation and Development Center (TDC)
Transition Monitoring Group
Tunde & Friends Foundation (TAFF)
UC Women Commission
UTO Foundation
Vision Spring Initiatives (VSI)
Voice of Ogun Women (VOW)
WEPDN
West African Network for Peace
WEWENETWORK AFRIQUE
Widows Development Organization (WIDO)
WISCAR
Woman-Being Concern Nigeria (WBC)
Women &Youth Awareness Empowerment Network (WOYAEN)
Women Advocacy, HIV Prevention and Other Diseases (WAHPOD)
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC)
Women Aid Collective (WACOL)
Women and Youth Empowerment for Advancement and Health Initiative
Women AT Risk International Foundation(WARIF)
Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON)
Women Democracy Network Africa – Nigeria
Women education advocacy and development Initiatives (WEADI)
Women Empowerment and Initiative Development
Women Empowerment and Reproductive Health Centre (WERHC)
Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI)
Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
Women Farmers Alliance (WFA)
Women for Peace and Gender Equality Initiative (WOPEGEE)
Women for Women International
Women Foundation Initiative (WFI)
Women Foundation of Nigeria (WFN)
Women in Action for Positive Development and Gender Enhancement Center (WAPDAGEC) Women Action Organization (WAO)
Women in Africa Initiative (WIAI)
Women in Agriculture (WIA)
Women in Extractives
Women in Extractives Women in Management Buisness and Public Service (WIMBIZ)
Women in Mining (WIM)
Women in Mining initiative Nigeria
Women Information Network (WINET)
Women Initiative for Democracy and Empowerment (WIDE)
Women Initiative on Climate change
Women Law and Development Initiative (WOLDI)
Women Law Development Center of Nigeria (WLDCN)
Women Lead Agric (WLA)
Women League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
Women of Vision Development Initiative
Women Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF
Women Protection Organization (WOPO)
Women Right to Education Programme (WREP)
Women Wing of The Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN)
Women Youth and Children Upliftment Foundation (WYCUT)
Women, Infants and Children Care Initiative (WICCI)
Women, Youths and Children Advancement Program
Women’s Optimum Development Foundation-WODEF
Women’s Crisis Centre Owerri
Women’s Leadership Group (WLG)
Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA)
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP)
Women Preneurs (AWEBO)
Womens Crisis Centre Owerri
Working Moms Africa (WMA)
Yiaga Africa
Yeye Adenike Agnes Shobajo Women’s Group Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Youth Future Savers Initiative (YFSI)
Zonta International Club of Lagos 1

Coming Out Soon! “The Selectorate”, By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

In The Selectorate, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu dismantles the long-held myth of judicial independence in Nigeria and across Africa. He argues that the judiciary, far from being neutral arbiters of justice, has evolved into an unelected political elite, determining the fate of democracy from the courtroom rather than the ballot box. As electoral legitimacy shifts from voters to judges, the judiciary becomes a “Selectorate,” wielding power that undermines the very foundations of democracy.

The-Selectorate-Cover-and-back

Judicial independence is often celebrated as a cornerstone of democracy, but Chidi Odinkalu challenges this assumption. In colonial Nigeria, judicial officers were never truly independent; they served at the pleasure of the colonial masters. Decades later, military and civilian regimes alike co-opted the judiciary for political ends. Through historical analysis and contemporary case studies, The Selectorate exposes how the judiciary has been shaped not by ideals of justice but by obedience to power. This book is an urgent call for citizens to reclaim democratic participation from the grip of unelected elites.

Amnesty Int’l demands justice for Bumpa co-founder Adetunji Opayele who was hit and abandoned by healthcare professional

Amnesty International has called for justice over the death of the co-founder of a tech startup firm, Bumpa, Adetunji Opayele, alias Teejay.

Mr Opayele, 31, was involved in an accident on March 4, 2025, while riding his power bike on his way from the gym along Ozumba Mbadiwe in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The driver, Biola Adams-Odutayo, reportedly failed to yield the right of way while merging onto the expressway, striking Teejay and leaving him unconscious on the road.

Adams-Odutayo, said to be a healthcare professional, was alleged to have refused to help the injured because she did not want blood stains in her car.

Opayele was reportedly taken to a hospital, but medical personnel there refused to attend to him.

He was eventually admitted to another hospital, where he was declared dead after midnight.

Reports say Adams-Odutayo was arrested and charged with reckless driving but was released on bail.

Reacting to the matter in an X post on Saturday, Amnesty International said: “Biola Adams-Odutayo’s reckless and lawless driving killed Adetunji Opayele (TeeJay), the Co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Bumpa. Nigeria’s corrupt law enforcement is letting her get away with murder.

“This crime must not be covered up. Relevant Nigerian authorities must ensure that justice is done now.”

The incident has since sparked widespread anger, with over 35,000 Nigerians signing a petition on Change.org, demanding justice.

Petitioners have also demanded that the Lagos State Ministry of Justice oversee a thorough investigation and ensure proper prosecution.

[Video] US lawmaker tells UK reporter to ‘go back to your country’ after being asked about Yemen attack chat leak

US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has triggered controversy after asking a British reporter from Sky News, “Why don’t you go back to your country?”

The confrontation started when the journalist attempted to ask questions about the Signal group chat that leaked military plans to strike Houthi targets.

As the reporter asked her the question, Greene became visibly frustrated and responded, “We don’t give a crap about your opinion and your reporting. Why don’t you go back to your country?”

She pointed at the journalist, who identified herself as being from the United Kingdom and questioned the reporter’s interest in the US and its national security. “You should care about your own borders. Let me tell you something, do you care about people from your country?” Greene asked the reporter.

The Georgia representative then made an unsettling comment, saying, “What about all the women that are raped by migrants, do you care?”

It is not the first time Greene had made such comments. In 2022, she directed similar remarks towards British journalist Siobhan Kennedy from Channel 4. However, this confrontation with the Sky News reporter drew significant attention, especially as C-SPAN cameras captured the exchange.

To shift focus from the debate, Greene called an American journalist who attempted to turn the discussion back to the British reporter’s question.

“I’m not answering her question because I don’t care about her network,” Greene said, refusing to answer on the Signal chat.

Instead, she shifted the focus to US military security and Trump’s approach to border control.

“You want to know about complete disregard for operational security? You should talk about the Biden administration how they ripped our borders open to terrorists, cartels, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, and drug trafficking across our borders for four years,” Greene said.

Bar owners in custody over alleged rape and sexual assaults on 41 women

Three bar managers in Belgium are among five men who have been arrested in connection with an investigation into the rape and sexual assault of dozens of women, local police say.

Prosecutors said the suspects were linked to the spiking of drinks of at least 41 female victims from December 2021 to December 2024.

The three suspects ran the establishments in the north-western city of Kortrijk where the spikings took place. Investigators say they believe they discussed the attacks with each other.

The Western Flanders public prosecutor’s office said in total, five men were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday in connection with the investigation into spiking.

The prosecutors disclosed that the two men who were arrested appeared before an investigating judge on Thursday.

Another two men are still being questioned by detectives while the fifth man has been released after being interviewed.

The men are suspected of rape, sexual assault and illegal administration of harmful substances, the prosecutor’s office said.

Officials believe drugs were mixed into the women’s drinks, including ketamine, a general anaesthetic used for recreational purposes because of its hallucinogenic effects.

“The young women were offered shots of alcohol, often with an amaretto flavour, after which they woke up the next morning groggy in an unknown bed or in their own bed with clear evidence of sexual abuse,” Tom Janssens, another spokesman for the prosecutor’s office spokesman, told Flemish public television VRT.

Outraged parents tackle Ogun school where incisions were made on children’s bodies

Two parents have accused a private school in the Arepo area of Ogun State of carrying out unauthorised incisions on their children’s bodies.

The parents told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that the incision resulted in health complications in their children.

One of the affected parents, Abosede, the mother of a four-year-old young boy identified simply as Alamis, said she discovered the incision on her son’s stomach on March 2.

She claimed to have initially noticed the mark after Alamis complained of persistent itching on the side of his stomach.

Abosede explained that three weeks after discovering the mark, her son fell ill and had to be taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed that the incision had caused an infection.

She said, “On March 2, my son started to complain that a side of his stomach was etching him. When I checked, I saw an incision on his body. When I asked what happened, he said he did not know who did it. When I saw the incision, it looked like he was sleeping when they did it because the marks were not straight.

“He talks a lot, so if he was conscious, he would tell me who did it. The third week after I saw it, he fell sick, and I took him to the pharmacy and from there took him to the hospital where they said the incision caused the infection. They later prescribed some drugs which he used and was later getting better.”

Her concerns, however, grew when another parent, whose daughter attends the same school, reported a similar mark on her child’s body.

“The following day, I took him to my shop to monitor him. While I was in the shop, another parent who had enrolled her daughter in the school came and told me she had found a similar incision on her daughter’s body. I am a Muslim, and my son attends only Arabic and home lessons. The woman is a Christian, so the only connection between her daughter and her son is the school.”

Speaking on a similar discovery, Oluwatoyin Adurogboye said she noticed some changes in her three-year-old daughter, Karla, when she returned from school on February 28, adding that she thereafter fell sick.

According to her, Karla had just recovered from malaria and an infection a week earlier. When her condition worsened, they rushed her to the hospital, where she was placed on oxygen due to breathing difficulties.

She said, “I went to pick her up from school on February 28, and anytime I do that, we are always gistin,g but that very day, she got in the car and slept off. She slept for six to seven hours that day. When we got home that day, I pulled her uniform, and I saw a scratch on her spin, but I thought it was just a scratch. So I left her with my sister and nephew and went to my store. While I was in the store, my sister called me three different times, saying that she was still sleeping and also running a temperature. Meanwhile, she was treated for malaria and infection a week before then.

“When I got home, she still had a high temperature. Even when she woke up, she was not active. The following morning, she started coughing and vomiting. We later took her to the hospital and ran a test, but the doctor said there was no malaria or infection in her body.

We later took her home, but the situation got worse, and we went back to the hospital, and she was admitted and placed on oxygen after the doctor discovered she had shortness of breath.”

She however, disclosed that while in the hospital, she noticed the mark again, and when she asked her about it, she tried to say something but could only mutter ‘my teacher’ five times before stopping.

She said, “While in the hospital, I saw the mark again, and when I asked her, she said my teacher five times and couldn’t talk again. It was when we got home and I asked her again that she said it was her aunt that put pepper on her back in the school bathroom.

“I called my husband and sent the picture to him. I also showed it to my sister, and they all confirmed it was an incision. I did not put an incision on my child’s body, and it was when I got to Mrs Abosede she confirmed it on her son’s body too.”

The two mothers thereafter took their complaints to the school, but they claimed the proprietress denied any wrongdoing.

According to Karla’s mother, the proprietress told them to consider other places where their children might have got the marks, insisting that it did not happen in the school.

She added that when she requested to review the CCTV footage, the proprietress informed them that the cameras had not been functioning for several days.

“We also requested that she call her workers so that my daughter could identify the person, but she declined. We went to the station the following day, and they invited her, and she said again that she had checked the footage and that she could not find anything. When we asked her to play the footage, she only played it from the hours of 10 am to 12:15 pm. When asked what happened between 12pm and 2pm, she said there was no light, and my husband immediately told her that the school has an inverter. Then, she said again that the inverter was not working that day.”

While Abosede’s family dragged the school to court, Karla’s parents called on the authorities to investigate the development while also insisting on seeing the remaining part of the CCTV.

The proprietress did not respond to calls made to her phone. However, she sent a text message, stating she would return the call. She had yet to do so as of the time this report was filed.