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Gender-based violence must stop in Nigeria – Osinbanjo and other religious leaders

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Gender-based violence must stop in Nigeria – Osinbanjo and other religious leaders

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have said violence against women and girls must stop in Nigeria for the country to make progress.

The leaders spoke at a two-day Northern traditional and religious leaders’ summit on ending gender-based violence and harmful practices organized by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development in Abuja yesterday.

Rev. Samson Ayokunle, and the UN Deputy Secretary General, Mrs Amina Mohammed were also present in the summit

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Abubakar, in his remarks at the event, emphasised the need for the government to go beyond the enactment of laws and strengthen awareness around gender-based violence.

He said no government could claim to be addressing the menace when law enforcement institutions remained weak in the discharging their functions.

He said: “Everyone should understand that violence against women and girls is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.

“Government at the community level should put in place a sex offenders register to name and shame perpetrators and end the impunity around gender-based violence.

“Government should also establish and fund at least one GBV response centre and shelter with government-paid staff deployed and with effective linkages to other support services that survivors may need.

“In addition, the government should establish at least one forensic lab in each geopolitical zone in the country to support the prosecution of GBV cases.”

Speaking in a similar vein, CAN President, Ayokunle, stated: “The abuse of the girl-child and the vulnerable must no longer continue in our own time.

“All forms of gender-based violence is appalling in the 21st century. We should all rise together to eradicate them. Our society will be better through our collective action in this direction.”

He charged royal fathers and faith leaders to step up their roles as custodians of custom, tradition and faith in ensuring women and girls were safe.

In his remarks, Vice President Osinbajo urged state governments to intensify efforts to address the issue of gender-based violence in their territories.

Represented by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, the vice president said the Federal Government was committed to supporting deliberate measures to tackle the menace.

He, however, said unless all stakeholders took practical steps to protect the vulnerable population, especially women and girls, the nation would be the worse for it in the years ahead.

Osinbajo said: “For the Child’s Rights Act, I am so pained and my heart is heavy that 10 States in the North that are yet to domesticate it. Same goes for the Violence Against Persons Prohibition, VAPP, Act. Only three states in the Northeast and Northwest regions have domesticated the Child’s Right Act.

“I want to use this opportunity to commend the governor of Kaduna State. Apart from domesticating the laws, he also amended the VAPP Act to deal with offenders. It is high time we moved to action. We cannot keep talking without action.

“People use religion to commit all sorts of evil things, but the two religions, Christianity and Islam condemn violence against women.”

To the Northern traditional rulers and faith leaders, the Vice President said: “You are the custodians of the society and highly respected in your communities.

“So, if you want to take action against perpetrators of violence against women and girls, we can have a better society and achieve greater result in addressing the menace of gender-based violence that is before us.”

On her part, the UN Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, lamented that around the world, one of every three women experienced gender-based violence in her lifetime.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated the challenge, reversing the many gains made in addressing the issue.

Mohammed, nonetheless, said traditional leaders were central to addressing structural inequalities and transforming communities for the better from within.

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Golden Nsogbu Unveils Nsogbu TV: The New Powerhouse Set to Shake Up Nigeria’s Entertainment Scene

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Lagos is about to feel the heat as Nsogbu TV, a brand-new YouTube-based entertainment platform, officially launches with a bang! Founded by serial entrepreneur and music mogul David Ewofobe, popularly known as Golden Nsogbu, the channel is already making waves with promises to redefine the way fans consume music, comedy, and lifestyle content.

Described as a “Power House” for fresh talent and premium entertainment, Nsogbu TV is setting itself apart with an irresistible lineup of music videos, hilarious comedy skits, exclusive celebrity interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage fans won’t find anywhere else.

“We are not just creating a YouTube channel; we are building a global entertainment hub,” Golden Nsogbu declared. “From music lovers to comedy fans, there’s something for everyone. Nsogbu TV will soon be the name on everyone’s lips.”

And he isn’t doing it alone. Golden Nsogbu has teamed up with ace comedian IGoSave (Otaghware Otas Onodjayeke) as Creative Director, alongside a host of talented creators ready to take Nigerian entertainment to new heights.

The platform’s official teaser video, fittingly titled “POWER HOUSE🏠”, has already given fans a taste of what’s coming, sparking excitement across social media.

With its headquarters in Lagos, Nsogbu TV is positioning itself as a launchpad for young creatives while also delivering high-quality content that resonates with global audiences.

🎥 Check out Nsogbu TV’s launch video here: Watch Now
📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @NsogbuTV

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ROTARIAN, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!

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Membership Drive — August: Month of Membership 2025/2026

By Prince Adeyemi Aseperi-Shonibare
Charter President, Rotary Club of Ikeja Alausa

“Friendship was the foundation rock on which Rotary was built and tolerance is the element which holds it together.” — Paul Harris, Founder of Rotary

This August, Rotary clubs worldwide celebrate Membership Month — a time to reflect on why we joined, how we serve, and who we will invite next. Membership is the heartbeat of Rotary. Without new minds, fresh energy, and diverse perspectives, even the most vibrant club risks losing momentum. If you have yet to invite a friend, colleague, or family member to join, you may be withholding one of life’s greatest gifts: the opportunity to serve humanity through fellowship.

Rotary is not just a meeting. It is a movement, a mindset, and a lifestyle of purpose — a passport to significance and a front-row seat to impact humanity.
We are 1.4 million members in more than 200 countries and territories, united by a single motto: Service Above Self. Membership begins with one simple act — an invitation.

“The true measure of a Rotarian’s leadership is not in holding a title, but in multiplying our tribe” “When everyone bring one, and you’ve changed a life. Bring many, and you’ve changed the world.”

Rotary’s 7 Areas of Focus: A Magnetic Invitation

The most compelling way to introduce someone to Rotary is through action. The 7 Areas of Focus are powerful entry points for potential members:

1. Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention – Promoting dialogue, resolving disputes, and fostering understanding.
2. Disease Prevention and Treatment – Fighting polio, tackling malaria, and expanding access to healthcare.
3. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene – Providing clean water and proper sanitation for healthier communities.
4. Maternal and Child Health – Reducing mortality and empowering mothers through quality care.
5. Basic Education and Literacy – Combating illiteracy and fostering lifelong learning.
6. Community Economic Development – Creating jobs, supporting entrepreneurship, and reducing poverty.
7. Supporting the Environment – Protecting ecosystems, promoting sustainability, and addressing climate change.

When people see Rotary in action — planting trees, building schools, equipping hospitals, or supporting mental health — they see a cause worth joining.

Meetings That Inspire

Rotary meetings should be engaging, uplifting, and relevant. Keep them concise and full of energy. Vary formats with outdoor fellowships, club visits, service days, and inspiring guest speakers. Hybrid meetings are vital in today’s busy world — reliable internet, quality audio-visual tools, and inclusivity ensure every member stays connected, even when attending from office or outside the country.

Caring for Our Own

A strong club does not only serve the community; it also cares for its members. Reach out to those who miss meetings. Make every member feel valued. Rotary is a family — and families look out for one another.

Why Members Leave — And Why They Stay

Members leave when they feel disengaged, meetings lack energy, onboarding is weak, culture is unwelcoming, or flexibility is absent.
Members stay when they find meaningful service, global fellowship, personal growth, flexible structures, and a shared purpose.

Inviting People Into Rotary

Lead by example. Share Rotary stories. Use social media. Invite community leaders. Showcase our projects in maternal health, peacebuilding, and the environment. Host open events. Involve families. Show them a project in action. And never underestimate the power of asking: “Would you like to join Rotary?”

The Benefits of Rotary

Rotary membership opens doors to global friendship, leadership growth, professional networks, international experiences, purposeful living, recognition, and the joy of leaving a legacy. As RI Past President Barry Rassin said: “Rotary is a gift. You don’t keep a gift this good to yourself.”

This Rotary year, let us shine our light brighter, welcome more members, and extend the most valuable gift — the invitation to a life of service and fellowship.

Be the reason someone says, “Joining Rotary changed my life.”

Come and join Rotary with me. See what we do, feel the fellowship, share in the service, and be part of a story bigger than yourself. Let every Rotarian bring at least one new member. My personal goal this year is to bring ten. It is possible, it is necessary, and it is how we keep the Rotary light shining.

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Bye- Election: TRUE NIGERIANS HAVE SPOKEN! By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare

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Fellow Nigerians, and friends of Nigeria abroad,

They said the APC was not popular with the people. They said its strength was only in government houses, not in the marketplace, not in the villages, not in the hearts of men and women who rise each day to labor under the hot sun. Yet the people have now spoken, and their voice is louder than the rumors of social media, stronger than the whispers of drawing rooms.

In the bye-elections of this past weekend, sixteen seats were set before the people. Out of these, the APC took eleven, stretching across Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Taraba, Ogun, Kogi, Edo, Adamawa, and Niger. One more stands in contest, and there too the APC leads.

APGA secured two seats in Anambra. The PDP held one in Oyo. The NNPP claimed one in Kano. But the others—ADC, SDP, Labour—were nowhere to be found. Not a single seat fell their way.

So I ask: how do you define popularity? By the clamor on Facebook? By the trend on Instagram? By the fury of TikTok or the storms of X? No. Popularity in a democracy is measured by ballots cast, by hands inked, by real people walking to the polls to say with their vote: this is who we trust.

In America, they speak of midterm elections, a verdict passed halfway through a presidency. There, such elections measure the strength of the president and the staying power of his party. Nigeria has no midterm Congress. But these bye-elections, spread across thirteen states and five geopolitical zones, are our closest equivalent. And their meaning cannot be ignored.

Many thought the ADC, older in years than the APC, would rise with its new converts and prove itself a rival. Many thought the PDP would mount a strong wave. But the verdict of the ballot tells a different story. The PDP lives, but it fights to hold ground. The ADC, SDP, and Labour remain shadows, not yet substance. The NNPP, for all its color, remains a Kano river, not a national sea.

The APC, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has not only stood but has been endorsed. For all the cries, for all the bitter words against his reforms, the people have answered with their votes: they are willing to endure the hard medicine if it promises a better tomorrow.

What then is the road ahead? It is clear. The APC stands as the party to beat in 2027. The opposition must gather itself, must bind its wounds, must cease from fighting in fragments if it wishes to rise as a true alternative.

But for now, let it be recorded in the annals of our young democracy: that on the 16th of August, 2025, the Nigerian people spoke with ballots, not hashtags; with votes, not noise; with courage, not despair. And their verdict was plain.

The APC is not a party of rumor, but a party of the people.

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