Connect with us

society

GTB Raises Hope for children and Adults Living With Autism During 8th Annual Conference

Published

on

Interestingly, the 8th edition of the GT Bank  Annual autism Conference which  kicked off yesterday ended well today with expectations of  stakeholders met when they converge at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos on Wednesday, July 18th,2018.

Several health care  and medical experts, care givers, teachers, proprietors of special need centers, parents and even children living with autism exchanged information about what autism is all about and the role of the family and the community.

Dr funmilola omotayo, an Educational Psychologist delivered paper on meeting the needs of families living with Autism.
Citing an evaluation of the project funded by Big lottery fund UK, she stated that the research evidence proved that appropriate support for parents living with autism reduce family stress.
“Most parents with autistic children abroad tend to shield them due to stigma but awareness will help showcase the strength in autism”
 She advocated for training in Austism relate issues and that some of the needs of families living with autism include a mobile lending library where toys and autism materials can be borrowed for hone use, relief hours for parents with autism, advice and information on special education needs, information about provision for children with autism spectrum locally and beyond, siblings support group to reduce their loneliness and embarrassment among peers. And support for  parents through EHCP, escort to meetings and DLA support.
While delivering her speech on Community Network, a critical asset in sustainable Autism care,  Dr Naimet Abisola Balogun who is a public Health Communication Expert  revealed that About one million  people suffer autism in Nigeria and that it takes collective effort to manage it.
According to her, it’s an inclusive collaboration  which includes Informal community like  the religious Space, artisan, youth leaders, the CDC chairmen, NURTW among others.
” We have not engaged the religious space to handle it. Religious Leaders have a role to play. Collaboration with them and the political community will go a long way in helping the cause.  Also, Political community and engagement through general meeting ,
Social relations, Health and business
Business community have a vital role to play too.
Other facilitators such as Mrs Notable Adewole and Ms Toni Agboola Odeleye expantiate on the strength of inclusion in the classroom and how to help children when you don’t have access to a speech therapist.
The high point of the GTB 2018 Autism conference was when a poor woman from Ibadan who has an 18 year old daughter with autism expressed her hopelessness in handling her autistic child and channeling a brighter hope for her.
Her sad story elicited so much emotional outburst from everyone but the response of Mrs Adedotun Akande, founder and director of Patric Speech and Languages Centre brought conference to  Happy end.
She said the ultimate aim of the GTB Conference Is to be a voice for children and adults living with Autism. Thus,  she volunteered to take up the responsibility of the 18 year old girl
 Of a truth  the GT Bank  sponsored 8th Annual Autism Conference was as enlightening as it was emotional.  It would be recalled that Annual Autism Programme was born out of the Orange Ribbon Initiative, an initiative created by GT bank in 2009 to support people with developmental disabilities and special needs. Autism was chosen to be their area of focus due to their concern for people who suffer stigmatization and get very little support in the society.
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

society

Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity

Published

on

Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity

Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, urging Nigerians to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, discipline, and compassion that define the season.

In a statement made available to journalists, the company described Ramadan as a period of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthened devotion to faith and humanity.

According to the management, the holy month represents values that align with the organisation’s commitment to integrity, resilience, and community development.

“Ramadan is a time that teaches patience, generosity, and selflessness. As our Muslim customers and partners begin the fast, we pray that their sacrifices are accepted and that the season brings peace, joy, and renewed hope to their homes and the nation at large,” the statement read.

The firm reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable and accessible housing solutions to Nigerians, noting that building homes goes beyond structures to creating environments where families can thrive.

Adron Homes further urged citizens to use the period to pray for national unity, economic stability, and sustainable growth.

It wished all Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak.

Continue Reading

society

Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence By George Omagbemi Sylvester

Published

on

Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com

“Fiscal Rigidity in a Time of Crisis: Lawmakers Say Fixed Budget Ceilings Are Crippling Nigeria’s Fight Against Insurgency, Banditry, and Organized Crime.”

Nigeria’s legislature has issued a stark warning: the envelope budgeting system; a fiscal model that caps spending for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) is inadequate to meet the country’s escalating security challenges. Lawmakers and budget analysts argue that rigid fiscal ceilings are undermining the nation’s ability to confront insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence, oil theft and maritime insecurity.

The warning emerged during the 2026 budget defence session for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the National Assembly in Abuja. Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC‑Kebbi North), chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, decried the envelope system, noting that security agencies “have been subject to the vagaries of the envelope system rather than to genuine needs and requirements.” The committee highlighted non-release or partial release of capital funds from previous budgets, which has hindered procurement, intelligence and operational capacity.

Nigeria faces a multi‑front security crisis: persistent insurgency in the North‑East, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central, separatist tensions in the South‑East, and piracy affecting Niger Delta oil production. Despite declarations of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers point to a “disconnect” between rhetoric and the actual fiscal support for agencies tasked with enforcement.

Experts warn that security operations demand flexibility and rapid resource allocation. Dr. Amina Bello, a public finance specialist, said: “A static budget in a dynamic threat environment is like sending firefighters with water jugs to a forest fire. You need flexibility, not fixed ceilings, to adapt to unforeseen developments.”

The Permanent Secretary of Special Services at ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, detailed operational consequences: irregular overhead releases, unfulfilled capital appropriations, and constrained foreign service funds. These fiscal constraints have weakened intelligence and covert units, hampering surveillance, cyber‑security, counter‑terrorism and intelligence sharing.

Delayed capital releases have stalled critical projects, including infrastructure upgrades and surveillance systems. Professor Kolawole Adeyemi, a governance expert, emphasized that “budgeting for security must allow for rapid reallocation in response to threats that move faster than political cycles. Envelope budgeting lacks this essential flexibility.”

While the National Assembly advocates fiscal discipline, lawmakers stress that security funding requires strategic responsiveness. Speaker Abbas Ibrahim underscored that security deserves “prominent and sustained attention” in the 2026 budget, balancing oversight with operational needs.

In response, the Senate committee plans to pursue reforms, including collaboration with the executive to restructure funding, explore supplementary budgets and ensure predictable and sufficient resources for security agencies. Experts warn that without reform, criminal networks will exploit these gaps, eroding public trust.

As one policy analyst summarized: “A nation declares a security emergency; but if its budget does not follow with real resources and oversight, the emergency remains rhetorical.” Nigeria’s debate over envelope budgeting is more than an accounting dispute; it is a contest over the nation’s security priorities and its commitment to safeguarding citizens.

Continue Reading

society

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday

Published

on

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday

 

Today, the world and the body of Christ rise in celebration of a rare vessel of honour, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba, fondly known as Eritosin, as she marks her birthday.

Born a special child with a divine mark of grace, Rev. Mother Eritosin’s journey in God’s vineyard spans several decades of steadfast service, spiritual depth, and undeniable impact. Those who know her closely describe her as a prophetess with a heart of gold — a woman whose calling is not worn as a title, but lived daily through compassion, discipline, humility, and unwavering faith.

From her early days in ministry, she has touched lives across communities, offering spiritual guidance, prophetic insight, and motherly counsel. Many testify that through her prayers and teachings, they encountered God in a deeply personal and transformative way. Near and far, her influence continues to echo — not only within church walls, but in homes, families, and destinies reshaped through her mentorship.

A mother in every sense of the word, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba embodies nurture and correction in equal measure. As a grandmother, she remains energetic in purpose — accommodating the wayward, embracing the rejected, and holding firmly to the belief that no soul is beyond redemption. Her life’s mission has remained consistent: to lead many to Christ and guide them into the light of a new beginning.

Deeply rooted within the C&S Unification, she stands tall as a spiritual pillar in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church globally. Her dedication to holiness, unity, and prophetic service has earned her widespread respect as a spiritual matriarch whose voice carries both authority and humility.

As she celebrates another year today, tributes continue to pour in from spiritual sons and daughters, church leaders, and admirers who see in her a living reflection of grace in action.

Prayer for Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin)

May the Almighty God, who called you from birth and anointed you for His service, continually strengthen you with divine health and renewed vigour.

May your oil never run dry, and may your prophetic mantle grow heavier with greater glory.

May the lives you have nurtured rise to call you blessed.

May your latter years be greater than the former, filled with peace, honour, and the visible rewards of your labour in God’s vineyard.

May heaven continually back your prayers, and may your light shine brighter across nations.

Happy Birthday to a true Mother in Israel — Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin).

More years.

More anointing.

More impact.

If you want this adapted for a newspaper page, church bulletin, Facebook post, or birthday flyer, just tell me the format and tone.

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrated as She Marks Her Birthday

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending