Former Liberian Vice President, Howard-Taylor Appointed UNIPGC Matron

Sahara Weekly Reports That The first female Vice President of Liberia, JEWEL Howard-Taylor, has been appointed the Matron of the United International Peace and Governance Council (UNIPGC) for its African chapter.

She was officially sworn into office on Friday at the Jewel Starfish Headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia, a colorful event that recorded overwhelming success.

She was taken through an oath of allegiance by the Global President & Chairman of the Supreme Council of UNIPGC Africa, H.E. Amb. Dr. Jonathan Ojadah.

The former Vice President swore to lead people manage resources, and create value no individual can create alone.

Amb. Ojadah, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations and holder of the US President’s Lifetime Achievement award congratulated Howard-Taylor for her official inauguration and expressed hope that she would bring massive value to the UNIPGC.

Howard-Taylor is considered one of the most influential African women.

Earlier, Amb. Ojadah was treated to a superb welcome from the executives of UNIPGC upon arrival in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia.

Those who came out to receive him upon arrival at the airport included notable members of the UNIPGC General Assembly and key executives.

They are Amb. Fanta Ceesay and Mrs. Joy Okikili from Liberia, Amb. Dipo Gbenro, the Country Chief for Sierra Leone, and Amb. Michael Adediran, the Country Chief for Tanzania.

Also present was Mr. Titus Charlie, representing H.E. Jewel Howard Taylor, among other distinguished officials.

This landmark occasion on Friday marks a new chapter for UNIPGC Africa under the esteemed leadership of Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor.

The event, which drew massive attention across the board, is also a demonstration of the commitment of UNIPGC Africa towards fostering peace and good governance across the continent.

Olanshile Sauban Group Dismisses TundeEdnut’s False Report On Food Items Distribution On Lagos Island

• says It’s Misleading And Malicious

By Citizen NewsNG

Sahara Weekly Reports That The Media Office of Olanshile Sauban Group has reacted to a social media post made by a Blogger, TundeEdnut (@mazitundeednut), on Instagram on Wednesday, 2 October 2024, and shared by some bloggers as FALSE and MISCHIEVOUS.

In a Press statement issued in Lagos,

The group described the report as false, misleading, and malicious.

To set the record straight, In

In commemoration of Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, the Group, led by Its Leader, Mr. Olanshile Sauban, distributed assorted food items to vulnerable residents on Lagos Island Local Government Area on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

Over 4,500 Bags of Rice, Semovita, Garri, Loaves of Jumbo-Size Bread, and Cash Gifts running into millions of Naira

Were distributed to residents across the Lagos Island Local Government Area. The Philanthropic activity witnessed a large turnout of Widows, Elderly Citizens, and Physically Challenged Persons.

The Community Food Hub is part of the Group’s Socioeconomic intervention initiatives. It was organized to alleviate the resultant effects of the present economic challenge and complement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

TundeEdnut had posted a picture wherein he merged a picture of the Beneficiaries of the Food Items with a fake and generated image of Load of Bread and posted it on his Instagram page to malign the group and misform the general public.

TundeEdnut is notorious for spreading falsehood and unverified information.

The general public is hereby advised to ignore the social media Posts.

“Can TundeEdnut show to Nigerians and the world one or two Humanitarian service(s) or support(s) he had rendered to lift the people and/or citizenry”? , Olanshile Sauban Group Challenged TundeEdnut”.

At Olanshile Sauban Group, We will continue to Support and Uplift the vulnerable in society through philanthropic Activities and complement the three tiers of government toward a more prosperous Nigeria.

Systemic gender inequality bane of poverty among women – Zainab Marwa

Sahara Weekly Reports The founder of Aspire Women Forum, a non-governmental organization, Dr. Zainab Marwa, has described systemic gender inequality as one of the major causes of poverty among women in Nigeria, especially in the North Central part of the country.

Dr. Zainab, who stated this in her paper titled “The Intersectionality of Poverty and Gender in North Central Nigeria,” presented as the guest lecturer at the 9th Distinguished Public Lecture of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi state, regretted that despite several intervention programs, poverty persists among women.

“Imagine a land where resources are plentiful, yet the hands that toil hardest remain the most deprived. In the heart of North Central Nigeria, this paradox is the daily reality for millions of women. While the region is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and abundant resources, its women are caught in the relentless grip of poverty working tirelessly but rarely reaping the rewards of their labour. These women don’t just face economic hardship; they endure a web of systemic inequalities that restrict their progress, dim their potential, and amplify their struggles”, she bemoaned.

“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (2020), 70% of Nigerians below the poverty line are women. North Central Nigeria has a 57.3% poverty rate among women, versus 45.5% among men. Women face education barriers, with a 59.3% literacy rate compared to 74.4% for men (UNDP, 2020). Only 21% of women engage in paid employment (ILO, 2020). These statistics represent restricted opportunities and lost potential”, she stated further.

While contextualizing the challenges that make it difficult for women to break the cycle of poverty, Dr. Zainab Marwa noted that “in predominantly Muslim areas, cultural noprioritizeioritise early marriage for girls, which can limit their educational opportunities. A woman from a rural community may face significant barriers to owning land because of traditional inheritance favoring male relatives.

“In urban settings, women from low-income backgrounds may struggle to access quality healthcare. Intersectionality encourages us to consider how gender, along with factors like ethnicity, marital status, and location, affects a woman’s experience of poverty. For example, a widowed woman in a rural area faces different challenges than a married woman in a city, impacting their access to resources and risk of violence.”

She said intersectionality is a strong reminder that gender and poverty do not exist in isolation but rather intersect in ways that amplify women’s vulnerabilities.

According to to this this intersection of challenges goes beyond the day-to-day struggles for survival. Women in North Central Nigeria experience the compounding effects of poverty in deeply gendered ways facing not only economic exclusion but also cultural marginalization that diminishes their voices and overlooks their contributions. Despite their efforts, women remain largely invisible in the economic and social fabric of their communities, perpetuating cycles of both poverty and disempowerment.

“Women in North Central Nigeria, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, confront simultaneous barriers to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Contextual factors, including cultural norms and patriarchal systems, perpetuate inequality. Addressing these issues necessitates a deep understanding of power dynamics, and recognizing the potential of women’s empowerment initiatives to effect change.”

To address these challenges, she said there must be a thorough act of actionable implementation andectivedprogramming programsfacefacetedprocreatingcreatingnglacreatingchangeis,  she said, including economic empowerment, vocational training and skills programs, community-based social protection initiatives, improved access to healthcare, education, n, and programs, and deployment of technology as a powerful tool for expanding financial inclusion and access to essential services.

“By implementing these interconnected strategies, we can create a supportive ecosystem that empowers women, enabling them to break free from the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities”, she added.