society
The Best You Can Have (Or Leave Behind) Is Investing in Humanity
The Best You Can Have (Or Leave Behind) Is Investing in Humanity.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“Why building people is the highest-return legacy we can leave.”
There are fortunes you can spend and fortunes you can hoard. There are mansions that crumble and trusts that dissolve. But there is a single kind of investment that never truly depreciates: the investment in people. When we plant knowledge, health, opportunity and dignity in human beings, we fertilize futures for individuals, families, communities and whole nations. Put bluntly: MONEY spent on people compounds into safer streets, healthier economies, stronger democracies and a more humane world.
This is not SENTIMENTALISM. It is economics, ethics and hard evidence braided into one unarguable truth: human-capital investments deliver some of the most consistent (and measurable) returns of any expenditure a society can make. For instance, decades of global data show that each additional year of schooling raises an individual’s hourly earnings by roughly 9-10 percent; a return that lifts households and powers economies.
Education is the foundational example because it proves the principle in plain sight. Nelson Mandela understood this when he declared that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” That sentence is not merely rhetorical; it is a blueprint: equipped with learning, people can imagine alternatives, challenge injustice and build markets; and their children inherit that possibility.
Though education is only one axis of human investment. Health is another. The World Health Organization and allied studies show that well-targeted health spending can produce huge economic benefits and in some analyses returning as much as 40% growth effects over a five-year horizon by increasing productivity, reducing catastrophic household spending and preventing economic disruption. Put differently: vaccinating, treating and preventing disease is an investment that pays in lives saved and incomes protected.
Philosophy and policy converge here. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen framed development not as GDP alone but as expanding people’s capabilities but the real freedoms they need to be the authors of their lives. Economic growth that ignores human development is hollow; real prosperity is built when people’s freedoms, education and health are improved together. Investing in humanity is therefore not a charitable aside to development but it is the engine of sustainable development itself.
That engine runs on choices. Governments choose budgets, donors choose causes, business leaders choose hiring and training policies and citizens choose whether to care for the neighbor’s child as well as their own. When Muhammad Yunus, a pioneer of microfinance, speaks of doing business that serves human needs (not just profit) he is speaking to the same ethic: human-centred investment creates resilience and dignity and also it transforms poverty from a permanent condition into a solvable problem.
Why is the return on human investment so reliable? Because people are both producers and consumers. Educated, healthy people innovate; they create businesses, adopt new technologies, pay taxes and participate in civic life. When a child completes another year of schooling, the entire household’s earning potential shifts upward; when immunization coverage expands, communities avoid medical shocks that can bury families in debt. These ripple effects multiply across generations. The sums are not abstract: they reflect better lives and measurable economic growth.
The moral argument is inseparable from the pragmatic one. Investing in human beings is an investment in justice. When we prioritize education for girls, health for the poorest, vocational training for displaced youth and dignity for the marginalized, we reduce inequality, social fracture and societies that hold together are also safer and more prosperous. That is why development thinkers and frontline practitioners keep returning to the same prescription: spend on people first.
How should societies translate that prescription into practice? Policy must follow evidence. A few high-impact priorities should guide any serious investment in humanity:
Universal basic health coverage and early childhood interventions. Preventive care, maternal and child health, and vaccinations deliver outsized returns by protecting human capital before it is lost. WHO technical and investment analyses show that targeted interventions for mothers and young children produce wide-ranging economic and social benefits.
Universal access to quality schooling and to post-school technical and tertiary opportunities. The lifetime returns to an extra year of schooling are well-documented; tertiary education can return even higher income gains, particularly in regions where advanced skills are scarce. Investment must be matched to quality, relevance and equity so that marginalised students truly benefit.
Support for social enterprises and microfinance that unlock local entrepreneurship. In contexts of extreme poverty, access to small credit and support for social businesses empowers people to transform survival strategies into sustainable livelihoods. Muhammad Yunus’s work illustrates the catalytic effect of enabling entrepreneurial agency rather than merely dispensing charity.
Lifelong learning and labour-market alignment. The economy changes fast; investing in adult reskilling and apprenticeships keeps workers relevant and prevents entire communities from being left behind. This is not charity, it is smart risk management for societies facing technological disruption.
Civic and moral education that binds communities. Human investment must produce citizens capable of empathy, critical thought and cooperation. Without social cohesion, the material returns on education and health can be eroded by corruption, conflict or mistrust.
There are myths to dispel. Investing in people is not merely an expense that drains public coffers; it is a productive capital allocation. It does not require an either/or choice between infrastructure and people: real infrastructure (roads, energy, internet) amplifies the payoff of human investments. Nor is investment in humanity naively idealistic; it is the clearest route to durable economic gain.
The practical finance follows. Budgets should be rebalanced to reflect these long-term returns. Donors and private investors should treat education, health and human-centred enterprises as assets, not subsidies. Businesses should internalize social returns by training workers and sourcing locally. And civil society must hold institutions accountable when short-term politics underfunds long-term human capital.
Finally, legacy matters. Wealth that dies with a person but leaves no change in other lives is fragile. The best estate is one that seeds scholarships, hospitals, schools and enterprises; structures that outlast any single lifespan. The greatest tribute we can make to our children is not a house full of consumer goods but a world where those children can live healthy, educated, capable lives.
If you want a tidy summation to hang above a lifetime of action: invest in a human and you invest in a future; invest in many humans and you change history. The evidence, the ethics and the experience of giants is from Mandela’s insistence on education to Amartya Sen’s capability framework and Yunus’s social business model and all point to the same verdict. When we place our capital and our conscience on human beings, the returns are measured not only in currency but in lives realized, dignity restored and futures unlocked.
Let every policy, donation and personal choice be weighed by this standard: WILL THIS INVESTMENT MAKE PEOPLE FREER, HEALTHIER, WISER OR MORE CAPABLE? If the answer is YES, then you are not merely spending, You are building. And that, in the ledger of human history, is wealth that never depreciates.
George Omagbemi Sylvester is the author. Published by saharaweeklyng.com.
society
Stop Means Stop”: Legal Experts Warn Ignoring ‘Stop’ During Intimate Acts Can Be Criminally Punishable
“Stop Means Stop”: Legal Experts Warn Ignoring ‘Stop’ During Intimate Acts Can Be Criminally Punishable
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG
“Grounded in international law and consent principles, legal authorities stress that continuing sexual activity after a partner withdraws consent may constitute sexual assault and lead to imprisonment.”
A growing body of legal interpretation and expert opinion reaffirm that consent in intimate encounters is not a one-off event but an ongoing requirement; withdrawn at any time by either participant. Legal practitioners and rights advocates are increasingly warning that if one partner clearly says “stop” during sexual activity and the other continues, this conduct can constitute a criminal offence with significant penalties, including imprisonment.
Consent must be “a voluntary agreement to engage in the sexual activity in question,” and crucially can be revoked at any stage. Once a partner expresses withdrawal of consent (by words like “stop” or by unmistakable conduct) the other party is legally obligated to cease all activity immediately. Failure to respect this is widely recognised in multiple legal jurisdictions as sexual assault or rape.
Professor Deborah Rhode, a prominent authority on legal ethics, has stated: “Respect for autonomy and bodily integrity lies at the core of consent law. Ignoring a partner’s withdrawal of consent undermines basic personal freedoms and is treated as a serious offence in criminal law.”
According to experts, this legal principle is not limited to strangers but applies equally to long-term partners and spouses. The Criminal Code in many countries explicitly rejects implied or blanket consent based on relationship status.
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has similarly emphasised that clear communication and mutual agreement are essential, and that “once consent is withdrawn, any continued sexual activity crosses the line into criminal conduct.”
This means that in places where consent law is well-established, ignoring an explicit “stop” can lead to charges of sexual assault, with courts interpreting such conduct as a violation of an individual’s autonomy and dignity.
The issue has gained media and legal attention in recent years across numerous jurisdictions (including Canada, parts of Europe, and reform discussions in U.S. states) as courts and legislatures clarify that sexual consent is continuous and revocable at any time. Although no globally consolidated database exists of individual cases tied specifically to a news report on this warning, reputable legal frameworks consistently reinforce that continuing after “stop” is unlawful.
The subject engages legal scholars, criminal law practitioners, human rights experts, and statutory bodies advocating sexual violence prevention. Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors may pursue charges when clear evidence shows that consent was withdrawn and ignored.
In practice, consent frameworks require that the person initiating or continuing sexual activity take reasonable steps to ensure ongoing affirmation of willingness. Silence, passive behaviour, or failure to stop when asked cannot substitute for ongoing consent.
In summary, the legal maxim is clear: verbal or unambiguous withdrawal of consent must be respected. Ignoring it shifts the encounter from consensual to criminal, potentially resulting in serious legal consequences including imprisonment.
Lagos Family Property Dispute Turns Violent After Death of Chief Omotayo Ojo
By Ifeoma Ikem
A festering family dispute over property has escalated into a series of violent attacks in Lagos, leaving residents of a contested apartment in fear for their safety.
Mrs. Omotayo-Ojo-Alolagbe (Nee Omotayo-Ojo) the third child and first daughter of the late Omotayo Ojo, has alleged repeated assaults and destruction of property by her siblings from her father’s other marriages.
According to her account, hostility against her began while her father was still alive, allegedly fueled by the affection and support he showed her. She claimed that tensions worsened after his death in 2019.
Mrs. Alolagbe stated that her late father had given her a particular apartment during his lifetime, assuring her she would not suffer hardship, especially after her husband left the marriage. She said the property became her primary source of livelihood and shelter.
However, she alleged that her siblings had sold off several other family properties and were determined to dispossess her of the apartment allocated to her by their father.
The dispute reportedly turned violent on Nov. 15, 2025, when unknown persons allegedly attacked the building. She said the incident prompted her to petition the Chief Judge of Lagos State and the Commissioner of Police.
Despite the pending legal proceedings, she alleged that another attack occurred on Jan. 21, 2026. During that incident, parts of the building were vandalised, including the walkway and the main gate, which was reportedly removed.
A third attack was said to have taken place on Feb.18, 2026, during which the roof, gates, and sections of the walkway were allegedly dismantled. Residents were reportedly assaulted, and some were allegedly forced to part with money under duress.
Tenants in the apartment complex are said to be living in fear amid the repeated invasions, expressing concern over their safety and uncertainty about further violence.
Mrs. Alolagbe alleged that the attacks were led by a man identified as Mr. Alliu, popularly known as aka “Champion,” whom she described as a political thug. She claimed he arrived with a group of about 50 men, allegedly brandishing weapons and breaking bottles to intimidate residents.
She further alleged that the group boasted of connections with senior police officers, politicians in Lagos State, and even the presidency, claiming they were untouchable.
According to her, some arrests were initially made following the incidents, but the suspects were later released. She expressed concern that the alleged perpetrators continue to threaten her, making it difficult for her to move freely.
She also disclosed that during a meeting on Feb. 23, 2026, an Area Commander reportedly told her that little could be done because the matter was already before a court of law.
The development has raised concerns about the enforcement of law and order in civil disputes that degenerate into violence, particularly when court cases are pending.
As tensions persist, residents and observers are calling on relevant authorities to ensure the safety of lives and properties ,while allowing the courts to determine ownership and bring lasting resolution to the dispute.
Adron Homes Introduces Special Ramadan Offer with Discounts and Gift Rewards
As the holy month of Ramadan inspires reflection, sacrifice, and generosity, Adron Homes and Properties Limited has unveiled its special Ramadan Promo, encouraging families, investors, and aspiring homeowners to move beyond seasonal gestures and embrace property ownership as a lasting investment in their future.
The company stated that the Ramadan campaign, running from January 20th to April 6th, 2026, is designed to help Nigerians build long-term value and stability through accessible real estate opportunities. The initiative offers generous discounts, flexible payment structures, and meaningful Ramadan-themed gifts across its estates and housing projects nationwide.
Under the promo structure, clients enjoy a 30% discount on land purchases alongside a convenient 36-month flexible payment plan, making ownership more affordable and stress-free.
In the spirit of the season, the company has also attached thoughtful rewards to qualifying payments. Clients who pay ₦200,000 receive a Provision Hamper to support their household during the fasting period, while those who pay ₦400,000 receive an Automated Prayer Mat to enhance their spiritual experience throughout Ramadan.
According to the company, the Ramadan Promo reflects its commitment to aligning lifestyle, faith, and financial growth, enabling Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to secure appreciating assets while observing a season centered on discipline and forward planning.
Reiterating its dedication to secure land titles, prime locations, and affordable pricing, Adron Homes urged prospective buyers to take advantage of the limited-time Ramadan campaign to build a future grounded in stability, prosperity, and generational wealth.
This promo covers estates located in Lagos, Shimawa, Sagamu, Atan–Ota, Papalanto, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osun, Ekiti, Abuja, Nasarawa, and Niger states.
As Ramadan calls for purposeful living and wise decisions, Adron Homes is redefining the season, transforming reflection into investment and faith into a lasting legacy.
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