….Thanks President Tinubu, Ekiti people

It was an evening of double honours for Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, on Friday as he received the Vanguard Newspapers’ Personality of the Year (Good Governance) Award, and Energy Times Magazine’s Energy Governor of the Year Award at two separate events held in Lagos.

The two awards, coming barely one month after Governor Oyebanji received the Silverbird Man of the Year Award, were predicated on his transformative leadership, inclusive governance and his huge investments in road and power infrastructure, as well as agriculture and community development.

Speaking shortly after the events, Governor Oyebanji, said the awards, like the previous ones, belong to the people of Ekiti State, whom he said have demonstrated unprecedented support for his administration’s development agenda.

He added that the recognitions have further placed a necessity on him to do more in terms of lifting the living standards of the people through the right mix of life-transforming programmes, policies and projects.

Governor Oyebanji thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for putting in place economic policies that have ceded more funds to the states, including Ekiti, thereby paving the way for greater development.

He also thanked Ekiti people at home and in the Diaspora for their support for his administration, stressing that the support of the people have been of tremendous encouragement.

While reiterating his commitment to sustaining the pace of development in the state, Governor Oyebanji said his administration would not relent in its efforts at creating enabling environment for economic growth, infrastructure development, and social welfare of the citizens.

The Governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Niyi Adebayo, at the Vanguard Newspaper Award which took place at Eko Hotel and Suites, said the award was a reflection of his administration’s visionary policies and impactful people- oriented programmes that have successfully repositioned the state as a preferred destination to visit, live, work and invest in Nigeria.

Assuring that his administration would continue to uphold the principles of good governance while delivering impactful projects that align with the needs and aspirations of the people, Governor Oyebanji said the award is a motivation to sustain the pace of development and continue building a prosperous state for all.

“Well, this is possibly the fifth this year and all of them are highly respected awards, and in many of them, the populace were involved in the voting process.

So, it speaks to the appreciation of our performance and commitment to the shared prosperity agenda of our administration and all the efforts are to ensure growth and development of the state in the areas of infrastructure, healthcare, human capital development, community development and youth empowerment”, the Governor said.

At the Energy Times award, which took place at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, Governor Oyebanji, who was represented by the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof Bolaji Aluko, said he would continue working towards ensuring a stable power supply across the nooks and crannies of the state.

This, he said, will create enabling environment for investors, boost local economy and ensure a more rapid economic growth. He added that the within the spate of two years, his administration had successfully reconnected many communities back to the national grid, with moves to ensure adequate house metering, while the State Independent Power plant were being fortified for wider Coverage.

According to him, these remarkable impacts had attracted both public and private key players to the state.

The Governor noted that his administration has creatively navigated the murk waters of regulatory restrictions that had hitherto hindered stable electricity supply with a view to attracting investors to boost the economic status of the state.

The Nassarawa orphanage home in Kano serves as a sanctuary for abandoned children, some of whom discovered on roadsides, orphaned by the death of their parents, or left behind after accidents.

For many years, the orphanage has been supported by the Kano State Government, which provides for their feeding, clothing, and education until they reach adulthood.

The boys often find employment in government agencies or start their own businesses, while the girls are typically married off to interested suitors.

Hundreds of girls have been married off since the orphanage started, but some women who voiced their frustrations, revealed that they were abandoned after their husbands divorced them.

They also face abuse and mistreatment with little recourse for reporting their struggles.

Hadiza Muhammad, 40, and Halima Muhammad, 45, are two such women who have endured domestic abuse for more than two decades of marriage, having children along the way.

“I grew up in the Nassarawa orphanage home. I was told I was found along the Kaduna road after a car crash, and I was the only survivor. I grew up there until I was old enough to marry,” Hadiza Muhammad narrated her past and current struggles.

“When we grew older, they pressured us to get married and leave the orphanage because new children kept arriving and they needed the space. We were told we had to go so things could balance out.”

“Before then, a woman took me in and sponsored most of my schooling, but we later had a fall-out, and she returned me to the orphanage when I was 17. I was just beginning to become a young woman.”

Hadiza eventually married a man from the Republic of Niger. “After almost 15 years of suffering, hardship, and abuse, we had two children.

Then, he divorced me and threw me out with the kids. Now, he doesn’t even sleep at home, living like a street person. I’m helpless. I don’t know what to do. I returned to the orphanage home where I grew up, but they told me there was no space for us since we are now mothers,” Hadiza added sadly.

Halima Muhammad, who grew up alongside Hadiza, has faced a similar fate. Her husband also divorced her, leaving her with five children.

“Now, our landlord wants to evict us because we can’t pay rent. I have no one to fight for my rights against my ex-husband. I’m also battling diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma due to stress and constant worry,” she explained.

Both women have called on the Kano State Government to establish a system that supports women in similar circumstances, as many others continue to endure abuse and mistreatment, some still trapped in abusive marriages.

Comrade Hafiz Sanusi Sanka, the Kano State Chairman of the International Human Rights Commission, also confirmed that they often receive similar complaints and are in communication with relevant stakeholders to find solutions. He expressed optimism about the ongoing efforts by the Kano State Government.

“We visited the orphanage regarding this matter and had in-depth discussions. They seem to be taking meaningful steps.

Personally, I’m satisfied and confident that the issue will soon be resolved,” he stated.

“There is a house designated for women in these situations, but it is too small. As we speak, the Governor has ordered the construction of 20 new houses specifically for them—whether their marriages end or their husbands pass away,” he added.

Sanka also mentioned that the government is making efforts to provide employment for those who grew up in the orphanage home.

“The head of the home told me that just last week, the Governor offered jobs to 22 orphans in the house—both men and women—in government positions,” he noted.

The government’s actions are seen as a positive step towards resolving the issue.

“We must continue pushing for these initiatives to be carried out to support these women,” Sanka said.

When reached out to the authorities at the Nassarawa orphanage home for further comment. However, the head of the home, Hajiya Maimunatu, stated that she was not authorized to speak to the press.

But she confirmed the statement of Kano IHRC Chairman, Comrade Sanka.

Every year, dozens of children are abandoned or found across Kano State and its surrounding areas.

By law, the care of these children falls under the responsibility of government-established institutions, ensuring they are given the chance to grow up and live a fulfilling life.

Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was on Friday presented with the Founder’s Sunhak Peace Prize by the Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation at a ceremony in Seoul, South Korea.

Dr. Jonathan who dedicated the award to peace-loving Nigerians and Africans working for positive change in the society, also described it as “a testament to the collective efforts of those who had worked with him to promote peace, democracy, and good governance across Africa.

He said: “The honour belongs to every Nigerian who believes in the possibility of peace, to every African working for positive change in the society, and to everyone across the world who dares to choose courage over conflict.

He also noted that the world is threatened by persistent conflicts, failing democracies and deep socio-economic inequalities, stressing that peace is the cornerstone of development, justice, and human dignity.

Speaking further in his acceptance speech, the former President urged leaders to show more commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, and good governance as the pathways to lasting peace.

According to him the award “serves as an encouragement not just for me, but for all peacebuilders across Africa and beyond, reminding us that our efforts are seen, valued, and are making an impact.

”The former President stated further: “I stand here as a son of a canoe carver from Nigeria’s rural Niger Delta. To be recognised on this global stage is humbling, but it also reminds us all that no dream is too big and no background too modest when the goal is service and the path is peace.

“I would like to specially recognise and appreciate my dear wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, whose love, strength, and unwavering support have been a constant source of inspiration to me.

“⁠It reaffirms my belief that peace is the cornerstone of development, justice, and human dignity.

“I therefore dedicate whatever financial benefit accruing to this award to my foundation, The Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, to continue its work of promoting peace, democracy, and inclusive development in Africa.

”Pledging to remain committed to promoting peace, Jonathan stated that to be recognized by a platform as prestigious as the Sunhak Peace Prize is both humbling and motivating.

He said: “⁠It is in this spirit that I have continued to work through initiatives such as the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) and the International Summit Council for Peace (ISCP) to support peaceful political transitions and conflict resolution across the region.”