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Life After Abuse Foundation Appoints New Advisory Council to Advance Men’s Mental Health Initiative

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A leading non-profit organization dedicated to providing mental health support to men in need and advocating for the advancement of men’s mental health support, Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF), proudly announces the appointment of highly skilled professionals to its Advisory Council.

The new council members bring a wealth of experience and expertise, underscoring LAAF’s commitment to enhancing mental health support, particularly for men.

Afoma Chiegboka, an award-winning experienced storyteller with over 13 years of experience in the design industry, excels in Product Management, Operations, Business Writing, Editing, and Public Speaking. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, further enriching her skill set as a communications specialist.

Afoma’s adept storytelling abilities and comprehensive understanding of communication strategies will play a pivotal role in shaping LAAF’s narrative and effectively reaching out to men in need.

Femi Boboye, Managing Partner at Pelse Consulting, brings expertise in organizational development and strategic planning. His insights will optimize LAAF’s operations and maximize impact, ensuring efficient resource allocation to support men’s mental health initiatives.

Ikeoluwa Olatoke, a legal practitioner with experience at Damod Law Practice, specializes in legal research, negotiation, and drafting contracts.

Ikeoluwa’s memberships in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK (ACIarb) and the Africa Young Arbitrators enrich LAAF’s legal framework, ensuring robust legal structures to support men’s mental health advocacy and services.

Immaculate Odekina, a Legal Practitioner with over 12 years of post-call experience, specializes in commercial/corporate law, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, energy law, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Her expertise will ensure LAAF’s compliance with legal regulations and facilitate the development of partnerships to expand mental health support for men.

Jeremiah Okpako, a business professional with over 15 years of experience in business development and sales across various industries, will strengthen LAAF’s outreach efforts with his strategic insights and extensive network. His connections will help amplify LAAF’s message and increase access to mental health resources for men.

Jide Ogunleye, an IT professional with over 16 years of experience, founded Ritemate Technologies, catering to clients like MTN, Stanbic, Mouka, Amber Energy, UBA plc, Fidelity Bank, Arik Air, and Nigerian Communication Commission.

Jide’s expertise in technology and innovation will be invaluable in advancing LAAF’s initiatives, particularly in developing digital platforms for mental health support and awareness.

Munirat Layeni, a Mental Health Professional with over 5 years of experience with the NHS and LAAF, served as a Partnership Strategist at LAAF for 3 years. With a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Hertfordshire, Munirat’s expertise in strategic partnership complements LAAF’s mission, fostering collaborations to expand mental health services for men.

Rotimi Aroge, the MD/CEO of Global Foremost Impressions Ltd, aligns his advocacy for drug-induced road accident prevention with the SDG. Rotimi’s commitment to road accident prevention earned him a finalist position in the University of Sussex qualifying 2024 Big Idea Contest (BIC). His dedication to public health and safety aligns with LAAF’s mission to provide comprehensive mental health support for men.

Temidayo Musa brings over 7 years of expertise in program management and communications, championing open data and citizen participation for enhanced community development.

His experience will contribute to LAAF’s efforts to develop and implement effective programs for men’s mental health support, ensuring that services are tailored to meet the needs of diverse communities.

Yinka Olonode, with over a decade of experience in finance and investment, runs a SEC licensed Investment management company and a retail credit firm called Penny Lender. Yinka is a leading voice in investment management and humanitarian advocacy.

His financial acumen will support LAAF’s sustainability and growth, ensuring continued access to mental health resources for men.

The appointment of these professionals underscores LAAF’s commitment to advancing men’s mental health support and fostering a society free from stigma. With their collective expertise and passion, the Advisory Council is poised to drive meaningful change and empower men on their journey to healing.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact info@laafng.org.

About Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF): Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF), a non-profit organization founded by Halima Layeni is dedicated to providing education, mentorship, and mental health support to boys and men globally. Through various initiatives such as policy engagement, school outreaches, media activism, and psychotherapy, we aim to advance health equity, gender equality, combat gender-based violence, and foster a community of healing and support.

You can Connect with them on:
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/lifeafterabusefoundation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LifeAfterAbuseF
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterabusefoundation/

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JUST IN: Ogun confirms Lassa fever outbreak as NYSC member dies

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A 25-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), has reportedly died of Lassa fever at a secondary health facility in ljebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

It wwas learnt that the female corp member who fell sick while in Ondo State, was brought to the health facility last Tuesday and later died same day.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, on Wednesday.

Coker also confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.

The statement reads, “Ogun State has confirmed a case of Lassa Fever and as such declared Lassa fever outbreak.

“The index case is a 25-year-old female National Youth Corp member who fell sick while in Ondo State and was brought to on of our secondary health facility in ljebu North LGA on 18th March 2025 and later died same day.

“ Lassa fever is a viral Haemorrhagic disease that presents with High grade fever, Headache, General body weakness, Sore throat, Muscle pain, Cough, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Chest pain and Unexplained bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth and other body openings.

”Coker urged members of the community to report to the hospital if any of the listed symptoms is noticed.

“We implore members of the community to promptly report to the hospital if they notice any of these symptoms.

Any case of febrile illness that has not responded to 48 hours use of anti-malaria or antibiotics should raise an index of suspicion for Lassa fever!

“We implore all Health facilities in Ogun State, public and private, to step up Infection Prevention and Control measures and to encourage compliance by all health facility staff.“

Healthcare worker that suspects Lassa fever in a patient, are advised to call their local government disease surveillance and notification officer (LGA DSNO) whose numbers are placed in our health facilities or call State Disease surveillance and Notification Officer (0703-421-4893) or State Epidemiologist (0808-425-0881),” she added.

The commissioner, however reiterated the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s dedication to protecting the health of the citizens through continuous surveillance and prompt response to infectious diseases.

She added that the ministry in collaboration with the Rapid Response Team at ljebu North East is keeping the situation under control with enhanced surveillance and community engagement and mobilization for effective response.

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JUST IN: NAFDAC goes digital in fight against fake pharmaceutical products

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has gone digital in its efforts to rid the country of substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products.

During a two-day workshop and training session in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, NAFDAC introduced an app, Greenbook, an online platform for identifying the source of a product.

The Greenbook allows consumers to enter the product name, brand name, or registration number to search for information about its registration status.

If the product is listed in the Greenbook, it signifies that it has been registered by NAFDAC and is considered authentic.

The app serves as a tool to help consumers identify and avoid potentially fake or substandard products.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, speaking at the workshop in Port Harcourt, stated that these fake products are “produced by our greedy businessmen and their international collaborators to get rich or make money,” describing it as the worst form of inhumanity of man to his fellow men.

Prof. Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of the Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate, NAFDAC, Fraden Bitrus, noted that the agency has, over the years, deployed various measures to combat falsified products.

She expressed concern that counterfeiters have adopted increasingly sophisticated methods to advance their trade but assured that NAFDAC “is poised to use technologies and modern means to mitigate the activities of counterfeiters, hence the need for stakeholder sensitisation.”

She added that the workshop aims to educate stakeholders and provide hands-on training on the NAFDAC Greenbook, the Traceability Regulation 2024, and the Paediatric Regulation 2024, ensuring that both the regulator and the regulated are aligned in the fight against substandard and falsified medical products.

Prof. Adeyeye revealed that the project is being implemented in phases, initially used for COVID-19 vaccine distribution as a pilot project, which yielded highly effective results.

She noted, “Within 24 hours, batches of substandard or defective vaccines distributed in the country were traced and recalled.”

She further stated, “We have implemented it for commodities in public health, such as antimalarial and narcotic products.

Over time, we will extend it to other products. Please note that with this technology, stakeholders can detect and reject SF products before they enter the supply chain.”

She called on all stakeholders in the healthcare sector to support these initiatives to combat fake products and ensure the availability of quality, safe, and efficacious medical products for the people of Nigeria.

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IPOB to NAFDAC: Return seized goods from Onitsha drug market

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to return goods seized from traders at Ogbo Ogwu Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group alleged that NAFDAC officials conducted a midnight raid on the market, blocking CCTV cameras, breaking into shops, and confiscating goods under the claim of targeting fake drugs.

IPOB criticized the method of the operation, questioning the agency’s approach and transparency.

While IPOB reaffirmed its stance against the sale of counterfeit drugs, it raised concerns over the alleged seizure of traders’ goods in their absence, the blocking of surveillance cameras, and the lack of evidence proving that all confiscated products were counterfeit.

The group posed several questions to NAFDAC, including: Why was the operation conducted at midnight? Why were CCTV cameras blocked?

Where is the evidence that the confiscated drugs were fake? Why was the entire market sealed, affecting both innocent and guilty traders?

IPOB urged NAFDAC to adopt a more professional and transparent approach to combating fake drugs, suggesting that the agency establish permanent offices in drug markets to ensure proper regulation rather than conducting surprise raids.

The statement also called for collaboration between NAFDAC and the Anambra State Government to relocate the drug market to the new Oba Drug Market, ensuring that only licensed and certified dealers are allowed to operate.

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