News
WINET moves to end child, forced marriages in Ebenebe Community in Anambra State
BY: Sandra Ani
Women Information Network, an Enugu based Non-Governmental Organization, recently consolidated its campaign targeted at ending community acceptance of child and forced marriages in Ebenebe community in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The one -year project is a product of a baseline survey carried out by WINET in 2016 to determine the veracity of the information within its disposal that Ebenebe was among the communities endemic with child marriage.
The baseline survey did not only reveal the truth but also disclosed the many factors responsible for this, top among which was the cultural practice called “Tum, Num”, a tradition which compels a man or boy who impregnates a girl to marry her, regardless of age.
This was identified as being in violation of the provisions of the Anambra State Child Rights Law 2006, which prohibits child marriage and betrothal among other protective provisions, put together in the overall interest of the child.
WINET had earlier organized separate dialogues with the men, the women, the male and female youths of the community to teach them the provisions of the Child Rights Law, CRL of Anambra State of 2006, which many of them had contravened ignorantly.
A town hall meeting was also organized recently for all the segments of the community already trained to advance the course of the campaign, which has as its title “The Right to be a Girl”.
Addressing the gathering, the Executive Director of WINET, Mrs. Miriam Menkiti, appreciated the measure of support the organization had enjoyed from the locals since the commencement of the campaign.
Represented by Mr. Nnadozie Oshigbo, the WINET Executive Director re-echoed the essence of the project, funded by a Spanish Non- Government Organization, Mundo Cooperante, which is to abolish the practice of “Tum, Num” in Ebenebe, as it undermines the dignity of the teenage girls, who most often are forced into marriage, even against their interest and consent.
She explained that the campaign is not to undermine the culture and tradition of the people but to help the society to catch up with the realities of the time.
Mrs. Menkiti charged the people of the community to work together to abolish the traditional practice of “Tum, Num”, which derails especially the young girls from pursuing and fulfilling their dreams and ambitions in life.
The WINET Executive Director pointed out that the event was to validate all the commitments made by various gender groups during previous dialogues.
She further explained: “The overall goal of the project is to end community acceptance and practice of girl child and forced marriages in Ebenebe. The practice of Tum, Num whereby some girls under eighteen years are given out in marriage or forced into marriage is prohibited by Anambra State Child Rights Law 2006. At the end of each of the dialogues, the girls, male youths, women and men agreed on some of the practices that the Anambra State Child Rights Law prohibit. Today, all of you as community members have gathered to validate those things you agreed on during the dialogues to confirm that your community will no longer encourage girl child and forced marriages”
The Legal Consultant to WINET, a former Solicitor General and former Chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA in Anambra State, Barrister Mrs. Tina Emekekwue, explained to the people that every child has rights and obligations under the constitution of Nigeria, especially under the Child Rights Law, CRL, and such rights must be respected.
She enumerated the rights to include: the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which forbids parents from imposing their will and choices on their daughters especially the teenage ones.
She further explained:
“The right to dignity of the child says nothing should be done to affect the dignity of the child negatively. Rather, help him or her to be somebody in life, who you can proudly call your child. Every child is free from any discrimination no matter the circumstances of birth. Whether given birth to in the house of the father of the girl or abducted or otherwise. A child has right to education, freedom of association, right to private and family life, right to survival and development. The child equally has right to dignity and should not be maltreated for any reason. Even the unborn child has right to be protected against harm, and none should encourage abortion as it is a contravention of the law. A child also has right to parental protection and maintenance. Also, a girl child is forbidden from Female Genital Mutilation, FGM”.
The President General of Ebenebe, Hon Paul Nnatuanya, who was represented by the Secretary, Mr. Charles Onyebuchi, extolled WINET for the campaign and appealed to everyone in attendance to spread the good news across the nooks and crannies of the community.
The President General also charged parents to stop at nothing in ensuring that their children grow to become useful to themselves, their families and the society at large.
The occasion featured question and answer session while the people again pledged their commitment to ending “tum num”, which fuels forced marriages among teenage girls.
With the momentum on display across gender divides in the community about the project, Tum, Num may soon lose its appeal and efficacy as the Anambra State Child Rights Law has made better provisions for the protection of the girl -child particularly those who are being coerced into marriage at their teenage ages.
A District Court in Finland has handed down a six-year prison sentence to Simon Ekpa, a self-declared leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, following his conviction on terrorism-related charges.
Ekpa was arrested on November 21, 2024, by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), triggering a broad inquiry into his alleged activities, including incitement of violence via social media and involvement in unrest across Nigeria’s southeastern region.
According to the court ruling, Ekpa was found guilty of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and for supporting a terrorist organization. His conduct, which spanned from August 2021 to November 2024, included the provision of weapons, explosives, and ammunition to armed groups, along with using his social media platforms to mobilize violence.
Adding to his conviction, Ekpa was found guilty of aggravated tax fraud and violations of attorneys’ regulations, further compounding the severity of the charges.
This verdict marks a significant move by Finnish and international authorities to counter separatist agitation linked to the Biafra independence movement, underscoring the criminality of inciting violence across borders.
In the light of recent insinuations, half-truths and fake information being circulated, we find it expedient to make it abundantly clear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has been guided, at all times, by the principles of fairness, justice, and equity in the distribution of federal government projects, appointments, and opportunities across all six geopolitical zones of our country.
Contrary to the perception being pushed in some quarters, this administration has demonstrated uncommon commitment to balanced development and inclusivity since assuming office.
The distribution of capital projects under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is equitable. No region is playing a second fiddle or ignored. In addition to projects by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, all six regions now have Regional Development Commissions to re-kickstart development efforts.
While the Coastal Highway courses through the South, the Badagry–Sokoto Highway, under construction, traverses majorly the North. This sense of balance runs through all the major infrastructure projects being implemented today.
Major infrastructural interventions are simultaneously ongoing across the federation—from highways and bridges to rail and power projects.
The administration has secured funding for light rail projects in Kano and Kaduna states to the tune of ₦150 billion and ₦100 billion, respectively.
The metroline projects in Lagos and Ogun States form part of the government’s effort to develop Nigeria’s light rail infrastructure. Collectively, these projects are expected to create over 250,000 jobs nationwide.
There is also a renewed push for the rehabilitation of the Eastern Corridor of the rail line from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri. In addition, over 1,000 primary health care centres have been rehabilitated across the country, underscoring the administration’s commitment to human capital and social infrastructure.
From verifiable data, the actual distribution of projects shows the Northwest as the biggest beneficiary:
• Northwest: ₦5.97 trillion (over 40% of approvals)
• South South: ₦2.41 trillion
• North Central: ₦1.13 trillion
• South East: ₦407 billion
• North East: ₦400 billion
• South West (excluding Lagos): ₦604 billion
Legacy Road Projects under President Tinubu:
1. Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway (750 km): 175 km ongoing in Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States.
2. Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway (1,068 km): 378 km ongoing in Kebbi and Sokoto sections.
3. Trans-Sahara Highway (465 km): 118 km ongoing in Ebonyi State.
4. Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe Road (439 km): Being redesigned from flexible to rigid pavement for durability.
Out of the total length of these projects, the North accounts for 52% and the South for 48%.
Other Major Projects in the North:
• Sokoto–Gusau–Funtua–Zaria Road (275 km dualised, ₦824bn).
• Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Road (350 km dualised, ₦764bn).
• BUA Tax Credit Road in Jigawa, Katsina, Kano (256 km dualised).
• Zaria–Hunkuyi Road (156 km).
• Kano Northern Bypass (49 km).
• Kano–Maiduguri Road (100.9 km).
• Bama and Dikwa Roads in Borno (100 km).
• Damaturu–Maiduguri Road (110 km).
• Malando Road in Kebbi (76 km).
• Benue–9th Mile Road (250 km dualised, $958m).
• Lokoja–Okene Dualisation (86 km).
• Kaduna–Katsina Roads (Sections 1 and 2, ₦150bn).
Major Projects in the South:
• Lagos–Ibadan (8.5 km, ₦33bn).
• Lagos–Sagamu (12 km dualised).
• Oyo–Ogbomoso–Ilorin (₦146bn).
• Rehabilitation of Carter, Third Mainland, and Eko Bridges (₦120bn).
South East:
• Enugu–Onitsha Road (107 km, ₦202bn via MTN Tax Credit).
• Enugu–Onitsha Road (72 km, ₦150bn via CBC).
• Enugu–Abakaliki Road (36 km).
• 2nd Niger Bridge Access Road (17.5 km dualised, ₦175bn).
• Lokpanta–Enugu Road (61 km dualised, ₦100bn).
South South:
• Eleme–Onne Road (30 km, ₦156bn).
• Eket Bypass (9.7 km dualised, ₦76bn).
• East–West Road Section 2 (₦186bn).
• Nembe–Brass Road (₦150bn).
• Lokoja–Benin Dualisation (₦167bn).
• 2nd Niger Bridge Access Road in Delta (17 km dualised, ₦146bn).
• Bodo–Bonny Road in Rivers (35 km with 12 bridges, ₦200bn).
Beyond roads and rail, this administration has also revived the 255MW Kaduna Power Plant, advanced the AKK Gas Project, and expanded oil and gas exploration in the North with the drilling of three oil wells in the Kolmani region of Bauchi and Gombe States. Kano-Maradi rail line, inherited at 5% has received huge funding support from the government making it attain 67% within a short time.
President Tinubu is building national infrastructure, not local trophies. Lagos is rightly upgraded as Nigeria’s commercial hub, but the Northwest holds the lion’s share of approvals. This proves that all regions are receiving fair consideration.
Equity is also evident in federal appointments. President Tinubu has consistently appointed capable Nigerians from every part of the country, guided by competence and inclusivity rather than sectional considerations.
Inclusivity lies at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda. The establishment of five new Regional Development Commissions and the creation of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development further illustrate the President’s determination to address Nigeria’s unique developmental needs in a manner that benefits all sections of the country.
On the whole, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not only kept faith with Nigerians but has proven himself to be a fair, pragmatic, and consequential reformer.
His leadership is inclusive, his vision is unifying, and his commitment to equity and justice is unwavering.
Nigerians can rest assured that under his watch, no part of this country will be left behind.
The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has received with deep shock and sadness the news of the passing of Mallam Bashir Chedi, a distinguished member of the Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), who died at the age of 65.
In a statement issued by PRCAN, the Association described the late Chedi as an accomplished professional, a consummate communicator, and a pillar of integrity whose contributions to the growth of public relations in Nigeria will remain indelible.
“Mallam Bashir Chedi was a respected voice in our profession, a mentor to many, and an advocate of ethical practice. His departure is not only a great loss to the NIPR family but also to the larger communication and public relations community in Nigeria,” PRCAN said.
The Association extended its condolences to Dr. Ike Neliaku, President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, the NIPR Council, the family of the deceased, and the entire PR community, praying that Almighty God grants them the strength to bear the loss.
“While we mourn his passing, we take solace in the impactful legacy he has left behind, one that will continue to inspire present and future generations of PR practitioners,” the statement added.
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