By George Mgbeleke

President of the 9th Senate, Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, has announced a personal donation of Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000) to victims of the recent windstorms that devastated communities across three Local Government Areas in his Senatorial District.

Senator Lawan made the announcement in a personally signed statement issued on Saturday.

He expressed deep sadness over the scale of destruction witnessed in Bade, Nguru and Karasuwa local government areas.

According to the breakdown provided, Bade Local Government is to receive N20,000,000, Nguru Local Government N20,000,000, and Karasuwa Local Government N10,000,000.

The lawmaker, who represents Yobe North in the National Assembly, stated that the funds are meant to provide immediate, direct relief to cushion the effects of the disaster.

He added that his team has been directed to work closely with the respective Local Government councils, traditional institutions, and emergency management committees to ensure the resources reach those who need them most without delay.

Lawan further disclosed that he is engaging with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Yobe State Government to ensure wider relief materials and reconstruction support are mobilised to complement his personal efforts.

“To the bereaved and the displaced, I assure you that you remain in our constant prayers. I am also engaging with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Government to ensure that wider relief materials and reconstruction support are mobilized to complement these personal efforts,” Lawan said

By David Owei,Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Tuesday celebrated the Head, Institute of Peace and Security Studies, Niger Delta University, Prof. Philips Okolo, on his 57th birthday anniversary.

The celebration by the Long Table , held at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, Azikoro Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa, was attended by journalists, academics, friends and well-wishers from within and outside the state.

Speaking at the event, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission, Rivers State, Hon. Dr. Johnson Alalibo, described the celebrant as a cerebral scholar who has distinguished himself in his area of specialisation.

Alalibo, who hails from Akenfa-Epie in Yenagoa Local Government Area, said his relationship with Okolo dated back to their days at the Government House and later at the Institute of African Studies, now Institute of Peace and Security Studies,Niger Delta University, Amasomma.

He said they also met again at the Department of Political Science, Niger Delta University, where Okolo now heads the Institute of Peace and Security Studies.

He said, “Prof. Philips Okolo is a very cerebral personality. He has carved a niche for himself in every area of his specialisation. Today he is marking his 57th birthday, so I came to celebrate with him. It is good to keep good legacies so that people you meet along the line will come out to celebrate with you.”

Alalibo said he was surprised at the large turnout of members of the Bayelsa NUJ in honour of his friend, noting that the gesture underscored the celebrant’s goodwill and wide acceptability.

He noted that Okolo had contributed immensely to societal development through his scholarly works, mentorship of young academics and research in peace, security and governance, particularly in the Niger Delta.

According to him, Okolo’s intellectual interventions on conflict resolution, governance and sustainable development have continued to shape public discourse and policy direction in Bayelsa and beyond.

In his response, the celebrant, Prof. Okolo, who is an active and committed member of the Long Table, thanked members of the Bayelsa NUJ, friends and well-wishers who came out to celebrate him, saying he was overwhelmed by their show of love and solidarity.

The Long Table ,a social segment of the Bayelsa state Nigerian Union of Journalists is a forum where Journalists meet to celebrate and merry with their colleagues on their birthdays and promotions and other endeavours of life.
The long Table which has come to stay has been copied by Delta,Rivers,Akwa lbom, Edo states and some Northern states of the federation.

By AbdulGaneey Akanbi

The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, and the Onyebuchi Chris Ifediora, OCI, Foundation International have renewed their partnership to expand breast and cervical cancer awareness to all 37 NYSC orientation camps nationwide.

The renewed commitment was announced during the retraining of NYSC officers and state campaign anchors on Monday in Abuja, where both organisations called for nationwide implementation of the “Arm Our Youths, ArOY, Anti-Cancer Health Campaign”

President of the OCI Foundation, Associate Professor Chris Ifediora, represented by Lady Frances Nkem, said the programme is designed to equip young Nigerians with knowledge for the prevention and early detection of breast and cervical cancers.

She noted that the initiative, which received NYSC’s support in 2021, has grown into one of Nigeria’s largest youth-led preventive health campaigns, with 26 editions already completed across most camps.

“The campaign now reaches more than 500,000 corps members annually with life-saving cancer awareness and health education,” she said, disclosing that the programme has also expanded through community outreach, volunteer networks, social media and the CerviBreast mobile application.

The Foundation urged NYSC to support the expansion to all 37 camps and to formally establish the ArOY Health Campaign CDS group for year-round health promotion.

It also announced plans to strengthen cervical cancer screening at camps and introduce BACERS, a programme to train corps members in CPR and emergency response.

Breast and cervical cancers remain among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Health experts say early detection through screening significantly improves survival, but late diagnosis and poor access to care continue to drive preventable deaths in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Director of CDS and Special Projects at NYSC, Chief Chiwendu Chukwu, described cancer as one of the world’s biggest public health challenges and reaffirmed the Scheme’s commitment to combating it through education.

“This initiative will create a new generation of young advocates for cancer prevention by equipping corps members with life-saving knowledge they can share in their host communities,” he said, urging Schedule Officers to coordinate the campaign effectively and commended OCI Foundation for the partnership.

The expanded collaboration is expected to deepen cancer awareness among hundreds of thousands of corps members annually, enabling them to serve as advocates for prevention, early diagnosis and healthier communities across Nigeria.