By Davod Owei

A Niger Delta based Non-Governmentla Organisation and gender advocacy group, the Do Foundation has outlined reasons for the moves to recognise and award few individuals in the region for exceptional Leadership and commitment to Gender Equality.

According to the Do Foundation, those nominated for the proposed “Gender Champions Hall of Fame ” are recognised for their fight against social injustice and all forms of inequality or oppression and violence.

The Gender Champions Hall of Fame event is a Project by DO- Dise Ogbise Foundation, and scheduled for the 9th, 10th and 11th of October, 2026 while the fund-raising gala night is fixed for the 30th of august 2026 @ Domaris hotel, Sanni Abacha Expressway, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

Speaking at the special media briefing, the President and Founder of the Do Foundation, Dr. Dise Ogbise Goddy Harry noted that the selection committee has been set up to identify, recognize and celebrate individuals who have distinguished themselves through outstanding contributions to gender equality, women’s empowerment, inclusion, social justice and the advancement of opportunities for boys, girls and women who have been affected by gender-based violence and social prejudice.

According to her, the initiative is founded on the conviction that societies progress when individuals who challenge discrimination, open doors for others and promote equal opportunity are publicly recognized and their contributions preserved for posterity.

She said “The Hall of Fame is therefore conceived not merely as an awards platform, but as a repository of exemplary leadership and service—a place where the stories of outstanding gender champions can inspire present and future generations.”

“The inscription of the honors will be in the form of an engravement or etching of inductees’ images, achievements and bios on a more permanent site or hall. Hence, the hall of fame.MANDATE OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEEThe Selection Committee is charged with ensuring that the process of identifying inductees is credible, transparent, inclusive and based on demonstrable achievement”

Dr. Dise Ogbise however announced that the selection committee have been charged with the responsibility of Identifying and considering deserving nominees from public service, politics, law, business, education, medicine, academia, civil society, media, entertainment, traditional institutions, philanthropy and other sectors.Assess measurable contributions to gender equality, women’s advancement, girl-child development, protection of vulnerable persons, including the boy child and access to education, economic empowerment and leadership opportunities.

She also said the committee is expected to recognise both established and emerging champions, including individuals whose contributions may not have received adequate public recognition.

According to her, they will “Maintain high standards of integrity and independence in the selection process, ensuring that induction is based on merit rather than political affiliation, personal relationships, social status or financial influence.Preserve the stories and achievements.”

She also pointed out that the Committee has devised two major categories for selection, viz: The INSTITUTIONAL CATEGORY; THE INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY.

“Under these two categories, we will give particular consideration to:Sustained commitment to gender equality and inclusion;Demonstrable impact on the lives of women, girls, boys and other vulnerable persons, (orphans etc);Leadership that has broken barriers or created opportunities for others;Advocacy for women’s rights and dignity;Contributions to education, economic empowerment and professional advancement;Legislative, judicial, policy or institutional reforms advancing gender equality;Humanitarian and community service;Mentorship and development of the next generation of women leaders;Courage, integrity and consistency in championing gender equity;”

” And the lasting or transformative nature of the nominee’s contribution.The Committee may also consider the extent to which a nominee has inspired institutional or societal change beyond personal achievement.INDEPENDENCE AND CREDIBILITY .”

“The Selection Committee recognizes that the credibility of any Hall of Fame depends fundamentally upon the integrity of its selection process.Accordingly, members of the Committee are expected to exercise independent judgment, disclose any potential conflict of interest and refrain from participating in the consideration of a nominee where their personal, professional or financial relationship could reasonably affect their impartiality.”

“The Committee will also seek appropriate documentation and credible evidence of achievement before recommending an individual for induction.This approach is consistent with the broader tradition of recognizing individuals whose careers have produced enduring contributions to society. ”

“The Gender Champions Hall of Fame is intended to answer an important question:Who are the men and women who have used their positions, talents, resources and influence to make it easier for others—particularly women and girls—to achieve their full potential?”

“The answer should not be determined merely by titles held or awards received. It should be determined by impact, courage, service, leadership and legacy.The Committee therefore encourages members of the public, institutions, professional bodies, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to identify individuals whose contributions deserve consideration.”

“The Selection Committee welcomes credible nominations and supporting information concerning individuals who have made exceptional contributions to gender equality and human development.The public is encouraged to focus on evidence of achievement and impact, rather than popularity or public visibility.The Committee believes that recognition can be a powerful instrument for social transformation. By celebrating those who have championed equality, the Hall of Fame can encourage others to become champions themselves.”

“The Gender Champions Hall of Fame seeks to build a lasting culture of recognition for people who have helped advance a more equitable society.The Selection Committee is committed to a process that is credible, transparent, merit-driven and worthy of the honour being conferred.The message is simple:Celebrate those who opened doors.”

” Honour those who broke barriers. Preserve their stories. Inspire the next generation.Gender Champions Hall of Fame Selection CommitteeRecognising Leadership. Celebrating Impact. Inspiring Equality.”

By David Owei

No fewer than 600 young entrepreneurs in Bayelsa State, including women and youths, have received N150,000 each as business support and free POS terminals to boost their enterprises.

The beneficiaries are those who successfully completed their training and registration with the Federal University Otuoke, under the Douye Diri Skills Acquisition and Empowerment Programme.

The disbursement was made at the weekend during activities to mark the 2026 World Entrepreneurship Day held at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Douye Diri said his administration would continue to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.

Diri, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, said skills acquisition and capacity building for youths remains the solution to capital flight in the state, noting that at the policy level, government’s key role is to sustain a conducive business ecosystem for indigenous enterprises.

He urged school curriculum planners to consciously incorporate practical skills acquisition modules and make entrepreneurship development a compulsory subject in the school system.

The governor commended his Technical Adviser on Entrepreneurship Development, Mrs Charity Kens-Godwin, for her vision, resilience, consistency, focus and demonstration of leadership, and reminded the 600 beneficiaries that it requires consistency to grow young businesses into successful enterprises.

Governor Diri also called on Bayelsans to patronise locally produced goods to keep local businesses alive, and advised youths to acquire vocational skills even as they pursue formal education, which they can fall back on when white-collar jobs are not available.

His words: “The Bayelsa State Government appreciates your zeal, consistency, persistency, resilience and vision in doing this. The Government of Douye Diri will always stand by you; we are happy with what you are doing.

“Entrepreneurship education, training and development targets blue-collar jobs – turning ideas into opportunities for job creation.

“At the policy level, government’s major duty remains that of creating a conducive environment for businesses to grow and thrive. I will encourage our youths to learn something you can fall back on when white-collar jobs are not forthcoming.

“Skills acquisition is the solution to capital flight in our state. Government needs to be conscious of this: those planning school curriculum should incorporate practical skills acquisition modules. Entrepreneurship development should be a key subject and course in our school system.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Mrs Charity Kens-Godwin, said the event was to honour 600 outstanding Douye Diri skills entrepreneurs.

Kens-Godwin said so far, over 5,000 Bayelsans have been trained and equipped with various skills under the training and empowerment programme of the Douye Diri administration.

She also disclosed that her office had facilitated the registration of about 2,000 businesses belonging to Bayelsans with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), adding that over 32,000 applications have already been received from across the eight LGAs of the state ahead of phase four of the programme.

By George Mgbelele

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) unequivocally supports the restoration of a transparently administered fuel subsidy as a temporary social protection measure, especially at a time millions of Nigerians are struggling under the crushing weight of rising fuel prices and the escalating cost of living.

HURIWA maintains that fuel subsidy, in itself, is not evil. What was fundamentally wrong was the fraudulent manner in which the scheme was administered and hijacked by profiteers, scammers, and politically connected interests who allegedly turned it into a cesspool of corruption.

The removal of subsidy, therefore, should not become an excuse to transfer the burden of economic mismanagement and corruption to ordinary Nigerians.

HURIWA makes it clear that we support accountability, transparency, and genuine economic reforms. But any reform that impoverishes millions of citizens while the government can not convincingly account for the enormous resources it says it has saved and demands urgent reconsideration.

The recent declaration by former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that he would restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027 has further exposed the urgent need for a national conversation on the true cost and consequences of subsidy removal.

Atiku has questioned the whereabouts of the funds saved since the policy was removed and argued that the resources should have been used to reduce poverty, improve education, tackle insecurity, and create opportunities for young Nigerians

HURIWA considers this question legitimate and unavoidable.

The federal government has claimed that subsidy removal generated N15.8 trillion in resources for the federation between June 2023 and December 2025. Yet the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Assembly over an alleged N12 trillion discrepancy in the figures.

This is not an issue the government should dismiss as mere partisan politics.

HURIWA demands that the federal government tell Nigerians, with verifiable documents, exactly how much it saved from subsidy removal, how much it distributed among the three tiers of government, and how the funds were ultimately spent.

We demand a comprehensive and independently verifiable audit of all revenues and savings attributed to subsidy removal from May 2023 to date.

The government must publish the figures. The government must identify the beneficiaries. The government must identify the projects. The government must show Nigerians what their sacrifices have produced.

It is unacceptable for the government to tell Nigerians that trillions of naira have been saved while millions of citizens continue to face unbearable transportation costs, soaring food prices, rising production costs, unemployment and declining purchasing power.

HURIWA rejects the notion that Nigerians must simply endure perpetual hardship because subsidy removal has increased government revenue.

Revenue increases mean little to the ordinary Nigerian if they do not translate into better living conditions, affordable transportation, quality education, functional healthcare, employment opportunities, and improved security.

Fuel pricing remains at the heart of Nigeria’s economic survival. Every increase in petrol prices affects transportation, food distribution, agriculture, manufacturing, small businesses, and virtually every aspect of daily life.

HURIWA therefore considers it unacceptable that Nigeria, one of the world’s major crude oil-producing countries, continues to subject its citizens to some of the highest petrol prices on the continent while the nation struggles with inadequate refining capacity.

We insist that the answer to subsidy fraud is not to punish the entire population. The government should deploy transparent pricing mechanisms, strict verification, technology, independent auditing, and prosecution of anyone who defrauds the public.

HURIWA also rejects the argument that subsidy removal has automatically eliminated corruption. If anything, the controversy surrounding the management of the alleged savings reinforces the need for stronger public accountability.

We consequently call on the EFCC and the National Assembly to independently investigate the conflicting figures surrounding subsidy savings and make their findings public.

We further call on the federal government to open the relevant financial records to Nigerians and explain, line by line, how the resources generated from subsidy removal have been managed.

The Nigerian people have already made enormous sacrifices in the name of economic reform. They must not now become victims of a system in which the government demands sacrifice from citizens but provides inadequate answers about public funds.

HURIWA believes Nigeria can design a fuel subsidy regime that protects vulnerable citizens without creating another avenue for corruption.

The choice should not be between subsidy and corruption. Nigeria can have affordable fuel, transparent subsidy administration, and strict accountability at the same time.

What Nigerians can not continue to accept is a situation where they suffer the consequences of subsidy removal while trillions of naira allegedly generated from that policy remain the subject of conflicting accounts.

HURIWA, therefore, demands urgent action, full disclosure, and an independent audit.

The federal government must account to the Nigerian people.