Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

Friday, 4 June 2021

WOMEN AGAINST DRUG ABUSE

Concerned Women Against Drug Abuse (CONWADA), is an off-shoot of the NGO, Women, Youth & Children Care Organisation (WYCCO), founded by Barr. (Dr) Mrs. Farida Waziri, OFR (Former Chairman of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission - EFCC). I am a valued member of CONWADA, which paid a courtesy call on the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Rtd. Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (Former Military Administrator of both Borno and Lagos States on the 2nd of June 2021, ahead of the 26th June International Day Against Drug Abuse.

I recall that I was the Head of Department of Political Science, Lagos State University (LASU) when General Marwa was appointed Military Administrator of Lagos State in the 1990s. We were all very excited, and he did not disappoint. 'Keke Marwa', has been replicated in many parts of Nigeria. 'Operation Sweep' rid Lagos of criminal elements under his watch. As Military Administrator and by extension Visitor to LASU, Gen. Marwa initiated far-reaching reforms that put the University on the path to greatness. Am I digressing? That is what happens when you are discussing a high achiever like Brig-Gen Buba Marwa. You cannot but remember his antecedents.

The same vigour and astuteness he was known for in his earlier endeavours has been replicated at the NDLEA in just four months of his assumption of office - N90bn worth of drugs has been seized! This impressive feat was high in the consciousness of members of CONWADA when they visited the NDLEA boss.

L-R: Brig-Gen Buba Marwa (Chairman NDLEA), , (Director, Drug Demand Reduction/Rehabilitation, NDLEA), Barr. Dr. Mrs. Farida Waziri (Fmr. Chairman EFCC & Founder WYCCO/CONWADA)

Concerned women and indeed mothers both within and outside WYCCO/CONWADA are aware of the extensive damage done to the lives of young (and not so young) men and women by the consumption of illicit drugs. There is a nexus between the consumption of hard drugs and criminality. Insurgents, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, rapists, ritual murderers, etc commit all these heinous crimes under the influence of psychotic substances. The new Czar on the bloc, Brig-Gen Marwa is mopping up these dangerous drugs at source before they get into the hands of the end users who are destroyed by same! Kudos. Many lives and families have been wrecked by hard drugs.

L-R: 3rd left - Dr. Farida Waziri, Brig-Gen (Rtd.) Buba Marwa, Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa, Mrs. Bunmi Dipo-Salami

In her speech, Barr. Farida Waziri emphasised the fact that the youth bulge, unemployed and unemployable graduates of various institutions constitute a critical mass of individuals that could be used to foment mayhem in our clime. As they say, 'The idle hand is the devil's workshop'. She said CONWADA was ready to partner with NDLEA for the celebration of the 'International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking 2021' and that modalities had been put in place to enable families and individuals that have struggled or are struggling with drug abuse to tell their heart-rending stories. Mrs. Waziri noted that as at December 2020, there were 170 Universities churning out graduates into the job market. But where are the jobs? Besides, are the graduates equipped for the job market of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

Brig-Gen Marwa responded by commending WYCCO/CONWADA for the visit. He said Kano state government is already testing potential political office holders for drugs/drug addiction. He says such drug tests should be carried out for persons at all levels - even potential national office holders! He also suggested that potential couples should be tested for drugs before being allowed to marry. We don't want drug addicts as parents or abusive spouses. Nigeria is indeed facing a drug epidemic that is disabling young men and women in their prime.

Besides, Gen Marwa said money realised from hard drugs is used to fund criminal activities. The President is committed to ridding Nigeria of hard drugs. He warmly welcomed the advocacy against illicit drugs by WYCCO/CONWADA. He charged his guests with the task of continuing to emphasise the role of good parenting and indeed the home front in the fight against the trafficking and consumption of hard drugs. Besides, the stigmatisation of women who are addicts should be discouraged. They need to be encouraged to come forward and access treatment.

The meeting ended on the convivial note of a symbiotic relationship between WYCCO/CONWADA and NDLEA going forward...

L-R: Barr. Farida Waziri, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa, Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Mrs. Bunmi Dipo-Salako

Related Links

*NDLEA arrests woman with wraps of cocaine tucked in her private part ait.live

*Cocaine diguised ascharcoal worth up to $41m seized by Police in the US cnn.com

Saturday, 17 April 2021

INCLUSIVITY FOR SOCIAL COHESION

The title of this Blog post aptly describes what transpired at the fifth anniversary of the 'Voice' Project anchored by OXFAM. The Voice Project is aimed at amplifying the voices of those excluded in the society like People Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), the aged, ethnic minorities, indigenous groups, inmates in Correctional Centres, etc. The project was conceived in the Netherlands. I was a special guest of OXFAM Nigeria in Abuja on the 7th of April, 2021 at the celebration where activities in nine other countries in Asia, East Africa and West Africa were syndicated via Zoom! The focus this year was on persons with speech difficulties. Experiences of persons born with Downs Syndrome, etc who have struggled to improve themselves via the Voice Project were shared across many countries. To say the least, the stories were very inspiring. #oxfam #thevoiceproject #inclisivity #socialcohesion #fifthanniversary #plwds #women #correctionalcentres #theaged #ethnicminorities #indigenousgroups #nigeria #westafrica #eastafrica #asia thenetherlands

Photo L-R: Mrs. Ramatu Umar-Bako (Head of Influencing & Public Engagement) & Dr.

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

Shall we now trace the metamorphosis of the Voice Project in Nigeria? A validation workshop was held 14th October, 2016, where PLWDs, the Aged, & Groups of women were identified as targets. The baseline study then exposed the needs of the identified marginalised groups as:

*Improved access to social services, especially health and education.

*Improved access to resources, e.g. employment.

*Safe spaces for political participation and active citizenship.

Photo L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Ijeoma Okwor (Programme Coordinator)

According to Ijeoma Okwor (Progarmme Coordinator), fifty communities in Custodial Centres, slums, Universities, etc. were reached across Nigeria. The 'outreach' has birthed the following:

*CAPIO: Voice/gender-sensitive training as a compulsory course for every Correctional Officer in order to ensure dignified treatment for female inmates. A gender-sensitive manual has been developed and adopted by all Correctional Centres.

*A has been developed and adopted by the FCT PHC Board & the National Commission on PLWDs as a tool to support women with hearing impairment to enable them access healthcare in Nigeria. The pilot project is in the FCT.

*Two women included in the Traditional Rulers (Igwe in Council) of Umuode Town in ! This is a feat in a patriarchal society like Nigeria.

*A fully equipped and operational cybercafe at the Vocational Centre for the Blind in in .

*Youth Ambassadors transforming lives through art locally and at international fora. A viable example is '' (TSP) which gave a good account of itself at the anniversary celebration. TSP's dance drama/spoken word/skit/songs etc depicted the plight of the aged, disabled, females in Custodial Centres, etc. to the admiration of the audience.

*Affordable sanitary pads produced by female inmates in Suleja Custodial Centre in collaboration with returned female citizens.

*The Voice Project has addressed societal issues like sex for grades, open governance, digital space and freedom of speech.

*Adolescent advocates raised in two Secondary Schools in Agege, Lagos State.

*Movie titled 'Yes We Can' premiered. It is a documentary on persons with learning difficulties.

*A Cooperative of women farmers strengthened to secure their own land for farming in Shepwan, Plateau State.

*Walking the talk of diversity, equity & inclusion in Higher Education universityworldnews.com

*Young, indigenous Gbagyi youth coordinated to engage in sports, arts and crafts.

*Ethnic minorities in Lagos State who are also PLWDs empowered with para-legal skills to engage the government and provide legal support, including bail negotiations for communities.

*The 'Voices of Freedom' platform enables young people express themselves.

*Safe spaces and knowledge hubs created to empower youth/women with disabilities & exploited/abused persons.

Photo L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Emmanuel Oladele (Linking, Learning & Amplifier Officer)

Incredible! So much achieved by OXFAM's The Voice Project in the first five years. Like Oliver Twist, we expect so much more in the next five years. My message to the effective and efficient OXFAM team and their partners: keep striving for excellence, aim at breaking your record - your best is yet to come. Happy anniversary!

Photo L-R: Madam Chinwe (Director Special Duties, NOA) & Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

Related Links

*It's time to re-imagine Diversity, Equity & Inclusion thriveglobal.com

*Inclusivity begins during the hiring process. Here'show to do it entrepreneur.com

*How to foster diversity, equity & inclusion in a remote-work world entrepreneur.com

*Language matters in trans-disciplinarity i2insights.org

*Covid-19 as the 'inequality virus'? Can internationalisation promote inclusion and social justice universityworldnews.com

Sunday, 31 January 2021

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE & PEACE-BUILDING IN NE NIGERIA

On the 29th of January 2021, a dissemination workshop convened by NextierSPD dissected the outcome of the research: 'Assessing community resilience & peace-building initiatives in north-east Nigeria'. The research was conducted by Prof. Patricia Donli, Prof. D. Dlakwa, Dr. Chris Kwaja et.al. Some of those present are:

*Dr. Ndubuisi Nwokolo - Partner/CEO NextierSPD

*Prof. Patricia Donli - University of Maiduguri

*Prof. D. Dlakwa - University of Maiduguri

*Dr. Chris Kwaja - Member, UN Working Group on the Use of Merceneries

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert, Abuja

*Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo - Technical Lead, MCN Programme

Eight communities in each of the two states - Borno & Adamawa were understudied. The aim was to find out the factors that made communities resilient in-spite of insurgency. The qualitative methodology entailed FGDs, KIIs, etc The samples were inclusive of youth, women and PLWDs.

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

Coping strategies:

*Many women and youth have emerged heads of households, decision makers and leaders in communities in order to fill the vacuum created by slain bonafide household heads!

*Kanuris and Hausas agree to live together in peace.

*Churches and mosques preach against insurgency.

*Community early warning strategies (EWS) have been extensively developed.

*Informal stakeholder mapping of residents.

*Change of vocation when farmers can no longer farm. New endeavours: auto mechanic, trading, knitting of men's caps, welding, masonry, tailoring, washing of clients' clothes, etc.

*NGOs create empowerment programmes for the citizenry.

*Communities adopt the spirit of forgiveness as a 'balm'. This trend of thought is amplified by clerics.

*Un-channeled energy of youth directed to sports, weddings, etc

*Civilian JTF and hunters use charms to fortify themselves.

*Security agents are bribed to facilitate easy passage of goods and services.

*Unprecedented synergy between communities and NGOs.

Challenges

*Influx of SALWs because Borno, for example, is bordered by Chad, Niger, etc. Borno is also at the border of Yobe, Gombe & Adamawa (in Nigeria). The borders remain porous.

*High incidence of SGBV due to displacement. Security forces and humanitarian workers are implicated in the SGBV epidemic!

*Female heads of households involved in survival sex.

*Children heading households and other 'un-accompanied children become thieves, carry teenage pregnancies, get infected with STIs/HIV & AIDS, become drug addicts, continually have cholera because of contaminated water and food.

*Lack of access to farmland implies that there could be food insecurity. Insurgents make it difficult for farmers to farm and harvest their crops in peace.

*Extortion by security agents.

*Improper coordination by security outfits.

*Lack of funds and logistics for local Vigilante groups.

*High incidence of mental illness for women and other vulnerable groups.

*Rising abject poverty in view of the high level of collateral damage and evasive socio-economic life.

*Fish trade in Baga, Borno state banned. The new fish source is Hadeija in Jigawa state. The fish trade seems to have been taken over by the Military! The price of fish has become exorbitant as a result of the powerful middlemen and the longer route to access fish.

Recommendations:

Comprise the following: Research (areas to carry forward);Programmatic pillar (intervention) & Policy pillar (how we can engage the people with policy makers). All recommendations should target the people.

*DDRR. Sensitisation of the public is necessary while engaging communities. Beyond the use of radio and the internet, traditional/religious leaders should be involved.

*There should be a coordinated approach to humanitarian intervention. Borno state should not remain a 'tourist site' for every international actor!

*There should be cooperation rather than competition among intervening actors. The faulty perception of one another should cease for progress to be made.

*Women, and indeed more women's associations should be involved in every area of the peace-building process. This is in consonance with WPS, UNSCR 1325. The He for She campaign is relevant here.There should be more women in community governance. For example, there is no woman in the Borno State Security Council!

*Intensify peace-building cultural activities- Sports for peace/Dancing competitions/Peace rallies, etc.

*Disaster response should be stepped up. See for example, NE Development Commission & the 2001 National Disaster Development Plan.

*Set agenda for new Service Chiefs.

The bottom line is that the citizens need to be commended for their resilience in-spite of insurgency. Government at the local, state and federal levels should ensure that such resilience is sustainable...

Related Links

*De-radicalised BH members still not genuinely accepted by locals humanangle.ng

*Understanding BH's past, present & trajectory by M. Nwankpa (eds) https://lnkd.in/dgQuhnk

*Terrorist attraction nextierspd.com

*The Zamfara Model for curbing banditry in Nigeria is the dismal tunnel to self-destruction nextierspd.com

*Living with enemies: How localcommunities in Nigeria are evolving 'symbiotic' relationships with bandits in NW & NC Nigeria https;//nextierspd.com/livng-with-enemies/

*With guns you can kill terrorists. With education, you can kill terrorism #StandWithMalala https;//www.linkedin.com/feed.../

*The complex effects of counter-terrorism policies on Mediation the globalobservatory.com

*Nigeria: Conflict trends https://nextierspd.com/summary-of-key-trends-from-the.../

*How insecurity affects the lives of everyone in the Niger Delta theconversation.com

NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS OF THE CLOSING & RE-OPENING OF BORDERS

The 28th of February saw me glued to my seat at the conference convened by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in collaboration with NextierSPD and Young Professionals in Policy & Development. The parley was to examine the implications of the closing and re-opening of Nigeria's borders. Some of the participants are:

*Dr. Daniel Mann - Country Director, FES

*Dr. Ndubuisi Nwokolo - Partner/CEO NextierSPD

*Prof. William Fawole -Keynote Speaker

*Ms. Raheemat Momodu - ECOWAS

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert

*Dr. Chris Kwaja - Modibo Adamawa University

*Dr. Efem Ubi - Discussant

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the conference

Prof. William Fawole set the tone for the discourse with his insightful paper: 'People vs policy - Border opening in Nigeria: Implications & effects'. He noted that Nigeria has one of the most extensive borders in Africa, making it exceedingly difficult to effectively patrol. Quoting Prof. Wole Soyinka (Nigeria's Nobel laureate), 'Boundaries sliced the same ethnic group into different countries'. He then wondered whether there were any substantive gains from the border closure. His verdict was that he doubted if there were any positive gains.

Nigeria has been dubbed one of the most dangerous nations on the planet! Nigeria has consistently under-funded foreign policy. The foreign policy budget is number 15 on the budget allocation list! Fawole asserted that our neighbours are bitter that Nigeria's internal insecurity problems are causing them harm. Nigeria needs more 'skillful diplomacy' in this regard. The Rice Millers' Association says since the opening of the borders, there has been an unprecedented influx of rice at the borders - millions of bags of rice are off-loaded daily. This situation has made nonsense of the plan to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.

L-R: Dr. Daniel Mann (Country Director, FES) & Dayo

Closer monitoring of the origin of goods is germane, if Nigeria is to effectively police her borders. Corruption seems to have hindered positive outcomes in this regard. The paradox that's rather inexplicable is that insecurity was at a higher level during the border closure!

In my intervention, I pointed out the fact that Nigeria needs value added to all her export, starting with oil, in order to get higher value for her commodities. I also said that policy somersault is the bane of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nigeria. No investor wants to put her/his money in a country where policies change like underwear! No investor wants to lose hard earned money in an economically unstable clime!

What then is to be done?

*Nigeria should assess the global value chain and appropriately fit herself in for maximum returns on investment.

*Policies are not miracles, they require deliberate action. We should put appropriate policies in place, while refraining from changing them at the drop of the hat.

*We should be aware that borders could be conceptualised in a dual fashion - Physical borders (as indicated in maps) and imaginary borders, when we take cognisance of our kith and kin on the other side of our borders - in neighbouring countries.

*Although population is often said to be an economic asset, a poor citizenry, like Nigeria's may be an economic liability!

*Regional integration at the sub-regional level, via ECOWAS, should remain of concern to Nigeria. But Nigeria should stop carrying the burden of ECOWAS. Each member state should contribute equally!

The final verdict was that there were no significant benefits from the border closure. We are watching out for the benefits of the re-opening of the borders.

Related Links

*The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to support/boost intra-African trade au.int/en/videos/2019.../

*Buhari: Border closure failed to stop smuggling of illegal arms into Nigeria thecable.ng

*Tightening loose grip: Border control in Nigeria nextierspd.com

Sunday, 17 January 2021

THE IMPACT OF FFARN IN NIGERIA

Between the 14th & 15th of January, 2021, the Forum on Farmer-Herder Relations in Nigeria (FFARN), held its inaugural meeting for the year. FFARN is a forum where academics and practitioners exchange ideas on the farmer-herder crisis with a view to transforming the conflict to more manageable forms. Effort is also geared towards influencing relevant policies that could assuage the effect of the conflict on the populace.

The following are related Blog posts by me:

*Forum on farmer-herder relations in Nigeria (FFARN) dayokusa.blogspot.com/2017/11/forum-on-farmer-herder-relations-in.html

*Socio-ecological analysis of the farmer-herder crisis dayokusa.blogspot.com/2019/07/socio-ecological-analysis-of-farmer.html

*Farmer-herder relations in the Lake Chad and Western Sahel dayokusa.blogspot.com/2019/09/farmer-herder-relations-in-the-lake-chad.html

*Mediating natural resource conflicts in Africa dayokusa.blogspot.com/2019/09/mediating-natural-resource-conflicts-in.html

*Gender inclusive response to the farmer-herder crisis dayokusa.blogspot.com/2019/11/gender-inclusive-response-to-farmer.html

*Best practices forresolving the farmer-herder crisis dayokusa.blogspot.com/2020/02/best-practices-resolving-farmer.html

*Emerging trends & dynamics in the farmer-herder crisis dayokusa.blogspot.com/2020/11/emerging-trends-dynamics-farmer.html

Since the Covid-19 lock-down in the country last year, this is the first face-to-face meeting in almost a year! FFARN has however had many meetings via Zoom & Google Meet during the seeming 'hiatus'. Members of FFARN were excited to see one another after such a long time. There was loud exchange of banters and we had animated and fruitful discussions during the caucus meetings and the plenary sessions...

on the first day of the meeting

The online meetings held earlier were assessed and the impact/influence of the work of FFARN on the farmer-herder crisis was evaluated. I facilitated the session on the impact of FFARN. Some of the areas where FFARN has influence are as follows:

*The collaboration between scholars and practitioners has endured.

*The media summit held by FFARN has framed public opinion on the crisis in a more positive light.

*Many publications (Policy Briefs, Occasional Papers,' Explainers', Press Releases etc.) have been published under the auspices of FFARN.

*FFARN's Mentorship Programme for M.Sc & Ph.D students working on the farmer-herder crisis has produced highly rated theses that are the envy of the mentees' peers.

*Numerous publications on the farmer-herder crisis have emanated from scholars and practitioners in FFARN.

*FFARN memebers have been invited to speak at local and international fora - US Congress/British Parliament/ECOWAS/UNOWAS/AU...

*Some of FFARN's Policy Briefs have constituted Early Warning Signals (EWS) for farmer-herder conflicts in various parts of Nigeria, West Africa and indeed the Sahel.

*FFARN's evidence-based research has attracted global attention.

*FFARN's work has opened vistas for inter-agency collaboration with many organisations - CORAFID, IPSS, University of Ilorin, etc.

*FFARN regional convening has called attention to the fact that the farmer-herder crisis is a trans-national challenge.

*FFARN views all issues in the farmer-herder crisis in an unbiased and states-manly manner.

*Stakeholder Mapping by FFARN has led to strategic partnerships - Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), LG Chairmen, Office of the VP, Office of the Head of Service, etc.

*Security outfits like the NSCDD (which is a member of FFARN), now factor in the community-centred approach into programming.

*Many practitioners, by virtue of their association with academics via FFARN, now publish their experiences in the field!

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa on the 2nd day of the meeting

The foregoing shows that FFARN has garnered considerable influence since its first meeting in August 2017. In view of the fact that the funding which has aided its operations from inception (provided by SFCG) is fast running out, members tinkered with the idea of registering FFARN with the CAC as an independent organisation. This is because FFARN has been evolving organically and at this stage of its evolution we need to re-think the structure, criteria for membership, etc. I am humbled by my nomination as a member of the Committee to come up with the specific modalities for the evolution of FFARN.

L-R: (ED, CORAFID) & Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

I see FFARN evolving into an international NGO, globally acknowledged, in the next few years. I'm sure all FFARN members share my optimism...

Related Links

*Forests that kill & destroy: Rural banditry in Northern Nigeria by Jibrin Ibrahim premiumtimesng.com

*Ekiti, Ondo, deploy Amotekun in forests, boundaries against herdsmen punchng.com

*Open grazing is not sustainable BUT can ranching be for now? by Jibrin Ibrahim https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/442336-open-grazing-not-sustainable-but-can-ranching-be-for-now.html

*Poisons in red meat, Sunday Igboho, herders & national security by Femi Kusa thenationonlineng.net/poisons-in-red-meat-sunday-igboho-herders-and-national-security

*Northern Elders' Forum (NEF): Groups,persons fueling farmer-herder crisis https://thenationonlineng.net/insecurity-groups-persons-fueling-crisis-nef/

* need bottom-up approach humanangle.ng

* should re-define issafrica.org

*A different kind of land management: Let the cows stump via '' nytimes.com

*Towards a more sustainable future for blogs.worldbank.org

*Why the keeps failing mg.co.za

*Our lives in exile: Ogun state families displaced by herdsmen speak from Benin Republic https://twitter.com/HouseNGR

*Farmer-herder conflict in Northern Nigeria: Trends, dynamics and gender perspectives https://www.cddwestafrica.org/farmer-herder-conflict-in-nigeria.../

*Myetti Allah/MACBAN: North can't ignore South's decision to ban open grazing (in the South) thenationonlineng.net

*It's easy to say 'Ban open grazing': The challenge is transition to a new system of livestock products by Jibrin Ibrahim (28th August 2021) https://newdiaryonline.com

*The virtues of open grazing in Nigeria by Junaidu Maina premiumtimesng.com

Sunday, 20 December 2020

GENDER EQUALITY REVISITED

Between the 17th and 18th of December, 2020, the 'Annual Women's Conference' with theme: 'Engendering a formidable force for gender equality' was held at the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Abuja. The parley was convened by Women's Voice & Leadership Nigeria (WVLN) Project,100 Women Lobby Group & Women in Politics Forum (WIPF). It was supported by Global Affairs Canada & Action Aid. Some of the sub-themes are: Women's political participation, Sexual & Gender Based Violence (SGBV), Economic justice, The role of He for She, Peace/Security and Media. The Nigeria Women Aspirants' Website was launched! The first stanza of the 'Women's Anthem' below, sets the tone:

Women's Anthem

All across the nation, all around the world

Women are longing to be free

No longer in the shadows, forced to stay behind

But side by side in true equality...

L-R: (FCT VAPP - ) &

Some of the participants are:

*Dame Pauline Tallen -

* - Chair & Founder, Fix Politics/Former Minister for Education & Solid Minerals

* - Former Minister of Women Affairs

* -

*Mrs. Felicia Onibon - National Coordinator, 100 Women Lobby Group/Founder & President Change Managers International Network

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa -

* -

* - President, Women in Politics Forum (WIPF)

*Mrs. Moji Makanjuola (MFR) -

* -

*Prof. Bunmi Ashimolowo - Discussant

*Prof. Yinka Omoregbe - Discussant

*Dr. Lydia Umar - Discussant

*Austin Aigbe - CDD

*Hon. Sarah Ochekpe - Discussant

*Hon. Titilayo Akerele - National Director, NILOWV

Each of the sub-themes was exhaustively discussed. On SGBV, the concensus was that the launching of the website for sex offenders since 2015 is a watershed in the fight against SGBV. See for example: Nigeria launches first national sex offenders register (25th November, 2019) aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/26/nigeria-launches-first-national-sex-offenders-register

This online register, which is visible to the whole world, ensures that there is no hiding place for sex offenders! See also: GBV in film: Sandra's Cross dayokusa.blogspot.com/2018/12/gender-based-violence-in-film-sandras.html; The Gender Hub (GH): A viable tool for networking among stakeholders dayokusa.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-gender-hub-gh-viable-tool-for.html; Kaduna stste Governor passes castration law for rape https://www.republicworld.com/worldnews/africa/nigeria-governor-passes-castration-law-for-rape/; All 36 state Governors declare state of emergency over rape https://www.voanews.com/africa/all-36-nigeria-governors-declare-state-of-emergency-over-rape; SGBV during Covid-19 https://theconversation.com/sexual-gbv-covid-19/

On the role of He4She, it was unanimously agreed that gender friendly males need to support the clamour for equality. Women cannot do it alone, they need the support of the men. On economic justice, the panelists said that women should be given equal access to opportunities/loans/training, etc. Besides, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the fact that '' is it. On peace and security, it was said that the WPS agenda should be executed via a viable road map. See for example: UNSCR 1325 @ 20: The role of women in the security sector dayokusa.blogspot.com/2020/11/unscr-1325-20-role-of-women-in-security.html

Prof. Joy Ezeilo gave a good account of herself and her formidable team when she presented the report of their research on '' via Zoom. She revealed a number of shocking data/information from the research viz; 56% of respondents were Christians, 48% were NCE/OND holders, 47% were married, ages of respondents: 18 - 58 years, 81% never heard of FGM/child marriage/mental abuse/incest! Majority of respondents said poverty was a major cause of SGBV. Many alluded to poor response from government to SGBV. Many suggested 'modest dressing' for women. 78% had never heard of Beijing+ 25!

Research methodology: Multi-stage random cluster sampling, Random selection of states for study, Zoom (online) training for data gatherers, Computer analysis - coding/SPSS/% frequency/tables/charts/quantitative data. Challenges: Information consent, Challenges of Covid-19, review of extant literature, Feminist theory, Conflict theory, etc.

Suggestions: More awareness needs to be created about the signposts of the Beijing conference held 25 years ago! NGOs should use the multi-media approach to disseminate extant information. The SDGs should be continually popularised. Adequate punishment of offenders would mitigate impunity as regards SGBV. For more effective detection, investigation and prosecution of SGBV cases, raw evidence should be conserved, investigation should be diligent, forensic investigation should be carried out by experts, community policing is essential, there should be synergy on effort to curb SGBV, etc.

FeministHub.org was launched. I look forward to the next edition of the Women's Conference in 2021...

Related Links

*Here's why Glass Ceiling may remain intact despite female leadership https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2020/12/14/heres-why-glass-ceiling-may-remain.../

*After the pandemic, put women first blogs.worldbank.org

*Paris City Hall fined for 'putting too many women in senior positions' theguardian.com

*African companies' competitive edge: Women? https://www.forbes.com/sites/avivahwittenbergcox/2020/12

*How fearless women lead ted.com

*Women-led governments are more likely to deliver on campaign promises: Multi-country study thewaddle.com https://ow.ly/xqzt50DLd70

*The impact of Covid-19 on FGM in Egypt https://kujenga-amani.ssrc.org/.../the-impact-covid-fgm-egypt/

*Neuro-scientists are ignoring the differences between males & females newscientist.com

*Bill Gates can remove Melinda French Gates from Foundation in 2 years if they can't work together after their divorce nytimes.com

*WPS & Humanitarian Action Compact forum.genrationequality.com

*6 Nigerian Banks now have female MDs https://lnkd.in/dxYZQPM

*Ms. Reem Alsalem is UN Special Rapporteur on VAW (1st August 2021) https://lnkd.in/eDaACra

*Why don't we consider VAW&G terrorism? feministcurrent.com

*Despite recovery efforts, women's unemployment continues to grow www.gatesfoundation.org

*The unmasking of Biblical womanhood: Challenging day to day Evangelical patriarchy newyorker.com

*The wisdom of women's fury http://t.ted.com/Qe6JoCB

*We must raise girls to be brave, not perfect http://t.ted.com/mlUP8dn

*Know your African feminists africanfeministforum.com

*The origins of the 'Mad woman in the attic' by Jane Eyre: Potrayal of females in Victorian literature youtube.com

*I gave birth, but mu husband developed post-partum depression nytimes.com

*Rihana is officially a Billionaire and the richest female musician in the world entrepreneur.com

*Partners'financial support is holding female academics back timeshighereducation.com

*Addressing men & masculinities in GAD https://lnkd.in/gv2Ja6P

*Sub-Saharan women risk exclusion from digital economy unversityworldnews.com

*Why we don't talk about sexual violence aginst boys - & why we should washingtonpost.com

*What it's like to be a woman in Yemen: 4 stories of women's strength and heroism unrefugees.org

*Can you recognise unconscious gender bias in the workplace? stem4all.eurasia.undp.org

*The women inspiring others in a male dominated industry https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54876525

*Dr. Jill Biden says women's achievements must be celebrated 'rather than diminished' https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jill-biden-women-twitter-wsj-b11773122.html

*Influential women discuss how to fearlessly navigate the business world entrepreneur.com

*Covid-19 explodes the myth that women 'opt out' bloomberg.com

*RICOM3 helps Nigerian women take ownership of their pregnancy journey allafrica.com/stories/202012.../

*From Jackie O to Rihana, the ultimate guide to classic style wsj.com/articles/from-jackie-o-to-rihana-style/

*Africa's women & girls: Victims in war & peace nextierspd.com

*Erik Erikson's stages of Psychological Development https://linkedin/dVakYg5

*Women's leadership for peace http://ow.ly/dtkY50CSfEq

*Seeking gender justice & peace? Include men https://womensenews.org/2020/11/seeking-gender-justice-peace.../ https://lnkd.in/eJaRgex

*Why women should stop worrying about being liked https://www.forbes.com/sites/denise-restaur/2015/12/09/why-women-should-stop-worrying.../

*10 defining moments for women in 2020 unwo.men/Ytc250CTyoM

*Gender budgeting for more equitable education, paid work & political representation ow.ly/guu450CSGzI

*Most prisons are built for men, while women's specific basic needs are ignored unwo.men/Wun150CReFS

*The Arewa Me Too Movement endures while fighting GBV sahelien.com

*Redistribution of power needed to achieve gender equality bit.ly/2KooqoO

*The CoV is a disaster for feminism https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/03/feminism-womens-rights-cov-covid-19/608302/

*Covid-19 pandemic highlights the limits of white feminism https://time.com/5923763/white-feminism-pandemic/

*Feminist responses to Covid-19 https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.apaonline.org/resource/collection/.../FeminismCovidSpecialIssueV20n1.pdf

*A Wench's guide to surviving a 'global' pandemic crisis: Feminist publishing in a time of Covid-19 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/810691-020-09435-1

*The risks of being a woman during the pandemic https://www.thenation.com/article/society/cov-feminism-domestic-violence/

*5 reasons why the CoV needs a feminist response https://www.oxfam.org/en/5-reasons-why-cov-needs-feminist-response/

*Covid-19 &feminism in the global south: Challenges, initiatives & dilemmas https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/135050682.../

*Identity, politics & the pandemic: Why is Covid-19 a disaster for feminism? https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40656-020-00346-7

*A feminist perspective to Covid-19 & the value of care work globally https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341221788.../

*Covid-19 is a feminist issue https://asiafoundation.org/2020/08/19/covid-19.../

*Feminism & the gendered impact of Covid-19: Perspective of a Counselling Psychologist ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7300594/

*Venezuelan women lose access to contraception and control over their bodies nytimes.com

*Feminism in the Corona-Crisis https://www.gwi.boell.de/en/feminism-corona-crisis/

*Opinion: Covid-19's war on feminism in the US https;//www.e-ir.info/2020/12/14/opinion-covid-19-war-on-feminism/

*Feminism in pandemic times https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/pb-assets/146804.../pdf

*Feminist resources in the pandemic https://centreforthefeministforeignpolicy.org/feminist-resources-on-pandemic/

*Call for a 'Feminist Covid-19 Policy' feministallianceforrights.org/blog/2020/03/20/action-call-for-feminist-covid-19-policy/

*Gender & Covid-19 www.humanrightscolumbia.org/content/gender-and-covid-19/

*Gender-responsive budgeting & the Covid-19 pandemic https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/...

*Feminist response to Covid-19 https;//www.feministcovidresponse.com

*Covid-19: Gender & Development Network https://gadnetwork.org/covid-19

*Covid-19's impact on women in Nigeria shows need to go beyond gender-blind response https://africanfeminism.com/covid-19-lockdown-impact-lives-nigerian-women/

*The feminist & the post-covid state https://www.awid.org/news-analysis/feminist-post-covid-19-state/

*Feminist foreign policy & Covid-19 https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/feminism-foreign-policy-covid-19/

*African feminism: Post-Covid-19 economic recovery https://sophia.smith.edu/meridians/solidarities/african-feminism-post-covid-economic-recovery/

*'Bridgerton's' Queen Charlotte latest to stir black debate edition.cnn.com/2020/12/30/entertainment/queen-charlotte-bridgerton-black/

*The story behind 'Oloture', Nigeria's Netflix sex-trafficking drama channelstv.com/2021/01/04/the-story-behind-oloture.../

*The idea that gender is a spectrum is a new gender prism by Rebecca Reilly-Cooper aeon.co

*Fighting FGM in Sierra-Leone allafrica.com/view/group/mai.../

*US Congress passes Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act for Pakistani women tribune.com.pk

*5 ways the pandemic affected gender equity in 2020 nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/32-years-progress-vanished-pandemic-affected-ncna1252119/

*How women can develop & promote their personal brand hbr.org https://t.co/s7QyURb3wzamp=1

*Why empowering female social entrepreneurs is key to economic recovery https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/why-empowering-female-entrepreneurs-key-economic-recovery/

*Kamala Harris makes history with her 'big blended' family nytimes.com/2021/01/17/us/kamala-harris-doug-emhof-family-inauguration.html

*The like-ability dilemma for women leaders t.ted.com/B5xAS9A

*Why women's voices must be at the centre of re-building after Covid-19 https://m-gat.es/2MZybtM

*22 year old female Harvard graduate, Amanda Gorman, is the youngest inaugural poet in the US https://nyti.ms/9KOxQA

*Why Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton & Michelle Obama wore purple on inauguration day https://hahoo.com/lifestyle/why-kamala-harris-wore-purple-inauguration-day/

*Unequal burden: How the Covid-19 pandemic is adding to women's workload wef.com/3iJqy6z #gender #covid19

*From rhetoric to reality: Advancing women's participation in peace processes https://www.cfr.org/blog/rhetoric-reality-women-in-peace-processes/

*Estonia, the only country in the world with a female President & female PM https://investinestonia.com/estonia-only-country-with-female-president-pm/

*The politics of fashion & beauty in Africa https://feministafrica.net/feminist-africa-issue-21-2016-the-politics-fashion-africa/

*Feminism, sovereignty & the pan-African project: Lessons for today africasacountry.com

*We must raise girls to be brave, not perfect http://t.ted.com/D9aFPaW

*The pandemic reminds us of how women show up to lead https://www.smartbrief.com/2021/02/pandemic-reminds-us.../

*Covid-19 lock-downs in West Africa are avenues for undetected FGM: SDG Target 5:3 disrupted nnngo.org

*Women re-invent themselves during the pandemic via creativity, resilience & determination entrepreneur.com

*Women's political participation and its predictors in Northern & Southern Nigeria https://bit.ly/2ZI1XfB

*WPS & the Digital Ecosystem: 5 emerging trends in the technology of gender policy landscape https://ow.ly/nqIZ5ODpynO

*Biden breaks deadlock: Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI) becomes first woman and African DG of WTO https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55958682

*Female leadership in PB: What we can learn from women in the field https;//www.univesiteitleiden.nl/en.../2021/03/female-leadership-pb/

*Women leaving the workforce because of the pandemic is a 'national emergency' - VP Kamala Harris nyti.ms/2NmVbnO

*Women in Saudi Arabia can now take up arms and join the Military in latest widening of rights aje.io/d6jl6

*Women make less in the gig economy - Study thelily.com

*Kamala Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, breaks gender stereotypes by putting her career ahead of his as Second Gentleman usatoday.com

*Merriam-Webster dictionary adds 'Second Gentleman' to describe Doug Emhoff's role cnn.com

*The invisibility of older women theatlantic.com

*US: 50 prominent men join push for direct payments to moms cnn.com

*Rich woman, Kim Kiyasoki, recreates 'Rich dad, poor dad' richdad.com

*Time for a female UN Secretary-General? hrw.org

*Dr. Njide Okonjo-Udoche, MD, MPH, FAAFP (Sister of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala - DG WTO) named Physician of the year 2021 in the US https://web.facebook.com/photo/37564277644...

*Examining the appropriateness of gender inclusion as a humanitarian response mechanism for conflict-related sexual violence against men by Catherine Akurut https://www.manchesteropenhive.com/.../2/3/article-p35.xml

*Women's leadership results in more bipartisanship, equality, social welfare,peace & security: Women making a mark while transforming politics http://ow.ly/JdJ05ODPoVpstories.devex.com

*Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world #IWD zw.undp.org

*The power of being single: Why you should own it thriveglobal.com

*Women in violent zones nextierspd.com

*The origins of sexism: How men came to rule 12,000 years ago newscientist.com

*Female empowerment is more than a day, it's a movement thriveglobal.com

*Men championing women youtube.com

*Prince Harry opens up: A role mod for emotional availability in men and boys cnn.com

*Female engagement in governance: Dynamics & new opportunities by Otive Igbuzor https://web.facebook.com

*Hilary Clinton on Meghan & Harry's interview: Young women 'should no longer be forced into a mould that's no longer relevant, not only for them, but for our society' cnn.com

*The myth?of monogamy https;//www.linkedin.com/pulse/myth-monogamy-rachel-alexander.../

*Gender inequality in Higher Education persists universityworldnews.com

*Nigeria's FG working on Special Court for GBV - AGF icirnigeria.org

*Re-thinking sexual reproductive rights in Nigeria: Why abortion laws need reform republic.com.ng

*WTO DG, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her definition of success cnbcafrica.com

*7 men whose wives are making waves newsbreakersonline.com

*The obstacles to women's liberation in Africa youtube.com

*Prostitution & pornography: A historical view nordicmodelnow.org

*How polyamourists & polygamists are challenging family norms newyorker.com

*Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, DG WTO, wins WACA International Service Award newsbreakersonline.com

*Finland's women-led government targeted by online harassment https://lnkd.in/dNfDXgv

*Samia Hassan sworn in as Tanzania's first female President (18/3/2021) aljazeera.com

*Nigerian & Ghanaian women working in Brussels' red-light district by Sarah Adeyinka et.al https://lnkd.in/euDNjaz

*Action Aid's ten principles of feministleadership actionaid.org

*The Guinness World Record for most children born toone mother goes to Valentia Vassilyev, the wife of Russian peasant, Feodor Vassilyev. She birthed a total of 69 babies in her lifetime - 16pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets & 4 sets of quadruplets. She died @ 76. https://web.facebook.com/photo

*Women with senior jobs sleep better in countries with gender equality newscientist.com

*First time female protests against abuse gather pace globally https://news.trust.org/tem/20210318.../

*US: It's 2021 and women still make 82 cents for every Dollar earned by a man nbcnews.com

*Businesses looking to strengthen heir company should invest in women commercialappeal.com

*Flowers against bullets: Belarusian women are turning everyday objects into protest symbols - and face persecution for it meduza.io

*Women's recruitment into the security sector byCatherine White http://ow.ly/CLpQ50E9ia1

*Women not getting the healthcare they need during the pandemic forbes.com

*Empowered women create a more peaceful world linkedin.com

*Tanzania's new female President, Samia Hassan, brings new hope towomen in East Africa usip.org/publications/2021/03/...

*The missing piece: Father's role in stemming youth radicalisation usip.org

*5 ways to actually help female entrepreneurs entrepreneur.com

*How VAW & Children is represented in research issafrica.org

*The hidden cost of promotions for women leaders sheownsit.com

*How new age spirituality & sensitive masculinity led to QAnon washingtonpost.com

*Policy Brief Series: WPS & the Generation Equality Action Coalitions wlpf.org

*Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (NOI) as 'Bi-cultural Mediator' @ the WTO https://buff.ly/2N3shIG #WomensMonth

*'Women in Leadership' by Julia Gillard & Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/women-and-leadership/

*New Zealand offers bereavement leave for those who miscarry or have still birth https://www.npr.org/2021/03/25/981309826/new-zealand-bereavement-leave-miscarriage-still-birth.../

*Making online events more inclusive by UNITAR http://ow.ly/TSTL5OEkAZj

*Covid-19 threatens to slow down women's progression tothe C-Level: What CEOs can do forbes.com

*Why we mourn girlhood by Mellisa Febos newyorker.com

*Banks with more women on their Boards commit less fraud hbr.org

*Gender gaps and inequality costing economies of countries as much as 15% of GDP gatesfoundation.org

*Where does the women workforce stand one year after Covid-19 struck? entrepreneur.com

*Women score higher than men in most leadership skills hbr.org

*Why women do the household worrying and how to get men to do more of it nytimes.com

*Turning point for gender equality womensagenda.com

*If Bill and Melinda Gates can't make their marriage work, what hope is there for the rest of us? washingtonpost.com

*4 financial lessons women can learn from the Bill & Melinda Gates divirce announcement entrepreneur.com

*25 year old woman unexpectedly gave birth to nine babies entrepreneur.com

*6 women @ the forefront of West Africa's technology boom vogueco.uk/news/article/women-leadership-leading-west-africa-tech-boom/

*Sexual assault as a weapon of war: History, effect and prevention medium.com

*The women behind the Oxford/Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine newscientist.com

*Facebook launches Global Women's Safety Advisory Board https://www.facebook.com/safety/womenssafety

*Why investing in women is key to attaining the SDGs unescap.org

*Ms. Katherine Johnson, NASA's human computer who calculated trajectories for Apollo space mission by hand is 100 years old (28th June 2021) linkedin.com

*Accounting giant, PwC, to allow employees period of time off for fertility treatment consultingpoint.com

Friday, 11 December 2020

WEDGING THE IMPENDING FOOD INSECURITY IN NIGERIA

On the heels of the massacre of farmers in Zabarmari, the exact number killed is still conjectural because the Nigerian Army puts the figure at 43, insurgents say it is 78, while 110 is it according to some news agencies beyond the shores of Nigeria. See the following relevant links The Zabarmari massacre of farmers: Should more citizens die in these senseless killings? nextierspd.com/the-massacre-of-zabarmari-farmers.../ Military debunks claim about killing of 78 farmers in Borno youtube.com/watch?v=pmbsHE.../ At least 110 farmers dead in Zambarmari, Nigeria, after suspected BH attack theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/29/nigeria-attack-boko-haram-farm-workers-killed? Nigeria is the 3rd most terrorised country in he world - Report allafrica.com/view/group/mai...

In the light of the above, NextierSPD (Security, Peace & Development) & the Yar'Adua Foundation convened a team of experts and stakeholders to review the impending food insecurity in Nigeria. It was an 'invitation only' discourse.

Some of the participants are:

*Dr. Nduuisi Nwokolo - Partner & CEO NextierSPD

*Dr. Uche Igwe - Visiting Fellow, Firoz Laiji Centre for Africa, London School of Economics (LSE), UK

*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Independent Consultant/Conflict Transformation Expert, Abuja

*Amara Nwakpa - Director, Public Policy Initiative, Yar'Adua Foundation

*Ms. Bertha Ogbimi - CISLAC

*Ms. Ndidi Anyanwu - Senior Policy & Research Analyst, NextierSPD

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the parley

The critical areas x-rayed at the meeting and the recommendations in brief were:

*Insecurity - There should be collaboration between the local Vigilante Groups, communities and the Military to provide security for farmers. The modalities for same should be worked out with each community. One size does not necessarily fit all.

*Climate Change - Trans-border water management that could prevent excessive flooding in Nigeria (on a yearly basis), which in turn negatively affects crop yield should be interrogated. There should be mechanisms put in place to prevent the Lagdo Dam from flooding Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Anambra states, etc. yearly. The drying of Lake Chad should be halted. In this regard, the effort of the Lake Chad Basin Governors' Forum (LCBGF) should be taken cognisance of to prevent re-invention of the wheel. It is necessary to employ relevant technology, including the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) for improvement in the agricultural sector. The NLTP needs to be constantly revisited/revised to stem the tide of trust deficit bedeviling it.

Photo L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa & Dr. Ndubuisi Nwokolo

*Policy Environment - Policy somersault is the bane of many otherwise successful initiatives/projects in the agricultural and related sectors. Garnering adequate and accurate data should be priority for successful planning. The language of CBN policies in the agricultural sector should be 'democratised', so that the regular small scale farmer at whom they are targeted understand the contents. There should be intensive advocacy in this regard.

*Inflation - Drivers of inflation should be continually deciphered/identified in all spheres. Some of the areas to look at are: the closure of borders, inadequate storage/preservation facilities/techniques for prolonging the life of perishable farm produce.

*Review of the Land Use Act of 1978 to accommodate contemporary concerns. The NLTP needs to be constantly interrogated to eliminate the trust deficit as regards its implementation...

The discourse continues...

Group photograph

Dayo

Related Links

* will be scarce in 2021, raise alarm allafrica.com/stories/202012.../

* may be Nigeria's biggest hit from theafricareport.com

*Food & the struggle for Africa's sovereignty africasacountry.com