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Showing posts from 2020

#EndSARS, Women, Peace and Security

Nigerian women have not spoken loud enough against the attacks on the #EndSARS protesters (a peaceful protest which is now being criminalized), or about related atrocities currently going on in Nigeria. Clearly, Nigeria has failed our young generation. What hopes do young people have in a country which sees youths as threats rather than opportunities for development? Their opinions don't count when it comes to nation building but when it comes to elections, they become relevant for adding up the numbers and for thuggery.  

Yipee! We're all set to launch the Power Woman Digital Magazine!!!

Power up your dreams with Power Woman E-Magazine! Globally women are taking charge of creating the life of their dreams while dismantling barriers and surmounting new frontiers. Join the publisher, Joy Onyesoh on this journey of self discovery and empowerment as we launch the Power Woman Magazine.

The Senate Passes the Police Act (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 181) - PLAC

I'm super excited to have been part of the advocacy to amend the then 75 years old Police Act. "BREAKING NEWS: On 7th July 2020, @NGRSenate passed the Police Act (Repeal & Re-enactment) Bill, 2020 (SB. 181). With the @HouseNGR passing the bill on 2nd June 2020, this makes history as the first time ever both chambers of @nassnigeria have successfully amended the Police Act of 1943" - PLAC

Abuja Arts: What's Next? A SWOT Analysis

On 19 June 2020, I joined a gender-balanced panel of 8 creatives from visual, performing & literary arts, to do a SWOT analysis on the capital city's creative scene. Among the points I raised were the need for a revision of the Cultural Policy of Nigeria which is 32 years old and the importance of having a strong Civil Society voice speaking on behalf of the cultural and creative industries. 

"They are not witches, they just have a mental illness associated with ageing" - Nneka Egbuna Speaks on #WorldElderAbuseAwarenessDay 2020

On the 15th of June of every year is the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It is a day set aside to draw attention to issues around ageing and elder abuse, which occurs globally. Do you know that elders receive all forms of abuse such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse etc, especially in the hands of their family members and people they know? Dewdrop Foundation (where I work as the Assistant Programme Coordinator) and CGE Africa, are working in several communities in Enugu State,

How Nigerians should prepare for the future, post covid19

So earlier in May, I was a guest on Armed Forces Radio. Via telecall (from my home), that is. We spoke about Nigerians preparing for the future, post #Covid19 pandemic, govt implementing Oransaye which calls for reforming the Ministries and Agencies of govt, and how an individual should brace up. Thanks Chinyereugo Ugwuegbu for having Me. The highlights of my response were that; 1. We need to start investing more in

COVID-19: The silent killer and threat to the existence of elderly persons

Elders during a hangout before the Covid19 pandemic (Dewdrop Project) Published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting  (ICIR) on 22 May 2020 and Dewdrop Foundation . “I thought it was a curse from God to destroy everybody” – says one of the elderly rights holders of the project on curtailing elder abuse in 11 communities in Enugu State, being implemented by Dewdrop Foundation and Centre for Gender Economics Africa. Considering the importance of mental health to the wellbeing of older persons, prior to the nationwide lockdown occasioned by the COVID 19 pandemic, we were engaging not less than 900

Association urges women to adopt “motherism’’ play down on feminism

Published on March 18, 2020By ADEROGBA GEORGE (News Agency of Nigeria) Association of Nigeria Authors (ANA), FCT chapter has called on women to adopt the concept of “motherism’’ rather than feminism, which is   foreign and alien to the African culture. Mrs Halima Usman, Chairman of the association made this known on Wednesday at a programme organised to celebrate women in literature and national development. The association particularly used the programme to celebrate one of the foremost Nigeria authors, Prof. Catherine Acholonu who died in March 18, 2014 , and had many literary works, particularly her

My bitter leaf processing

You can chew it, drink the water or use the leaves in your soup (e.g. egusi, ogbono, cocoyam....) You can also prepare and store the leaves for future use in your cooking in case the market near you shuts down. Glad to have this in my small garden.

You too can rise above life's tormoil.... #GlobalCitizen #CoronaChronicles

First published March 27 2020. To maintain an unchangeable sweetness of disposition, to think any thoughts that are pure and gentle , to be happy under all circumstances, such blessed conditions and such beauty of character should be the àim of all. If anyone has failed to lift himself above ungentleness, impurity and unhappiness, he is greatly deluded if he thinks he can make the world happier... - Above Life's Turmoil (written in 1910).

Las Las, It Shall Be Well..... #GlobalCitizen

First published March 25 2020.  Behind every disappointment is a blessing.... Have we been too busy to take care of our spiritual, mental or physical health? To connect with our friends, know our children, their needs or talents? Too busy to care? Too busy for family, love, romance, sex, friendships, relationships or simply knowing our neighbours? Too busy to have fun or take on that personal project we've been putting off for  years? Now may be the best time to stop and reflect on our lifestyle. The world is at a standstill. It happens once in a lifetime. Many of us are less busy, uncertain. Businesses are closing for a while - we don't know for how long. The kids are home...

Another side to the #Covid-19 pandemic

First published 17th March 2020.  Think about it.  Another side to the COVID19: The beginning of wisdom is to know that you don't know. The new virus leaves us with a picture of gloom and uncertainty around the world. Where not so long ago, we were moving further and further apart, today much more than ever, we can all do with a dose of human kindness. Where once we were comfortable isolating ourselves from others, today we are forced into isolation and

Gender Inequality is a Weapon of Divide and Rule - Catherine Acholonu

First published March 17, 2020. "My theory of MOTHERISM which is founded on  # traditional   # African   # cosmology  sees  # gender  inequality as a weapon of divide and rule introduced into  # Africa  by the political and religious colonizers of  # Europe  and  # Arabia  to weaken and destabilize the African social and domestic environment, for the woman was traditionally the backbone of all #traditional African societies. Therefore to conquer Africa, the colonizers had to first depose the woman from all the sectors where she  held away as the counterpart/partner of the male e.g. Governance,

"African artifacts constantly reflect male and female in dual sexuality and dual leadership positions" - Catherine Acholonu

First published 15 March 2020. 25 years ago, Prof. Catherine Acholonu, my mother, said, "African artifacts constantly reflect male and female sitting side by side or opposite each other, portraying dual sexuality and dual leadership, the 2 indispensable dimensions of African cosmology.... Most African societies reflect a role distribution system between men and women. Traditional African cultures placed male and female hierarchies side by side in the political and economic affairs of the

Women's International League for Peace Foundation (WILPF) Dinner on Women's Empowerment

First published 11th March 2020. "We need to unite with a common vision that it needs to be legislated. There is also the need for political will. Young women need to be brought to the table and this can drive the change we need." -  # UNWomen  Rep, Comfort Lamptey, speaking on achieving gender parity in Nigeria (at the  # WILPF  dinner on "Integrated Approach: Mobilising for Increased​ Women’s​ Representation in Decision​ Making and Access to Productive​ Resources.”

We are not at war with men. We just want to count!

(First published on 8th March 2020) "Several African societies reflect systems with ranging degrees of dual sex hierarchies in which men and women exist in parallel and complimentary positions and roles within the society." - Catherine Acholonu in her 1995 book, Motherism: The Afrocentric Alternative to Feminism ( A fall out from her experiences at the "Beijing Conference").

Passing the Baton; Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Dewdrop Foundation Celebrates International Women's Day 2020

Speaking to the media, I reiterated my key message that gender equality should not be about competition between men and women but about how men and women should complement one another as partners in development. In this regard, the messages about gender equality should be clear and devoid of ambiguity. "We need to be understood and we need male gender advocates on our side", I said. Thank you Lord for making it happen! 🤗 ☺ We celebrated the International Women's Day on 5th March, 2020 with the key message of passing the baton and breaking the glass ceiling. The special guests, 3 globally recognised women from 3 different generations, shared inspirational messages to the younger generation, about their journeys to success and breaking the glass ceiling. They gave words of hope and guidance to making it, in a world of several development challenges facing the youth......