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Tag: citizens

  • NUT Stages Nationwide Solidarity Rally in Oyo, Demands Freedom for Abducted Teachers and Pupils

    NUT Stages Nationwide Solidarity Rally in Oyo, Demands Freedom for Abducted Teachers and Pupils

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, on Tuesday staged a solidarity rally in Ibadan over the continued captivity of teachers and pupils recently abducted in Oriire Local Government of Oyo State.

    The rally, which was simultaneously organised across different states of the federation in compliance with a directive from the national leadership of the union, was aimed at mounting pressure on relevant authorities to secure the immediate release of the victims.

    In Ibadan, the nationwide teachers’ rally began on a solemn note. The protesters converged at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Secretariat in the American Quarters area of the city, where the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Olukayode Martins, addressed members on the reasons for the rally and reiterated the need for urgent action to secure the release of those in captivity. He expressed concerns that the attack was not only on schools or teachers and students alone, but also on the generality of workers, citizens and the entire society, as no one is safe anymore in Nigeria.

    “The abduction of innocent teachers and pupils is unacceptable. We gathered here today to lend our voices to the demand for their immediate and unconditional release. Every Nigerian deserves to live and work without fear,” Martins said.

    Following the briefing, the procession moved from the NLC Secretariat through major parts of the city before making a stop at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, where they were received by the Executive Governor of the State, H.E Engr. Seyi Makinde.

    Participants carried banners and placards bearing various inscriptions reflecting their concerns, while singing solidarity songs and using megaphones to explain their plight to members of the public.

    Union leaders and members also took time to explain the purpose of the peaceful rally, stressing that it was not intended to be confrontational.

    “This rally is not a confrontation. It is a passionate appeal to the government, security agencies and all stakeholders to act swiftly. We are speaking for our colleagues and pupils whose voices cannot be heard at this moment,” one of the organisers stated.

    They said the protest was a mass appeal to the collective conscience of the nation, the moral responsibility of government, and the constitutional duty of security agencies to protect lives and property.

    Addressing the Executive Governor and other government officials at the Governor’s Office, the Chairman, NUT, Oyo State Wing, Comrade Hassan Ajibola Fatai, declared that the union had withdrawn the services of its members across public schools in the state until the abducted teachers and pupils regain their freedom.

    “We have directed our members to withdraw their services from schools until our colleagues and the pupils in captivity regain their freedom. We cannot continue business as usual while our members and innocent children remain in the hands of kidnappers,” Fatai said.

    He called on the government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward the safe rescue of the victims, while also demanding improved security measures in schools to prevent a recurrence of such ugly incidents.

    “Our schools must be safe places for learning. Government must strengthen security around schools and put in place proactive measures that will prevent a recurrence of this unfortunate incident,” he added.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State Council, Comrade Olukayode Martins, described the abduction as an attack on the education sector and the future of the nation. 

    He said organised labour would continue to stand in solidarity with the teachers until the victims are rescued. 

    “An injury to one is an injury to all. The labour movement cannot fold its arms while teachers and pupils are held captive. We call on security agencies to intensify efforts and ensure their safe and immediate release,” Martins stated.

    The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, who joined the rally, expressed concern over the growing insecurity affecting schools across the country.

    He noted that students nationwide were worried about the safety of learners and teachers, urging government at all levels to prioritise security in educational institutions.

    Responding, Governor Seyi Makinde assured the protesters that the government was doing everything possible to secure the release of the abducted teachers and pupils.

    The governor noted that the entire nation was distressed by the unfortunate development and not only the teaching profession.

    He expressed optimism that those in captivity would soon regain their freedom and pledged the government’s continued commitment to safeguarding lives and property across the state.

  • Pivot Nigeria 2025: ‘Reframing the Lens’ Inspires A Positive National Narrative

    Pivot Nigeria 2025: ‘Reframing the Lens’ Inspires A Positive National Narrative

    Pivot Nigeria:Reframing the Lens is a national thought leadership platform created to reset Nigeria’s reputation agenda. Powered by HighStakes Public Relations Professionals (HighStakes PR Professionals), Pivot Nigeria catalyses dialogue to inspire pride, amplify authentic narratives, and co-create a stronger, more balanced Nigeria narrative.

    The inaugural Pivot Nigeria Conference, held recently, brought together thought leaders, innovators, journalists, entrepreneurs and youth to emphasise the urgent need for Nigerians to own and shape Nigeria’s narrative. The conference blended high-impact keynotes, panels and hands-on co-creation labs to inspire action.  

    Urging attendees to become ambassadors of truth and optimism for Nigeria, Pivot Nigeria convener, Victoria Uwadoka-Anyianuka set the tone: “We are not here to complain or to lament; we are here to reframe the lens on how we see ourselves as Nigerians. Changing how others see us starts with how we present and represent ourselves. Our mission is to challenge the prevailing narratives, to spotlight authentic stories, and to co-create a narrative that reflects Nigeria’s true story.”

    The conviction that Nigerians must first change how they see themselves before looking for external validation echoed throughout the day, from the keynote and plenary sessions to the co-creation labs. The conference focused on culture as capital, who tells our story and why it matters, reconciling criticism with commitment, and the role of the media in changing the narrative. 

    Mr. Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nigerian actor, lawyer, filmmaker, and cultural icon popularly known as RMD spoke about the paradoxes of Nigeria: “Nigeria is a beautiful country. It is a great country. On the one hand, it can frustrate you to the point where you feel like ‘I’m getting out.’ But on the other hand, it can give you so much that you’ll be wondering why it took you so long to unlock the keys that give you entrance to the bountiful opportunities that you find in Nigeria.”  

    He added that Nigeria, as a country, needs to go back to the drawing board, to see who we are, “It is when you have articulated who you are that your people can see.” 

    On his part, Mr. Emeka Mba, Founder and CEO of AfiaTV said, “Who tells your story and how it is told is often how you are seen. Too often, our stories are told by outsiders. Building inclusive national narratives, consistent cultural diplomacy, and deliberate policies to rebuild trust are essential to shaping how the world perceives us. If you look at emerging news platforms like AfiaTV and News Central, there is a deliberate editorial direction, a recognition of the power the media wields, and the duty it has to project balanced, accurate, and responsible portrayals of Nigeria, particularly to international audiences.”

    Speaking in the same vein, Rosemary Egabor-Afolahan, Director, Commercial and Communications, News Central TV said,  “The story of Nigeria, in all its complexity, courage and brilliance, must no longer be told by others, through filters of fear or foreign bias. It must be told by us: boldly, responsibly, and completely.  For far too long, the image reflected of Nigeria has been distorted, reduced to the cliches of conflict, corruption, disease, and despair.”  

    Emphasising the critical role of the media in changing the narrative, Rosemary added,  “At News Central TV, we took a stand. We chose to change the narrative not by ignoring the challenges, but by contextualising them, by highlighting progress alongside problems, and most importantly, by amplifying voices that are too often silenced and overlooked.” 

    Pivot Nigeria conference participants converted ideas into action in the co-creation labs and proffered solutions: reclaim Nigeria’s story through citizen action; promote balanced, indigenous storytelling; embed civic education and national values in school curricula; leverage creative industries (film, music, fashion, tech) as soft-power engines; push for stronger accountability in governance; and scale Pivot Nigeria through campus ambassadors and community chapters to sustain awareness about the currency of reputation as capital. 

    Nneka Isaac-Moses, Meche Isaac-Moses, Nina Anyianuka, Temitope Aina, and Nneamaka Nwadei highlighted narrative power as a tool of diplomacy, trade, and cohesion, urging collective action by the media and all stakeholders to reclaim the Nigeria story. 

    The “Pivot Nigeria: Reframing the Lens” initiative is a call for citizens, creatives, media houses, government institutions, the private sector and the diaspora to interrogate and reframe their presentation and representation of Nigeria, and to use their everyday platforms (including social media) responsibly to reflect a balanced, authentic Nigeria narrative. 

  • African youth are committed to democracy but dissatisfied than their elders, Afrobarometer inaugural flagship report reveals

    African youth are committed to democracy but dissatisfied than their elders, Afrobarometer inaugural flagship report reveals

    …The findings show that the youth rank unemployment and management of the economy as their top priorities for urgent government action, and large majorities see their governments as failing on these issues

     African youth prefer democracy to any kind of authoritarian alternative but are more likely than their elders to be dissatisfied with the way democracy works in their countries, Afrobarometer’s inaugural flagship report (https://apo-opa.co/4fFMfBE) shows. 

    The report, the first in what will be an annual series on high-priority topics, distils findings from data spanning more than a decade, including the latest round of nationally representative surveys in 39 African countries, representing the views of more than three-fourths of the continent’s population. 

    The findings, based on 53,444 face-to-face interviews, show that while Africa’s youth (aged 18-35) differ little from their elders in their support for democracy, they express a greater willingness to tolerate military intervention “when elected leaders abuse power for their own ends.” They are also less trustful of government institutions and leaders and more likely to view them as corrupt. 

    But like young citizens throughout the world, young Africans are significantly less likely than older cohorts to express their dissatisfaction and preferences at the ballot box. They also trail their elders in other forms of political engagement, such as joining others to raise an issue and contacting a local government councillor.  

    The findings show that the youth rank unemployment and management of the economy as their top priorities for urgent government action, and large majorities see their governments as failing on these issues. 

    Taken together, these deficits suggest that the voices of young Africans are not yet fully heard in the continent’s policy processes. 

    The report examines factors that drive democratic support and satisfaction in Africa and includes country democracy scorecards (https://apo-opa.co/3WLaqFZ) that present graphic illustrations of Afrobarometer findings on the most critical indicators of attitudes toward democracy for each of the 39 countries surveyed. 

    Afrobarometer survey  
    Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) cover 39 countries.  

    Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. National samples of 1,200-2,400 yield country-level results with margins of error of +/-2 to +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.  

    Key findings 

    1. On average across 39 countries, almost two-thirds (64%) of youth (aged 18-35) prefer democracy over any other kind of government (Figure 1).  

    • They join older cohorts in rejecting dictatorship (80%) and military rule (65%) but are more likely to accept military takeovers “when elected leaders abuse power for their own ends” (56% of youth vs. 47% of those over age 55).  
    • Youth are more likely than their elders to see “most” or “all” officials in the Presidency as corrupt (40%) and to be dissatisfied with the way democracy is working in their country (60%). 

    2. Youth are less likely than older citizens to vote in elections: 63% of those old enough to vote in their country’s last election say they did so, compared to 78%-84% of older cohorts (Figure 2).  

    • They also trail in other forms of political engagement, including identifying with a political party, attending a community meeting, joining others to raise an issue, and contacting a local leader. 

    3. Unemployment tops the list of the most important problems that African youth want their government to address (cited by 37%), followed by management of the economy (30%) and health (28%) (Figure 3). 

    4. Only two in 10 youth (19%) say their government in performing well on job creation, while 25% and 41%, respectively are satisfied with the government’s performance on economic management and improving basic health services (Figure 4). 

    African insights 2024 Flagship report:https://apo-opa.co/3SNz47Y