MOSOP to Ogonis: NSA’s dialogue initiative is fine opportunity to move forward — ITREALMS

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on the Ogoni people to place their trust in the ongoing dialogue process coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), headed by Nuhu Ribadu, describing it as a fine opportunity to achieve a permanent resolution to the long-standing Ogoni crisis, reports ITREALMS.

Speaking on Saturday at Bori, the traditional headquarters of the Ogoni people, MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke, emphasized that after 33 years of a costly resistance against the Nigerian oil industry, it has become necessary to embrace the Federal Government’s peace initiative. He noted that the government’s decision to initiate direct discussions represents a welcome departure from previous initiatives, which were largely based on impositions.

GITEX: Zinox partners KongaCares to launch groundbreaking interest-free digital initiative - ITREALMS

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Integrated ICT solution company and Nigerian OEM, Zinox Technologies, in strategic partnership with KongaCares, is launching an ambitious interest-free "Computerize Nigeria" initiative, a transformative corporate social responsibility program designed to support the government's vision to produce world-class human capital from Nigerian higher institutions. 

This transformative initiative will be officially unveiled on Thursday, September 4, at the prestigious GITEX Nigeria event, marking a pivotal moment in the country's digital evolution.

Oil resumption: MOSOP, Ogoni Liberation Initiative accuses FG of provocations - ITREALMS

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The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) and the Ogoni Liberation Initiative have criticized the federal government over recent remarks made by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, concerning the resumption of oil production in Ogoni noting that the statement was insensitive and damaging to a healing process undertaken by MOSOP over the past five years.

The groups further noted that the Ogoni people were yet to recover from the pains of the past and do not need to be reminded of the evils done to them by previous Nigerian regimes neither do they need to be subjected to renewed state repression.

Boosting Business: Hydrogen, Lagos State partner on 'Healthy Heart, Healthy Business' initiative - ITREALMS

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To promote the growth and sustainability of Nigerian businesses, Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited teamed up with Ikeja Local Government Area and the Office of the Medical Officer of Health to organize the inspiring “Healthy Heart, Healthy Business” outreach on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the Ikeja Local Government Secretariat, reports ITREALMS.

The initiative successfully engaged a wide range of business owners through a combination of in-person participation and extensive digital awareness campaigns.

UK, Nigeria, and Ghana launch £1.9m Sankore Initiative to boost science, technology, and innovation - ITREALMS

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In a significant move to drive economic growth and sustainable development in West Africa, the UK, Nigeria, and Ghana have launched the £1.9m Sankore initiative, reports ITREALMS.

This program aims to strengthen science, technology, and innovation ecosystems in the region.

Marginalised: Flame Initiative, RCCG empowers widows in FCT - ITREALMS

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To foster empowerment in marginalised communities, Flame Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation under the CINTA Widows Empowerment Programme, have donated food items, funds, and other materials to widows in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The outreach carried out in Abuja, was in collaboration with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), The Lord's Place, Abuja.

Denmark scales up Africa's with Early Warnings for All Initiative - ITREALMS

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The Early Warnings for All Initiative (EW4All) has a bold vision of a world in which every individual is protected by life-saving Early Warning Systems (EWS) by 2027. 

Seeking to work more coherently across the full EWS value chain, the EW4ALL initiative is led by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), each leading one of the four pillars, relevant to their mandated expertise.

Global warming: 130m Africans at risk, as CAAF launches Billion Trees Initiative - ITREALMS

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The Executive Director of the Climate Action Africa (CAAF), Ms Grace Oluchi Mbah, has called for more attention to be paid to effects of global warming due to its impact on the people, especially on the continent of Africa, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming as CAAF has launched a Billion Trees for Africa Initiative (BT4AI) to address environmental degradation across the continent.

Bridging skills gap: Paradigm Initiative lifts 39 Kenyans with LIFE Legacy Programme - ITREALMS

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Paradigm Initiative has lifted some 39 Kenyan youths with LIFE Legacy Programme in efforts to bridge the skills gap in the country, reports ITREALMS.

Thus, efforts to bridge unemployment challenge in Kenya have started bearing fruit following the graduation of the first batch of students from under-served communities under the LIFE Legacy Programme, an initiative spearheaded by Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a pan-African non-governmental organisation.

NSML launches clean waterways initiative to tackle plastic pollution - ITREALMS

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The NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML) has launched its Clean Waterways Initiative, a programme to raise awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution and to advocate for action to address the issue.

Speaking on the initiative, the Chief Executive Officer of NSML, Mr Abdulkadir Ahmed, highlighted the urgency of the plastic crisis and its detrimental effects on economic activities, human health, and the environment.

Immunisation equity: Gavi launches new learning initiative - ITREALMS

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The vaccine alliance otherwise known as Gavi has launched the Zero-Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH), a new mechanism to improve how data and evidence are leveraged to successfully identify and reach the millions of children who have not yet received a single routine vaccine shot – “zero-dose” children – and the missed communities in which they live.

The goal of the ZDLH collaboration is to supplement existing and ongoing monitoring efforts by building deeper understanding and sharing learning on the complex array of factors that impact efforts to reach zero-dose children, particularly in lower-income Gavi implementing countries.

2023: Paradigm Initiative hosts Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Meetings - ITREALMS

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Leading Pan-African organization, Paradigm Initiative (PIN), has launched a project that will see the institution collaborate with elections stakeholders across the continent to proactively sensitize citizens on digital rights ahead of general elections, reports ITREALMS.

The move comes just 17 days ahead of the Nigerian election poll, which will take place on Saturday, 25th February 2023.

Stop Teenage Pregnancy: Olori Janet Afolabi flags off initiative - ITREALMS

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Olori Janet Afolabi, the Queen of Apomu Kingdom has officially flagged off "Initiative to Stop Teenage Pregnancy" on August 13, at the Alapomu Palace Hall, Apomu.

The initiative is aimed at curbing the rising rate of teenage pregnancy in the community.

Oriental News Confab'22: SEC DG, Yuguda, Garba Kurfi, others to examine Nigeria's financial inclusion initiative - ITREALMS

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The Director General (D-G) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Lamido Yuguda, would lead key financial sector experts in a robust roundtable discussion on governments key policy which centers around inclusive financial system that will cover all strata of the society.

The experts drawn from key private sector organisations and regulatory agencies would gather at the inaugural conference on 'Financial Inclusion' being hosted by STANMEG Communications, publishers of Oriental News Nigeria.

ITU, WHO collaborate on BeHe@lthy, BeMobile Initiative - ITREALMS

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The World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)​, are set to work with telecommunication companies to text people directly on their mobile phones with vital health messaging to help protect them from COVID-19, reports ITREALMS.

These text messages, ITREALMS gathered is expected reach billions of people that are not able to connect to the internet for information.

Now more than ever, technology must ensure that everyone can access the information they need. The collaboration will start in the Asia Pacific region and then roll out globally. The goal is to reach everyone with vital health messages, whatever their connectivity level. 

An estimated 3.6 billion people remain offline, with most people who are unconnected living in low-income countries, where an average of just two out of every ten people are online.

ITU and WHO call on all telecommunication companies worldwide to join this initiative to help unleash the power of communication technology to save lives from COVID-19. This initiative builds on current efforts to disseminate health messages through the joint WHO-ITU BeHe@lthy BeMobile initiative.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the first pandemic in human history where technology and social media are being used on a massive scale to keep people safe, productive and connected while being physically apart.

Health workers are utilizing telemedicine to diagnose patients and hospitals rely on being connected to coordinate and triage them. Resilient and trustworthy telecommunication networks and services are essential, as more countries, companies and individuals turn to digital technologies to respond to and cope with the impact of COVID-19.

Building on their longstanding collaboration, ITU and WHO are committed to identifying and scaling best evidence-based digital health solutions and to leveraging frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to diagnose, contain and predict outbreaks better and faster.

Chuks Egbune/DoP

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Paradigm Initiative selects journalists for media fellowship - ITREALMS

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Two journalists and Emmanuel Agbenonwossi and  Victor Ekwealor, have been selected as the pioneer fellows of Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Fellowship 2018, reports ITRealms.

The media fellowship, ITRealms gathered, is a project of Paradigm Initiative, a social enterprise dedicated to the promotion of digital rights and inclusion in Africa.

ITRealms also gathered that the fellowship attracted 116 applications from 19 countries.

According to a press statement by Paradigm Initiative, a social enterprise working on digital rights and inclusion in Africa, endorsed by the Communications Officer, Paradigm Initiative, Communications Officer, Sodiq Alabi, said, they were pleased to announce the selection of two brilliant journalists for the inaugural edition. 

"We are excited about the quality of applications the fellowship attracted in its first year," he said.

The fellowship is a five-month programme designed to immerse selected journalists in digital rights advocacy and digital inclusion intervention efforts in Africa.

"Fellows will work with Paradigm Initiative on various projects and contribute to improving media interest in relevant issues,” he said.

"Emmanuel Agbenonwossi  is a Togolese journalist and the managing editor of AfroTribune. Agbenonwossi works to advance professional journalism and digital freedom with media and Internet rights defenders globally.

"Emmanuel has contributed to policy research in Togo, Ghana, Cote-d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and other African countries.

"He is a fellow of UNESCO, ICANN, AfriSIG and the IGF Academy. Emmanuel Agbenonwossi is an alumnus of the University of Greenwich (UK), the Central University of Tunisia and the University of Malta.

"He holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism, a post-graduate diploma in Cyber-Security, Leadership and Business Information Technology.

"Victor Ekwealor is a Nigerian writer, storyteller and award-winning multimedia journalist.

"Victor works as Editor at TechPoint. His flair for storytelling stems from the desire to highlight untold African stories from the highest journalistic standards with modern technological tools.

"Victor believes Africans would either tell more African stories or watch the world do it for them.

"He is interested in, and mostly covers, the interaction of human beings and technology. He is also interested in technology, startups, innovations, policies, digital inclusion and digital rights.

"The fellowship will commence in September 2018, with a two-week residency at Paradigm Initiative’s Nigerian offices, in Aba, Abuja Ajegunle, Kano and Yaba, and run until January 2019.

"Fellows will also get the chance to connect with Paradigm Initiative team members in Yaounde and Nairobi."

Nenye Dom/ED. Ops

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Paradigm Initiative commends NASS for passing Digital Rights Bill

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Pan-African digital rights organization, Paradigm Initiative has commended the two legislative houses of the National Assembly (NASS) for passing the Digital Rights and Freedom bill, reports ITRealms.

The bill, ITRealms recalled was passed on Tuesday afternoon by the Senate following earlier passage at the House of Representatives last December, 2017.

The Bill, ITRealms gathered was a product of civil society efforts led by Paradigm Initiative beginning at the 2014 Internet Freedom Forum in Abuja, “provides for the protection of human rights online, to protect Internet users in Nigeria from infringement of their fundamental freedoms and to guarantee application of human rights for users of digital platforms and/or digital media.”

Speaking on the importance of the bill, Paradigm Initiative’s Digital Rights Programme Manager, Boye Adegoke said, “By the passage of this BIll, the legislative arm of government has shown a commitment to the development of digital rights in Nigeria.”

He expressed excitement about the provisions in this Bill regarding freedom of expression online.

“The bill will ensure that citizens can freely express their opinions online without interference. This is such a positive development at a time when Nigeria is moving into an election season and there are legitimate fears that there may be moves by some political interests to gag free speech in the country. 

The positive leadership of the National Assembly on the issue is quite commendable.” Adegoke said.

Also speaking, Director of Programme at Paradigm Initiative, Tope Ogundipe said “Nigeria has demonstrated remarkable leadership on the continent by passing this Bill. The Bill is quite important to the future of innovation and Nigeria’s digital economy in essence. It represents the needed framework to attract the partnership of global brands in the digital economy.”

Worthy of note about this bill, ITRealms gathered, is the provision of progressive legislative backing to online speech in the country.

Paradigm Initiative further urged President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the bill to transform it into a law, making it Nigeria’s first law on human rights online.

Clause 14 of the bill, for instance, reads, “Every person shall have the right to freely express opinion online without interference, this right includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas, regardless of digital frontiers”. Under this Bill, freedom of expression further includes the freedom to express and impart information and ideas of all kinds that can be transmitted to others, in whatever form, and regardless of media.”

Nenye Egbune/GEE

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Paradigm Initiative to sue FG over social media surveillance

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Digital rights group, the Paradigm Initiative (PI), has vowed to challenge the Nigerian Government’s latest attempt to curtail free speech online in a law court, reports ITRealms.

A press statement available to ITRealms, PI condemned the recent order issued by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali, to security agencies to “tackle the propagation of hate speech through the social media, particularly by some notable Nigerians.”

Mr Ali, ITRealms gathered gave the order during a security meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, did not provide any detail as to what constitutes “hate speech” and the criteria that would be employed by the security agencies to determine when free speech becomes “hate speech”.

The absence of such details in Mr Ali’s order, PI noted, has become customary with critics of free speech online including President Muhammadu Buhari who once complained about an undefined “red line” online users are wont to cross in their expression online.

Also, ITRealms recalled that few months ago, the Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, publicly announced to the world that the military now has “strategic media centres that monitor the social media to be able to sieve out and react to all the ones that will be anti-government, be anti-military, (and) be anti-security.

“We tackle them appropriately with appropriate responses” Enenche had declared.

Reacting on the latest FG plans, the Paradigm Initiative’s Digital Rights Programme Manager for Anglophone West Africa, ‘Boye Adegoke, lamenting that security agencies now routinely tap citizens’ phones, especially in the federal capital, Abuja.

The Buhari administration, he noted, through its policies and public statements by its functionaries, has successfully created an atmosphere that emboldens security agents from EFCC to DSS and to the Police to make themselves the arbiter of free speech online. In the last one year, at least 14 Nigerians have been arrested and detained for making free speech online.

“we are deeply concerned that free speech online continues to suffer sustained attacks from agents of government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. The restriction of access to twenty one news websites including Naij.com is just one of the several attempts by the government to curtail people’s rights online. Therefore, the order by Mr Ali can only further negatively affects the digital space,” Adegoke said.

Further, ITRealms gathered that Paradigm Initiative and partners are currently in court to challenge Sections 24 and 38 of the Cybercrimes Act that have been repeatedly used to persecute online critics in the last two years.

The organisation equally sued the Ministry of Science and Technology over its alleged acquisition of spy satellites. In this vein, the organisation has dragged the Nigerian Communications Commission to court over the illegal restriction of access to some news sites. There seems to be no end to the government’s attempt to invade privacy and curtail free speech.

“As Nigeria heads for a general election in 2019, Nigerians must not allow the government to trample on constitutionally guaranteed rights such as free speech. Paradigm Initiative, on its part, will continue to challenge any anti-free speech policy or posturing by the government. Digital rights like privacy and freedom of expression are important features of modern societies and must not be allowed to be abused by people who are afraid of criticism,” Adegoke said.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Positive Value Initiative for launch in Lagos

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A new children and youth-focused re-orientation programme, tagged Positive Values Initiative, will be formally launched in Lagos on November 30 at LTV Compound in Agidingbi, Ikeja, reports ITRealms.

The event, ITRealms gathered would be chaired by the Chairman, Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka.

 The outreach programme, ITRealms reports is a joint venture of Oraks Konsult and Superkids Publications, which advocates and inculcates positive values in children in order to make them better leaders and followers tomorrow.

According to the coordinator of the programme, Mrs Franca Orakwue, the goal is to inspire youths and children to attain their best by pursuing, living and sharing positive values which include courtesy, integrity, diligence and godliness wherever they go.

“We believe that values influence one’s thinking which in turn shapes relationships, behaviours, choices and sense of self-worth. We are therefore determined to impart these value set in our youths and kids to prepare them for the challenges of society” she said.

Mrs. Orakwue, who is also author and certified etiquette specialist from Etiquettemoms, United States is also a product of the International Association of Professions (IAP) Career College, USA. With over 14 years of experience in etiquette and speech training especially among children, she is deploying her knowhow to transform youths and kids especially those of school age into role models of excellence and integrity.

The mass mobilization outreach which is already running in some schools and worship centres has attracted the attention of UNICEF and Lagos State government. The pilot programme in some select schools has achieved very good result and has been well received by the pupils and students.

Uju N. Dominic/ED, Ops 

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AFRICMIL to unveil CORA, whistle-blower support initiative

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The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), would today, Thursday, October 12, 2017, formally unveil its whistle-blower support project tagged Corruption Anonymous (CORA), reports ITRealms.

Chido Onumah, coordinator of AFRICMIL, told ITRealms that Corruption Anonymous is billed as a civil society and people-centred intervention to mobilize citizens as the critical success factor in the war against corruption in Nigeria through whistle-blowing.

CORA became necessary, Onumah said, because of the realisation that the anti-corruption war is not a fight government can win on its own without the input of Nigerians from all walks of life.

Late last year, as part of efforts to tackle corruption in the country, the federal government announced a whistle-blower policy which specifies 2.5% to 5% of total recovery as reward for citizens whose tips lead to recovery of looted public funds.

 “Corruption Anonymous seeks to create awareness and build public confidence and support for the whistle-blower initiative, advocate for proper implementation of the policy and institutionalization of the guidelines as well as reinforce protection for whistle-blowers,” Onumah stated.

Apart from serving as a platform for citizens to engage in whistleblowing, CORA would provide the tools for the media to enhance its investigative work.

The public launch, Onumah said, is being organized with the active participation of relevant stakeholders to give momentum to whistleblowing, which is already yielding positive results as a strategic tool in the efforts to reduce corruption in the country.

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu is expected as the special guest of honour while the keynote address will be delivered by lawyer and human rights activist, Professor Chidi Odinkalu.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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