Niger Delta
IBB Plans Scholarship To Immortalise Late Wife
Former Nigerian Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) has concluded plans to establish a scholarship programme at all levels of the Nigerian school system in memory of his late wife, Maryam Babangida.
Babangida made the disclosure in his address at the Inaugural Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of the former first lady, who died from Ovarian cancer on December 27, 2009 in California, USA.
Babangida, who was represented by Chief Emmanuel Eboh, poured encomiums on late Maryam, who he described as a faithful wife, role model and supportive partner dedicated to the emancipation of Nigerian women.
He said that late Maryam worked with passion and commitment towards alleviating the poor living condition of Nigerian families, through her pet project, the ‘Better Life for Rural Women’, which she initiated to empower the women.
According to him, the late Maryam made her mark in her lifetime and would ever be remembered as a good wife, sweet mother and role model by the Babangida family and the Nigerian women.
“The late Maryam Babangida, whom we are honouring today is a great woman of value. She is a supportive wife, a caring mother and a role model who brought out the true colour of the Nigerian woman.
“She is a woman of colours in every aspect of her life. It is in view of her contribution to the emancipation of the Nigerian woman, that as a family, we want this annual event to embody scholarship awards.
“The scholarship award programme will be part of our contribution to the preservation of the memory of this great Nigerian woman. The scholarship will cut across all levels of the Nigerian school system,” Babangida said.
Earlier, late Maryam’s elder brother and the convener of the inaugural lecture, Chief Leo Okogwu, eulogised the late first lady for her efforts in advocacy for a better life for Nigerian families.
He said the Better Life programme for rural women initiated by the late Maryam Babangida was an innovation that lifted the prestige of Nigerian women and also empowered them to live an improved life.
Okogwu listed the likes of late Margaret Ekpo, and Mrs Ransome Kuti, as some of the prominent women leaders and activists who did so much for the promotion of women empowerment in the Nigerian society.
“The late Margaret Ekpo and Mrs Ransome Kuti’s memories appear to have disappeared with ever-retreating horizon as they question the gratitude of Nigerians for the bravery of these departed golden women,” Okogwu noted.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians not to allow the memory of late Maryam Babangida waste away, but rather continue to eulogise and appreciate the efforts and contributions of the late former first lady in nation building.
In an address, the acting Governor of Delta, Mr Kingsley Otuaro described the late Maryam as a trail blazer, who despite the economic challenges, worked tirelessly to improve the lots of the Nigerian woman.
The acting governor, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, said Delta was proud of the achievement of the late first lady for her initiative in giving rural women a better life.
“The late Maryam Babangida, of whom we are all gathered here to honour, is a Delta woman of whom all of us are really proud of. She was a supportive wife and a role model to the Nigerian woman,” Otuaro said.
Niger Delta
Cancer Risk: HYPREP, IARC Launch Human Biometric Study in Ogoniland

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) and an agency of the World Health Organisation(WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have launched a three-year public health study, to investigate the health impacts of hydrocarbon pollution in Ogoniland in Rivers State.
Speaking at the kick-off meeting with IARC team at the Project Coordination Office in Port Harcourt, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, noted that the initiative is in line with the key recommendations of the 2011 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland, which highlighted the need for a long-term, focused medical study to track health impacts across the Ogoni population.
He said the study is aimed at conducting a comprehensive health risk assessment linked to hydrocarbon pollution; build capacity for local health professionals; and provide clear recommendations for public health responses based on the findings at the end of the day.
According to him, community involvement is a cornerstone of the project.
“Community leaders, civil society groups, and health institutions must be brought into this process from the onset to ensure trust, ownership, and relevance,” he intoned.
He further indicated that the project would prioritise transparency, continuous stakeholder engagement, and ethical compliance throughout the study.
“HYPREP will provide necessary technical, logistical, and institutional support to facilitate smooth project implementation. The project schedule will be jointly reviewed and finalised, and a steering and technical coordination team will be established to oversee the study.The study is expected to drive policy interventions, public health planning, and long-term monitoring of the Ogoni population’s wellbeing. The outcomes of the project will be credible, actionable, and globally recognised, thanks to IARC’s international expertise and scientific rigor,” he said.
The Project Coordinator said the project is expected to bring healing, hope, and progress to Ogoniland and beyond.
“In addition to the public health study, HYPREP is constructing the Ogoni Specialist Hospital, which will feature state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, including cutting-edge MRI machines. This facility will significantly improve healthcare services in the region,” he said.
Also, IARC leader of the team, Dr. Joachim Schuz, in an interview after the meeting, noted that the study aims to provide concrete evidence of the impact of environmental pollution on the health of the people.
“We do not want to be speculating, we need to show it, we need to prove what is going on beneath,” he emphasised.
He explained that the study would collect blood samples from approximately 4,000 people to measure the levels of hydrocarbon exposure and assess the damage already caused.
He noted that they would also gather information on the living conditions of the people, including their exposure to pollutants and other health risks.
He ,however, urged the people of Ogoniland to participate in the study, which is expected to provide valuable information for public health planning and disease prevention.
Schuz further noted that the study is an investment in the health of the people, stressing that it would provide critical information for developing effective public health programmes.
“Without this study, we do not have the information to do a proper planning for good public health planning for the benefit of the people in the long run,” he said.
A member of the team, Mr Mike Cowing said samples would be taken from areas where groundwater and crops are contaminated with hydrocarbons.
According to information pierced together, the study will include men, women, and children, and will aim to capture the different ways in which hydrocarbon pollution affects various segments of the Ogoni population.
Another member of the medical team, Ann Olsson noted that children can be affected differently from adults due to their smaller body size and higher exposure levels.
She said the team is working to ensure that the study is a representative of the entire Ogoni population, with a focus on finding solutions to sample representatives from the four local government areas.
Niger Delta
HYPREP Trains Lab Technicians To Standardise Water Quality In Ogoniland

As part of efforts in ensuring that the people of Ogoni get the right water quality, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has organised a training programme for laboratory technicians working in all its water stations in Ogoniland.
At the training held in Port Harcourt, HYPREP’s Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, who explained the essence of the training programme said it would ensure that laboratory attendants strictly observe standard protocol for water quality test before reticulation.
He noted that the training would sharpen their skills for better performance in the supply of quality water to the Ogoni people.
“The essence of this training workshop I want to emphasise is for us to be sure that the people who operate the treatment plants in our water facilities know what to do and do the right thing all the time.So, we are taking extra pain to train you on laboratory practices that you will subject the water you give our people to, and our expectation is that you will need to understand this and when you do, make sure we are giving our people quality water.We want to be sure that while you are doing your work, you ensure that the quality of water we give our people meets international standards, meets WHO drinking water standards, and so, we feel that a key component of it is the laboratory management where you will taste the water before and after dosage; and that would guide what you dose and the quality.Make sure that our people get the right quality water to drink and in doing so, ensure that they are healthy because if you drink clean good quality water, you are most likely not to be exposed to water borne diseases, and so, we want you to pay attention,” he said.
The Director of Technical Services reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to providing potable water that meets best standards, saying the Project is optimistic that the training would benefit the participants, and urged them to apply the knowledge garnered for the good of Ogoni communities.
On his part, HYPREP’s Head of Potable Water, Mr Lucky Ikue, while echoing the views of the Director of Technical Services, harped on the need for standardisation in the quality of water supply in Ogoniland.
As it were, participants were guided on water sampling techniques, analysis and use of laboratory equipment, affording them the opportunity to upscale their skills in the collection and test of water samples; perform physical, chemical and microbiological tests, and understand the result, to improve technical capacity, develop and maintain practice in laboratory analysis.
The trainees equally explored physiochemical parameters such as chloride, total hardness, alkalinity, nitrate, sulphate and phosphate, microbial hydrocarbon and heavy metal analysis.
HYPREP is gearing up for the next round of its water projects commissioning. This month, four water stations would be commissioned in Uegwere-Boue and Taabaa communities in Khana Local Government Area, Bodo community in Gokana Local Government Area, and Eteo community in Eleme Local Government Area. This is even as the Project continues in actualising its target of providing more potable water to more Ogoni communities by the end of the year.
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