Rivers
Violence Against Women Worries Stakeholders
Worried over the spate of violence against the women folk, in Rivers State, stakeholders at a media advocacy forum have proffered ways to check the malaise, saying such acts should be legally treated.
The stakeholders which consist of media practitioners, civil servants and women groups made public their views at a breakfast meeting organised by the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs last Friday in Port Harcourt.
State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Barrister Manuela George-Izunna stressed the need for attitudinal change by the menfolk towards their wives.
According to her, any kind of dehumanising act that humiliate or violates the rights of women is violent including domestic violence.
In her words: “It is time for us to say no and make sure something happens”.
She stated that since women were subjected to all kinds of societal oppression, it was high time to check and amend all traditional practices that make women second class citizens.
The same view was held by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Pat Ogbonnaya who underscored the importance of the press in fighting the war against violence on women.
Dr Ogbonnaya noted a lot of women had died after they were violently molested by their spouses, saying when such lifestyles are copied by the younger generation it becomes a societal problem.
She, therefore, solicited for the partnership of the mass media in providing awareness and other campaigns against the menace.
In her submissions, former Commissioner for Women Affairs and General Manager of Rivers state Broadcasting Corporation (RSBC), Ms. Medline Tador stated that over 50 percent of women suffer violence, even in silence.
Ms. Tador, however, observed that in the last few years, the situation was fast changing, insisting that one way to check it was to break the silence by reporting such cases.
The General Manager of RSBC stressed the need for the ministry to establish hotlines for the public to report any case of violence against women, expressing the hope that by the time such measures were taken, the problem would be checked.
Also, Rivers state chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs. Beatrice Paago submitted that the exercise should not be viewed as a campaign against the men folk, but rather as an action against deplorable societal culture.
The NAWOJ boss solicited for the support of media houses in the area of providing campaigns and enlightenment programmes to educate the public.
Rivers
Lloyd Lauds Awuse’s Appointment As Traditional Council Chair

The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, has congratulated the Paramount Ruler of Emohua Kingdom in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRM Ohna Sergeant Awuse, on his recent appointment by Rivers State Government as the new Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The immediate past Governor, Nyesom Wike, made the announcement during the last State Honours and Awards held in Government House, recently.
Lloyd on behalf of the government and the people of the local government expressed appreciation to Wike for what he called “a well deserved appointment”.
The council chairman, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Bright Elendu, expressed optimism that the State Traditional Rulers Council under the leadership of Ohna Sergeant Awuse will consolidate on the achievements of the administration of King Dandeson Jaja (Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom) to further strengthen the traditional institution in the State.
He assured Awuse of the support of the government and people of the area, while wishing him a successful tenure.
The statement also appreciated the government of Rivers State for the recognition of four traditional rulers in the local government.
The newly recognised traditional rulers who are all in the Second Class category are Eze (Dr) Wobodo Sunday Jonah, Nye Nwe-Ali Ibaa/Obelle; Ohna Christian Okachineke Elechi, Nye Nwe-Eli Odegu; Eze Damian Azike Ejiohuo, Nye Nwe-Ali Rundele XII, Nogbo II, Eze Christian Amadi Evekwuru, Eze Chigu Rumuekpe.
Lloyd said his administration looks forward to partnering with the traditional institution to foster peace and improve security across the communities in the local government.
By: Theresa Fredrick & Charity Amiso
Rivers
Institute Trains Broadcast Women Journalists
In response to the need to enhance the professionalism of women journalists in Nigeria through the improvement of skills, the Institute for Media and Society, IMS, has trained another group of broadcast women journalists in digital multimedia storytelling with the funding support of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria Project II.
Welcoming the participants to Port Harcourt Rivers State, the Institute for Media and Society, IMS, Programme Manager, Mr Timothy Bamidele, submitted that so far 78 women broadcast journalists have been trained in digital storytelling, since the beginning of the second phase of European Union Support to Democratic Governance.
The Programme Manager highlighted that the training activity is under Component four in the EU-SDGN Project II and aimed at providing support to media in Nigeria.
Mr Bamidele stressed that the action is intended to contribute to strengthening democratic governance in Nigeria through increased engagements and improved capacity of a wide range of media stakeholders in Nigeria, including media professionals, and targeting the following results areas: Professionalism of media practitioners, especially women Enhanced; Strengthened media professional capacity to deal with electoral misinformation/disinformti-on; enhanced media platforms’ ability to diversify, deepen the coverage of the electoral process and delivery of civic and voter education.
The activity will further help to meet the demand for more capacity building and production of professionally, digitally, and inclusively developed content for the electoral process by female broadcast journalists, focusing on post-election issues, Bamidele, submitted.
Two digital trainers, Mr Usifo Omozokpea and Mrs Ehi Ohiani took participants through areas such as reporting the electoral cycle, digital tools for content creation and the digital storytelling process among others.
They urged the participants to take advantage of the new media space to crowdsource, connect, create and distribute content relevant to social discourse for national development.
Broadcast women journalists from nine states including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti attended the two-day digital capacity training.
The participants thanked IMS and the European Union Support to Democratic Governance for providing the platform, which they described as having a high impact.
Rivers
Peace In Evo Kingdom, Our Target – Christ Embassy
The Zonal Director, Christ Embassy, Port Harcourt Zone III, Linder Okocha, has said the aim of the Church’s Royal Banquet Outreach is to bring peace to people of Woji and its environs.
Okocha disclosed this at the Royal Banquet Outreach it organised at the palace of King Leslie Nyebuchi Eke, Eze Gbakagbaka, at Woji in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area recently.
She said the church was out to preach peace among the people, irrespective of their background.
“I am happy that the event is taking place today. I have looked forth for it. It is not an ordinary gathering or meeting, but a spiritual one”, she said.
Suggesting that everyone is a Minister of God, she urged them to use the opportunity and speak blessing to all.
Making allusion to ‘Romans 10 v 9-10, she called on all to always confess the supremacy of God in order to overcome evil.
On plans to sustain the programme, she said it will be given an accelerated attention to enable the church meet its target in the area.
Meanwhile, Eze Leslie Eke has proclaimed Woji and the entire Kingdom as a Christian entity.
He also appreciated the church for their choice of the palace for their programme and assured them of any assistance at the Kingdom’s reach.
Free customised decoders of the church were donated to each community head in Evo Kingdom.
By: King Onunwor
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