Niger Delta

Akwa Ibom Ranks High In Early Marriage, Out Of School Children

Published

4 years ago

January 28, 2022

Akwa Ibom State has been identified as one of the four states with the highest incidence of child marriage in Southern Nigeria. A special report written by a dynamic Journalist/ researcher, Ntiedo Ekott two days ago, captured the state as the third-highest in the South-South region
Ekott premised his report on the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, 2018, in which the adolescent (15-19 years) pregnancy rate in Akwa Ibom State was estimated at 12.8 per cent, Bayelsa 19.9 per cent and Cross River 14 per cent.
The report also stated that in Akwa Ibom, early marriage, teenage pregnancy deprive many girls of education. “Most of them are impregnated at an early stage, some at 14 years old and some at 15 or even less, once that happens, they will move in to stay with the man that is responsible for the pregnancy, and that often means dropping out of school.
“In 2018, Akwa Ibom had the second-highest number of out-of-school children in the country, second only to Kano. The state recorded 581,800 children who were not in school while Kano had 989,234, according to the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC.”
The report also revealed that in terms of gender spread, Akwa Ibom had the highest number of out-of-school female children in the country with 298,161. Their closest contender, Sokoto, recorded 270,586.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ini Adiakpan, who also acknowledged that teenage pregnancy remains a problem in the state, said the Government of Akwa Ibom State has put in place some legal framework to protect the child.
Adiakpan outlined the framwork to include; the Child Right Act, the Gender Policy among others. “We also have free and compulsory education, which embraces both the male and female children in which every child is expected to be in school,” she echoed
Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom Government has said it has campaigned intensely against early marriage and the results have been coming in. The Deputy Director in the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice who is also a Director in the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Unit, Akwa Ibom State, Emem Ette, revealed that in 2020, the government enacted a law banning marriage below the age of 16.
She said while the Nigerian government through the Child Rights Act recognises 18 as the age of adulthood, it is 16 years in Akwa Ibom. “We have our own Child Right Law in Akwa Ibom State and the set age is 16 years,”
She said the government is against child marriage, therefore such practice is an offence in Akwa Ibom State.
She further said that the government’s effort was paying off, and there were fewer cases of child marriage. What the government is more concerned about now is dealing with teenage pregnancy.
According to her, since coming to power, the Udom Emmanuel administration of Akwa Ibom has given attention to the menace, with inspiration drawn from Mr Emmanuel’s wife’s declared passion for the girl-child.
“Mrs Emmanuel in 2015 launched the Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme (FEYReP) to address the problem of teenage pregnancy.
It will be recalled that Mrs Emmanuel Udom had, during the launch of the programme, said, “One of the major focuses of FEYReP will be on how to prevent teenage pregnancy. Some of these girls are victims of rape and other forms of gender-based violence”.
Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the problem persists. More young women are leaving education due to pregnancy and childbirth. The report stated.
Suffice this to say that while child marriage is predominant in northern Nigeria, with Jigawa having the worst situation with 90 per cent of girls less than 18 marrying in the state, the phenomenon also exists in southern Nigeria – albeit at a relatively lower scale.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Niger Delta

24 Nigerian Universities Make 2026 THE Rankings … 4 S’South Versitieis Pull Through

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria has recorded its strongest-ever outing in global university rankings, with 24 institutions earning places in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and Sub-Saharan Africa University Rankings.

However, only four universities from the South-South geopolitical zone made the prestigious list.

The South-South institutions that secured places in the rankings are Delta State University, Abraka (12th), University of Benin (22nd), University of Calabar (23rd), and University of Port Harcourt (24th).

The rankings, which represent Nigeria’s highest-ever participation, reinforces the country’s growing influence in higher education across Sub-Saharan Africa, with 24 universities listed, up from 21 in both the 2024 and 2025 editions.

The University of Ibadan retained its position as Nigeria’s highest-ranked institution, followed by the University of Lagos, while Bayero University, Kano, emerged as the third-best performing university in the country.

Of the 24 institutions, 17 are federal universities, four are state-owned, and three are private universities, reflecting broad improvements in teaching, research, and institutional performance across the country’s tertiary education sector.

The rankings also underscore the growing global recognition of Nigeria’s specialised universities of technology and agriculture, while state-owned institutions continue to improve their academic profiles through enhanced research output and governance reforms.

The full list of Nigeria’s universities in the 2026 THE rankings are: University of Ibadan; University of Lagos; Bayero University, Kano; Covenant University; Landmark University; Ahmadu Bello University; Federal University of Technology, Minna; University of Ilorin; University of Jos; University of Nigeria; Babcock University; and Delta State University, Abraka.

Others are: Ekiti State University; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Federal University of Technology, Akure; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Federal University, Oye-Ekiti; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology; Lagos State University; Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Obafemi Awolowo University; University of Benin; University of Calabar; and University of Port Harcourt.

The rankings highlight both Nigeria’s expanding presence on the global academic stage and the need for greater investment in higher education across regions, particularly in the South-South, where only four universities made the country’s top 24 list.

Niger Delta

‘Ogbolo ’26’: Bayelsa Community Revives Heritage, Strengthens Unity

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Ogu Community in Otubo-Atissa, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has stated its commitment to preserving its culture, peace and community development through the celebration of the annual “Uge Adiafa” New Yam Festival, tagged “Ogbolo ’26.”

Held at St. John’s Primary School Field, Ogu, the colourful festival served not only as the traditional commencement of the yam harvest season, but also as a tribute to the community’s illustrious son and founder of the Uge Adiafa Festival, His Majesty, Late King Fedrick Aduku Simangi Ogbotom-Edede IV.

The celebration brought together sons and daughters of the community, traditional rulers, academics, youths and other guests in a display of thanksgiving, cultural performances and renewed communal solidarity.

Addressing the gathering, the traditional head of the community, HRH Bishop Akuegbe Paul, expressed delight at the massive turnout, describing the festival as a symbol of thanksgiving to God, cultural identity and unity among the people.

He noted that beyond celebrating a successful farming season, the festival honours the enduring legacy of the late monarch, whose vision established the Uge Adiafa Festival as a platform for preserving the community’s rich cultural heritage and promoting peaceful coexistence.

Guest of Honour, Professor Nedie Patience Akani, of Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, commended the community for embracing reconciliation and unity.

Professor Akani, who is of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, of the university and a daughter of the soil, said, “This is my first time attending this New Yam Festival. I came because of the good things happening in this community.

“Before now, there were quarrels in the community, with court cases here and there, brother fighting against brother. But today, God has united us. It is a wonderful thing to be united because where there is no unity, there can be no progress in the home, family or community.

“I thank the head of Ogu Community, HRH, Bishop Akuege Paul, for making today’s celebration a reality”, she stated.

The event also featured inter-compound cultural competitions, with Yenikabu II Compound emerging overall winner, while Bongata Compound and Abrima Compound finished first d second runners-up respectively.

Also, eleven Compound Chiefs alongside their respective Head Compound Women Chiefs were coronated. The Woman Chief of Ogu Community, HH, Dare Tiebiri and her Deputy, Chief Stella Jordan Mark, were also coronated.

Dignitaries that graced the occasion included the Ebenanawei of Akamabubu Kingdom, Southern Ijaw LGA, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, HRM, King J. Olotu Erepamo; the Paramount Ruler, Ikibiri Community, Yenagoa LGA, Bayelsa State, HRH, Barrister Morris Lagos; and the Ebeni-Isisibo of Atissa Kingdom, HRH, God’swill Arab Simeon.

Other are: the Ebeni-Otubo, Atissa Kingdom, HRH, Sir Anderson J. Olumo, and his wife, Mrs. Tarila Anderson Olumo; the Deputy Head of Ogu Community, HH, Mission Obugu, and wife of the Ebeni-Ibe of Atissa Kingdom, Mrs. Diemeze Victor Awala.

For the people of Ogu, the festival was more than a celebration of the first harvest, it underscored the importance of preserving cultural traditions, strengthening communal bonds, promoting reconciliation and passing cherished values from one generation to another, while also ensuring that the legacy of their forebears continue to inspire future generations.

Niger Delta

SEEPCO Collaborates Delta, Others In Voluntary Blood Donation Campaign

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) has partnered the Delta State Government, Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society to promote voluntary blood donation as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s blood supply and save lives.

The initiative, which forms part of SEEPCO’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for its host communities, aligns with activities marking the 2026 World Blood Donor Day with the theme, “One Drop of Humanity: Give Blood, Save Lives.”

The campaign was conducted across Delta State’s three senatorial districts — Asaba, Ughelli and Warri — where stakeholders sensitised residents on the importance of voluntary, regular and unpaid blood donation as the most sustainable means of ensuring adequate blood supply for healthcare facilities.

The exercise followed a similar campaign in Lagos State, where SEEPCO, in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, mobilised about 550 pints of blood within two days.

VCDF also highlighted the steady growth of its annual blood donation drive, with the number of donors increasing from 98 in 2022 to 147 in 2023, 268 in 2024 and 341 in 2025.

Before the Delta campaign, the foundation had recorded a cumulative total of 1,404 voluntary donors, a feat that earned it the Blood Donation Champion Award from the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service.

At the Central Hospital, Ughelli, the hospital’s management and Blood Transfusion Committee commended SEEPCO, VCDF, the Delta State Ministry of Health and other partners for supporting initiatives aimed at improving access to safe blood for patients.

Speaking during the campaign, Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, described voluntary blood donation as critical to responding to public health emergencies and saving lives during accidents, childbirth and other medical emergencies.

He said: “Voluntary blood donation is important for public health emergencies and to save lives during accidents and childbirth. We are deeply grateful to VCDF and its partners for their commitment to promoting voluntary blood donation and supporting life-saving healthcare initiatives.”

Participants said the awareness campaign had increased public understanding of the importance of blood donation, with many first-time donors expressing willingness to become regular donors after learning about the safety, benefits and life-saving impact of donating blood.

Stakeholders also stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment, noting that a single blood donation could save multiple lives, as the campaign recorded impressive community participation across the three senatorial districts.