Niger Delta

Beauty Queen Vows To Fight Endometriosis

Published

10 years ago

October 28, 2015

The newly-crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2015, Beauty Pageant Miss Unoaku Anyadike, says she will devote her reign as a Beauty Queen to creating awareness of the dangers of endometriosis in females.
Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue that normally grows inside the uterus grows outside it. The main symptoms are pelvic pain and infertility.
Nearly half of those affected have chronic pelvic pain, while in 70 per cent pain occurs during menstruation. Pain with sex is also common. Infertility occurs in up to half of women affected.
Anyadike came out tops among the 37 girls at the event organised by the Siverbird Group at the International Conference Centre, Calabar on Saturday night.
Miss Ebonyi, Debbie Collins, was the first runner-up and the Miss Charismatic, Miss Abuja, Chizoba Ejike, was the secnd runner-up.Miss Bauchi, Chikaodili Nna-Udosen, was the third runner-up.
With her victory, Anyadike will represent Nigeria at the Miss World beauty pageant, while Collins will go for the Miss Universe beauty pageant.
Ejike will contest the Miss Tourism beauty pageant, while third runner-up, Nna-Udosen, will carry Nigeria’s flag at the Miss ECOWAS beauty pageant.
Anyadike, who is a final year student of psychology at the University of Ibadan, told newsmen that she used to have painful menstrual periods and initially thought she had endometriosis.
The Ekwuluobia, Anambra-born beauty queen, said the disease was diagnosed as the lining of the uterus attaching itself to other parts of the body and causing a girl’s monthly flow to be very painful.
“This platform has given me the opportunity to help create awareness about endometriosis in Nigeria. It’s a disease that so many people don’t know about which affects the female child, so, I intend to go round, starting with secondary schools, to create awareness about endometriosis.
“Endometriosis is a disease you can have for 10 years without even knowing that you have it; it causes a lot of pains and it is possible for the affected girl not to have children in the future. So, it’s a really serious thing that has little attention paid to, that is why I decided to focus on it.’’
Anyadike, whose father is a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, also told newsmen that she auditioned for the MBGN in 2014 but had to skip the contest when the dates changed and clashed with her examinations.
This year’s contest was the 28th edition of the MBGN and had the 37 girls in camp at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel, Calabar, for two weeks.
Individual awards for the night included Miss Photogenic, won by Obianuju Ndubisi of Gombe State; Miss Amity, won by Ugochi Azuike of Yobe State; while Chidinma Ejiogu of Niger State had the “Best Traditional Attire’’.
Oluwadamilola Hassan of Borno won the “Top Model’’; while Miss Katsina, Chinenye Mojekwu wore the “Best Evening Wear’’.
Some of the dignitaries at the occasion included Prof. Ben Ayade, the Cross River governor, and his predecessor, Mr Liyel Imoke, as well as former senator, Florence Ita-Giwa and Senator Ben Murray-Bruce.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.