Nigerian Soldiers yet again killed by insurgents

At least 31 Nigerian soldiers were killed when IS-aligned jihadists ambushed a military convoy escorting weapons and overran a base in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, military sources said on Monday.

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Six refugees among 137 killed in Niger’s recent attack

 

UNHCR has confirmed that six Malian refugees were among 137 people killed on 21 March in Niger’s western region of Tahoua, near the town of Tillia. Most of the victims in this deadly attack by unidentified armed groups were internally displaced people who had already fled horrendous violence, some of them during 2020.

The attacks on displaced people and the communities generously hosting them, were targeted and deliberate. In addition to the unjustifiable violence meted out against civilians, shelters and granaries were also burned to the ground and cattle stolen or killed. Survivors have nothing left. An estimated 1,400 people from these villages are now on the move, trying to escape from the violence.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and partners continue to gather information from survivors, many of whom have been left in shock and mourning. Our teams and partners are monitoring the situation and providing humanitarian aid and counselling to survivors.

We reiterate our call for greater protection of civilians and displaced communities. We also call on the international community to seize the sense of urgency and continue supporting regional efforts to address the root causes of this crisis and help us respond to humanitarian needs arising from forced displacement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Winter storm knocks out power to millions in Texas

More than 3.5 million Texans are still without power as the death toll from the winter storm which has wreaked havoc across the United States hit 23 Tuesday night. The record-breaking cold weather claimed more lives Tuesday, including four family members who perished in a Houston-area house fire while using a fireplace to stay warm and a woman and a girl who died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning from a car running in a garage after their home in the city lost power.

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Outrage as 100 civilians massacred in Niger attacks

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, condemns in the strongest terms the twin attacks in western Niger that killed at least 100 people, injured 25 others, and forced hundreds to flee on 2 January.

Armed groups mounted coordinated attacks on the villages of Tchamo-Bangou and Zaroumdareye, in Niger’s Tillaberi region near the border with Mali. Some of the injured were evacuated to Ouallam and Niamey, 80 and 120 kilometres away respectively.

“We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of these outrageous attacks on peaceful communities,” said UNHCR’s Representative in Niger, Alessandra Morelli. “Communities which are now torn apart by brutality and forced to flee in a region where tens of thousands of people displaced by violence are hosted and hoping to rebuild their lives.”

According to local sources, the survivors of the attacks and the population of four other neighbouring villages have fled. At least 1,000 people are now on the move, trying to reach Ouallam. Many are making the journey on foot. In Ouallam, UNHCR and its partners are already providing humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced people, and the vulnerable among their hosts.

“We are preparing to assist the people with essential care, shelter, and protection, but also psychological support to help them overcome the horror they have experienced” said Morelli. UNHCR and Niger authorities are exploring ways to increase the reception capacities in Ouallam.

Niger’s Tillaberi and Tahoua regions, located near Liptako-Gourma which borders Burkina Faso and Mali, currently host 60,000 Malian refugees and nearly 4,000 who fled Burkina Faso. It also hosts 138,229 internally displaced Nigeriens, a number that increased by 77 per cent in 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic is complicating the humanitarian response.

Despite increased insecurity, Nigeriens continue to show their generosity to people fleeing violence in Africa’s Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali in the Sahel are at the epicentre of one of the world’s fastest-growing displacement and protection crises. The region is already hosting 851,000 refugees and nearly two million displaced inside their own country.

Source: APO

Ile-Ife crown prince arrives palace to royal welcome

The Ooni of Ife & Arole Oodua, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Tuesday received his crown prince Tadenikawo Adesoji Aderemi Ogunwusi, officially releasing his identity to the public. The Prince came in a motorcade to the entrance (Enu Geru)of the Palace and received by the AGBA IFE led by Obalufe of Ife, Oba Idowu Adediwura, 

The MODEWA led by Lowa Adimula of Ife, High chief Adeola Adeyeye and EMESEs led by Sarun Oriowo Oyeyemi. They all ushered the Prince and his mother, Queen ShilekunOla Ogunwusi (YEYELUWA),  the families, friends and associates from Akure into the Ooni's Palace.

The Prince and his mother first stopped at Ile-Nla within the palace courtyard where the families and relatives of Ogunwusi Royal families and friends were awaiting the arrival of the baby from where they proceeded to Emese's court, where the Prince was finally handed over to his joyful father, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi who came out through the sacred ILE IGBO in accordance to the full culture and traditions of Ile-Ife as always observed whenever a reigning Ooni receives his newly born Prince into the palace after the necessary rites of 21 days.

After receiving his son from the mother, Ooni Ogunwusi accompanied by relevant spiritual aides swiftly took the baby straight into the inner chamber of ILE IGBO for the necessary spiritual confirmation to establish the blood lineage of Oduduwa our progenitor following the foots steps of his ancestors.

The monarch later came out from ILE IGBO with smiles and majestic dance steps welcomed by thunderous shouts "Kabiyesi ooooo!" "Kabiyesi oooooo!" from the waiting crowd who watched with excitements and jubilations as Ooni handed over the Prince to his elated mother who danced with the baby in her hands to her apartment at the palace.

Ooni's Palace was full of activities as various people across the country came in droves to witness the grand entry of the Prince and the subsequent handing over to the joyous father who was seeing him for the first time since he was born 3 weeks ago.

It would be recalled that the palace of the Ooni of Ife two weeks ago during the 8 day naming ceremony announced that it would not release the facial identity of the Prince to the public until after the mandated 21 days in line with the cultural legacy established by Oduduwa Olofin Adimula several centuries ago.

 source: ooni's palace

Nigeria in Recession

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy is in recession for the first time since 2016. The recession four years ago was its first in a generation, and the country emerged from it the following year. The continent’s top oil producer and exporter relies on crude sales for 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings.

Nigeria normally accounts for an average output of two million barrels per day. But the effects of the pandemic and low oil prices have cut production to approximately 1.4 million barrels.

“Q3 2020 Real GDP contracted for second consecutive quarter by -3.62 percent,” Yemi Kale, the statistician general, said on Twitter on Saturday.

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COVID19: China bars Nigeria, U.K, other nationals

Nigerians and other nationals (United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Philippines, among others) have been suspended from entering China. The Embassy of China and Consulate in Nigeria announced this in a public notice on Thursday, adding that it will no longer issue certified health declaration form for non-Chinese nationals in the country.

The notice stated that the suspension was due to an evaluation of COVID-19 pandemic in the said countries. The statement, entitled ‘Notice of temporary suspension of entry into China by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits,’ added that; 

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, China has decided to temporarily suspend entry into China by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria holding visas or residence permits still valid at the time of this announcement.” 

It added that the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria will no longer issue a certified health declaration form for Nigerians.

However, holders of diplomatic passports, courtesy or C-visas would not be affected by the regulation.

Source: vanguard

Lexus partners with Tosin Oshinowo and Chrissa Amuah for design experiment

Lexus announced its forthcoming collaboration with architect and designer Tosin Oshinowo and textiles and furniture designer Chrissa Amuah that will culminate in the presentation of a conceptual design experiment this December. The project will be in coordination with Design Miami/, which will continue its annual celebration of international design, with adjustments made in consideration of our current global context. Inspired by the changes this year has brought, the concept will align with Lexus’ craft techniques and technology, explore cues from global history and respond to the current global moment to create a series of objects aimed to inspire innovation and exploration.

Taking a human-centered approach, Lexus anticipates and understands the future needs and desires of people and society. Its thoughtful design is guided by attention to detail and a focus on craft traditions resulting in high performance innovations, with a focus on comfort and elegance. Prior international design initiatives have included the Lexus Design Award, presented annually to an emerging designer at Milan Design Week, and an ongoing collaboration with Design Miami.

Based in Lagos, Oshinowo is known for her socially responsive approach to architecture and urbanism and her exploration into the African identity in the modern context. Similarly, Amuah, a British-Ghanaian textiles designer, draws inspiration from her Ghanaian heritage, through Adinkra symbology and a passion to enhance the power of design with proverbial meaning. Both Oshinowo and Amuah have led significant creative careers and been recognized internationally.

Additional details on the collaboration will be released in the coming weeks.

U.S Special forces rescue kidnapped American in Nigeria

An American citizen abducted last week in Niger has been rescued during a high-risk U.S. military raid in neighboring Nigeria. The mission was undertaken by elite commandos as part of a major effort to free the U.S. citizen, Philip Walton, 27, before his abductors could get far after taking him captive in Niger on October 26, 2020.

The operation involved the governments of the U.S., Niger and Nigeria working together to rescue Walton quickly, sources said. The CIA provided intelligence leading to Walton's whereabouts and Marine Special Operations elements in Africa helped locate him, a former U.S. official said.

Then the elite SEAL Team Six carried out a "precision" hostage rescue mission and killed all but one of the seven captors, according to officials with direct knowledge about the operation.

President Donald Trump called the rescue mission a "big win for our very elite U.S. Special Forces" in a tweet and the Pentagon lauded the rescue mission in a statement.

source: US news

United States condemns use of excessive military force in Nigeria

The United States has strongly condemned the use of excessive force by military forces who fired on unarmed demonstrators in Lagos, causing death and injury. 

The U.S calls for an immediate investigation into any use of excessive force by members of the security forces.  Those involved should be held to account in accordance with Nigerian law.

The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential human rights and core democratic principles. 

“We call on the security services to show maximum restraint and respect fundamental rights and for demonstrators to remain peaceful.  We extend our condolences to the victims of the violence and their families”. Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Source: State department

U.S announces $5M bounty on Venezuelan national for organized crime

The U.S. Department of State has announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Venezuelan national Samark Jose Lopez Bello for participating in transnational organized crime.

This offer is made in connection with the announcements of reward offers up to $10 million for former Venezuelan Vice President Tareck Zaidan El-Aissami Maddah on March 26, 2020 and up to $5 million for National Superintendent of Cryptocurrencies in the Maduro regime Joselit de la Trinidad Ramirez Camacho on June 1, 2020.  

Lopez Bello worked with others in an effort to violate and evade OFAC sanctions imposed pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act and related regulations.  He was charged by indictment, along with El-Aissami and Ramirez, in the Southern District of New York with several transnational crimes.

The reward offer is made under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP).  Together with the Narcotics Rewards Program, more than 75 major narcotics traffickers have been brought to justice since these programs began in 1986.  The Department of State has paid more than $130 million in rewards for information leading to those apprehensions.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs manages these rewards programs in close coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and other U.S. agencies.  These actions demonstrate the State Department’s commitment to support law enforcement efforts and a whole of government approach to combatting transnational organized crime.

 For more information on the individuals listed above and the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program,

VISIT LINK HERE

source: state dept

Trump tests positive for covid 19

President Trump announced early Friday October 1, 2020 that both he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and will quarantine at the White House, sending shockwaves through the political universe and igniting an outpouring of support for the first family.

source: white house

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and Institute of International Finance (IIF) Host Private Investors virtual parley

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Institute of International Finance (IIF) released the following statement after a virtual meeting of delegates representing African finance and development ministries, and the private creditor community to discuss the role of the private sector in supporting low-income countries through the COVID-19 crisis, and driving post-pandemic development.

“We all agree that access to private capital is essential to economic growth and development, the post-COVID-19 recovery, as well as raising living standards and creating greater prosperity across Africa. Given the importance of private capital, and its growing role in Africa over the last decade, it is crucial that countries with market access and the appropriate macroeconomic framework continue to have the opportunity to this access as a complement to concessional financing. A number of these countries have pursued policies to increase investor confidence, attract investment, obtain greater market access, and lower their cost of capital – these efforts must be encouraged. Similarly, new initiatives to help further lower the cost of capital must be encouraged and implemented swiftly - such as the creation of repo markets for frontier issuances as part of the Liquidity and Sustainability Facility. Where additional liquidity can be provided it must be the priority.”

 Regarding the upcoming discussions about the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings, the group noted that extending the bilateral DSSI through 2021 would allow much-needed debt relief. All creditor countries are encouraged to participate fully in an extended DSSI.

Representing the private sector, the IIF has helped coordinate the views of over 100 of the world’s foremost asset managers, banks, and other financial institutions providing private finance to nations and companies through Eurobonds, syndicated loans, trade finance and other credit structures across the continent of Africa. These investors bring significant expertise and experience in Africa and other emerging markets and represent total assets under management in excess of $45 trillion.

 

Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Adesina re-elected as President of the African Development Bank Group

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina has been re-elected to serve a second five-year term as President of the African Development Bank Group-AfDB on Thursday, August 27, 2020 by the Board of Governors of the Bank. A globally renowned development economist and a World Food Prize Laureate and Sunhak Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. Adesina has distinguished himself in driving a bold agenda to reform the Bank and accelerate Africa’s development. He was first elected as President of the Bank on May 28, 2015.

As newly re-elected President, Dr Adesina, a former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, will begin his new term on September 1, 2020.

The election result, which gave him a hundred percent of votes of all regional and non-regional members of the Bank, was announced by the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Bank, Mrs. Niale Kaba, Minister of National Planning of Côte d’Ivoire.

Adesina's first term focused on the bold new agenda for the Bank Group based on five development priorities known as the High 5s: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

During Adesina’s first term, the Bank achieved impactful results on the lives of 335 million Africans, including: 18 million people with access to electricity; 141 million people benefiting from improved agricultural technologies for food security; 15 million people benefiting from access to finance from private investments; 101 million people provided with access to improved transport; and 60 million people gaining access to water and sanitation.

Under Adesina’s leadership, the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors approved a $10 billion facility to support African countries to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bank also launched a $3 billion COVID-19 social bond on the global capital markets, the highest US dollar denominated social bond ever in world history, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, Luxembourg Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

Adesina said, “I am deeply grateful for the collective trust, strong confidence and support of our shareholders for electing me for a second term as President. It is yet another call for selfless service to Africa and the African Development Bank, to which I will passionately devote myself.”

The African Development Bank is Africa’s premier development finance institution, comprising 54 regional and 27 non-regional member countries. “The future beckons us for a more developed Africa and a much stronger and resilient African Development Bank Group. We will build on the strong foundations of success in the past five years, while further strengthening the institution, for greater effectiveness and impacts,” Adesina said.

Source: APO

USAID HIV/AIDS initiative supported by Belemaoil in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

As part of its efforts to deepen private sector involvement in Nigeria’s health sector, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) accepted a contribution from a leading indigenous oil firm Belemaoil Producing Nigeria Limited today to support USAID’s activities to eradicate HIV and AIDS in Akwa Ibom State.

Under an agreement signed on August 13, 2020, Belemaoil will contribute to the provision of 75,000 rapid test kits to Akwa Ibom state government through USAID’s HIV/AIDS program.  The kits will specifically be used to test high risk adolescents and young women as well as children to prevent mother-to-child transmission and help health clinics improve antenatal services.

“This collaboration is a great example of USAID’s approach of engaging the Nigerian private sector to develop local solutions to address local problems,” USAID Mission Director Stephen M. Haykin said at the virtual signing ceremony today.  “This contribution to fill a critical gap in testing for HIV/AIDS in Akwa Ibom state.”

At the signing, Belemaoil Managing Director Pedro Diaz said: “This contribution is part of our corporate social responsibility commitment to Nigeria and is the start of greater engagement through reputable partners like USAID to support local communities.”

In 2019, USAID tested over 1.8 million people for HIV, and funded treatment for 96 percent of the 80,600 identified as positive.  USAID has placed 349,500 HIV-positive Nigerians on treatment and has committed to placing an additional 95,500 on lifesaving therapy, and continues to provide health agencies test kits and medicines, as well as support more than half a million children orphaned or otherwise affected by HIV.

Photo: TEIN T.S. JACK-RICH, President Belemaoil

source: APO

US suspends private charter flights to cuba

Michael R. Pompeo, US Secretary of State, has requested that the Department of Transportation suspend private charter flights to all Cuban airports, including Havana.  This action will suspend all charter flights between the United States and Cuba over which the Department of Transportation exercises jurisdiction, except for authorized public charter flights to and from Havana and other authorized private charter flights for emergency medical purposes, search and rescue, and other travel deemed in the interest of the United States.  This Administration will continue to target and cut the revenue the Cuban government earns from landing fees, stays in regime-owned hotels, and other travel-related income.

The Cuban military and intelligence services own and operate the great majority of hotels and tourism infrastructure in Cuba.  We urge travelers of all nationalities to consider this and to make responsible decisions regarding travel to Cuba.  The suspension of private charter flights will deny economic resources to the Castro regime and inhibit its capacity to carry out abuses.

Our message to the Castro regime has been clear:  The United States will continue to stand up for the Cuban people and against the regime’s abuses and its interference in Venezuela to prop up Maduro’s illegitimate hold on power.

Unfortunately, the Castro regime has not changed its repressive and undemocratic behavior.  It continues to imprison journalists and democracy activists, to oversee horrific physical abuse, to perpetuate the de facto dictatorship in Venezuela, to repress freedom of religion or belief, and to silence and intimidate those who speak truth about the reality in Cuba.

source: state department

Victor Williams named CEO of NBA Africa

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has named Victor Williams CEO of NBA Africa, effective Aug. 17, 2020, it was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Williams, an accomplished investment banking executive with extensive experience growing businesses across the U.S. and Africa, will be based in the league’s Johannesburg office and report to NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

In this newly-created role, Williams will oversee the league’s basketball and business development initiatives in Africa and will be responsible for continuing to grow the popularity of basketball and the NBA across the continent through grassroots development, media distribution, corporate partnerships, and more.

For the last five years, Williams served as the Executive Head of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), Africa Regions for Standard Bank Group, where he oversaw the strategy, execution and financial performance for Standard Bank’s business with corporate, sovereign and institutional investor clients in 19 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. In this pan-continental role, Williams was responsible for growing a wide range of business lines across Africa, including global markets, investment banking and transactional products and services, and helped lead Standard Bank’s expansion into Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

“Adding an executive of Victor’s caliber and experience is an important step in our continued efforts to grow basketball across the continent,” said Silver. “We look forward to Victor leading NBA Africa’s operations and helping to accelerate the use of sports as an economic engine across Africa.”

“Becoming CEO of NBA Africa is a compelling opportunity to join the NBA – a widely-respected and admired, globally-oriented sports enterprise,” said Williams. “It allows me to blend my professional experience building businesses in Africa with my passion for the sport of basketball. I look forward to working with our colleagues in Johannesburg and Dakar to help grow basketball’s commercial and social impact in Africa and on the world stage.”

Williams joined Standard Bank in 2011 as Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for East Africa and subsequently led Standard Bank’s Corporate and Investment banking business in Nigeria.

Previously, he worked at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was a Managing Director focused on mergers and acquisitions. In this role, he executed more than $5 billion in merger and acquisition transactions and advised senior executives and boards of directors of corporate and private equity firms on mergers, divestitures, acquisitions, joint ventures, recapitalizations and corporate defense.

Prior to Wells Fargo Securities, Williams was Vice President of Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs in New York City, where he provided strategic guidance to Fortune 500 companies in all aspects of merger and financing analysis and execution.

Williams, a dual citizen of Sierra Leone and the U.S., holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and bachelor’s degrees in applied math and economics from Brown University. He is a member of Harvard Business School’s Africa Advisory Board and has also served on the boards of publicly-listed companies and non-profit organizations in the U.S., Nigeria and Kenya.

source: APO 

Deplorable highways in the NDDC Zone

Another reason for Nigeria to demand immediate accountability of the N81.5B spent by NDDC in 4 months. This is from a tax paying road user;  “Travelling along this road is not a good experience at all. It is a nightmare coupled with its attendant consequences. If there is an alternative, one will not travel through this road again,” he said. 

Government reaction: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ita Enang, blamed the delay on funding challenges experienced by the Federal Government.

READ MORE HERE   

source: vanguardngr

COVID19 killed my mom, nearly took me - Michael Chinwuba

The year 2020 has been a very precarious, apprehensive, and uncertain for people across the globe. The COVID-19 has caused overwhelming pain and disruption for many and has made people begin to review their own mortality and assess the safety of their loved ones. My COVID-19 survival story begins with the death of my dear sister, Ngozi Janice Okonkwo who passed away at 4:30 a.m. on June 4, 2020, after battling breast cancer for close to two years. 

Michael Chinwuba

She had been receiving treatment for her condition at a UK cancer clinic but when the Covid-19 lockdowns began, she was stuck in Nigeria and eventually succumbed to her illness. Her death caused unimaginable pain and grief to my family and me. My mother, most especially, could not get over the death of her only daughter. Grave mistake After my sister died, the family made the grave mistake of having condolence visits at her residence. We thought we could have people safely visit the home of my late sister to pay their respects. We enforced wearing of facemasks; we ensured everyone who entered the compound had their hands sanitised; we thought we were safe but we were so wrong. 

My mother decided to stay at my sister’s house after my sister’s death to receive people who were coming to condole with the family. She was heartbroken but she wanted to stay close to her grandchildren in order to provide solace. I had a bad feeling my mother was being exposed as several people who entered the house took off their masks, while others in the heat of the moment held my mother’s hands to offer comfort thereby putting aside the required social distancing measures. There was so much emotion in the air that at some point, I personally put aside COVID-19 related caution myself and just grieved. Mother’s health deteriorates Three days after the death of my sister, my mother finally decided to return home. Her health immediately started to deteriorate. First, she was unable to walk, overnight, and we were all shocked. 

As the days progressed, she started feeling very lethargic, her speech began to fade and I began to notice she could barely string a sentence together. Anytime I tried to speak to her over the phone, her voice sounded laboured, she was always tired.

We were all concerned about her. I thought the pain and grief she was going through was overwhelming her but I knew my mother, I knew how strong a woman she was and I was baffled that even the death of my sister could hit her so badly. On Monday, June 15, my father eventually decided to have her admitted to a private ward at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. She was immediately placed on oxygen and constantly monitored. We still did not know what was wrong with her, but we prayed and were hopeful for a positive outcome. 

Two after her admission at the hospital, we received the first bad news – my mother had pneumonia. We were all shocked and wondered how she contracted the disease. The hospital immediately carried out a COVID-19 test as a precautionary measure while her treatment continued. On Thursday, June 18, I visited my mother at the hospital during the night. She could not talk and refused to open her eyes. I begged her to open her eyes because I wanted to ensure the glassy eyes of death had not set in. When she eventually opened her eyes, they were clear and filled with life. I felt comforted and hopeful. I told her to hang in there and stay with us in order to hold her granddaughter, my daughter, who had been born exactly one week after the death of my sister. I left her bedside that night with the intention to see her the next day. 

On Friday, June 19, we received the more bad news that my mother had tested positive for COVID-19. I was shocked. I never had the slightest inclination that she had contracted the disease. I began to fear for her life. She was immediately transferred to the isolation ward at LUTH to begin treatment but we were so worried. We had no insight into how she was going to be treated since the isolation ward was a highly restricted area and nobody could visit her. We prayed she would be taken care of and left her fate in the hands of God. 

Mama Chinwuba and Janice Okonkwo

On Saturday, June 20, we received the final bad news, my mother had passed away at 5:30 p.m. She lost the battle to live and joined her beloved daughter in heaven. My heart was crushed, I could not believe I had lost my sweet mother just two weeks after losing my dear sister. I immediately began to think about my father, how would I inform him about the loss of his wife who had been by his side for about 48 years? The thought terrified me but he had to be informed. The next day, I drove to my father’s house and broke the sad news to him. Due to the fact that quite a number of our family members had been exposed to the virus at the hospital, we all decided to immediately commence self-isolation procedures until we were all tested. 

Getting tested in Lagos proved to be very difficult; a number of designated test centres were unable to perform tests. Through my brother’s connections at the Federal Medical Centre in Lagos, we were eventually able to book an appointment for a COVID-19 test for June 25. Symptoms begin At midnight on Tuesday, June 23, I began having a mild dry cough followed by some congestion in my chest. Due to my extensive research on COVID-19, I immediately recognised that these were related symptoms. I found it very hard to sleep and began to wonder if I had the virus. When the day broke, I felt fine and put my fears aside thinking it was probably my mind playing tricks on me. 

On Thursday, June 25, I went for my test appointment at the Federal Medical Centre. The test itself was a bit unpleasant but I felt confident that I would test negative and returned home in high spirits. Beast comes in the night My battle with COVID-19 officially commenced on Friday, June 26. I woke up suddenly around 1 a.m. to an intense fever and my body felt ravaged from head to toe. I began to feel as if my lungs were filling up with water as if I was drowning; my chest was so congested and I was struggling to breathe properly. I also began to feel intense pain in my upper back. I was so confused because I had never felt so sick in my entire life although I tried not to panic. 

Immediately I got hot water in a bowl and mixed a balm in the water, then proceeded to inhale the vapour from the hot water. It brought instant relief to my lungs. My cousin in the US who is a medical doctor with experience treating COVID-19 patients advised me not to lie on my back and to avoid going to sleep that night to ensure I stayed conscious. I tried lying on my chest, but the pain was intense, so I ended up lying on my side. As I battled the virus, my brother-in-law ignored the curfew and drove over to my house around 2 a.m. to give me a respiratory antibiotic called Azithromycin. Within two hours of taking the drug, I felt much better – the fever subsided and I was stable. The experience was very traumatic, I could not believe how vicious and unrelenting the virus could be. When day broke, I felt so relieved and grateful to be alive. I then called my wife over the phone to discuss my plans for the day and during our conversation, I felt a tingling sensation in my nose and proceeded to sneeze. 

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Chinwuba

Once I sneezed, I felt a thunderous eruption of unimaginable intense pain in my upper back causing me to toss my phone in the air while screaming in pain. I fell unto my bed and writhed in pain for a couple of minutes. I was terrified about what had just happened and immediately concluded that sneezing was out of the question henceforth. On Saturday, June 27, I had a normal day and my health appeared stable. The pain in my back had subsided but I noticed I was beginning to feel a slight pain in my lungs anytime I coughed. By 7:30 p.m. 

I missed a call from an unknown number but I suspected the missed call was from the Federal Medical Centre. I was anxious but I finally built the courage to call the number back and my suspicion was confirmed. I spoke to a representative from the Federal Medical Centre and learned that my COVID-19 test result was positive. I was not surprised by the news – I was expecting it. I felt sad about the news but I was hopeful, as I knew COVID-19 was not a death sentence. I am young and strong, and I could beat it. The first stint at Paelon Memorial Hospital On the evening of June 28, I drove myself to Paelon Memorial Hospital. I was admitted and immediately taken into a room to have some tests done and an IV inserted. As I scanned across the room, I noticed a young man of Asian descent in the bathroom, hooked up to an oxygen tank, and struggling to wash his own back. 

Janice Okonkwo

The sight of this young man struggling to do such a simple task scared me to my marrow. Is this going to be my fate? I did not know. What I did know was that to protect my mental state, I had to be moved to a private room, which the hospital proceeded to do. My first night at the hospital went well. I had a slight cough and mild pain in my upper back, but that was it. 

The doctor on duty put me on a number of drugs including Hydroxychloroquine, Dexamethasone, and Azithromycin.  The Hydroxychloroquine was only administered to me after having an Electrocardiogram (ECG) test done with satisfactory results to ensure my heart was fit to withstand the effects of the drug. On Monday, June 29, my condition was very stable. My x-ray results were analysed and no issues were detected in the lungs although I had been informed by doctors in the US that a CT scan would have been more useful in the circumstances. My blood work came back fine. 

My oxygen level (Sp02) was between 95-97 per cent having been informed that using a pulse oximeter, a normal reading is typically between 95 and 100 per cent. I felt good at this point and began to relax. Around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, the virus began to ravage my body again. I began to develop a high temperature, fever set in, I began to shiver and a strange pain started to propel through my entire body.  I was so restless and I could not sleep. The nurse sponged me with cold water and gave me paracetamol to control my fever. Within a couple of hours, I was fine again – the paracetamol worked. 

The rest of the day was fine except that I noticed I had lost my sense of taste. Food tasted like chalk but I forced myself to eat properly due to a large amount of medication I was taking every day. Wednesday, July 1st was a great day for me at the hospital. I felt good, with no symptoms whatsoever. I decided to binge on Games of Thrones throughout the day, and the nurses jokingly began to complain that I turned the hospital into a cinema but I did not care. I felt healthy and believed I was going to be discharged the next day. However, at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, the virus returned with vengeance. I was wracked with a terrible fever, I trembled uncontrollably and was shaking so much I thought I had lost a tooth. 

An intense pain reverberated through my body. The nurse advised me to take a shower and gave me paracetamol but this time it did not work. The intense fever continued. Later that morning, a doctor assessed me and gave an injection to reduce the fever. Within two hours, the fever subsided. I was grateful to the doctor for her intervention. My condition stabilised and I felt great afterward. The fever was gone and I decided it was time to leave the hospital and complete my recovery at home. But the doctor at the hospital strongly advised against it. She worked out the number of days that had elapsed since my first symptom and determined that I had entered the cytokine storm phase of my illness.  

This is a period where COVID-19 patients are highly vulnerable to intense attack from the virus, which could lead to sudden death. She urged me to spend one more day in the hospital but I was determined to leave, partly due to the daily costs of being admitted. I felt so good and I did not feel it was necessary to spend any more money on hospital admission. As I proceeded to leave the hospital that evening, the doctor came up to me, looked into my eyes, and said, Michael, if you have any issues tonight please return to the hospital immediately. She then walked away. I thought about this for a few seconds but my mind was made up and I walked out of the hospital. As I drove back home, I was so elated and could not wait to relax on my sofa and sleep in my bed. I planned to self-isolate for one more week at home, so I arranged for my wife and daughter to move to my mother inlaw’s house. I was going to be home alone for one week. 

At home, I immediately checked my oxygen level using a pulse oximeter that the hospital had given me. My Sp02 was at 97 per cent – perfect! I had nothing to worry about it. I then had a lengthy phone call with my brother in New York during which he questioned why I had left the hospital considering the fever I experienced the night before. I explained that I was feeling very well and we wrapped up the call.  At that point, it was 11 p.m. and I was quite tired so I decided to call it a night and go to bed. Dance with death At 12:30 a.m. on Friday, July 3, I suddenly woke up suffocating.  I could not breathe and I was having a burning fever. For the next 15 minutes, I battled to get up from my bed, reach my phone, and call for help. I tried everything to get up, but I had no energy in my body.  I rolled on the bed in pain struggling to breathe, coughing, and gagging but to no avail. I kept telling myself I had to somehow stay conscious or risk dying on this bed. At some point, everything suddenly went quiet; there was total silence in the room. I could not feel pain anymore.  

I believed I was having an out-of-body experience and thought I was dead. I felt a sense of pain and guilt that I had died and left my young wife a widow with a baby less than a month old. How on earth would anyone be able to tell my father that his youngest child was dead less than two weeks after the death of his wife and a month after the death of his only daughter? I prayed to God to save me and within a couple of seconds, I snapped out of unconsciousness. The pain was back and I was suffocating again but I was so happy the pain had returned. It meant the fight was not over yet. I mustered every atom of energy left in my body to get up from the bed and staggered towards my desk towards my phone. I was too weak to pick it up so I just tapped it. Thank God for the touchscreen. I began calling for help. I called my brother-in-law who lived close by but he did not pick up.  I called my aunt that lived in the same estate as I did but she did not pick up. I called my wife but she also did not pick up. 

I called my brother in Lagos but he too did not pick up. It was past midnight after all. I began to lose hope at that point. I was losing consciousness and I knew if I fell unconscious before calling for help my corpse would probably be found in the afternoon. I called my father but he did not pick up. I was beginning to fade away, then I tried calling my brother one more time, and thankfully he picked up. Immediately told him I could not breathe and that I needed help immediately. I hung up, then tried calling my wife again and she also answered this time. I told her the exact same thing I had told my brother and then I hung up. I could not stay on the phone for long as I needed to conserve the little energy I had left. By virtue of a miracle, I still maintained clarity of thought throughout my ordeal. I asked myself, Michael, what do you need to do to survive tonight? The first thing that came to mind was to unlock my front doors before I lost consciousness. 

It would take at least 30 minutes to breakdown the front doors if someone came to my flat to rescue me and found the doors locked. I dragged myself to the front of my flat and unlocked the inner and outer doors. I then asked myself again, what else do I need to do to survive tonight? I remembered the guard dogs that are released from their cages at midnight to secure the compound. I knew nobody would be able to enter the compound with the dogs lose. I immediately called my neighbour and asked him to lock the dogs in their cages, due to a medical emergency. As God would have it, he swiftly locked the dogs in their cages within a minute of my call. I staggered back to my bedroom to get my pulse oximeter. I needed to know what my current oxygen level was. I placed the device on my finger and waited for a reading. Twenty seconds went by and no reading; I began to wonder if my body had totally run out of oxygen. 

After 30 seconds, a reading popped up on the device monitor, my Sp02 level was at 74 per cent. I was shocked at the reading as at that level there probably would not be much oxygen going to my brain. I realised I did not have much conscious time left. A few minutes later, my brother-in-law and my uncle arrived at my flat at great risk to themselves because I was highly infectious. Apparently, my wife had called my brother in New York who had managed to reach one of my late sister’s daughters who now woke up my brother-in-law.  

Serendipitously, he came over with what would turn out to be my lifesaver, a nebulizer. A nebulizer is a machine used to change liquid medication into a vapour that you can inhale. It works by pumping pressurised air through the liquid to form a fine mist, which can be inhaled through a mask or mouthpiece. With a nebulizer, one can inhale medication (steroids for example) directly into the lungs, helping ease airway inflammation and allowing for easier breathing. My brother-in-law looked at me and asked if I wanted to be nebulized to which I immediately agreed. After a few minutes of being nebulized, my Sp02 level increased to 77 per cent and quickly thereafter to 81 per cent. My breathing slowly began to improve. My brother-in-law had saved my life. While I was being nebulized, my brother in Lagos had arranged for an ambulance to take me back to Paelon Memorial Hospital. 

The ambulance finally arrived and I was immediately placed on oxygen. The driver drove to the hospital at the top speed. It was a bumpy ride. At the Lekki Toll Gate, the driver screamed at the attendant to let us go through. He kept on shouting to let them know that I was dying and we had to be let through at once. At that point, I realised my condition was still critical and I was definitely not out of the woods yet. A second stint at Paelon Memorial Hospital I was returned to Paelon Memorial Hospital, and it felt as if I was back to square one but in a much worse life-threatening state. I was quickly moved to a room in the hospital and placed on constant oxygen. A nurse was on hand to monitor me during the night. I cried that night. I could not believe I was in such a critical state and I was not sure if I was going to survive anymore. 

I prayed to God that night and left my fate in His hands. When day broke, the doctor on duty was at my bedside, she looked so unhappy and I found it hard to look at her because she had warned me but I refused to listen. I had an x-ray and blood test done. The x-ray confirmed I had pneumonia and the blood test determined it was bacterial pneumonia. I was immediately placed on a high dose of antibiotics and dexamethasone administered through IV. Being on constant oxygen was a challenge for me. I needed help from the nurse to move my oxygen tank anytime I needed to use the bathroom. One morning, I was having my bath and I took off my oxygen mask to wash my face. As I exited the bathroom, I suddenly could not breathe anymore. I immediately alerted the nurse who increased my oxygen supply but it did not help. 

The nurse had to nebulize me in order to get me breathing again. It was a scary experience and made me realise how dependent I was on the oxygen. The emotional trauma of my condition was made worse for my family as we had just lost my sister and my mother within the past month, and planning was underway for their funerals. As the days passed, I slowly began to recover and felt better. My oxygen dependence began to reduce and the nurses slowly began to wean me off oxygen and encourage me to breathe unassisted. On July 10, I had a rapid COVID-19 test carried out and it came back negative. I was so happy, knowing that my awful battle with the virus was coming to an end. 

The hospital finally discharged me on the same day. I was so appreciative and grateful for the high level of care I received from the doctors and ever so helpful and cheerful nurses at Paelon Memorial Hospital. The healthcare workers at the hospital are dedicated to saving lives and I could not thank them enough for saving my life. Post-hospital recovery The days since my discharge from the hospital have not been easy. I am constantly tired and restless. Any little form of exertion causes lethargy and sometimes makes me ill. I also have problems sleeping. I currently suffer from insomnia and tend to wake up every hour when I try to sleep at night. 

I usually give up on sleep all together at 3 a.m. every morning. I have been told that these issues are usual for recovering COVID-19 patients and I believe I will be fully healed and ready to get on with my life at full speed very soon. I am grateful to God to be alive and on the mend. My perception of life will never be the same again after my COVID-19 experience. Life is so delicate and needs to be treated with care and never taken for granted. To all those who still have doubts or have not taken due precautions, COVID-19 is certainly real and horrible to experience so do stay safe.

By Michael Chinwuba

Source: vanguardngr.com

#Teamtrendy prays for the Chinwuba family. Accept our sincere condolences. 

Freestyle UNLOCKED Africa 2020 sponsored by MTN

Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, the organisers of the Freestyle UNLOCKED Africa 2020 has announced MTN as the headline sponsor for the fourth annual games kicking off on Monday, July 1, 2020.

Valentine Ozigbo, the Chairman of Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, in a press statement on Monday, July 6, 2020, revealed that the telecommunications giant will be the headline sponsor of the freestyle football championship whose finale will hold on July 19, 2020.

“We are excited to welcome our returning sponsor, MTN, in this year’s championship which we are hosting in unusual and difficult times for many around the world,” said Mr. Ozigbo, who is also the immediate past President and Group CEO of Transcorp Plc.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Rahul De, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria said, “As a youth-focused company, Freestyle Football’s brand essence reflects what the MTN brand stands for – excellence and excitement wrapped into one solid platform.”

“Freestyle UNLOCKED Africa 2020 is a worthy platform for MTN to touch the lives of the future freestyle football stars on the continent of Africa. The sport embodies the beauty, diversity and fluidity of the African people and we are proud to partner with Feet ‘N’ Tricks International on this adventure,” De added.

This is the second time that MTN has sponsored the sporting event. The first was in 2018. Other sponsors of the championship are Valentine Chineto Ozigbo Foundation and Eko Disco.

Freestyle UNLOCKED Africa 2020 is the virtual version of the African Freestyle Championships organised by the sports promoter. The competition began in 2017 as the Nigerian Freestyle Football Championship. The following year, it became a continental sports event with over 18 countries participating in the finals in Lagos, Nigeria.

Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, which is hosting this competition in partnership with the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA) also announced the judges for Freestyle Unlocked Africa 2020.

Daniel Wood, the co-founder of WFFA, informed that the judges are a panel of legendary freestyle footballers selected based on their expertise and vast experience in the sport spanning, cumulatively, several decades.

According to him, the panel of judges demonstrates that “freestyle football is an important sport touching the future of Africa”.

“We are particularly delighted to welcome, for the first time, two legends of freestyle football in Africa. Chris Njokwana, 2008 South African Freestyle champion who has performed in front of 70,000 people and featured in countless TV adverts and Kamal ‘Kamilio’ Ranchod, who won South African’s Freestyle Streetstyle championship in 2010 and went on to place 2nd in the World Championship later that year.

“Ranchod has served as a judge of international championships such as Super Ball World Open and Sal Beach Games,” Wood announced.

The other judges are the head judge Lukasz Chwieduk, 27, a Polish freestyle footballer and two-time European freestyle football champion; Caitlyn Schrepfer, an American freestyle footballer and two-time USA female champion, and Yo Katsuyama, 23, a Japanese freestyle football champion who finished 2nd at the 2019 Super Ball World Open Championship.

Mr. Ozigbo, a respected business leader and philanthropist, said he was driven to start the championship with his friends owing to his keen love for the game of football and the expressiveness of the freestyle genre.

 

Valentine Ozigbo

Feet ‘N’ Tricks International is Africa’s largest promoter of freestyle football and Freestyle UNLOCKED Africa 2020 will open for entries on July 1, 2020, and the finale will be on July 19, 2020.

While explaining that sustaining the championship will guarantee the growth and continuity of the freestyle football genre, Ozigbo went on to use the opportunity to call on well-meaning sponsors and sports-lovers alike to seize this chance to push forward a culture that can rally people and foster unity and oneness.

Ozigbo reiterated his assertion that he doesn’t plan on dropping momentum with freestyle football until Nigeria hosts the World Football Freestyle Championship.

source: APO

Hushpuppi handed over to the FBI

Nigerian Instagram 'scamster' Hushpuppi has been handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US, according to the Dubai Police.

READ MORE HERE 

source: Gulf news

Fire outbreak reported on RoRo ship

A fire outbreak was recently reported on a 12,250-vehicle capacity Höegh Autoliners, operated by Grimaldi shipping. The incident which started on the 7^th deck of the 10-year old ocean autoliner occurred at the Blount Island port in Jacksonville, Florida. 

The Grimaldi operated Roll on Roll off (RoRo) ship is popular for shipping thousands of vehicles to Africa and other continents.

All 21 crew members were safely evacuated however some members of the Jacksonville fire service sustained injuries.

Not much is known about the extent of damage to the cargo on board but Grimaldi is in communication with shipping agents including Dallas based Kingz logistics who expressed concerns about the interruption the unfortunate incidence will cause to scheduled consignments in addition to the challenges brought about by covid-19.

source: trendy communications

AfDB transformation strategy for Africa

For the past ten years, Africa has recorded some of the world’s strongest rates of economic growth. At the same time, many African economies continue to function at well below their full potential. Structural transformation is needed to create more jobs, reduce poverty and accomplish sustainable development objectives.

The African Development Bank’s High 5 priority areas are intended to support African countries’ achievement of the SDGS. They are: Feed Africa; Light up Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the people of Africa.

Feed Africa

Since 2015, 74 million Africans have benefited from improved agricultural technologies through the Bank’s efforts to support increased food security on the continent.

In western Mauritania, for example, the Brakna-Ouest irrigation infrastructure improvement project, supported by the Bank in the amount of $12 million, enabled 1 500 farming and livestock-producing families to return to cultivating their fields. 

Light up Africa

Without electricity, agriculture cannot effectively meet the growing challenge of food security in Africa. The Bank has made investment in energy a priority. Since 2016, it has mobilized $12 billion for its “Light Up Africa” strategic priority. Through this investment, 13.4 million people have gained access to electricity.

Morocco has made significant progress in widening access to electricity. In just the past twenty years, the electricity system has expanded to cover almost the entire country. The national rural electrification program, supported by the Bank with 155 million euros, has connected nearly 12.8 million Moroccans to the national power grid.

Industrialize Africa

As part of the Bank’s “Industrialize Africa” priority, 9 million people have gained access to private financing. In Nigeria, for instance, where more than 70 percent of the population depends on agriculture, fluctuating harvests have significant repercussions on yields, income and food security.

One solution is fertilizer, particularly if locally produced. The Bank provided $100 million to support construction of a modern fertilizer plant in Port Harcourt.

Integrate Africa

To derive more benefit from industrialization, Africa must become better integrated in terms of trade and markets. Through integration, African countries can gain access to larger markets and thereby increase incomes for millions of residents through new opportunities.

Since 2015, 69 million people have benefited from the Bank’s support for new transport infrastructure that has advanced integration. Gaps in the primary transport corridors have been filled, links between countries have been strengthened, and intra-African trade has been revitalised.

A good example of this is The Nairobi-Addis-Ababa corridor, which received $670 million in Bank financing and which has enhanced the potential for trade and job growth in Ethiopia and Kenya.

AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina

Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa

An important part of improving living conditions is providing better access to essential services such as health, water and sanitation. Since 2015, Bank-supported projects have given 43 million people access to water and sanitation.

source: APO 

Kenya President Kenyatta extends covid19 curfew by 21 days

President Uhuru Kenyatta has extended the nationwide curfew and the cessation movements in counties of Nairobi, Mombasa  Kwale,  Kilifi and Mandera till 6th June in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the advice of the National Emergency Response committee on coronavirus.

The President also announced that there will be cessation of movement of persons and passenger into and out through Kenya-Tanzania and Kenya – Somali border except for cargo, beginning midnight today.

Kenya President Kenyatta

He disclosed that the government will continue to take every measure to protect the lives of Kenyans from the COVID- 19 pandemic, and to plan for the recovery of the economy.

The President announced 49 new positive cases of covid-19, bringing the total to 830.

“On a positive note l want to thank the dedication and commitment of our health care workers, we have discharged 301 individuals from our health facilities having registered full recovery since the onset of this pandemic,” he noted and thanked all Kenyans who are adhering to the health hygiene and social distancing measures.

Currently there are 481 cases undergoing treatment. Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 300,000 innocent lives as of this morning from 4.7 million infections.

source: APO

242 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria

Nigeria is reporting 242 new cases as at May 12, 2020. See highlights below.

88-Lagos 64-Kano 49-Katsina 13-Kaduna 9-Ogun 6-Gombe 4-Adamawa 3-FCT 1-Ondo 1-Oyo 1–Rivers 1-Zamfara 1-Borno 1-Bauchi

4641 cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria

Discharged: 902

Deaths: 150

Source: Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

African Development Bank approves €40 million in grants for bridge linking Cameroon and Chad

Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved grants worth €40.94 million for the construction of a bridge to connect Cameroon and Chad across the Logone river. The grants, comprising a €20.785 million tranche for Cameroon and €19.215 million for Chad, were approved on 30 April 2020. The facility is from the Investment Facility for Africa under a framework agreement between the Bank Group and the European Commission.

Akinwumi Adesina

The funds will co-finance the costs of construction of the bridge between Yagoua in Cameroon and Bongor in Chad, access roads and feasibility studies, management said in a report to the Board. The bridge is expected to bolster bilateral and sub-regional integration and cross-border trade, safeguard life and property during the river crossing and boost socio-cultural ties between the two countries.

In addition to the Logone river bridge, other projects under the Pillar Assessed Grant or Delegation Agreement (PAGODA) include the rehabilitation of the Lome-Cotonou road, road development and transport facilitation on the Bamako-San Pedro corridor between Mali and Côte d’Ivoire and the rehabilitation of the CU2a community road section in Burkina Faso near the border with Niger.

The Bank and the European Commission are committed to co-financing development projects that tackle poverty by investing in critical infrastructure to promote seamless connectivity of transport, energy and ICT.

Source: APO