A group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects, has asked the World Bank to probe the loans acquired by the 36 state governors in Nigeria and immediately suspend further loans to the states until they explain how previously acquired loans were spent just as some states have come under scrutiny for the amount spent on running costs.
The group’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, made the demand in a letter addressed to the World Bank President, Ajay Banga, and made available to The PUNCH on Sunday.
While expressing concerns over the rising debt profile of the 36 states, SERAP alleged that the states had mismanaged and diverted public funds, stressing that it would be irresponsible to continue giving loans to the states.
SERAP noted that if the World Bank failed to probe the state governors, it would not hesitate to institute legal actions against the lending body and the 36 states.
‘’The World Bank and its partners cannot continue to give loans and other funding to these states where there are credible allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public funds.
‘’We are concerned that there is a significant risk of mismanagement or diversion of funds linked to the bank’s investments in many of the country’s 36 states. It is neither appropriate nor responsible lending to give loans to these states only for the loans to be misspent.
‘’The World Bank’s lending and support for these states may create the impression of complicity in the allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public funds by the states, which may include loans from the Bank and its partners and federal allocations. We would consider the option of pursuing legal action should the World Bank fail or fail to implement the recommendations contained in this letter, and we may join the country’s 36 states in any such suit.
‘’According to Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, the total public debt portfolio for the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory is N9.17tn. The Federal Government’s total public debt portfolio is N78.2tn.’’
SERAP urged the World Bank to use its legal po wers to send independent monitors to all the states that had acquired loans from it and monitor how those loans were being spent so that loans acquired by the governors would not be used to fund their private lifestyle.
‘’SERAP also urges you to demand an expressed commitment from Nigeria’s 36 governors to address credible allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public funds in their states and provide guarantees that loans and funding from the Bank and its partners would not be used to fund the luxurious lifestyles of politicians.
‘’The World Bank currently has a portfolio of about $8.5bn spread across the country. The bank has also approved several loans and other funding facilities to the country’s 36 states, including the recent $750m credit line meant for the states to carry out reforms to attract investment and create jobs. The accounts of Nigeria’s 36 states are generally not open to public scrutiny, as many of them continue to refuse freedom of information requests seeking transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds.
‘’The bank has a legal responsibility to ensure that suspected perpetrators are brought to justice and that any mismanaged or diverted public funds are returned to the treasuries of the states. The World Bank has the legal obligation to observe and promote compliance with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and domestic laws, including the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.’’
A construction worker rescued by the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency in a building collapse that occured in Abuja on Saturday, has died, The PUNCH can confirm.
FEMA’s Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, confirmed the development to our correspondent in a Whatsapp message that read “yes, he died today”.
In an earliet statement, FEMA said the incident occurred at a construction site located in the Central Business District, beside Taj Bank, around 3:30 pm on Saturday.
The deceased was among labourers at the construction site casting the first floor of the building when the entire cast reportedly fell on him.
The statement read, “The victim was rescued and taken to the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital, Abuja.
“The team from FEMA and the FCT Fire service were able to rescue the trapped man with the aid of extrication equipment and the construction company’s excavator.”
Meanwhile, FEMA’s Acting Director General, Mohammed Sabo, who was at the scene of the incident and supervised rescue efforts, appealed to developers to always adhere to building codes.
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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has urged the World Bank to halt loans to Nigeria’s 36 states, citing allegations of mismanagement of public funds.
The National Bureau of Statistics revealed that each Nigerian carries a debt of N396,376.19. Nigeria’s total public debt surged by 75.27 per cent, reaching N87.38tb in Q2 2023.
SERAP, in a letter called on the World Bank to investigate state governors’ spending, advocating for loan suspension if evidence of mismanagement surfaces.
The group also seeks a freeze on further loan applications until states transparently explain previous fund utilization.
SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, made the call on Sunday.
It also asked the global lender to “suspend further applications for loans and any other funding to the 36 states until these states can satisfactorily explain details of spending of loans and other facilities obtained from the Bank and its partners.”
“The World Bank and its partners cannot continue to give loans and other funding to these states where there are credible allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public funds,” the statement read.
“We are concerned that there is a significant risk of mismanagement or diversion of funds linked to the Bank’s investments in many of the country’s 36 states. It is neither appropriate nor responsible lending to give loans to these states only for the loans to be misspent.”
Referring to data from Nigeria’s Debt Management Office, SERAP highlighted that the combined public debt of the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory amounts to N9.17tn.
Additionally, the group noted the Federal Government’s total public debt stands at N78.2tn.
SERAP called on the World Bank’s chief to seek a clear commitment from Nigeria’s 36 governors to address credible allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public funds within their respective states.
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The Kano chapter of the All Progressives Congress has petitioned the disciplinary committee of the Nigerian Bar Association over the corruption allegation levelled against the judiciary by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Isa Dederi.
In the petition issued on Sunday by Kano APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, the party accused the commissioner of alleging that justices of the Appeal Court are corrupt on a live television programme.
The letter was directed to the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau and Chairman of the Kano chapter of the association, Sagir Gezawa while Dederi was also copied.
The development comes barely 24 hours after a pro-democracy group also called on the Nigerian Bar Association to call the commissioner to order and ensure appropriate disciplinary measures are taken against any of its erring members.
Dederi had on Wednesday featured on Channels Television breakfast show ‘Sunrise Daily’ where he expressed disappointment with the manner the justices of Appeal Court handled the sack of Governor Abba Yusuf and how unreliable Nigeria’s judiciary has become in recent times.
But Abbas insisted in the petition that Dederi ‘maliciously’ argued that information available to him showed that the judges never wanted to deliver the judgment via zoom because ‘there was serious interference.’
He said, “It is clear for discerning mind to infer you were suggesting influence on the judges by our party leaders, which you know is far from the truth. If you have cared to read the judgment of the Tribunal, it clearly stated the reason why the judges had to leave Kano was as a result of threat to their lives by the officials of the Government you are serving as Attorney General which drew the condemnation of the Tribunal. Up to this moment, you have not commenced prosecution of the people that made the threat. Yet, you carelessly made such damaging remarks against the judiciary.
“I can vividly recall that you were in court when the judgment was delivered and you heard clearly the decision of the Justice but to my surprise you went to the television programme as well made a voice note to mislead the public regarding the decision of the court all with the intent of impugning the judiciary. The most worrisome aspect is that in all the public speeches you made against the judiciary, you spoke as the Attorney General of Kano State. And the case before the Court is not a case involving Kano State Government. This is therefore an abuse of your office because you are not Attorney General of NNPP but that of Kano State.
“As a lawyer, I need not remind you of the provision of your professional code with respect to courts and judges. Your allegation against the judges and justices is very grievous more so if it turn out to be false. A stitch in time saves nine.”
A teacher with the Olokinne High School, Ojowo, Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mrs Oluwatosin Aina, reportedly slumped on the school and died.
The incident was said to have happened on Thursday morning and has left the community in shock.
A source who said he was a close family friend said the late Aina reportedly drove herself to the school on Thursday and was said to have started feeling feverish moments after arriving the school.
The Grade Level 14 officer who teaches Christian Religious Knowledge was said to have gotten permission from the Principal to go take care of her health but slumped right beside her car.
She was said to have been rushed to the annex of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Ijebu Igbo of the state, where she was confirmed dead.
The incident reportedly threw the entire school into mourning, giving the dedication and love of the deceased to the students and colleagues.
Mrs Aina was said to be in her 50s and married to a retired Principal within Ijebu Igbo.
The source said, “Yes, I can confirm that the unfortunate incident happened on Thursday morning. I know her very well. I heard that she started feeling uncomfortable after getting to the school and got permission from her Principal to go and treat herself but slumped beside her car.
“She was confirmed dead at the hospital she was rushed to. She was a Christian Religious Knowledge teacher and married to a retired Principal. She should be in her 50s and either on Grade Level 13 or 14”
Also speaking, a teacher who works in the area and craved anonymity has, however, expressed concern over the rate at which teachers are dying in the state, insisting that the stress of having limited numbers of teachers is taking a toll on the health of the available few hands.
Reacting, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Ogun State, Felix Agbesanwa, while commiserating with the family of the deceased teacher, said that the union was quite aware of the challenges of the lack of required numbers of teachers in the school.
Agbesanwa said, “We have a teacher shortage challenge. This week, the government commenced the employment of 2000 teachers. This is in addition to the 1000 OgunTeach interns who were given permanent employment recently.
“We really appreciate this gesture from the Governor and hope that other outstanding issues that will further aid the teacher’s wellbeing will be addressed just as the Governor has promised.”
A content creator and influencer, Eniolaoluwa Adeoluwa, popularly known as Enioluwa, says he is grateful having the opportunity to do what he loves.
The social media personality stated that though things could be stressful, he feels excited being busy.
Speaking on the lessons he has learnt in the course of his career, he said, “I have learnt that hard work pays. If one consistently works hard and prays, things will work out for one.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love. I think it is incredible to be busy. Even though one complains about it sometimes, I am actually grateful to be busy. Being busy means work is coming in. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to make people happy doing what I do,” he told Sunday Scoop.
The stylish dude also described his appearance in the music video for Kizz Daniel’s hit song, My G, as an ‘incredible honour’.
He noted that Daniel is one of the people he looks up to in the industry, stressing that he likes the singer’s songs.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State of increased Federal Government support.
This is said to ensure that the institution becomes the maritime institution of first choice for all those who seek to make a career in the maritime industry and also to contribute towards the creation of employment and wealth in the highly competitive global maritime economy.
Tinubu represented by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, gave the assurance on Saturday, in his message to the institution’s maiden convocation ceremony held at its campus in Okerenkoko.
The convocation ceremony also featured the installation of the Amanyanabo of Twon Brass Kingdom of Bayelsa State, His Eminence King Alfred Papapreye Diette-Spiff, Seriya II, as Chancellor of the Nigeria Maritime University, and the conferment of an Honourary doctoral degree (Honouris Causa) of Philosophy of Education on ex-militant leader, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo and His Eminence King Alfred Papapreye Diette-Spiff, Seriya II, “in appreciation of their contributions to the growth and development of the university”.
The monarch of the Brass Kingdom was conferred with an Honourary doctoral degree of letters (Honouris Causa).
Tinubu in his address noted with delight that “since the establishment of the Nigeria Maritime University, (NMU), Okerenkoko, peace has returned to the entire Niger Delta region, which in the past has been a hot spot of crisis and militancy”.
He spoke further, “From what I am seeing here today, I have no doubt, whatsoever in my mind that, in no distant time, this university would record great achievements in the area of building our capacity in maritime technology and business, in line with best global practice that will place our nation on the list of the great maritime economies of the world.
“I am not unaware of the challenges and constraints that this university is currently contending with. Such challenges and constraints are not unusual during the early phases of the life of any institution. But I can assure you that this government will continue to do our best to ensure your needs. In terms of infrastructure and human capacity, are addressed within the limits of available resources”.
The President congratulated the new graduates for the feat they have achieved academically just as he urged them to put their knowledge to bear.
Also speaking at the event shortly after being installed as Chancellor, Diette-Spiff, who was flanked by the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oboro Gbaraun II, and the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, Monday Whiskey, Udurhe I thanked God for the opportunity to be installed as Chancellor of the institution.
He said, “Let me start by saying to God be the glory. When my citation was being read, I was a little wondered whether it was me they were referring to. We thank God for His mercies.”
The monarch said that being the Chancellor, he would ensure that the University is transformed to be number one in the world.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has described allegations making the rounds against the country’s judiciary as cheap blackmail.
Fagbemi appealed to politicians who lost out at the election not to throw caution to the wind.
He also urged them to stop making unfounded insinuations against the judges, adding that anybody who has concrete evidence against any judge should feel free to bring forth such evidence.
Fagbemi spoke with reporters in his Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State’s country home on the sidelines of a prayer organised in his honour on Friday.
He said, “You lost at the tribunal, you lost at the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court yet you are insinuating foul play. I think even apart from law, morality also demands that you take the outcome as it is.
“I am not saying that judges cannot be wrong because they are human beings. Where anybody sees or feels that the course of justice has been perverted, feel free to bring it forth rather than making unfounded insinuations.
“Unless you can bring forth concrete evidence, I will not succumb to blackmail. Nobody will shield an erring judge.
“One thing about justice is that the man who wins will praise the judgment. The person who loses will never agree that he has lost fairly unless you give him the judgment.
“Don’t forget, when you make unfounded insinuations, you are dragging the name of the nation in the mud.”
He urged “all and sundry to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship.”
Speaking at the venue of the prayer session organised by his siblings and the entire Fagbemis, the minister enjoined Nigerians to give President Bola Tinubu a chance to turn around the fortunes of the country.
He added that Tinubu is not looking at the immediate benefits of his efforts but long-term benefits.
“That is why I appeal to all and sundry to give him the chance.
“He is a man who is ready to do the thing. It takes a while to see the full effect of his efforts.
“He is not the one who created these problems in Nigeria, but he is not complaining. President Tinubu is somebody who wants to work. He is prepared to do the job. He is not somebody who is just learning the job. He has done it before in Lagos State. I am not equating Lagos with Nigeria.
“Immediately after his swearing in he has been all out to seek investors’ buy-in. As a result, positive responses have been trailing his discussions with foreign investors. The only thing we need is to exercise some patience. Even if you plant a tree, it won’t grow into fruition until after a while,” he said.
On judiciary reforms, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria revealed that he had used the platform of the Nigerian Governors Forum to make the governors come on board.
He added that the Federal Government would also engage judges at both Federal and state government levels.
He said “What I have done is to seek the platform of NGF to address all the governors in Nigeria as to what they are required to do if anything is being done a the level of the Federal Government. “We expect that the state within their limited resources will let into it.
“Another thing is that we need to engage the judges. Because it is one thing to make laws, it is another thing to administer them.
“We also need to engage the chief judges, especially at the state level. We need to embark on uniformity without necessarily turning the country into a unitary system.”
LARA ADEJORO writes on how ignorance about cleft and palate diagnosis, care, and treatment remains a challenge in Nigeria.
Esther Ochegbe, 26, beamed with smiles on her chair beside the bed where her son lay. It was a sunny Friday at the inpatient paediatric ward in the National Hospital, Abuja.
She intermittently gazed at her 16-month-old son, Paul John, and she was eager to tell everyone how happy she was.
A week earlier, Ochegbe hardly showed the face of her baby; she covered his lower face with her wrapper in an attempt to hide the split on his upper lip.
The first-time mother was uncertain, even when she was assured that corrective surgery would be done for her son. She wondered about the ‘miracle’ that would be done to correct her baby’s cleft lip that had limited her joy of motherhood.
When John was born on July 26, 2022, his mother could not bear the sight of him. She wondered what she did wrong or who she offended. Her worries took a toll on her physically, emotionally, and mentally.
“I gave birth to him in a chemist’s run by a retired nurse and none of us knew the condition he suffered,” she narrated to The PUNCH. “I was sad seeing my first child that way. I cried uncontrollably. His father was disturbed too; being a man he was acting as though all was okay just to encourage me.
She took him to St Mary Hospital in Ukpokwu, Benue State, where they told her it was a condition called cleft lip. But there was nothing they could do. Even if she found a hospital to carry out the surgery, she could not afford it.
Esther Ochegbe
John could not suck properly, and that became a concern for her again.
“Most of the breast milk poured out of his mouth”, she said.
Daily, they had to deal with the silent stares and side talks trailing the birth of their son. They worried about how to make their son have a bright future, just like they had planned before his birth.
Their hope faded with each passing day until a family member heard on a radio station how a foundation — Smile Train Foundation, offers free cleft surgeries and comprehensive cleft care to patients.
Smile Train is a nonprofit organisation and charity providing corrective surgery for children with cleft lips and palates.
“It was my sister who heard about it, and said I can come for the surgery at the hospital here. Two days after she told me, I packed my things and came here from my place in Ukpokwu,” she said.
The doctors told her everything would be fine, but she found it hard to believe them.
“God used the Smile Train Foundation to save my family from this shame,” she said, lifting her hands in appreciation.
After the successful surgery, Ochegbe watched his son smiling, and she was no longer ashamed.
“This is the transformation we have always prayed for. I did not pay a dime for the surgery, even for the bed space, I didn’t pay for anything at all. My son is fine now,” she said smiling.
Clefts, a common birth defect
A professor of surgery and paediatric surgeon at the National Hospital, Abuja, Emmanuel Ameh, said clefts are a common birth defect.
According to him, a cleft lip affects usually the upper part of the lip where there is a physical split of the lip, while a cleft palate is when there is a split of opening in the roof of the mouth. A cleft can affect both males and females.
“In addition to the lip, the part of the gum where the front teeth come out from may be affected.
“For some children, the roof of the mouth is also affected. However, there are some children that only the roof of the mouth is affected, which is the cleft palate. For those children, outwardly they look normal but once they open their mouths, you will see a big scar on the roof of their mouths,” Ameh stated.
Causes and risk factors
Like most birth defects, cleft has multiple causes.
“It is usually an interaction of many factors occurring together,” Ameh explained. “However, a few of them occur as a result of genetic abnormality within the family but those are few. There are a few others, in addition to the cleft lip and palate, they have other birth defects also.”
The don said most birth defects occur during the first three months of pregnancy.
“Anything that causes an insult to the developing baby, especially in the first three months of pregnancy, can cause cleft lip, cleft palate, and other birth defects.
“There are thoughts that nutritional deficiency could cause it but studies are ongoing to ascertain the nutritional deficiency the mother could have that could lead to it,” he said.
Speaking on the risk factors, Ameh said it could be genetic.
“It could also result from alcohol intake during pregnancy. Some mothers take a lot of alcohol during the first three months of pregnancy and that could lead to it.
“In many parts of Africa, some mothers take a mixture of concoctions, and that could be a risk factor because it could affect the foetus.
“Usually, once a birth defect has occurred in a family, there is a chance that it can occur in another child,” he added.
Findings by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that women with diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy have an increased risk of having a child with a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate, compared to women who did not have diabetes.
“Women who used certain medicines to treat epilepsy, such as topiramate or valproic acid, during the first trimester (the first three months) of pregnancy have an increased risk of having a baby with cleft lip with or without cleft palate, compared to women who didn’t take these medicines,” the US CDC said.
Prevalence in Nigeria
The prevalence of cleft in Nigeria is 0.5 per 1000 live births, according to the Cleft Team Coordinator at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Prof. Akinwale Efunkoya.
Prof. Akinwale Efunkoya
“Nigeria and Africa tend to have lower cases of cleft than Asia and Caucasians. But then, even with the low figure, it turns out to be a lot of cleft cases,” Prof Efokoya, who is also a Consultant Maxillofacial at the hospital said.
Also, the Helpline Officer at Smile Train Nigeria, Paul Lobi said, “Every three minutes, a child is born with a cleft globally. The World Bank statistics show that over 6,000 children are born with cleft in Nigeria.
“Globally, 1 in every 700 babies are born with a cleft lip and, or palate.”
Joy restored
When Peace Nuhu delivered Jethro, her joy was cut short. He could not suck, and every day seemed a discovery of new challenges.
“I delivered him in a private hospital. Nobody knew what could be wrong, but I was told everything would be fine. The doctors and nurses said some children do not take breast milk immediately, and I should not worry too much,” she said.
Several days later, he still was not able to suck. so she bought a feeding bottle. That was when she knew she was in for something more serious than she thought.
“The milk was coming through his nose,” she said.
Peace Nuhu
All the while, the 39-year-old dark-skinned indigene of Kaduna state did not bother to check his son’s mouth. She was told he would be fine, regardless.
“When he started tasting peppery foods, the pepper would go to his nose, if he bathes, he would sneeze consistently.
“He could not talk like every other child of his age, but they told her when he started going to school, he would talk like every other child of his age,” she added.
But afterward, nothing changed. The mother then registered him in a tailoring class. Occasionally, some of his peers made fun of him, but they soon learned that that was not going to change his endearing spirit.
“They were promoting him in school but I knew he wasn’t doing well academically, so I enrolled him to learn how to sew, at least if he can’t do well in school, he would do this better because he is a man.”
When Jethro clocked five, a relative who came to visit opened his mouth and found that there was a gap in the roof of his mouth.
Immediately, they rushed to a hospital in Zaria and were told it was a cleft palate. The mother didn’t know what it was. Then, the hospital booked the boy for surgery.
A few days before his surgery, he had an accident.
“The money we saved for the surgery was used to treat the injury he sustained from the accident,” she said.
“How could such a happen when we were close to getting a solution? We thought that was how God wanted it.”
They could no longer go to the hospital because the cost was high.
But luck shone on the Nuhus in October. They turned on the radio one morning and heard of the Smile Train Foundation’s free cleft surgeries.
Just like Echegbo, Nuhu travelled several kilometres from Kujama in Kaduna State to the NHA with her son.
A few days later, the gap in the roof of the mouth was closed and the muscles and the lining of the palate were rearranged, and the wound was closed with dissolvable stitches.
“The doctors said he would soon get used to speaking well with the help of a speech therapist. I am so happy. I didn’t pay for the surgery,” she said.
When asked how he felt after the surgery, the 12-year-old Jethro who sat beside his mother said, “l am better and happy. The doctors also said I would soon start talking well.” He said while taking his pap and milk.
For Jethro and his family, the surgery opened a new chapter in their lives. The boy has decided to become a doctor.
They are assured he will never be held back anymore
Cleft complications
Prof. Ameh said cleft lip affects the look of the affected child, hence, causing stigmatisation and psychological stress on the family.
“When the roof of the mouth is involved, the patient will not be able to feed properly, because it could come out through their nose and go through their lungs and cause chest infection, and some of it may go into the ear, and cause ear infection, and you may see some of them bringing out pus in the ear, and if that is not treated, they may end up going deaf.
“They may develop malnutrition which kills some of them, and severe anaemia when they are not getting enough nutrition and that could lead to death.
“Also, as a result of the opening of the roof of the mouth and the lip, muscle function may be decreased, which can lead to a delay in speech or abnormal speech,” he said.
Misconceptions
Lobi said cleft is associated with many misconceptions, myths, stigmatisation, and psychological trauma.
“Some say it is witchcraft, some say it is a punishment from the gods, some say it is a curse of the gods. But, these are not true,” he said.
Need for collaboration
Smile Train’s Vice-President and Regional Director for Africa, Nkeiruka Obi, attributed the transformative impact to strategic collaborations and investments in comprehensive cleft care, research, and innovation.
“If we are to truly achieve Universal Health Coverage, our focus must be set on lifting the burden that people living in low-resource settings often face due to inequitable access to the much-needed timely safe surgery and anaesthesia care,” she said.
Since its establishment in Nigeria in 2007, Lobi said the organisation has carried out over 37,000 successful free, and high-quality cleft surgeries.
In 2022, 4,464 safe and high-quality cleft surgeries were performed in Nigeria.
The foundation, across 34 states, offers cleft services to anyone born with cleft lip and/or palate irrespective of age.
Its local partners, numbering 54, also provide speech therapy, psychological support, nutritional services, orthodontics, and other essential forms of care to ensure that children with clefts have everything they need to not just live, but thrive.
Lobi also mentioned that since founded in 1999, Smile Train Foundation has carried out over 1.5 million free, safe, and high-quality cleft surgeries in over 90 countries.
“If the child is malnourished, the foundation pays for the nutritional care so that they can be healthy enough for the surgery. If there is a problem with their ears, that is also taken care of by the foundation,” Lobi said.
Davido’s Logistics Manager, Isreal Afeare, popularly known as Isreal DMW, has shared news of the end of his marriage to his wife, Sheila, in an Instagram post on Saturday.
In his detailed account, Isreal DMW revealed that Sheila left their home on August 8, 2023, despite his substantial support since their marriage.
Israel also detailed acts of generosity, such as providing financial support, upgrading her phone, and indulging in shopping sprees for her.
Despite these efforts, he described a shift in Sheila’s behaviour after their wedding, where she sought to impose standards on him, believing she had achieved status as a prominent figure on Instagram.
Additionally, Isreal DMW pointed out that marrying someone from a Christian background and being a virgin did not ensure peace in his case.
He highlighted that his wife accused him of being a slave to his boss, Davido.
He said, “Marrying a lady because you met her during evangelism as a virgin, a pastor’s daughter, a member of the same Winners Chapel church, might not guarantee anything peace at all. Don’t be too eager or quick to trust people. People can change at any time.
“People can be very ungrateful and deceptive. I met Sheila on February 19, 2022. We became friends, which later became intimate.
“She told me she would only lose her virginity to the man that would marry her since her Ugep, Cross River, mother, who’s now 41, had earlier married two different men, with two kids, before marrying her father and that she was overdue at 21 for marriage.
“We fully agreed with her terms and conditions. I immediately upgraded her unkept situation by giving her 300k and replacing her tattered phone of less than 60k with a new iPhone 12 Pro Max of 860k in less than two weeks.
“I later also replaced the 12 Pro Max with a brand 14 Pro Max of 1.2m that she uses to slay. I did a lot of shopping for her.
“Bought her clothes and bags, including expensive human hairs she’s using without sleeping with her then. I later proposed, and she fully accepted. We later did a legal introduction to traditional and white weddings in Benin City.
“Sheila immediately changed by showing her authentic self after our wedding and wanting to set standards for me. She now felt she was blown as Juju’s wife, fully verified on Instagram, with more followers from her earlier struggling 3k followers when I met her.
“A fully sapa girl I met with just 2,700 in her account. I have never raised my hands on her any day. I don’t beat women at all. I respect them so much. The least money for her upkeep was 100k. She now wakes up to tell me that I derive dignity in begging my oga, that I am fully a slave, and that I am disgracing her on social media.
“I had earlier taken her to show same oga for the first time before we wedded when we were in Abuja Transcorp Hilton, and oga asked her straight forward if she was ready for marriage, and she fully answered by saying yes and oga immediately gave her 500k for airtime. Oga was fully present in Benin for my wedding, after cancelling a 140m show appearance. Oga,”