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Covid 19: Nigeria should be made, not marred- AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Boss

Published

5 years ago

March 27, 2020

Admin.

The world is gradually on lockdown to raging fire of a virus that is a
global pandemic,as Nigerians, let us once again prove our uniqueness as a people by
coming up with safe and productive solutions that can sustain us
beyond its reign and further elevate our status as a nation of global
relevance after it is confined into our past.

In a press statement signed by the Media Assistant to NC/CEO AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria Abolade Ogundimu on Friday in Abuja.

National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/African Peer Review Mechanism( AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) Princess Gloria Akobundu, urged the general public in her solidarity message on the ongoing global phenomenon of Corona Virus Disease 2019, dubbed COVID-19.

According to Akobundu, the appeal become necessary so that Nigerians will continue to work alongside with governments in order
to ensure that, gradual lockdowns in the bid to stop the spread of
COVID-19 do not slide the nation into famine or redundancy.

“Without compromising any advice on social distancing and other safety
measures, let us come up with good and affordable alternatives to our
imported daily consumptions and supplements.

“The Federal Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari
forthrightly, has been campaigning and supporting local productions
“that we should eat what we produce”, hence, its aggressive commitment
to food sufficiency through loans and other relief packages to farmers and players in other sectors of the economy,” she said.

Akobundu noted that FG’s policies on economic self-reliance before
COVID 19 outbreak were in tandem with AUDA programmes like
Comprehensive Agriculture Development Programme,CAADP; African
Medicines Regulatory Harmonization, AMRH; Agriculture and Food
Insecurity Risk Management (AFIRM), Fish Governance and Trade, Food
and Nutrition Security, Climate Smart Agriculture, Grow Africa among
others.

She also observed that in the bid to contain the spread within their
nations, COVID 19 has led to significant downward shift towards
Bilateral and multilateral relations, transportation of humans and
materials, leading to scarcity of drugs, disinfectants and protective
tools.

The National Coordinator therefore called on pharmacists and
technicians to strictly adhere to safety in their bid to stand in the
gap for the manufacturing of indigenous solutions to shortage of
disinfectants and protective tools.

“No better time for our local industries to thrive than now when all
borders(land, water and air) are shutdown to keep Corona Virus-19
(COVID-19) at bay, due to confirmation that almost all identified
cases have travel history traced to foreign countries.

“Despite our fledging status technology-wise, our agricultural produce are
highly good for consumption even as they are being processed with over
90 percent Indigenous Knowledge (IK).
“Let our pharmacists role up their sleeves and come up with safe
ideas that can end the virus and similar health challenges while
others invent technologies that are capable of increasing agricultural
yields and other products, without negative implication to health and
social wellbeing,” she added.

On daily increase of COVID 19 patients in the Country, Akobundu
called for vigilance and adherence to safety precautionary measures by
all and sundry, while wishing the patients God’s speed and positive
response to available treatments, saying the nation had been handling
the virus adequately.

The CEO concluded by reiterating the need for public maximum
cooperation with field officers and other stakeholders when the agency
begins Second Cycle Review of the Nation, saying their patriotic
advice were required by the Federal government to further develop the
nation.

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NSF: Oparaoji, Ekpeyong, Quadri Gear Up for Tough Quarterfinal Clashes in Abeokuta

Published

2 weeks ago

May 23, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The tennis courts at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Abeokuta are buzzing with intensity as the competition hits the quarterfinal stage in both the men’s and women’s singles events, following a gripping round of 16.

Men’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Abubakar Yusuf of FCT will square off against Rivers State’s Abua Canice. Yusuf booked his spot with a 4-0, 4-2 win over Ehigiamusoe Endurance of Edo, while Canice cruised past Azi David 4-1, 4-0.

Bayelsa’s Uche Oparaoji faces Adeleye Daniel of Ekiti in a clash of skill and strategy. Oparaoji outclassed Urenyang Nuhu of Taraba 4-1, 4-2, just as Adeleye powered past Kaduna’s Ibrahim Sulaiman with the same scoreline.

In one of the most anticipated ties, Danjuma Lucky (FCT) will lock horns with Bayelsa’s top seed David Ekpeyong. Danjuma came through a thrilling contest against Ekiti’s Abamu Matthew, rallying to win 1-4, 4-2, 10-5, while Ekpeyong dominated Taraba’s Rubi Toba 4-0, 4-2.

Home favourite Christopher Bulus of Ogun will battle Edo’s Michael Chima for a semifinal ticket. Bulus swept past Rivers’ Timibra Godsgift 4-1, 4-0, while Chima triumphed over Delta’s Iloputa Ikechukwu in a straight-set win.

Women’s Singles Quarterfinals:

Delta’s Barakat Quadri, fresh off a 4-1, 4-0 win over Rebecca Ekpeyong of Bayelsa, will face rising star Emmanuel Bright of the IJA (Invited Junior Athletes), who overcame Rivers’ Maxwell Timipre 4-2, 5-3.

Edo’s Omotayo Blessing will battle Akwa Ibom’s Udoffa Mary in what promises to be a fiery encounter. Omotayo brushed aside Ekiti’s Adeusi Jesutoyosi 4-0, 4-1, while Udoffa outplayed Moses Favour of Kaduna 5-3, 4-0.

Elsewhere, Ogunjobi Success of Ekiti will test her mettle against Aina Goodnews of IJA, and Akwa Ibom’s Etoro Bassey faces Ogun’s Yakubu Ohunene in a South-South vs South-West showdown.

With the quarterfinals locked in, tennis fans are in for a thrilling ride as the battle for medals intensifies under the Abeokuta sun.

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