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Solidarity Rally: CSOs hail Buhari, Emefiele – demand arrest of BDC operators
Members of All Civil Society Groups led by Coalition of Civil Society Groups gave thumbs up to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, for ensuring that Nigeria’s economy continue to survive despite the unstable low price of crude oil in the International Market, Covid-19 pandemic and the multifaceted insecurity challenges facing the country.
The group praised the government and gave testimonial of achievements of the present government.
The Coalition of CSO stated this on Wednesday, in Abuja, in a mega solidarity rally held at the popular Unity fountain, in support of President Buhari and CBN Governor Emefiele in their effort to stabilize Nigeria’s economy.
Addressing the Journalists at the rally, the President of group, Etuk Bassey Williams, said the numerous achievements by the Government under the leadership of President Buhari cannot be possible without the support of the able lieutenants appointed to head the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the able leadership of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who has made efforts to turn around the negative indices of the economy as a result of good policies.
He said: “We applaud the recorded achievements in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the small Farm holders. We also appreciate his effort towards assisting our industries to meet up with international standards in the quality of goods produced for export.
“Today, many Nigerians have benefited from wonderful policies of the CBN such as the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP), Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS), the Agri-business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS). These policies have impacted positively the lives of many Nigerians. Jobs have been created and millions of Nigerians are happy and grateful.
“The Anchor Borrowers Programme that has increased yield per hectare and food security in the country is also a plus to the CBN. This policy, among others, is in support of the drive by the Government to diversify the economy and stimulate growth in the agriculture sector.
“It is without doubt that the effort of CBN in ensuring protection of Bank customers, effective supervision of Deposit Money Banks and Other Financial Institutions; and deepening of financial inclusion through an effective banking and payments system in recent times has yielded positive results.
” CBN Governor Emefiele’s support for the Creative Industries through the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI), which is being implemented in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, is a huge boost in the Creative Industry.”
The group expressed displeasure over some enemies of progress whose work is to sabotage the economy of Nigeria: “We frown at the economic sabotage going on in the Forex market. We condemn a situation where the disparity between the official banks exchange rates for dollar/naira will be too high, thereby creating inflation.
” We applaud the sincere effort to salvage the naira and the CBN stop of sales of Forealex to Bureau De Change (BDC) Operators who exploit and artificially inflate dollar/naira exchange. We applaud this move to discourage illicit financial flow, BDC racketeering and indiscriminate round tripping.
“We hereby call on the Governor to suspend the activities of the BDC operators in totality and supply money to the commercial banks
” We also demand that a monitoring committee that comprises of EFCC, CBN and NFIU be set up to check and arrest BDC operators who go to the Banks to buy off Dollars using fake application.
” Also, we applaud the CBN introduction of e-naira, we are confident that this policy will stimulate economic activities that will result into job and wealth creation.
” Based on the recorded achievements listed above, we thus call for more support to the leadership of the country and the leadership of CBN.”
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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles
Joel Ajayi
At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.
Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.
What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.
Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.
In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.
Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.
“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”
She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”
The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.
Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”
For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”
Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”
Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.
Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.
Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.
With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.
Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.
“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.
He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.
“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”
Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.
“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”
He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”
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