Featured

Double Your Effort To Sustain NYSC’s Positive Image, DG Charges PR Officers

Published

4 years ago

July 14, 2021

Joel Ajayi

The Director General of National Youth Service Corps NYSC Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has asked the Scheme’s Public Relations Officers to re-double their effort toward sustaining its positive image adding that, their proactive engagement with general public has made the Scheme more visible.

NYSC Boss stated this at the opening ceremony of the scheme Press and Public Relations Officers’ Workshop on Wednesday in Abuja with the theme: “Entrenching New Techniques for Reputation Management in the New Normal.”

The Associate Professor Brig. Gen. Ibrahim who was represented at the occasion by NYSC’s Director of Ventures Mr. Muhammed Momoh commended the NYSC’s mouth-piece for their commitment and dedication to duty which has in no measure contribute to the developmental strides of the Scheme and the positive impact in the Country.

According to him, your proactive engagement with stakeholders and the general public has made the Scheme more visible while sustaining its positive image.

“As you are all aware, the role of Public Relations Officers in any organization is crucial given the fact that they are the image makers of such organizations. The training and retraining of this very important category of officers in the NYSC therefore is significant for the sustenance of the good image of the Scheme.

“It is also in line with Management’s desire to continuously motivate the Scheme’s workforce for better output.

“This workshop is organized to further improve the knowledge of our Public Relations Officers on how to manage the reputation of the Scheme and positively improve its image. Consequently, I implore you to use the forum to identify and address areas of challenges associated with the discharge of your work.

“Specifically, you are to continuously publicize the activities of the corps members in the area of rendering support in containing the spread of COVID-19, the Healthcare Initiative for Rural Dwellers, (HIRD), group and personal Community Development Services of the Corps members, as well as other areas of intervention in national development. You should also sensitize and inform the general public about the inclusion of the NYSC as member of the Federal Government’s Committee on Alternate School programme and the Technical Working Group on Local Content for the Mambilla Hydro-power project among other numerous achievements.

“In line with our quest to improve our operations, Management has commenced the construction of a state-of the-art ICT Center at the National Directorate Headquarters of the Scheme. It is expected that you will bring this, and other developmental strides of the Scheme to the notice of the general public.

He applauded the Public Relation Officers for their prompt responses to false stories concerning the NYSC; “Just as the new media can be deployed to enhance our job of sustaining the visibility for the Scheme, it can equally become a tool for mischief makers. It is therefore imperative that we must always be vigilant to monitor promptly, and refute or correct misconceptions about our operations often circulated by people who use the social media to achieve dubious objectives.

DG therefore, assured the management support and provision of enabling environment to enable them discharge their responsibilities optimally.

In her welcome addressed the Director of Press and Public Publications Mrs Adenike Adeyemi expressed that the Workshop is an annual programme which affords the PR officers a veritable platform to evaluate the Strategies, processes and challenges of managing the image of the Scheme.

She said: “This training therefore seeks to arm the PR officers with the aptitude to deploy effective PR strategies and media technologies required to discharge their mandate successfully in the new normal orchestrated by the current global pandemic.

“I therefore encourage all Workshop participants, to take advantage of this training to retool yourselves for optimum performance in your schedules.

Mrs, Adeyemi equally thanked the Director General for approving the purchase of communication equipment’s for the Orientation Broadcasting Service in our Camps across the nation. “This gesture has certainly enhanced effective and efficient dissemination of information during Orientation programmes.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

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.”

Share on Facebook