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WACSOF Elects New Board Of Directors

Published

3 years ago

July 1, 2022

Joel Ajayi

The West African Civil Society Forum WACSOF has elected new Board of Directors, members who are made up of women and men with proven expertise, solid networks of contacts, and high moral and intellectual probity.

WACSOF is the apex civil society network in West Africa, covering 18 thematic areas, with representation in 15 West African countries.

The general was held in an Hybride mode with participants from countries covered by WACSOF on the Thursday, June 30th, during General Assembly (People’s Forum) of the West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) the Platforms coordinators of the 15 ECOWAS countries constitute the People’s Forum of WACSOF at the Cotonou Bourse du Travail, in Benin Republic.

After the Opening Ceremony of General Assembly, a presidium of 2 members was set up with Mr NANA Osei of ECOSOCC as President and Mrs Rosa EDOH of the NGO Happy Children as secretary.

After the presentation of the participants, the validation of the agenda, the summary presentation of the WACSOF management report, the WACSOF charter of 2003 in Accra, was amended, article by article and adopted by the participants according to the recommendations of the 6th general assembly of WACSOF in 2016.

The draft revised Charter, having been initially prepared by various specialists who worked on it, since 2018 with the outgoing Executive Committee. A charter committee made up of coordinators from several ECOWAS countries has been set up to work on it as well and submit it to this WACSOF general assembly.

Also, participants noted and took note of the fact that the mandate of the outgoing Executive Committee, elected on August 16, 2016, has ended since August 2020, in accordance with article 9 of the WACSOF charter and internal regulations. The Peoples’ Forum therefore gave discharge to the outgoing executive committee.

General Assembly was also the opportunity for the renewal of the governing bodies of WACSOF, with the election of a new Board of Directors composed of 7 members in accordance with the provisions of the revised charter of June 30th, 2022.

However, the Board of Directors newly elected on June 30 is made up of women and men with proven expertise, solid networks of contacts, and high moral and intellectual probity.

To avoid any form of conflict of interest, the function of member of a WACSOF body is incompatible with that of member of another body of WACSOF. The bodies of WACSOF are; the General Assembly (People’s Forum), Board of directors, The Executive Direction, National Platforms, thematic groups.

The newly elected Board members are: Mrs Bernice Banybah, Épse Noudegbessi: Dr in Human Rights/Legal Studies, UNESCO / UAC Chair; Expert in Gender, Gender-Based Violence and Human Rights (BENIN), Ms. Penda Mbow; Experienced Woman, Activist, Former Minister. Professor at the CHEIKH ANTA DIOP University of Dakar and president of the citizen movement, (Senegal); Mr. Kangni Afanou, Jurist, and journalist. He is “CCPR (Centre For Civil And Political Rights) coordinator for West and Central Africa, (Togo).

other Board members include; Mr. Buba Khan, Senior Consultant. Former Continental Advocacy Coordinator for Actionaid International, (Gambia); Mr. Huco Joao Jose Silva Monteiro, Former ECOWAS Commissioner, Human Resources; (Guinnea-Bissau); Mr. Jeddlee Stephens Kinnii, National Coordinator Of Liberian African Youth Peer Review Committee, (Liberia) and Ms. Josephine Alabi, Activist, Peace and Security, Kin Care (Nigeria).

In his welcome speech, the General Secretary of WACSOF, Mr Komlan Messie commended the commitment of all the participants to the cause of WACSOF and specified the context in which this People’s Forum is organized.

Meanwhile, in her introductory remarks, the representative of the ECOWAS National Office in Benin Mrs. Arlette AHAMIDÉ stressed the need for civil society to regularly organize its statutory meetings for the vitality and the legitimacy of this sub-regional general assembly, then gave her full support for its smooth running.

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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.”

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