A Non-Governmental Organization, the Centre for Children’s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE) recently marked the International Menstrual Hygiene Day with a call for government’s intervention in ending period poverty in Nigeria. 

At a one-day seminar in Lagos which attracted several teenage girls from communities across Lagos and Ogun States and featured talks on rape awareness and career choices, and others, CEE-HOPE’s Executive Director, Betty Abah lamented the impact of period poverty on women and girls. 

“Millions of women and girls in Nigeria are going through very hard times managing their periods because they lack the finance to purchase menstrual hygiene products especially at a time when basic eating is a big challenge for many.” She added that the annual event was one of the avenues to raise general awareness about period poverty, menstrual hygiene management and associated challenges and to draw government’s attention to intervene by providing free sanitary products to school girls so that they can stay back in school as well as the need for government to remove taxes on all sanitary products.

“Countries like Kenya and Uganda which are relatively poorer than Nigeria provide pads for school girls monthly while Rwanda has removed taxes on all sanitary products. Scotland on its own provides free sanitary products for females within the reproductive age brackets monthly. Nigeria inspite of the ravaging poverty has not considered any of these options, she noted.

Others speakers who spoke at the event whose theme was ‘Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030’ include Anker Amurawaiye, a teacher, entrepreneur and youth coach, Anthonia Ojenagbon, a gender advocate, and Yinka Kenny, a TV host and founder of the Yinka Kenny Girls Foundation. 
Mrs. Amurawaiye urged the girls to maintain the highest form of hygiene during their monthly period as it is a natural phenomenon and nothing to be ashamed about as period is not a taboo.
Corroborating her, Yinka Kenny, a child rights advocate who spoke on the myths of menstruation charged the girls to see menstruation as a norm, because it is natural to women and girls. She also mentioned that the girls should desist from any attitude that could reinforce the myths and negative perceptions about menstruation.

On her part, Anthonia Ojenagbon, a Child rights advocate spoke about child sexual abuse, citing her personal experience and how she went through the ordeal but garnered strength to overcome depression and suicidal thoughts which were aftermath effects. She also encouraged the youngsters to report the slightest hint of abuse as perpetrators are encouraged to continue in their heinous crime when they are not instantly exposed.
Other speakers who addressed the girls virtually (via video) on period poverty and menstrual hygiene management were Sanaa Mehajer of Girls on A Mission (GOAM), Australia and Andrea Guadalupe Rodriguez of OPC NGO, Mexico. 
The event also witnessed the launch of CEE-HOPE’s latest advocacy movie, “Leave to Live,” which focuses on domestic violence. It featured eminent Nollywood actors such as Segun Arinze, Ngozi Nwosu  Papa Ajasco amongst others.

Participants at the event were girls from Makoko, Ori-Oke, Monkey Village, Ifelodun communities in Lagos and Matogun in Ogun States.

According to the Federal Government of Nigeria, it has established a link between Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, and a Boko Haram sponsor, Surajo Muhammad, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Aram Emirates on charges of financing terrorism.

The government also alleged that between 2013 and 2020, Igboho received N127m from several financiers including a federal lawmaker. The government, however, refused to reveal the identity of the lawmaker.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said this while reading out findings of a Presidential committee set up to investigate Igboho and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The 24-member committee comprised members of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Information, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency.

Malami said, “The report revealed that Sunday Igboho is a Director and signatory to Adesun International Concept Limited registered on April 23, 2010. Adesun International Concept Limited also has Oladele Oyetunji and Aderopo Adeyemo as directors. Sunday Igboho is linked to 43 bank accounts in nine banks.

“The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a federal lawmaker in the National Assembly. A total sum of N127, 145,000 was received by Igboho from his financiers between October 22, 2013, and September 28, 2020, through Adesun International Concept Ltd accounts.

“A total sum of N273,198,200 transaction outflows was recorded from Sunday Igboho’s account between March 15, 2013, and March 11, 2021. Investigation reveals that Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) transferred the sum of N12, 750,000 to AbbalBako& Sons.”

The AGF noted that Abbal Bako and Sons and its promoter Abdullahi Usman, are suspects in the on-going Joint Terrorist Financing Investigation.

“Abdullahi Usman is by way of financial transaction connected to Surajo Abubakar Muhammad (who was sentenced to life imprisonment in UAE on charges of financing terrorism (Boko Haram). This report shows the nexus between separatists’ agitation, terrorism financing and disruptions of peace in the country,” Malami said.

The report found connections of financial transactions between Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) and some construction companies and businesses among others.

Malami stated that having received the reports, the Federal Government remains solute in its determination to have a peaceful Nigeria.

“The Federal Government will do the needful, within the context of the legal provisions, in ensuring that the matter is given the deserved attention and those found guilty will be made to face the wrath of the law,” he said.

A correctional facility and police investigations department in Owerri were set alight by unidentified attackers in an overnight operation on Monday, reports on social media said.

Source: The Lead