Big Brother Naija Season 9: Kassia Evicted, Husband Kellyrae Reveals Secret Marriage

 In a dramatic turn of events during the Big Brother Naija Season 9 Sunday Live Eviction show, housemate Kassia was evicted from the “No Loose Guard” edition. Her eviction sparked an emotional wave when fellow housemate Kellyrae shocked viewers and housemates by revealing they are married. Kellyrae, who had kept his marriage a secret throughout the show, made the revelation after show host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu confronted him, asking if he was ready to disclose the truth. Although Kellyrae had initially planned to share the news on Tuesday to mark their 8-month wedding anniversary, Kassia’s eviction pushed him to announce it earlier.

 This revelation added a surprising twist as the show heads into its final week. The remaining eight housemates—Victoria, Nelly, Anita, Onyeka, Wanni, Ozee, Kellyrae, and Sooj—are now competing for the grand prize of ₦100 million, which includes a cash reward, a brand-new SUV, and additional sponsored prizes. With the grand finale scheduled for October 6, 2024, the race to the finish is on, and the final week promises to be intense as the housemates vie for the coveted prize.

Parthian Partners Optimistic On Banking Recapitalization Exercise...The ongoing banking recapitalization would be successful

The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of Parthian Partners, Mr Olayinka Arewa 

The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of Parthian Partners, Mr Olayinka Arewa stated this at the annual workshop of Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) held in Lagos with the theme, ‘Nigeria’s Journey Towards $1trillion Economy: Impact of Banks' Re-Capitalization, Opportunities for FinTech's, Real Sector’.

Arewa explained that In the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) capital requirement, international banks are expected to raise their capital base to N500 billion, national banks, N200 billion and regional banks N50 billion. The purpose of this is to strengthen the banks and position them to play pivotal roles in driving development across all sectors of the economy. The CBN is also seeking to ensure the emergence of stronger, healthier and more resilient banks to support the achievement of a $1 trillion economy by 2030 and promote financial stability.

Arewa, who represented the Managing Director of Parthian Partners, Mr. Oluseye Olusoga noted that “we are very optimistic about the successful outcome of the exercise. We have done it before with the 2004 banking recapitalization.”

He noted that in 2004, Nigeria had 89 banks and fragmented industry with a minimum capital base of N2 billion, translating to about $250 million dollars back then.

“Then somebody came up and said, we can build a world-class institution that can survive shocks with a longer-term perspective of the industry. The exercise which lasted for 18 months created uncertainties;  despite all the odds, we got it right,” he said.

Arewa noted that “with today's industry outlook, we have banks that compete favorably in spaces; that were hitherto unimaginable. We have banks that operate internationally. This was not so in 2004.

“In 2004, public sector funds were pulled out systematically from the banks. Banks were made to go after deposits, and that was how retail banking grew. With today's advancement in technology, and in terms of consumer appetite, the current exercise will be successful.”

He declared, “I did a comparison between 2004 and 2024 banking recapitalization.  The minimum benchmark that was set in 2004 was about using the dollars as a benchmark of $250 million minimum. Now, translating what we have today, plus or minus the exchange rate, it comes to about $300 million. So, we are pretty much on the same platform. But we have something different. Back then, it was a flat-out N25 billion".

He noted that “over the last 15 years, we have created a kind of tier system of banking, and we can absorb it."

“Let us not forget, that we have a youthful population, with the average age in the Nigerian population today being 19 years. That means we have more youth than the older generation. So, the appetite has changed. Even if we did not want to change, we would have been forced to change.”

According to him, we have tiers of banks, tiers of microfinance banks, and tiers of FinTech's. With this recapitalization that has started, I am hopeful, as a country, that what happened in 2004 gave us institutional capacity.

Also, the National Chairman of FICAN, Mr. Chima Titus Nwokoji said that Nigeria’s ambition to become a $1 trillion economy by 2025 or 2026 requires bold reforms.

He noted that “this is critical especially now that the country has been ranked the number four biggest economy in Africa by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). A critical step in the recapitalization of banks is the enhancing of their capacity for financial intermediation, to support FinTech's and the real sector.

“Already, there are estimates that the recapitalization of these banks will bring in about N3.3 trillion into the banking system. This comes with its multiplier effects on the economy.”

Vaccination: LASG to introduce Technology Based Solutions to track participation.

Dr. Adebayo Adeniji

The Lagos State Government is to adopt Technology Solutions to enhance access to vaccination, track people who have not immunized their children and serve as a reminder to those who have started so they can complete it.

It will also initiate community health meetings to address challenges that may arise and empower healthcare workers so they can do more. 

The Assistant Immunization Programme Coordinator, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, LSPHCB, Dr. Adebayo Adeniji, made this known at a media dialogue to enhance "Routine Immunization and Reduce Zero Doze Children'', in Lagos. 

According to him, vaccines are crucial to a child's survival, adding that once a child misses any of the vaccines, it may lead to great consequences.

Citing an example, Adeniji said the polio vaccine protects a child against paralysis and death; "if a child misses this crucial vaccine, it could lead to paralysis, permanent disability or death ".

Dr. Adebayo called on the residents to embrace immunization as it increases productivity and saves lives.

On his part, the Immunization Focal Person, Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization, LSPHCB, Dr Ayoade Shoboyejo noted that Lagos State is targeting 80 per cent of the state population on yellow fever vaccination from nine months to 44 years.

He said: ‘’We are targeting 80 per cent of Lagos State population. This exercise is very important. We are expected to cover about 80 per cent of the entire population in Lagos State. It is a huge task for us. 

"We want the media to help us amplify our voices to curb the misconception about vaccination''. Shobayejo stressed 

Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF Field Office for Southwest Nigeria, who addressed some journalists from the Southwest and Edo States, virtually expressed dismay that 2.3 million children still have not received any form of vaccine in Nigeria.

To address the challenge, Lafoucriere said UNICEF is working with the governments and partners to achieve 15 per cent immunization at the 100 prioritized local government areas across 18 states with the highest concentration of zero dose children, noting that, more than 30 per cent would be added to the reduction by 2025.

The UNICEF Chief said, ''I am coming to you this morning with sad news. We still have a very pressing challenge in Nigeria where 2.3 million children still have received no vaccine at all". 

‘’You will remember that UNICEF referred to those children as zero-dose children. They are mostly in marginalized and hard-to-reach areas and vaccination remains very essential to their health and fundamental to every child and remains fundamental to improving the health outcome and reducing inequality. 

‘’She said and I quote, "To address this in Nigeria, UNICEF together with the governments and valued partners like you, we have prioritized 100 local government areas across 18 states with the highest concentration of those zero dose children like Lagos as we are right now in Lagos in collaboration with you". 

We need to join hands to accelerate the rate of immunization in Nigeria. What we want to do is very simple, we want to ensure that by each year, we increase the rate of vaccinating children by 15 per cent. 

Lafoucriere called on the media to catalyze action and share successes with UNICE, saying, "We can build a resilient health system that is capable of reaching each and every child, leaving no one behind no matter where they live to ensure that no child in Nigeria is suffering from preventable diseases’’. 

The theme: ''Achieving the Health Sector SDGs for over Two million Children at Risk of Death in Nigeria.

The 2024 Guild of Editors Conference will be held in Bayelsa to address economic challenges.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) says its annual conference which will be held from November 7 to 9, 2024 in Yeanagoa, Bayelsa State, will focus on strategies and policies aimed at addressing the challenges of the nation’s economy and the media space.

A statement by NGE President, Mr Eze Anaba and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, there is a near consensus among stakeholders that the country needs to push for a wide-ranging and comprehensible set of policies and strategies that will address both the short-term and long-term issues facing it.

It argued that while the poverty rate in the country is put at about 40 % - with an estimated 88 million Nigerians living below the poverty line, the exchange rate, inflation and spiralling energy prices, remain huge concerns to many Nigerians.

The professional body says key experts, actors and players from different sectors: energy, security, money/capital market, regulatory agencies, Big Tech, media and other stakeholders have been invited to start a conversation on the best possible way out of the challenges.

The conference which will be declared open by the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, will have Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State as Chief Host, the NGE and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba and the Founder/Publisher of Vanguard Media Group, Uncle Sam Amuka, as Fathers of the Day.

NDIC Promises Continued Support for Nigeria’s Financial System Stability. By Sherifat Oyediran

Managing Director and Chief Executive of NDIC, Bello Hassan 

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has emphasized its dedication to maintaining financial stability in Nigeria through deposit insurance.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of NDIC, Bello Hassan, disclosed this at the 2024 NDIC Business Editors and Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) Workshop in Lagos.

Mr Bello Hassan stressed the timeliness of the workshop’s theme, “Strengthening Nigeria’s Financial Safety-Net – The Role of Deposit Insurance,” given the dynamic global financial landscape.

He underscored NDIC’s unwavering mission to protect depositors and collaborate with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure banking sector stability.

According to him, NDIC’s core mandates include providing deposit insurance cover, supervising insured financial institutions, resolving distressed banks, and ensuring orderly resolutions in the event of bank failures.

Hassan while noting that confidence in the banking system is crucial, as it is key to maintaining financial system stability said the recent closure of Heritage Bank, whose license was revoked by the CBN in June 2024, exemplifies NDIC’s effective response.

He said acting as liquidator, NDIC swiftly reimbursed depositors, paying insured deposits of up to ₦5 million per depositor within four days of the bank’s closure.

“This was achieved through the innovative use of Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to locate depositors’ alternate accounts.”

Hassan reiterated NDIC’s commitment to paying depositors with balances exceeding the insured limit of ₦5 million through liquidation dividends from the bank’s assets.

The Corporation has initiated debt recovery and asset realization to facilitate timely payment of uninsured deposits.

NDIC’s responsibilities extend to creditors of the defunct bank, who will receive payments after all depositors have been fully reimbursed.

Hassan acknowledged the vital role of the media, civil society groups, and corporate affairs managers in advocating for the deposit insurance system.

The two-day workshop aims to deepen participants’ understanding of NDIC’s role in safeguarding Nigeria’s financial system amidst global and domestic challenges.

This event marks another milestone in NDIC’s efforts to ensure a robust and stable financial safety-net in Nigeria.

The concept of deposit insurance is designed to protect depositors in the event of bank failure and offer a measure of safety for the banking system.

A well-designed financial safety net contributes to the stability of a financial system, but if poorly designed, it may increase risks, notably moral hazard.

In Nigeria, the Deposit Insurance Scheme (DIS) was established by Decree No. 22 of 1988. The NDIC has been instrumental in maintaining financial stability, and its commitment to this mission remains unwavering.

Access to contraceptives by rural dwellers will reduce maternal mortality indices - FP Experts

 

Cultural, religious, and political influences, Poor funding from national, state, and local government authorities and poor access to contraceptive services, especially in rural areas have been identified as some of the reasons militating against the success of Contraceptive use in Nigeria.

Consultant Obstetrician and gynaecologist, Family Planning Service Provider, and Researcher at University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Prof. Josiah Mutihir, stated this during a Webinar put together by Development Communications Network, DevComs, with support from The Challenge Initiative (TCI, Nigeria), titled 'Breaking Barriers: Advancing Access to Family Planning in Resource-Limited Settings'.

Mutihir, with other health professionals, agreed that expanding access to contraception is key to improving health outcomes, reducing maternal mortality, and ensuring young persons can make informed decisions about their reproductive lives.

This year’s theme, “The Power of Options: Empowering Choice, Enhancing Health”,  highlights the importance of diverse contraceptive choices, especially in resource-limited settings like Nigeria, where cultural, economic, and logistical challenges continue to hinder access to essential reproductive health services, he said.

The experts emphasised the need for Nigeria to address high birth rates that opened the country and its citizens to various hardships over the years, despite years of global celebrations aimed at raising awareness, Nigeria continues to face significant barriers in family planning.

Mutihir called attention to the role of contraception in empowering individuals to take control of their reproductive health.

World Contraception Day serves as a platform for sensitising the public on contraception—what it is, its benefits, and how individuals can access it, "it is important to note that, awareness levels are high, with over 90% of both men and women who are knowledgeable about contraception, it is disheartening to note that the usage rate remains alarmingly low at just 17%.". Prof

Furthermore, Nigeria continues to grapple with an unmet need for contraception at 24.8%, revealing a gap between knowledge and access to effective family planning methods.

 Mutihir emphasises that options create choices, and choices are key to empowering individuals to plan their families and futures, pointing out that, "From natural family planning methods to hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices, and permanent solutions, various contraceptive options exist, but access remains a pressing issue, particularly in underserved areas of Nigeria ". He opined

Challenges to Contraceptive Access in Nigeria

Nigeria’s Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has shown minimal improvement with barriers such as Commodity stock-outs and limited availability of contraceptive methods.

Untrained healthcare providers and biases in service provision. 

Lovina Victor Ibiok, Akwa Ibom Health Promotion Officer, advocates educating religious leaders on family planning to dispel misconceptions. “Many believers view contraceptives as immoral, by empowering leaders as influencers, they can promote informed decision-making and encourage followers to adopt family planning methods, improving overall health and well-being,” she said.

Mrs Patricia Osazuwa, Edo State, Director of Nursing Services said, “Comprehensive education on reproductive health and informed decision-making is essential for empowering young people”. 

Isaac Adamu from Plateau emphasised the importance of male involvement in reproductive health decisions, suggesting that Family Planning Champions are crucial in influencing informed choices.

Family Planning Experts say that the benefits of Contraception are A Lifeline for Communities because it extends beyond individual health, as it increases contraceptives.

Lessons on maternal and infant mortality rates,

Improve socio-economic conditions, educational potential, and financial development for women and families and also

Empower women by offering freedom of choice in reproductive health decisions, leading to a better quality of life at the individual, family, community, and national levels" they said.