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ECOWAS steps up humanitarian assistance to Mali
ABUJA – The ECOWAS Commission will present Mali with about half a million US dollars in food aid within the next few weeks to support populations adversely affected by that country’s political and security crises, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Gender, Dr. Adrienne Diop announced in Bamako on Monday 18th November 2013.
In an address at a ceremony for the official deployment of twenty (20) members of the ECOWAS Emergency Response Team (EERT) in the country, the Commissioner said the food items, which include rice, were being procured with the facilitation of the World Food Programme (WFP).
In the address read by Ambassador Tcheaka Toure, Special Representative of the ECOWAS Commission’s President to Mali, the Commissioner recalled that apart from mobilizing international, political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the Malian crises, the regional organization has also rallied international financial support for post-conflict reconstruction of the country.
In April 2012, ECOWAS donated US$3 million dollars to Mali and another
US$1.5 million to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger to support Malian populations displaced by the conflict.
The Commissioner thanked UN organizations including the refugee agency, UNHCR, WFP, International Organization for Migration and other partners for their various contributions to the Commission and ECOWAS Member States.
She also commended EERT contributing countries and urged the team members to respect the ECOWAS core values, international humanitarian principles as well as Malian cultural values and people in their areas of deployment.
“You are ECOWAS ambassadors and must conduct yourselves with dignity to protect the image of our common organization, ECOWAS,” the Commissioner added.
Mali’s Minister of Labour, Social and Humanitarian Affairs, Mr.
Hamadou Konate, who presided at the ceremony, expressed the gratitude of the Malian Government and people to ECOWAS and its Member States, for coming to the aid of the country during its time of need.
He explained that the conflict which broke in Mali last year had unleashed an unprecedented burden of refugees, internally displaced persons and other socio-economic and humanitarian adverse effects on the country.
The Minister expressed the hope that the ECOWAS deployment would help strengthen the capacity of the country in addressing the humanitarian challenges and thereby facilitate its post-conflict reconstruction and recovery.
The Acting Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Mali, Mr. Noel Tsekouras commended ECOWAS for its laudable humanitarian initiatives and pledged his organization’s willingness to partner with the regional economic bloc to deliver on the objectives of the humanitarian support.
Speaking earlier at the beginning of a four-day pre-deployment training for the 20 EERT members, the UNOCHA official called for more international support for post-conflict recovery of Mali, noting that only 38% of the US$477 million appeal fund for the country had been received.
It is estimated that the Malian crises produced more than 169,000 refugees with another 311,000 internally displaced persons, with some
1.3 million people needing immediate food assistance in the north of the country.
Also, of the estimated 800,000 school age children in the country of some 16.5 million people, only 500,000 have been provided for in the
2013/14 academic year.
As part of the training on Monday, the EERT members being deployed for three months received briefings from UN Development Programme officials on the general situation in Mali, as well as on the security situation by Mr. Soulemane Thioune, the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) chief of MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali.
In his welcoming remarks, the ECOWAS Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr. Daniel Eklu enjoined the humanitarian support team to be mindful of the importance of their responsibility, while an ECOWAS consultant on humanitarian affairs, Mr. Alphonse Malanda, a former UNHCR Representative in Nigeria with accreditation to ECOWAS, outlined the team’s functions as well as do’s and don’ts.
The deployment by ECOWAS, with UNOCHA support, is within the framework of a regional Humanitarian Assistance. Four of the team members would be seconded to the UNHRC to support its voluntary repatriation and reintegration programme in Mali.
ABUJA – The ECOWAS Commission will present Mali with about half a million US dollars in food aid within the next few weeks to support populations adversely affected by that country’s political and security crises, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Gender, Dr. Adrienne Diop announced in Bamako on Monday 18th November 2013.
In an address at a ceremony for the official deployment of twenty (20) members of the ECOWAS Emergency Response Team (EERT) in the country, the Commissioner said the food items, which include rice, were being procured with the facilitation of the World Food Programme (WFP).
In the address read by Ambassador Tcheaka Toure, Special Representative of the ECOWAS Commission’s President to Mali, the Commissioner recalled that apart from mobilizing international, political and diplomatic efforts to resolve the Malian crises, the regional organization has also rallied international financial support for post-conflict reconstruction of the country.
In April 2012, ECOWAS donated US$3 million dollars to Mali and another
US$1.5 million to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger to support Malian populations displaced by the conflict.
The Commissioner thanked UN organizations including the refugee agency, UNHCR, WFP, International Organization for Migration and other partners for their various contributions to the Commission and ECOWAS Member States.
She also commended EERT contributing countries and urged the team members to respect the ECOWAS core values, international humanitarian principles as well as Malian cultural values and people in their areas of deployment.
“You are ECOWAS ambassadors and must conduct yourselves with dignity to protect the image of our common organization, ECOWAS,” the Commissioner added.
Mali’s Minister of Labour, Social and Humanitarian Affairs, Mr.Hamadou Konate, who presided at the ceremony, expressed the gratitude of the Malian Government and people to ECOWAS and its Member States, for coming to the aid of the country during its time of need.
He explained that the conflict which broke in Mali last year had unleashed an unprecedented burden of refugees, internally displaced persons and other socio-economic and humanitarian adverse effects on the country.
The Minister expressed the hope that the ECOWAS deployment would help strengthen the capacity of the country in addressing the humanitarian challenges and thereby facilitate its post-conflict reconstruction and recovery.
The Acting Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Mali, Mr. Noel Tsekouras commended ECOWAS for its laudable humanitarian initiatives and pledged his organization’s willingness to partner with the regional economic bloc to deliver on the objectives of the humanitarian support.
Speaking earlier at the beginning of a four-day pre-deployment training for the 20 EERT members, the UNOCHA official called for more international support for post-conflict recovery of Mali, noting that only 38% of the US$477 million appeal fund for the country had been received.
It is estimated that the Malian crises produced more than 169,000 refugees with another 311,000 internally displaced persons, with some
1.3 million people needing immediate food assistance in the north of the country.
Also, of the estimated 800,000 school age children in the country of some 16.5 million people, only 500,000 have been provided for in the
2013/14 academic year.
As part of the training on Monday, the EERT members being deployed for three months received briefings from UN Development Programme officials on the general situation in Mali, as well as on the security situation by Mr. Soulemane Thioune, the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) chief of MINUSMA, the UN mission in Mali.
In his welcoming remarks, the ECOWAS Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Dr. Daniel Eklu enjoined the humanitarian support team to be mindful of the importance of their responsibility, while an ECOWAS consultant on humanitarian affairs, Mr. Alphonse Malanda, a former UNHCR Representative in Nigeria with accreditation to ECOWAS, outlined the team’s functions as well as do’s and don’ts.
The deployment by ECOWAS, with UNOCHA support, is within the framework of a regional Humanitarian Assistance. Four of the team members would be seconded to the UNHRC to support its voluntary repatriation and reintegration programme in Mali.
Embattled Nigerian pastor and founder of SPAC Nation, Tobi Adegboyega, has defended his opulent lifestyle, claiming it serves to inspire young people rather than flaunt wealth.
This statement comes amid a UK Immigration Upper Tribunal ruling ordering his deportation over visa violations.
Adegboyega, 44, faced accusations of overstaying his visitor visa, which expired after he arrived in the UK in 2005.
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He had applied to remain in the country on human rights grounds. The tribunal, however, ruled against him, citing his failure to regularize his status.
The pastor’s luxurious lifestyle, including designer clothing and expensive cars, was a focal point of the case.
Addressing the tribunal, Adegboyega stated that his lifestyle is fully funded by his wife, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 annually at AON.
He said, “I live with my partner, Mary Olubukola Alade, who earns £100,000 per year working for AON. I spend my time working for the church, for which I am unpaid. I am entirely supported by Mary. I have a first-class law degree from Nigeria, but I have ‘sacrificed’ my legal career to help those who cannot help themselves.”
Defending his appearance, Adegboyega emphasized the importance of projecting success to his young congregation.
The court noted, “For instance, people have pointed to the fact that he wears designer clothing and drives expensive cars. He was adamant that all of his personal possessions had been paid for by Mary.
“He believes it is important for him to dress the way that he does because he needs to inspire these young people – they need to understand that there are legitimate ways of making money, for instance through entrepreneurship.”
Despite the ruling, Adegboyega dismissed the deportation concerns as insignificant.
“I’m right here at home, no cause for alarm. Naturally, I will dismiss things that have to do with retrogression; every Nigerian should be proud of me. Living in the UK, a city that is well known for pulling people down, I have survived all sorts, so the matter that they are propagating is the smallest matter,” he said.
He further expressed confidence in his resilience. “No panic, I love London city, it is my city, and nobody can do anything. Of all the people of colour you know here – pastors and leaders – I have survived everything. I’m here, I am at home, nobody should panic for me.
“I succeeded well in this country despite all challenges, and I’m in the league of people you look up to. I have survived that well; nothing has changed, nothing will change,” he added.
Amid the growing controversy surrounding the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Aare Afe Babalola has publicly addressed the defamation allegations leveled against Farotimi.
The legal action stems from claims made in Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which Babalola asserts contains false and defamatory statements about him and his law firm, Afe Babalola & Co.
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In a petition dated November 19 and submitted to the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Akinwale, Babalola accused Farotimi of making “criminally defamatory” statements about him, his law firm, and two senior lawyers at his firm, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro.
The defamatory remarks are tied to the Supreme Court case Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
Babalola revealed that the allegations came to light when one of his lawyers purchased Farotimi’s book while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport.
After reading the book, the lawyer immediately brought its contents to Babalola’s attention.
Other members of his firm reportedly did the same, prompting the senior lawyer to take legal action.
In his petition, Babalola pointed to specific passages in Farotimi’s book that accused him of corruption and unethical conduct. The petition reads:
“I write to report the criminal defamation of myself, my law firm Afe Babalola & Co., and my lawyers, Olu Daramola SAN and Ola Faro, by one Dele Farotimi in his book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, published by Dele Farotimi Publishers, in respect of Suit No. SC/146/2005: Major Muritala Gbadamosi Eletu & Ors v. H.R.H. Oba Tijani Akinloye & Ors.
“Sometime on 2/11/2024, one of our lawyers, while traveling through Murtala Muhammed Airport, bought a book by Dele Farotimi titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’. He read the book and immediately brought it to my attention. Many of my lawyers also bought the book and read it.”
“The defamatory statements are as follows:
- That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his client.
- That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro, and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had, when they went back to the Supreme Court and got the Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation.”
Babalola strongly denies the allegations, claiming that they are false and damaging to both his personal reputation and the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
Nigerian author and activist Dele Farotimi’s book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, has surged to bestseller status on Amazon amid a legal battle with prominent lawyer and businessman, Afe Babalola.
The controversy surrounding the book has captivated public attention, driving both online and offline demand.
The book, which critiques systemic corruption in Nigeria’s judiciary and highlights alleged misconduct by key legal figures, saw modest sales following its release in July 2024.
Related News: NBA Demands Release Of Dele Farotimi, Condemns Police Actions
However, Farotimi’s arrest on Tuesday, following a petition filed by the 93-year-old Babalola, triggered a wave of public curiosity.
By Thursday evening, it had climbed to the top of Amazon’s bestseller rankings, according to checks by Vanguard. Bookstores across Nigeria also reported a significant uptick in demand.
Biztellers reports that Farotimi was detained in Lagos by armed police officers and transported to Ado Ekiti, about 300 kilometers northeast of the city, where Babalola is based.
The senior lawyer alleged that the book accused him of compromising Nigeria’s judiciary—a claim that has sparked heated debates about freedom of speech and accountability in the legal profession.
On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in an Ekiti court, where the judge ordered his remand pending a bail hearing scheduled for December 10.
Farotimi’s legal team has vowed to contest the charges, framing the case as an attack on intellectual freedom.
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