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Funmi Iyanda Discusses Almajiri Child Rights On Episode 6 of Public Eye

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“The entire society needs to wake up to the fact that it is dangerous to let these Almajiri children remain on the streets.”- Mr Yakubu Lamal on Public Eye.

On Sunday, December 6th, 2020, Funmi discussed the plight of Almajiri children with the founder of the Almajiri Child Rights Initiative, Mohammed Sabo Keana, a child rights advocate, Helen Obiageli Oshikoya, and the Director-General, Directorate of Strategic Communication and Press Affairs to the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Yakubu Lamal.

Almajirinci is a practice dating back to the 1500s, where young boys/girls receive religious training from an Islamic tutor. This practice which once produced clerks and scholars fluent in Arabic now feeds the number of young, illiterate, unskilled, homeless young men in a region ravaged by insecurity and terror groups.

A documentary highlighted two of such boys, repatriated by the Almajiri Child Rights Initiative to their hometown of Shagari in Sokoto. The young children, who could not have been older than 12, expressed their joy at the repatriation. They revealed that they want to get a wonderful education, however, their parents are of little means.

This led Mr Keana to comment, “The government as an institution has the primary responsibility to protect children from exploitation, abuse, and neglect. The failure of the government and society to get angry at the situation is just unimaginable.”

Funmi, in turn, asked. “Why have we not gotten angry at the sight of almajiri children? Why are we not angry to see children on the streets in that deplorable condition?”

According to Ms Oshikoya, “We’ve become insensitive as a nation. We associate begging with the North. We see children begging for money and think they are just Northern beggars. But we cannot understand that no child from the North, South, East, or West should be begging.”

In the next segment, Funmi sat with a representative of the government as an institution – the Director-General, Directorate of Strategic Communication and Press Affairs to the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Yakubu Lamal. He revealed the comprehensive plans the Nasarawa State government had set out to reform the Almajiri practice in the state before the outbreak of COVID-19.

“The governor set up a study team and passed the bill for the Child Protection Law, banning street begging in Nasarawa. The model we used was planned and meticulous. We spoke to Quranic Reciters and Tsangaya Mallams to reform the Almajiri process. We repatriated the Almajiri children and registered mallams. We are done being politically correct. We are just being honest.”

“The insurgency in the North-East refuses to go away because these vulnerable children can be conscripted and fed distorted religious teachings. The entire society needs to wake up to the fact that it is dangerous to let these children remain on the streets.”


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

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MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.

The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.

Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.

Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.

By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.

Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.

“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.

“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”

MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.

Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.

Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.

The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.

 


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IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

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International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World's Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.

Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.

According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.

He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.

Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.

According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.

He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.

Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.

IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.


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NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

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The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.

 The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

 Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.

Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.


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