PositiveNaija, Author at PositiveNaija

Funke Abimbola-Akindolie Awarded Member Of The Order Of The British Empire (MBE) [2017]

Funke Abimbola-Akindolie has been conferred the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Prince Charles of England at the Buckingham Palace.

The multiple award-winning Nigerian, who is also the founder of the International Women Leader in Life Sciences Network, was honoured because of her numerous contribution to “help diversify the legal profession”.

Profile of Funke Abimbola-Akindolie

Funke attended Burgess Hill School, West Sussex from 1986-1991. She then attended the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne from 1991-1994 where she obtained her LLB Hons degree.
She worked as an Assistant Solicitor at Campbell Hooper from February 2001-2005. She then moved to the firm of Picton Solicitors where she worked as assistant solicitor January 2006-Dec 2007. From January 2008- 2011, Funke was a senior solicitor at IBB solicitors.
In January 2012, she resumed at Roche as Managing Counsel for UK and Ireland. From June 2015-November 2015 she acted as Company Secretary and in December 2015 she was promoted to her current position of General Counsel and Company Secret
Funke Abimbola-Akindolie is currently the General Counsel and Head of Financial Compliance at Roche, making her the most senior lawyer in the world’s largest biotech firm.

Funke Abimbola-Akindolie’s recognition in legal directories

Leading in-house lawyer, Legal 500 directory since 2012
Leading lawyer from a black ethnic minority background, Black Letter Law since 2012
Expert in corporate/M&A law, Chambers legal directory 2012
Listed in “Who’s who in the law” Legal 500 directory since 2011
Recommended for commercial law, Legal 500 directory 2011
In 2014 she was invited to join the Innovative GC (General Counsel) Club following her ranking in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers report.

Awards and recognitions

2016 Women4Africa – Recognition award for outstanding achievements and contributions
2015 Positive Role Model (Gender) Award, National Diversity Awards 2015 – Winner
Career Woman of the Year Award, Women4Africa 2015 – Winner
Outstanding Woman in Professional Services, Precious Awards 2015 – Winner
Inspiring Member of the Year, Inclusive Network Awards 2015 – Winner
Top 30 Inspirational Woman Champion of Diversity, Brummell Magazine 2015
Outstanding Mother of the Year Award, Women4Africa 2015 – Finalist
Diversity Champion of the Year, Excellence in Diversity Awards 2015 – Finalist
Most Innovative European in-house legal team, Financial Times (Innovative Lawyer Awards) – 2015 ranking
STEM Leader of the Year, Black British Business Awards 2015 – Finalist
Certificate of Merit, British Citizen Awards 2015
Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts

In her spare time, the Member of the Order of the British Empire awardee works as a volunteer for various organizations including Friends of Cancer, Research, UK, Speakers for Schools and Aspiring Solicitors.

Winners Of 2017 Wole Soyinka Award For Investigative Reporting (WSAIR)

Winners have emerged at the 12th edition of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR) at the NECA House, Alausa, Lagos.

Adekunle Yusuf of The Nation Newspaper emerged the Investigative Journalist of the year at the 12th edition of the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR).

Adekunle Yusuf emerged the winner of the print category and the award for his story – Exposed: How corruption, favouritism thrive in UNILORIN, published in The Nation Newspaper. Adekunle is a second time winner, as he won the award in 2015. His story is an uncovering of over four years of hidden corruption cases in the University of Ilorin. The piece, Nyanya blasts: victims’ agonies live on, saw Mojeed Alabi of New Telegraph emerging as the runner-up while Chinwe Agbeze of Businessday was commended for her story, Cheese Balls Company where slavery goes on.

Soyombo Olufisayo, a third time winner of the award, with a story published on The Cable, Undercover: in Borno, children are dying at IDP camps, foodstuffs are ‘disappearing’ at SEMA store, won the online category. Premium Times’ Kemi Busari emerged the runner-up for the piece, Investigation: corruption, extortion reign at Nigeria Immigration passport office. Ebere Ndukwu of Ripples Nigeria on the other hand, was commended for his work, Investigation: Aregbesola and the scam called Opon-Imo.

For the photo category, Ayodele Ojo, a 2016 runner-up, won for his photo, Law of jackboot published in Daily Sun Newspaper. VIO being molested by hoodlums for trying to arrest a traffic offender, a picture published in Leadership Newspaper made Kolawole Aliu the runner-up. Ayodele Adeniran of The Guardian Newspaper was commended for his entry, Tragedy as another three-storey building collapses in Lagos.

Local rice: the bitter, sweet side of an economy driven by women by Ujorha Tadaferua of Daily Trust Newspaper won the newly introduced Special prize for Agriculture and Food Security. Abdulazeez Musa, of Oxfam Nigeria, explained that the partnership with the WSCIJ would help journalists highlight the real issues affecting agriculture and food security in Nigeria.

The winners got cash prizes of Two Hundred Thousand Naira, award plaque, two terra-byte hard drives, certificate of commendation and will proceed on an international study tour in 2018. Meanwhile, editorial cartoon, television and radio categories failed to produce winners.

For the honorary awards, Edetaen Ojo, received the Lifetime Award for Journalistic Excellence for his leadership of issues that enshrine freedom of expression, including his significant contribution towards the passage and implementation of the Freedom of Information Act in Nigeria. In his acceptance remark, Ojo said he felt honoured to receive the award by his peers who have been involved in the struggle for freedom of information with him. He is the eleventh recipient of the award.

Obiageli Ezekwesili, was conferred the Anti-Corruption Defender Award. Fondly referred to as ‘Madam due process’, Ezekwesili is the ninth recipient of the award. Accepting the award, she said journalists are in a noble profession that is explicitly enshrined in the constitution. She enjoined everyone to assume the office of the citizen and hold government accountable so that officers in elective positions would have no excuse but perform.

In his remark, Wole Soyinka congratulated the winners, adding that the Nigerian media is considered one of the foremost and most interesting all over the world. While also applauding the award recipients, Lai Oso, the Chair, 2017 Judges Board, observed that going by the entries, much needs be done in the continuous education of journalists. He affirmed that mere feature stories are not necessarily synonymous to investigative stories.

In her statement on the brutality of citizens by state security agents in commemoration of the world anti-corruption and human right days, Motunrayo Alaka, the Coordinator of the WSCIJ, noted that the centre has since inception supported investigations on the brutality of armed security agents on Nigerians. She reeled out investigative stories ranging from extra-judicial killings, to torture of Nigerians, done by some of the centre’s Soyinka Laureates. She then called on the government to put an end to the ‘rain of terror’ on citizens by those with the constitutional mandate of protecting them.

The 2017 Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR) had Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel Laureate in Literature and grand patron of the centre; Femi Falana, lawyer and human rights activist; Michel Deelen, Deputy Ambassador to the Kingdom of Netherlands; Abdulazeez Musa, Head, Influencing and Public Engagement, Oxfam in Nigeria; and Nneka Ijeoma, Manager Policy Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria, among others in attendance.

Held first in October 2005, to develop investigative tradition among journalists, the Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting (WSAIR) has produced 83 finalists, 41 Soyinka laureates, 28 runner-ups, 16 commended works and 18 honorary awards so far.

Aruna Quadri: 1st In Africa, 21st In The World [2017]

Aruna Quadri has set a new personal record for Nigeria and himself as he is now ranked 21 in the end-of-the-year ranking released by the International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF.

The ranking was released on the 7th of December 2017 by the world table tennis ruling body.

The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, NTTF, in a statement said:

“This has helped him to displace Egypt’s Omar Assar as the continent’s best-ranked player in the world.

In spite of not matching the record set by Assar as the first African ranked among the top 20 in the world, Quadri ends the year as the highest-ranked African in the latest rating.’’

Following victories over top-ranked players at the Swedish Open, Aruna Quadri amassed 50 points to improve from 2457 to 2507 points to be rated 21 in the world ranking.

Prior to this latest ranking, the best achieved by Aruna Quadri in the world rating was 25 and with this, he has set a new record for Nigeria and himself.

Assar’s failure to be more active seems to have affected his rating, as the Egyptian dropped from 20 to 26 in the latest ranking.

In the words of the President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon:

“The feat is commendable as Quadri continues to put Nigeria and Africa on the world map with his scintillating performance at global stage.

We are excited about this latest ranking and this goes to show that our efforts are paying off and what we just need to do is to ensure we unearth and nurture more players like Quadri.

Also, the young players should take a cue from Quadri in terms of his diligence, professionalism and dedication to the trade.

I hope and believe they can follow his footsteps in their career to make it to the top.”

In the women’s ranking, Egypt’s Dina Meshref dropped to 110 from 92.

However, she still remains Africa’s best-ranked female player in the world, while Funke Oshonaike’s lack of playing time at global level continues to have a negative effect.

She dropped from 227 to 262 in the latest ranking.

FMC Umuahia Records Successful First Kidney Transplant [2017]

The Federal Medical Centre, FMC Umuahia, Abia State has successfully carried out its first kidney transplant.

The first kidney transplant, which was carried out on two patients was conducted free of charge. The surgery commenced on Thursday, December 7 and was completed on Friday morning around 10:00 a.m.

This decision of the free surgery, according to the management of FMC Umuahia is aimed at offering kidney transplant services to improve quality of life, minimise medical tourism as well as provide affordable kidney transplantation in Nigeria.

The surgical procedure was carried out by team of surgeons led by Dr. Obi Ekwenna from University of Toledo Medical centre, USA and other surgeons from FMC Umuahia. It lasted more than ten hours in between procurement of kidney from the donor and actual transplanting for the recipient.

Relatives of the beneficiaries who have been undergoing dialysis expressed gratitude to the management for the gesture and expressed optimism for its sustainability.

One of the beneficiaries, Orji Ogbonnaya, a 37-year-old man who has been going through dialysis for four years said:

“This is a great plan for people like us who cannot travel outside the country to do the surgery, because they do not have the finances to go outside the country, but right now, we have kidney transplant at our doorstep and it is free for us as the beginners of the place, so I appreciate it.”

In the words of Dr. Obi Ekwenna on the Centre’s first kidney transplant:

“This is a team effort and that is what is required to have a successful transplant. We want to be able to save the life of patients who have kidney failure around this area and we target for that, it is just me from United States and the rest of the surgeons here. They are all very capable and obviously with some guidance we are able to do a successful kidney transplant.

The recipient is doing beautifully and the donor is moving around, the donors are the heroes, they are amazing people that come forward to save life and they will live a normal life.”

According to the Chief Medical Director (CMD), FMC Umuahia, Dr. Abali Chuku, the decision to offer kidney transplant free of charge for two patients is aimed at bridging the gap in obtaining quality healthcare due to the financial burden.

He said about 10 centers in Nigeria are providing kidney transplantation but all the ten centers are outside the south-eastern area. So, the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia introduced the service within in order to add value to the health sector.

According to Dr. Abali Chuku:

“Now the incidence of this kidney diseases is about seven percent of admitted patients. The alternative which is usually very expensive is kidney transplantation and a lot of them cannot afford it and it becomes a bit challenging for such patients and the dialysis cost is also quite high.

This kidney transplantation is a skill transfer session which the Federal Medical Centre hopes to run for four years to enable the centre to fully optimise the transfer of skills from the partnership with the University of Toledo Medical Centre.”

Kingsley Osamede Wins 2017 NCDMB Essay Competition

Kingsley Osamede, has won the annual oil and gas essay competition organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

An undergraduate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, Kingsley Osamede, 20-year-old Osamede, is a 200-level student of Medicine and Surgery at the university.

The undergraduate, who aims to become a specialist consultant after his MBBS degree, was rewarded with a cash prize of ₦500,000, a laptop and a plaque.

Kingsley Osamede overcame Augustine Ekele, a 200-level student of Dentistry and Dental Surgery at UNIBEN; Victory Williams of Federal University, Otuoke; Elizabeth Ezekiel, a student of Medicine and Surgery, Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma and Mayeroghene Obodoya of Delta State University, Abraka, to win the coveted award.

Osamede, overjoyed by the win and prize, vowed to rescind his earlier decision to travel abroad to practice after his graduation, saying he now discovered that a lot of opportunities abound in Nigeria.

The winner, who read the winning essay to the admiration of the audience, advocated local content in every sector of the country’s economy in order to drive sustainable growth and development of the country.

In his welcome address, the Project Consultant, Mr. Eyinimi Omorozi, commended the management of NCDMB for organising the competition.

He said the project was intended to promote academic excellence among university and polytechnic students.

He also said it was aimed at creating awareness for Nigerians, especially the youth who are the real drivers of the Nigerian content initiative to build local capacities and competencies for indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry and develop the talent to create value from that opportunity.

He said the whole idea was institutionalised in line with the established mandate of the NCDMB to partner other organisations to organise conferences, workshops, seminars, training and other public education fora to further the attainment of the goal of developing Nigerian content.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Commissioner for Education, Bayelsa State, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, said capacity development was imperative in developing the country.

In his words:

“Today I am happy that we have come to develop using the essay competition, the mind of our young ones who definitely will take over from us as the future of our great country.”

Lola Alonge Wins 2017 UN Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Award

Mrs. Lola Alonge has won the 2017 Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) award organised by the United Nations.

Mrs. Lola Alonge who is the Executive Director of Child Health Advocacy Initiative (CHAI) emerged the nutrition champion for Nigeria and was among the 18 shortlisted out of 50 nominations, for the award at the UN global level.

The Nigerian child health activist became victorious after competing with various first ladies for the prominent award.

Scaling up nutrition (SUN) is a United Nations global movement to scale up nutrition and end malnutrition in various countries.

For over 20 years, Mrs. Alonge has spear-headed awareness campaign on breastfeeding through her NGO – Child Health Advocacy Initiative.

She played a vital role in moving nutrition and breastfeeding agenda forward through collaboration and support to government institutions, private sector and the media.

She is the author of two books titled: “Breastfeeding made easy” and “Baby and Child Care”.

The award is to create a platform to continue to advocate for good nutrition and end malnutrition in Nigeria.