A Nigerian YALI Fellow dies in the US

It seem so many great people are fallen in this month of June but it's breaks our heart even more that such a young man with a promising future had to bow out so early. Especially at a time when he could have done a lot for his dear country.

It was a black Saturday for many Nigerians as the news broke that John Paul Ojaojogwu Usman, one of the 100 Nigerians selected for year 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship (also known as YALI) in US died on Saturday June 25th. John reportedly had an accident while hiking near the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Before his demise, he was at the school studying Civic Leadership.

As soon as the report of his death was confirmed, the U.S. Mission to Nigeria issued the following statement:

"The U.S. Mission to Nigeria and our colleagues in the United States were deeply saddened to learn of the death of John Paul Ojaojogwu Usman. On June 25, John Paul died due to an accident while hiking near Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he was studying civic leadership as a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow.
We extend our deepest condolences to John Paul’s family and friends over this tragic loss. John Paul was a rising star, devoted to the causes of sustainable development, children’s rights, and peace building in Nigeria. His selection to the Mandela Washington Fellowship was a tribute to his drive, talent, and dedication to making his country’s civil society even stronger. One of John Paul’s professional mentors at Virginia Tech put it best, “While his time with us was short, he was well loved.” This young man will be remembered fondly as a great citizen ambassador of his country. We mourn his passing."

John will be greatly missed but his impact and legacy surely lives on. May his good soul rest in peace!

CALL FOR APPLICATION: Economic Rights of Women

The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) in partnership with Akina Mama WA Afrika (AMwA) is pleased to invite applications from interested and qualified persons to a 5-day training on “Economic Justice for Women working in the Oil and Gas sector”.

The training which is specially designed for African women is scheduled to hold from March 31 - April 4, 2014 in Accra, Ghana with primary focus on "Economic Rights of Women", mainly in Oil and Gas sector.

It also seeks to strengthen the capacities of African women to effectively influence related policies and build a regional network of women in the extractive industry in Nigeria, Liberia and Ghana.

AMwA will cover the costs towards accommodation, air travel and meals. We kindly request that you cater for your medical travel insurance as AMwA does not cover this. 

Eligibility:
Applicants must be from Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia

Application Deadline:
Thursday February 6th, 2014.

Application Link:
http://bit.ly/wacsi-application

Please visit the website for detailed Call for Application, Application form and other important documents.

Completed application forms and MOU forms should be sent to the following email addresses:
· amwa@akinamamawaafrika.org
· vivian@ akinamamawaafrika.org
· policyadvocacy@ wacsi.org

Nigeria: Global Youth Service Day 2013

To commemorate this year's Global Youth Service Day which holds on April 25th, the Public Affairs Section of the United States Mission to Nigeria is bringing together the U.S. Mission personnel, CYFI Fellows, alumni of U.S. sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs as well as other youth groups in a collaborative effort to highlight the importance of health and community service.

Chief Raymond Adekunle Olaiya Akinsemoyin, Baale of Makoko (Traditional ruler) and the entire residence of the Makoko Community, will be hosting the U.S. Mission in a special community program focused on women, children and aged especially.

Date : Thursday, April 25, 2013
Time : 10am - 2pm
Venue: Makoko Anglican Primary School, 25 Makoko Road, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos.

Highlights of the program include the following:

1) Health sensitization/counseling/routine
medical check-up by medical experts
o Blood pressure screening
o General health counseling
o Diabetes screening
o HIV sensitization (Voluntary Screening)
o Drug abuse counseling
o Stress and anxiety counseling
o Family planning counseling
o Counseling on nutrition

2) Educational/Youth Outreach
o Educational/career counseling
o Distribution of educational materials
o Environmental awareness talk
o Distribution of basic needs like cloths/shoes to the needy
o Film screening

Material Drive:
To ensure a successful program, there has been an ongoing “material drive” for members of the community, especially women, children and the aged since April 10th (till April 25th). Drugs, educational and household materials including toys, clothes and shoes will be given out during the event. All donors are required to fill out “Material Collection Sheet” provided by the U.S. Mission to Nigeria so as to calculate the materials and how many people donated during the material drive.

Volunteers:
Interested volunteers (especially medical practitioners) are invited to participate and there are plans to issue certificates to volunteers at the end of the event.

Contact Information:
Clemson Ayegbusi
Public Affairs Section,
U.S. Consulate General,
2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
(+234)-1-460-3603

Twitter:
@lagoscongen, @USEmbassyAbuja, @CYFI_Alumni