From Adeko Ukpa, Abuja

A new chapter in child development advocacy began in Abuja on Thursday, with the official launch of the “My Child’s Psyche Initiative (MCPI),” a foundation committed to transforming the emotional and psychological wellbeing of Nigerian children.

The Initiative aims to promote emotional intelligence, psychological resilience, and holistic growth for the nation’s young generation.

The launch featured the maiden Ultimate Caregiver Enlightenment Symposium & Book Presentation, themed “United in Care: Guiding Hearts, Growing Minds.”

The event drew parents, teachers, and caregivers determined to raise emotionally balanced and resilient children in today’s increasingly complex world.

L-R Hajiya Khadijah Mohammed Isa, Wife of Former Minister of Communications, Mrs Justina Ihenacho, Child’s Righy Advocate, Mrs Ruqayya Tofa-Basheer, Founder Ummi Africa, Dr. Maryam Tukur-Shagaya, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Mrs Eni Ogon, Founder, Broadoaks British School, Hajiya Hadiza Yusuf, SA, Welfare and Community Engagement, North Central Development Commission.

Speaking at the event, Madam Chyna Clifford, child development advocate, children’s book illustrator, and founder of MCPI, said the Initiative was inspired by the need to understand the inner world of children, a world often filled with wonder, dreams, anxieties, and untapped potential. She noted that societal pressures frequently drown out children’s emotions, leaving questions unanswered and feelings overlooked.

According to her, this year’s symposium focused on children on the autism spectrum, providing caregivers and educators with practical strategies to better support their unique developmental and emotional needs.

Madam Clifford stressed that MCPI seeks to bridge the gap between psychology and parenting by equipping caregivers with tools, resources, and knowledge to support children’s emotional and behavioural development both at home and in school.

“Emotional intelligence must be valued as highly as academic achievement if Nigeria is to build a stable, empathetic, and progressive society,” she said.

“If we are serious about raising a generation of emotionally intelligent, morally grounded, and socially responsible leaders, we must first understand the intricacies of a child’s mind. Healing the psyche of the child is healing the future of the nation,” she added.

The launch brought together educators, mental health professionals, and caregivers for a day of learning, reflection, and practical engagement.

Dr. Adaobi Okeke, a guest speaker, delivered a session on “Learning Differences & Neurodiversity (ADHD, Dyslexia & Autism),” highlighting how parents and teachers can better support neurodivergent children both at home and in school.

She also emphasized the need to reduce stress during pregnancy as a critical factor affecting children’s neurodevelopment.

An obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Maryam Tukur-Shagaya, spoke on “Postpartum Struggles and the Emotional Journey of Motherhood,” stressing the importance of supporting the mental wellbeing of new mothers, whose emotional challenges are often overlooked.

The founder of Ummi Women Empowerment Foundation (Ummi Africa), Mrs. Ruqayya Tofa-Basheer, encouraged women to prioritise self-care and work–life balance, offering practical strategies for emotional regulation in high-pressure environments.

An educationist and founder of Broadoaks British School, Mrs. Eni Ogon, highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between schools and parents to ensure children’s mental wellness is nurtured alongside academic development.

The symposium reflected MCPI’s core mission of fostering emotional resilience and holistic development at all stages of childhood.

In closing, the Initiative extended an open invitation to families, educators, and caregivers: “Come, learn, unlearn, and relearn with us – for the sake of the minds we’re nurturing and the future we’re shaping.”

With its official launch, according to the founder, MCPI has positioned itself at the forefront of national conversations on child psychology, emotional wellbeing, and the urgent need to raise a generation that is not only brilliant but also balanced, not only informed but also inspired, and not only successful but genuinely humane.

From Adeko Ukpa

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has condemned in strong terms the recent killing of nine protesting women in Adamawa state by military operatives.

Soldiers had allegedly opened fire on protesting women in the Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Monday.

Also, 51 others were said to have been hospitalised where most of them are still receiving treatment for varying degrees of gunshot wounds, many of them life-threatening.

Frank in a statement in Abuja described the killing of the nine women as “senseless, unforgivable, inhuman and avoidable.”

He noted that the victims – ordinary women, mothers and breadwinners who had stepped out only to protest the insecurity consuming their communities – were met with lethal force when all they sought was protection for their children. “Their only offence was demanding safety,” he lamented.

The incident, which has triggered widespread outrage, adds to what Frank called a mounting record of state violence and military impunity in Nigeria and across Africa.

He cited troubling statistics indicating that over 10,000 Nigerian youths have been killed or disappeared in recent years through military operations and extrajudicial actions.

“This culture of violence and unaccountability must end,” he declared, his voice breaking with emotion.

Frank rejected what he described as the government’s habit of announcing panels of inquiry that ultimately serve as “political theatre” designed to bury justice.

From the #EndSARS killings at Lekki Toll Gate to crackdowns in Cameroon, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, he said, those who issue shoot-to-kill orders have repeatedly escaped responsibility. “This time, we will not accept delays, excuses or another meaningless probe,” he vowed.

The ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East issued a set of demands he said must be met urgently.

He called for the arrest and prosecution of military officers – both those on the ground and their commanders – who played any role in what he described as the “barbaric” slaughter of the Yola Nine.

He insisted that the federal and state governments owe full compensation to the bereaved families, including scholarships for the victims’ children and long-term welfare plans to prevent the tragedy from plunging entire households into destitution. “These women must not die in vain,” he said.

Given what he termed the consistent failure of Nigeria’s justice system to punish human rights violations, Frank urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open investigations into military abuses in Nigeria and across Africa.

Frank who also serves as the Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA, further demanded sanctions, travel bans and international prosecutions for military leaders who authorise or enable the killing of unarmed civilians.

Frank also called on the global community—human rights organisations, civil society groups, women’s coalitions and all citizens—to amplify their voices for the Yola Nine. In a direct appeal, he urged President Donald Trump and the U.S. government to speak out, demand accountability, and support international action.

“The U.S. has shown willingness to stand with oppressed African citizens. We appeal for that moral leadership now,” he stated.

He said the tragedy is more than a national wound; it is “a stain on Africa’s conscience” and a test of whether governments will continue to allow soldiers, whose duty is to protect, to open fire on peaceful citizens without consequence.

“The killing of the Yola Nine is a tragedy Nigeria must not brush aside,” he said. “Justice must be non-negotiable. Accountability must be immediate. And this barbarism must never happen again.”

From Adeko Ukpa

Political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday criticised the Nigerian government for allegedly shielding terrorism financiers while insecurity continues to ravage the country.

Frank said recent steps taken by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and members of the U.S. Congress have “embarrassed and compelled” Nigerian authorities into taking actions they should have initiated long ago.

In a statement, Frank, who also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, expressed appreciation to the U.S. government for what he described as its “genuine concern” for the security of Nigerians.

“I wish to thank President Trump and the good people of the United States who have shown sympathy and support for Nigerians at a time when terrorists and bandits threaten to overrun our nation,” he said.

He also commended U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio for imposing visa restrictions on individuals suspected of sponsoring terrorism, describing it as evidence that America is “more committed to ending insecurity in Nigeria than our own leaders.”

According to Frank, the visa ban announced by Rubio represents “the first serious international move that has forced Nigeria’s government to even pretend to act.”

“Let it be clearly stated: if President Trump had not stepped in, Nigeria’s leaders would still be looking the other way,” he added.

“The U.S. has shown more will, more commitment, and more empathy toward Nigerians than the very government elected to serve and protect them.”

Frank accused the Nigerian government of refusing to release the full list of terror financiers earlier exposed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), insisting that two successive administrations had withheld the names for political reasons.

“The UAE provided the list during the Buhari administration,” he claimed. “Till today the names have not been released because many of those sponsoring terrorism are politically connected. Some are members of the ruling party. That is the truth they do not want Nigerians to know.”

He argued that corruption and political protection have weakened the fight against terrorism, despite the capacity of the Nigerian state to curb the violence.

“The Nigerian government is not helpless. It is simply compromised. And that is why terrorists and bandits have become emboldened enough to threaten the very soul of our country,” he said.

Frank further stated that the U.S. government’s intervention reflects a level of concern and urgency that Nigeria’s leadership has failed to demonstrate.

“The U.S. has no obligation to spend its taxpayers’ money to protect Nigerians, yet President Trump and members of Congress have shown more outrage over the kidnappings, genocide and mass killings than our own government, which continues to act with disturbing indifference,” he said.

He urged Washington not to share any intelligence with Nigerian officials until Abuja releases the full, unedited list of terror financiers as received from the UAE.

“There are terrorist sympathizers within the system. Sharing intelligence with people who may be compromised is dangerous,” he warned. “Until the names are publicly released and prosecuted, no sensitive information should be handed over.”

Frank also criticised the Nigerian government over what he described as misplaced priorities, alleging that while citizens continue to suffer violent attacks, public officials are focused on political spending.

“At a time when Nigerians are being slaughtered daily, the government is busy buying jeeps and cars to prepare for the 2027 elections,” he said. “This shameful display shows exactly where their priorities lie, and it is not with the people.”

Frank, who is also Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA, thanked the U.S. Congress—particularly Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Riley Moore—for supporting efforts to address Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

“On behalf of millions of Nigerians who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, we express profound gratitude to President Trump and the U.S. government,” he said.

“Their intervention has exposed what our own leaders have refused to confront and has given Nigerians renewed hope that this nightmare can end.”