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Being just one mother in Nigeria is bad enough being an unmarried teenage mother is worse. Every Nigerian parent's nightmare is usually to offer an unwed daughter at 30 and above, but exactly what can drive them totally crazy is, when their teenage daughter (still in secondary school) comes home and announces that she is pregnant and she or he cannot say precisely who the dad from the child is.
Many Nigerians have disowned pregnant teenage daughters (that are daughters that know the daddy of these child!). Nigerians don't especially like being gossiped about, they'll rather gossip about someone than have people gossip about them. Having an unwed thirty year old daughter is one area neighbours would enjoy gossiping about, but developing a teenage pregnant daughter? You will not only be gossiped about, your pregnant daughter could be the butt of each pregnant joke!
These are some with the challenges teenage mothers face in Nigeria
Teenage mothers tend to be socially ostracized, because every parent within the neighbourhood will tag a teenage mother as «bad news.» Some parents will warn their daughters and sons to guide away from that «ashewo (prostitute)» since they fear that their kids could be corrupted by the immoral methods for a teenage mother.
Teenage mothers are often not respected by men, because most Nigerian men feel that anyone who is silly enough to get pregnant in their teens has to be sexually loose, stupid and ill bred. They would always see you as a technique of sexually gratifying themselves and wouldn't normally offer a second thought about you when they've satisfied their urge.
Teenage mothers in many cases are judge by the society; they perceive her as not serious, careless and an immoral person. They would often aim mean spirited gossip at teenage mothers as well as their parents. They would bad-mouth her person to perform strangers or interested suitors. If any man shows curiosity about wooing her (especially when she is in her own 20's), a lot of people will discourage the person and simply tell him such things as «do you understand she had an infant in her own teens? No one knows who the father from the baby is. Please browse around, as there are other decent girls in the community»
Single teenage mothers never live down their mistake, as there is always someone somewhere reminding them of the items they did of their past.
Some teenage girls are not in a position to finish their education because some parents will claim that the girl should stay back and raise her child (it's mess, fix it!).
Most Nigerians are quite conservative; the society believes that it is parent's duty to guard the female child from defilement, of course, if your daughter gets pregnant without having to be married, you've got failed inside your duty as being a responsible parent(s).
There are some times when young children deny the paternity of their unborn babies, they accuse your ex of sleeping around and many people believe them because conservative Nigerians believe that no decent secondary school girl needs to be having sexual intercourse inside first place.

Forty years back when the most of foreign aid practices and packages were conceived, the Western world thought the Third World poor because of monetary lack; a misunderstanding that though now considered to be false, has not been corrected.

Instead money is continually dumped into countries with corrupt governments who misspend the millions of dollars. The United States has supplied Nigeria with foreign aid for a long time, with little to exhibit to the effort on either side with the exchange.
Nigeria continues to be known previously for the violent and severe political practices implemented by its extremist military leaders. With the recent formation with the first true Nigerian democracy, the corruption which was a staple of the old regime still continues largely unchecked. This corruption stains most state agencies that may use the help US foreign aid brings. The availability of electricity is sporadic at finest in Nigeria; forget good clean water for any use, or anything decent to eat. A majority of common Nigerian people exist on lower than roughly the same as two dollars per day. Does other people see anything wrong using this picture?
Studies both abroad and also at home show that nations who receive the aid of others whether it is as goods or services tend to be impacted negatively, despite each of the world's good intentions. Giving food to low income areas often bankrupts local farmers; giving money to governments who will be surely going to divert becoming faraway from the needs in the common man as it can is really a fool's errand, no real may come than it in any respect, for it only props up a decaying system that would excel to wither and die. Most disturbing of most really are a lack of figures supporting a good relationship between aid and subsequent economic, political, and social prosperity. Billions of dollars are already channeled from your West in the African continent, and despite everything nations are only imploding from their own greed, poverty, and corruption.
Skeptics of foreign aid insist that inspite of the well-intended ideal of impacting the expansion and actions of terrorist groups by lending outside assistance to developing nations, little has actually come in the enormous amount and variety of aid that has become dispensed in the post-9/11 years. While some short-term aid might be effective, the majority of long-term aid projects, including those involving the US and Nigeria, are doomed to failure from their inception. Most aid visits waste in nations which may have a corrupt or inept government; and whether by accident or design, this kind of government exists in Nigeria though much continues to be implemented to get this to fiction rather than the sad proven fact that it really is known to be.
Nations like Nigeria are indeed needing aid, although not by means of money, clothes or even food. Nigeria needs jobs, the faith of the people of their government, as well as a sound economy which will grow and prosper in the years into the future.

Concerned individuals from the Southwest are still responding to the recent entry of Lagos State into the regional business outfit, Oodua Investment Group. While many said the action would drive the socio economic integration of the area, others are of the opinion that with all the inclusion of Lagos, the dream supporting the investment company has just come true, as the group was never Lagos state whole without the state.

Special Adviser to Governor of Lagos State on overseas affairs and investment, (Lagos Global), Professor Abass http://africa.kplaces.com Adewole said it took a while for Lagos to join the group because it used to be the Federal capital territory (FCT), so it could not be seen as a Yoruba state until the FCT was moved to Abuja. Additionally, it wasn't a priority for preceding governments.

Many have welcomed the idea with great excitement. Some believe Oodu'a is finally complete with the inclusion of Lagos State. It is seen by others as a mutually beneficial relationship.

«The admission of Lagos into the group is not only a promotion for the state, but also the completion of Oodu'a itself. I'm joyful that Lagos has finally joined the Oodu'a group, which can now say it is whole. Using a population of about 22million individuals, and N136b GDP, and the reality that 95 percent of foreign direct investment (FDI) comes to Lagos, the state is anticipated to be a heart. We're expecting that other Southwest states can begin thinking of regional infrastructural development. Like it is completed in Europe and a few other countries, there is need for regional transportation system between member states. And today the circle is finished, it's going to make things simpler. Additionally, there's demand to get a central educational system in even health infrastructure and the region, which will become more easy to create. The benefits are enormous; states will even have the capacity to latch to their development ability, because of the drive and agenda for several members of the area,» he said.

For the Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission (MORNING), Mr. Oladipo Famakinwa, synergy for improvement is significant for Oodua states, notably in terms of economies of scale and investment.

«Lagos will come on board to synergize and fortify what's on ground to improve the firm's fortunes. The dynamics of state building is one of the reasons why it took so long for it to happen. Some things occur early, but others happen after because it takes force of character consultation and political will for this to happen. DAYBREAK is a programme management body for the actualisation of regional integration agenda.

Chairman of Oodu'a Group, Dr. Isaac Akintade, said the listing of Lagos in Oodua Group comes with huge prospects for all the parties involved.

According to him, there is a whole lot to get in terms of economy, culture, social interactions and strategic partnership among others.

Akintade clarified that evaluation of assets to decide the new shareholding structure procedure and the worth is continuing.

»What we are now doing is to evaluate all Oodu'an assets to ascertain the overall value. It is going to be with what Lagos brought into it, which will be shared evenly divided evenly. Economically, we've got numerous investments in Lagos, and it's also likely to form economic bloc since there are a lot of things we can do together for combined regional development," he said.

The group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Oodua Investment group, Mr. Adewale Raji, said Oodua investment group wasn't a whole thing because of Lagos State's absence, which he said was once in the group up till the development of states in 1967, noting that its entrance was merely a repeat of history.

«Taking a step back into history, what currently is geographically called Lagos State was all part of Western Region, before the creation of States in 1967. Subsequently, Western Region started from Jibowu, Yaba and comprises all of that which we realize as old Ikeja, Epe and Ikorodu Sections. The truth is the entire Ikeja Industrial Estates around Oba Akran Avenue, Adeniyi Jones and Ogba were developments of the then Western Region government in their geographical jurisdiction. In essence, the rejoining of Lagos State and accepting them it back into Oodua Group is clearly a repeat of history,» he said.

On the anticipated impact of Lagos in the group, he said, «We look forward to great changes with Lagos State joining Oodua. The scale of synergy that individuals mean to reach is geometric rather than arithmetic. Our membership can be six from five and the expectations of stakeholders and the owner states are that we are not seeking an economic and societal effect of six, but that of 20 and much more. Extensive complementarities of the six states are anticipated. The commercial and fiscal muscles of Lagos will Nigerian strengthen Oodua Group to play optimally on scale and a regional basis. Lagos will bring increased ability and possibly added drive and vigour to the Group.

»Lagos is the commercial heart of Nigeria and its own membership of Oodua Group allows us to take regional integration as the basis of our strategic thrust. In our strategic planning, the whole South West region as well as the comparative advantages of its constituent states will be predominant. Lagos, with economic foundation that is vibrant and its enormous population, needs support of the whole area in several crucial areas, particularly the adjoining states for complimentary infrastructural development on transport, housing, food supply, etc. Basically, you can find mutual gains accruing to Lagos and other Oodua states with this particular development."

On the probability of forming a regional economic block, using Oodua group, Raji said there would be emergence of a regional economic block, as an effect of the approval of Lagos into the group, including that economic development would be hastened with sustainable impact.

Oodu'an Investment Company Limited, also understood, as Oodu'a Group is a conglomerate with diversified subsidiaries, which include Cocoa Industries Limited in Ikeja, Epe Plywood Industries Limited and Oodu'a Print and publishing Co. Ltd. The Group holds positions in Nigerite Ltd. and Lafarge Cement WAPCO Plc. Oodu'a Group can be a player in the hospitality industry in Nigeria with hotels such as Premier, Lagos Airport Hotel Ikeja and Lafia Resorts both in Ibadan among others.

YUDALA, Nigeria's first authentic composite online and offline retail chain established in August last year, has added another critical feather to its achievement, by coming out on top of a list recently put together by world's leading search engine Google, emphasizing the top 10 trending Nigerian brands of 2015.

Captures the top brands, which found the highest spike in traffic over a sustained period this past year and kept the interest of Nigerians.

Based on Google, Yudala had made huge waves in the market following the launching of Yudala Online in August 2015, especially with its ground-breaking guarantee to provide purchases via drones. Reports of its first successful drone-powered drop-off in November had subsequently kept Nigerians speaking for the remaining entire year.

Interestingly, Yudala is the only e-commerce outfit as there was no place for any other brand in the sector on the list, among others propping up the list, with the likes of Uber Smile Communications and Innjoo recognized by Google.

Speaking on the latest acknowledgement, Yudala, Founder/Vice President, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, reaffirmed the company's dedication and determination to take charge and set the tempo in the Nigerian e-commerce and offline retail sector.

«I 'm definitely delighted with the recognition we have received from Google, which will be one of the world's most popular and globally renowned outfits. It's a testimony to the hard work we've put in in addition to the sound strategies we have in place.

»Just few weeks ago, I'd mentioned in one of my battles with the media that Nigerians are yet to begin to see the full scale of the Yudala Revolution. What has been unveiled in the minute is all about 20 per cent of the total package in justifying this and this latest achievement goes a long way.

«Right in the minute we announced our entry to the market late last year, we've re-defined the retail space with our landmark composite retail strategy — the first in Africa which has set us apart and shown that Nigeria indeed has a whole lot to offer the continent and also the planet at large when it comes to initiation.

This feat by Yudala, coming within barely five months of the firm's existence, will go an extended way in dispelling any lingering doubts regarding the dream of the visionaries to see the brand assume direction of the Nigerian and African ecommerce market.

»I dare-say that is simply the beginning as far as we're concerned. We are working round the clock and setting in place the basis behind the scenes to ensure that Yudala becomes the undisputed retail giant in Africa and Nigeria. The second quarter of this year shall define our increased strategy for ecommerce in Nigeria," he stressed.

The BBC reported on Tuesday that Nigeria's president signed into law legislation that might ban same-sex marriages, gay groups and shows of same-sex public affection.

The law was signed without public notification.
It has already been illegal to possess gay sex in Nigeria, and underneath the new law, couple in a same-sex marriage could address 14 years in prison. The law also includes the individuals and organizations that help gay people.
Nigerian activist Bisi Alimi, head in the U.K.-based gay-rights group, Kaleidoscope International Diversity Trust, told a reporter, «You're not allowed to supply services to anyone who is perceived as being homosexual.»
The new law also recommends a 10-year prison sentence for everyone going to gay clubs or organizations along with gay couples showing any affection in public. The law, called «The Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act,» further says,
The act was implemented through the Senate this year and was not passed by the lower house of parliament until May, 2013. The legislation was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan earlier this year.


Reuben Abati, a presidential spokesman told the press, «This can be a law that's good people's cultural and religious inclination. So it can be a law that can be a reflection in the beliefs and orientation of Nigerian people.»
Secretary of State, John Kerry condemned the sweeping legislation, saying in a statement that 'beyond even prohibiting same sex marriage, this law dangerously restricts freedom of assembly, association, and expression for all Nigerians.'
Kerry continued to state the legislation was «inconsistent with Nigeria's international legal obligations and undermines the democratic reforms and human rights protections enshrined in their 1999 Constitution.'
Nigeria has already established anti-sodomy laws on the books for several years, inheriting its anti-homosexual laws from when it absolutely was a British colony. In some parts in the country's Muslim-majority northern areas, strict Sharia laws are enforced, and homosexuals are still stoned to death.
The homosexual community has already been forced underground, and there is fear by many gay-rights activists that this new law could usher inside a violent crackdown. Some political analysts say the signing in the law by President Jonathan is nothing higher than a buy his part to obtain back into the good graces of the highly religious public after a run of political setbacks since his 2011.