RivEthics

Greetings to the wonderful people of Rivers State, and welcome to another episode of Rivethics on Radio, our character-building weekend show. Please remember that the highest cause of death in the developing world is ignorance not disease. Our topic this week is on the Disease Tuberculosis, in commemoration of the World Tuberculosis Day, which comes up is on March 24th.

You can also listen to and download the Pidgin English version of this Episode below

Greetings to the great people of Rivers State, and welcome to another episode of Rivethics on Radio, our character-building weekend show. Please remember that true friends don’t backstab, rather they stab in the front so we can take correction. Our topic today is the significance of the United Nations’ World Poetry Day.

You can also listen to and download the Pidgin English version of this Episode below

Greetings to the kind and generous people of Rivers State, and welcome to another episode of Rivethics on Radio, our character-building weekend show. Please remember that class is not just about style and poise. Being classy also means always being kind, respectful and polite, even to the undeserving. Our topic today is the International Women’s Day, with the Theme, “Press for Progress”

The International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to distinction, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.

The Charter of the United Nations, signed in 1945, was the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men. Since then, the UN has helped create a historic legacy of internationally-agreed strategies, standards, programmes and goals to advance the status of women worldwide. Over the years, the UN and its technical agencies have promoted the participation of women as equal partners with men in achieving sustainable development, peace, security, and full respect for human rights. The empowerment of women continues to be a central feature of the UN’s efforts to address social, economic and political challenges across the globe. I give big kudos to the UN for lighting the flame and leading the charge.

This year’s International Women’s Day comes on the heels of unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality and justice. This has taken the form of global marches and campaigns, including #MeToo and #TimesUp in the United States of America and their counterparts in other countries, on issues ranging from sexual harassment and femicide to equal pay and women’s political representation.

A perfect instance that exemplifies this year’s theme, Press for Progress, is the Time’s Up Movement. The Time’s Up is a movement against sexual harassment and was founded on January 1, 2018, by Hollywood celebrities in response to the Weinstein scandal and #MeToo movement that followed it. As of February 2018, it has raised $20 million for its legal defense fund, and gathered over 200 volunteer lawyers, barely 2 months after it started. That is a perfect example of massive action to attack a major problem. This needs to be duplicated all over the world.

I call on all women advocates and activist groups in Rivers State and Nigeria to ride on the current global momentum and transform same into more action, to empower more women in all settings, rural and urban, and work more relentlessly to support women to claim their rights and realize their full potential. The African woman has borne pain, endured hardship and known neglect. But like the proverbial tea bag, she has shown how strong she is in hot water. But there is no force equal to a woman determined to rise. Our time to rise is now. Let’s go for it. Enough of much talk and little action.

Our guest speaker this weekend is, Mrs. Ulari Fiona Nwaogazie, Executive Director at the Orzora Centre for Gender Equality and Youth Development. She will be sharing her insights on the subject. Please enjoy the episode.

Our wonderful Rivers people, please remember to always let your manners speak for you.

God bless and keep you and your families and God bless Rivers State

Justice (Mrs.) Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike,
The Wife of the Governor of Rivers State and
Initiator of the RivEthics Character Development Programme

You can also listen to and download the Pidgin English version of this Episode below

Greetings to the warm and happy people of Rivers State, and welcome to another episode of RivEthics on Radio, our character-building weekend show. Please remember that success has a simple formula, which is to add positive action to positive thoughts. Our topic this week is on the phenomenon of Climate Change.

All over the world, climate scientists agree that global warming over the past century has been predominantly due to human activities, and most of the leading scientific organizations worldwide have issued public statements validating this position. In other words, the evidence is incontrovertible that global warming is occurring. If no mitigating actions are taken, significant disruptions in the Earth’s physical and ecological systems, social systems, security and human health are likely to occur. We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to have a safe, healthy earth to live in.

Climate-warming has led to climate change, which refers to the broad range of changes that are happening to our planet. These include rising sea levels, shrinking mountain glaciers, accelerating ice melt, and shifts in flower/plant blooming, drought, famine, vanishing fresh water bodies, etc. These are all consequences of the warming, which is caused mainly by people burning fossil fuels and putting out heat-trapping gases into the air.

Whether you live in the rural village, small island, coastal town or big city, everyone everywhere is affected by this phenomenon of climate change. Impact of climate change is already being felt as drought, floods and heat waves increase. Likewise, vector-borne diseases, like malaria and other viruses are also increasing with more humidity and heat.

According to the World Health Organisation, climate change will lead to increased hunger and famine, as food production is distabilised by drought. Likewise, air pollution and pollen seasons will increase leading to more allergies and asthma. Also, warmer waters and flooding will increase exposures to diseases in drinking and recreational waters. All these will lead to more deaths globally in the coming years if climate change continues unabated.

So far, there are concerted efforts by the international community and concerned countries to reverse the ugly trend of global warming. However, some country leaders have chosen to politicise and belittle the issue of climate change against overwhelming evidence. But that is beside the point. The big question is, what can you as an individual do to contribute to the required positive change towards a better, healthful earth.

Our guest speaker is a distinguished chemical engineer, Mrs. Kaine Chinwah, Chairperson of the African Centre for Environmental Protection. She will share her ideas on the subject and advise on how we can get contribute to the change. Please enjoy the episode.

Our dear Rivers people, don’t forget to always let your manners speak for you.

God bless and keep you and your families and God bless Rivers State.

Justice (Mrs.) Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike
The Wife of the Governor of Rivers State and
Initiator of the RivEthics Character Development Programme

You can also listen to and download the Pidgin English version of this Episode below