News
Nigerians on medical death row: Muna, another victim of a failed system
On 25 November 2012, my late pregnant sister, Ijeoma, was rushed by her husband to a hospital in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but the doctors and nurses at the hospital callously and insensitively refused to attend to her without initial payment. They had demanded N20,000 (about €150 then) as precondition before they could attend to her. Her husband begged them to commence treatment and that he would go home to get money since the only money with him – N5,000 – had been spent on other procedures, including registration, as required by the hospital. He told them that the nature of the emergency made him even forget to put on his shoes. They vehemently refused the plea.
Everyone around noticed – especially women that had gone through child bearing – that death was knocking on my sister’s door. As her pain was increasing, people advised that she should be rushed to another hospital. Her husband drove her out in his car in search of a hospital. But unfortunately my sister did not make it. She painfully died in that pregnancy.
About 14 years after, the same system again has failed us. This time, it has consumed my young intelligent and promising nephew, Muna. His life was cruelly and mercilessly snuffed out by a corrupt failed system. It is so heartbreaking and disheartening because the closer we had thought we were in saving his life the more the failed structure had made it difficult and fastened his death.
Munachimso shortly called Muna was diagnosed with leukemia and everything happened so fast. He went to hospitals in Imo, Rivers and finally in Abuja where he died.
When he was taken to the first hospital in Abuja, we had hope because they were able to stabilize him. After a short period, he was no longer depending on oxygen and started eating and playing with toys. All results carried out showed tremendous response and improvements, but the bills were rapidly increasing like thunder lightening. Within two weeks we had a deficit of more than 60 million naira and that was when the problem started. The hospital threatened to discharge Muna if we would not pay. We pleaded with them to be patient, continue his treatment and give us some time to pay the money. We went public seeking for financial help. Two days into this process Muna was forcefully discharged. He was taken to another hospital that had lesser equipment to save his life. There, his health situation again started to degenerate.
With the help of the public, we the family members made arrangement to go back to this hospital where he was forcefully discharged. But it was not easy getting back. We made calls and chatted with some people in this regard for intervention so that Muna could be readmitted. We were still in this process and ready to agree on any term given by the management of the hospital so that he could be taken back when the worst news came. Muna was pronounced dead. It is devastating and my heart aches, for Muna’s death was preventable.
Who knows how many Nigerians have died like Muna? How many are currently on death row in various hospitals with death certificates already stamped, waiting to be issued? How long shall ordinary citizens continue to suffer and lament over government representatives’ low performances and uncaring attitude? With all Nigeria has got, why are the people in this state of despair? Who do we blame for Muna’s death? The hospital management that chased him away because of money or the government that failed to create a working healthcare system for all?
In all sincerity, while it is true that norms of medical ethics should at all times be observed, private hospitals are equally doing business too and must be sustained. They are not charity organizations. The problem is the government, its harsh policies and its lack of proper implementation. The Nigerian system in almost everything is only theoretically functional, but practically not existent because the system is corruptly structured. Nothing owned or operated by the government runs justly and smoothly, from schools to hospitals and courts etc. Muna’s death was avoidable but the system made sure that he did not survive. We are so deeply pained and so sad that we lost him.
Hardly one finds government officials’ children in public schools. So, why should one be proud of a country where the minister of education cannot proudly send his/her own children to a public school preferring private schools or sending them abroad, or the minister of health cannot go to a public hospital for treatment when sick because of its poor standard? Why the deceit?
Why this high level of hypocrisy and compromise? Why do Nigerians condone such arrant nonsense? These are some of the reasons lecturers could go on strike for months and government officials care less to resolve the issue and why Nigerian government hospitals are substandard. Why should they care when their children are in well-equipped expensive schools/hospitals abroad? This is shameful and despicable. And we will all continue to lament until it becomes a law that no minister of education is allowed to send his/her children to a private school in Nigeria or to study abroad, and likewise no minister of health and his/her children are allowed to go abroad for medical treatment except in a few specified cases – including the children of every Nigerian president, lawmaker, and governor. This will revolutionize our schools and health sector to acceptable standards. Until then, Nigeria failed Muna and people like him.
Yes, the 11-year-old boy was just a casualty of a failed system – a victim of the effect of corruption, nepotism, mismanagement and incompetence. Who will be the next victim? Does anyone know the nature, when and where?
Good night Muna, and may your innocent soul rest in peace.
♦ Uzoma Ahamefule, a refined African traditionalist and a patriotic citizen writes from Vienna, Austria. WhatsApp: +436607369050; Email Contact Uzoma >>>>
On July 25, 2026, families from across Houston will gather at the West Oaks Mall on 1000 West Oaks, Houston, to celebrate a milestone that extends far beyond food, music, and entertainment. The 10th Anniversary of the Wazobia Family Funfair represents a decade-long journey of community building, cultural preservation, entrepreneurship, and family-centered engagement.
What began as a customer appreciation initiative has evolved into one of the most recognizable African community events in Texas. For ten years, the Funfair has provided a space where families reconnect with culture, children experience heritage, entrepreneurs build relationships, and communities strengthen the bonds that define them.
The story of the anniversary begins with the story of Wazobia itself. Founded in 2013 by entrepreneur Tunde Fashina, Wazobia was created with a vision that stretched beyond commerce. According to Fashina, the goal was never simply to sell products.
FASHINA, OHAZURIKE: For Fashina, leadership carries responsibility. “The feeling is fantastic because you’ve achieved something,” he explained. “But it is also frightening because every decision affects many people.” He added: “The higher you are in an organization, the more people are affected by your decisions.” Those values influence the company’s culture and community engagement efforts.
“The emphasis was not more on getting the products,” he explained. “The emphasis was on creating a feeling of belonging to the customer, so that they feel at home any time they come to our place.”
That philosophy became the foundation of the business. Fashina spent nearly two years developing the business plan. The challenge was enormous. He had limited financial resources and relied heavily on relationships, determination, and faith.
“The business plan had to involve getting this business up with absolutely no money, because I didn’t have any,” he recalled.
The early years tested every aspect of his resolve. He performed multiple roles simultaneously.
“I was a cleaner. I was a restocker. I was a cashier. I did all the work,” he said. “I slept in the shop throughout for almost 18 months because I was working around the clock.”
Despite the challenges, growth came quickly.
“God showed up in ways that I could not describe,” Fashina said. “People started coming in little by little, and the growth rate exceeded everything in the business plan.”
Yet even as the company expanded, community remained central to the mission. “We created a sub-plan,” he explained. “How do we give back to those who built us? How do we let our customers know that we appreciate them?”
The answer became what is now known as the Wazobia Family Funfair.
Over the years, the event evolved from a modest appreciation day into a major annual celebration featuring cultural performances, African music, dance, games, food vendors, business showcases, and family activities.
For Paula Ohazurike, Project Manager at Wazobia, the event represents much more than an annual gathering. Her experience since she joined Wazobia reflects a recurring theme in conversations with employees and customers: Wazobia is viewed not merely as a business but as a community institution.
That philosophy is visible in the Family Funfair. The event creates a rare space where generations come together. Children born in America are introduced to African traditions through music, dance, language, fashion, and food. Parents and grandparents reconnect with memories of home while sharing those experiences with younger family members.
In a city as diverse as Houston, such gatherings carry significant cultural value. Houston is home to one of the largest African immigrant populations in the United States. Yet many families often struggle to maintain cultural connections while navigating modern American life. Events like the Wazobia Family Funfair help bridge that gap.
The significance of the Funfair extends beyond cultural preservation. It serves as a platform for economic empowerment. Small businesses, vendors, artists, and service providers use the event to connect with potential customers. Community organizations engage residents. Entrepreneurs build networks. Relationships formed during the event often extend throughout the year.
According to Ohazurike, the event has become one of the most effective community-engagement platforms within Houston’s African diaspora. The atmosphere itself reflects the spirit of family. Children enjoy games, bounce houses, and face painting. Families participate in contests and group activities. Music fills the air. Food vendors showcase culinary traditions from across Africa.
The result is an experience that feels both festive and deeply personal. Fashina believes that sense of belonging remains the event’s greatest achievement. “There is no reason for us not to provide an environment that people can be proud of,” he said. “A place where they can bring their friends and enjoy themselves.”
That vision continues to guide the organization. Today, Wazobia has expanded significantly, operating multiple locations and employing approximately 250 people. “It is something we are immensely proud of,” Fashina noted. “But this is only the beginning.” Growth, however, is measured by more than financial success.
For Fashina, leadership carries responsibility. “The feeling is fantastic because you’ve achieved something,” he explained. “But it is also frightening because every decision affects many people.” He added: “The higher you are in an organization, the more people are affected by your decisions.” Those values influence the company’s culture and community engagement efforts.
The Family Funfair embodies that philosophy by bringing people together in ways that strengthen relationships and encourage collective progress. Perhaps that is why the event has endured for ten years. Many community events emerge with enthusiasm but struggle to survive. Sustaining a large-scale annual celebration requires trust, consistency, and a genuine commitment to service. The Wazobia Family Funfair has achieved that longevity because it has remained focused on people.
Over the past decade, families have returned year after year. Children who attended the first Funfair now return as young adults. New immigrants have found friendships and support systems. Businesses have launched partnerships. Countless memories have been created.
The anniversary therefore represents more than a milestone date on a calendar; it represents ten years of shared experiences; ten years of preserving culture; ten years of supporting businesses; ten years of strengthening families; and ten years of building community.
As Houston prepares for the 2026 celebration, organizers are looking toward the future while honoring the past. For Ohazurike, the mission remains simple. “We want people to feel welcome,” she said. “We want families to come together and create memories.”
For Fashina, the broader vision remains rooted in possibility. “We can do it,” he said. “We just have to have a goal in mind and take it one step at a time.”
Those words capture the spirit of the Wazobia Family Funfair. At its heart, the event is not simply a festival. It is a living expression of community resilience, cultural pride, and family unity. It demonstrates how a business can become a community anchor. It illustrates how relationships can create opportunities. It reminds us that culture thrives when it is shared. Ten years after its inception, the Wazobia Family Funfair continues to embody the meaning of its name—an invitation for everyone to come together.
In a world increasingly defined by division and isolation, that invitation may be more important than ever. And as families gather once again this July, they will celebrate more than an anniversary. They will celebrate a decade of belonging.
Young Nigerians have shown a remarkable ability to create waves in the digital space. With a single click, they can expose a politician’s corruption, rally tens of thousands of supporters behind a single hashtag, and keep every political actor on edge from dawn until dusk. However, as the 2027 general elections draw closer, it is time to face an uncomfortable truth: loud online noise isn’t the same as real power in the political sphere. If Nigerian youth wish to get the best possible leadership from their nation’s leaders, they need to take their online activity offline (i.e., to places where actual democracy occurs) and start showing up to cast votes.
There is simply too much evidence to ignore that this needs to occur. Nigeria is a young country demographically. Together, Gen Z and Millennials comprise approximately half of the total population—50.1 percent—according to IntelPoint. Gen Z makes up 25.8 percent and Millennials account for 24.3 percent. When we consider Gen Alpha, the percentage rises to 85.7% of the population under 44. According to ActionAid Nigeria, more than 60% of Nigeria’s population is under 30. According to Afrobarometer, Nigeria has a median age of 18.1 years, and 58% of its population is aged 0-29. Therefore, Nigeria isn’t merely a young country; it is a country dominated by young people.
Based on this information, this dominant demographic should wield considerable political influence. Unfortunately, there often appears to be little correlation between these statistics and political influence. The contrast is striking. While a majority of Nigeria’s population is young, there remains a significant gap between how influential young people are politically and how influential they could be. This lack of influence is not due to a lack of ability among young people; rather, it stems from many young people stopping short of completing what is often called the “civic journey,” which involves moving from awareness to action. They consume politics, engage in political debate on social media, participate in meme politics, and express frustration with politics through social media rants; however, many young people still fail to register to vote (PVCs) or participate in elections in sufficient numbers to affect the outcome.
This disparity is important because youth dissatisfaction is far from abstract. More than 23% of Nigerian youth report being unemployed or seeking employment, according to Afrobarometer. Additionally, more than two-thirds of youth aged 18 to 35 report having some form of postsecondary or secondary-level education. Despite Nigeria ranking among the lowest in providing employment and opportunities for youth, and despite identifying high costs of living, unemployment, crime and security concerns, poverty, poor economic management practices, and insufficient access to electricity as the top five issues requiring immediate attention from government officials, youth dissatisfaction cannot be considered indifferent. Rather, youth dissatisfaction reflects citizens’ grievances and legitimate reasons to be deeply interested in who governs their country.
However, mere interest alone will not suffice. Democracy does not reward passion without participation. A young person can identify every weakness inherent in a political system; however, unless that person participates by casting a vote, they will remain a spectator to their own future. If you are mature enough to understand concepts such as inflation, insecurity, broken campaign promises, unemployment rates, and poorly managed governance systems, you are mature enough to accept responsibility for your role in creating solutions to those problems. That responsibility begins with voting.
In addition to continuing to use social media to raise awareness of voter registration, election knowledge, fact-checking mechanisms used during elections, and peaceful participation methods, social media can also serve as a vehicle for facilitating the transition from social media activism to actual civic engagement. Young Nigerians should leverage their social media presence to encourage voter registration, promote election literacy programs, provide fact-checking services to counter election misinformation, and advocate for nonviolent participation throughout the electoral cycle. They should convert their social media timelines into civic classrooms. Where can I find the information I need about voter registration processes? Where is my assigned polling station located? Where do I receive my Permanent Voter Card? How do I protect myself from spreading misinformation? How do I properly monitor election results? These are not dull topics; they represent essential tools required for surviving democracy.
Youth organizations, creators, and social media entities can also help facilitate offline civic engagement. Use your WhatsApp groups to alert others as registration deadlines approach. Use X Spaces and Instagram Live to focus on discussing relevant issues rather than hurling insults. Use TikTok to simplify the voting process. Use Facebook to motivate family members and first-time voters to participate in elections. Use whatever platforms are available to make civic obligation contagious. Nigeria’s youth have shown they can create viral content. Now they must begin to generate participation on a viral scale.
One of the most damaging myths in Nigerian politics is that “your vote doesn’t matter.” It is a self-fulfilling prophecy that only serves the interests of cynics, crooks, and machines whose success depends solely on low turnout. Yes, Nigeria’s electoral process has flaws. Yes, there have been numerous disappointments. However, the response to a flawed democracy is not abandonment; it is increased participation. By staying home on Election Day, youth essentially give their votes — and therefore control — directly to the very same groups they loathe.
Another mythological excuse for the youth’s failure to vote in Nigeria is the claim that “all politicians are alike.” No — they’re not all the same. While some politicians are inept, others are corrupt, and others exhibit both characteristics, democracy is not about seeking holy men or women; it is about making selections and enforcing accountability. An individual who refuses to make a selection for office because none of the options appear acceptable is ultimately selecting the candidate most likely to emerge victorious by default.
Nigeria’s youth already constitute the country’s largest demographic group. It is time for them to become its strongest democratic force as well. However, that will not be achieved by trending hashtags alone. Instead, it will be achieved when online energy is harnessed and directed toward political organization, civic education, voter registration, increasing voter turnout, and holding elected representatives accountable after elections.
The 2023 election saw remarkable youth participation but lacked follow-up. Therefore, the 2027 election should not produce another generation of disillusioned observers; instead, it should yield a new generation of participatory citizens. Let online flames ignite electoral power. Let debates become ballots. Let criticism evolve into participation. If Nigerian youth can dominate social media, they can also dominate democracy. The future will not be handed to them in a retweet. They must elect it into existence.
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♦ Chris Ulasi is on the Editorial Board of The West African Pilot News. He contributes stories about culture and tradition, elite politics, ethnicity and national integration, civil society, and social movement. He is a university professor, community builder, poet, film producer, recording the emergent Nollywood cultural history through film.
Education
TSU’s CommWeek Positions School of Communication at the Forefront of AI, Innovation, and Student Success
HOUSTON, TX — Texas Southern University’s School of Communication is set to host its 44th Annual Media and Communication Conference (CommWeek 2026) from April 6–10 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Building, bringing together a dynamic mix of scholars, students, industry professionals, and civic leaders to examine the future of media in an increasingly digital and AI-driven world.
Widely regarded as one of the School’s signature academic and professional events, CommWeek has evolved into a powerful platform for intellectual exchange, industry engagement, and student-centered learning. This year’s theme, “Beyond the Algorithm: Reimagining Media, Learning & Innovation with AI,” reflects the growing influence of artificial intelligence across journalism, entertainment, digital storytelling, and communication education.
Throughout the week, participants will engage in a series of panels, workshops, masterclasses, and networking sessions designed to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping media ecosystems. Discussions will address critical topics such as AI-driven content creation, ethical considerations in automated communication, evolving media business models, and the future of audience engagement.
According to Interim Dean Dr. Alan K. Caldwell, CommWeek represents a strategic opportunity to elevate the School’s academic and professional profile.
“Communication Week represents more than a conference; it is a powerful platform to strengthen the School of Communication’s brand, showcase the excellence of our students and faculty, and highlight the innovative work happening across our programs,” Caldwell said. “By bringing together industry leaders, scholars, and alumni, we create collaborative connections that position our school as a hub for forward-thinking communication education.”
Conference Chair Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo (left) and Interim Dean Dr. Alan K. Caldwell: CommWeek has evolved into a powerful platform for intellectual exchange, industry engagement, and student-centered learning.
In addition to its academic significance, CommWeek plays a vital role in advancing student success. A key highlight of the conference is the Dean’s Banquet and Scholarship Awards, which raises funds to support academically talented and financially underserved students. These scholarships help reduce financial barriers, cover tuition and educational resources, and improve student retention and graduation outcomes.
For Conference Chair Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo, CommWeek 2026 represents both a continuation of tradition and a bold step toward the future of communication education.
“CommWeek is where scholarship meets practice and where innovation becomes accessible,” Ogbo said. “This conference is not only about examining the future of media—it is about preparing our students to lead it. By integrating academic rigor with industry insight, we are building a platform that empowers our students, strengthens our institutional identity, and fosters meaningful collaborations that extend far beyond the classroom.”
The conference also emphasizes experiential learning, offering students direct access to industry professionals, hands-on workshops, and career development opportunities. These interactions provide invaluable exposure to real-world practices and help bridge the gap between academic training and professional application.
As a historically Black university with a long-standing commitment to cultural responsiveness and community impact, Texas Southern University continues to position its School of Communication as a leader in preparing students for both local and global media landscapes. CommWeek reinforces this mission by creating an inclusive space where diverse voices, perspectives, and ideas can thrive.
Open to students, alumni, and the broader community, CommWeek 2026 is free to attend and serves as a testament to TSU’s commitment to accessibility, innovation, and academic excellence.
For more information and the full conference schedule, visit www.soc-commweek.com.
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