Two years after genitalia was cut, man fathers son

Moses Kawubanya, 46, a resident of Nagulu Zone in Nabwigulu Sub-county, Kamuli District, has attracted attention from the local community following the birth of his son, whom he has named Samuel Kawubanya.

Mr Kawubanya, whose penis was cut off by his wife, is now celebrating the birth of a baby boy after undergoing plastic surgery that restored his sexual function.

Mr Kawubanya, a retired teacher whose ordeal after his wife cut off his penis went viral in July 2024, has fathered a son with his long-term fiancée, Ms Eva Nabirye, 38.

The couple says they are grateful to God and regularly attend Sunday services to give thanks for the gift they have received.

‘I stand before you today as someone who has been referred to as ‘the castrated man’ for the past two years, now celebrating the birth of a healthy baby boy. Indeed, God is truly magnificent,’ he said.

The retired primary school teacher and director of Serena Junior Day and Boarding Primary School raised his hands in jubilation as he celebrated the birth of his son.

Name of son

Mr Kawubanya chose to name the boy Samuel, drawing inspiration from the biblical story of Hannah, who was ridiculed by her co-wife, Peninnah, for being childless.

‘I was ridiculed by many people who said I was incapable of having children, something that did not go well with me. That is why I dedicate this boy, Samuel, to God,’ he said.

His son’s birth followed a successful surgical procedure performed at a private health facility in Kampala, whose name he declined to disclose for privacy reasons.

‘I cannot reveal the name of the facility where I paid Shs10m for the procedure. Fortunately, my scrotum and testicles remained intact, leaving a base that provided the foundation for the surgery,’ he said.

Mr Kawubanya said the surgery extended the remaining four- to five-inch tissue to what he described as a normal size.

He said the surgeons assured him that the reconstructed organ would regain erectile function, enable sexual intercourse and allow him to father children.

Earlier, Mr Kawubanya had fathered four children with his former wife, Susan Namuganza, who is serving a prison sentence.

The birth of the baby boy has sparked rumours in the community, with some people alleging that another man could have had an affair with Kawubanya’s partner and fathered the child.

How it started

Kawubanya’s ordeal began in July 2024 when his wife, Namuganza, then 37, attacked him while he was asleep and cut off his penis. She was accusing him of infidelity with Ms Eva Nabirye, a teacher at Serena Junior Day and Boarding Primary School-Busana, where the couple served as director and bursar, respectively.

Mr Kawubanya was awakened by severe pain as his penis dangled by a thin strip of skin before the assailant fled into the darkness, leaving him bleeding and their two-month-old baby behind.

Neighbours rushed him to Kamuli General Hospital, where doctors removed the dangling part after establishing that, although his scrotum, testicles and a four- to five-inch stump had been spared, the severed part could no longer function.

Namuganza allegedly accused him of violating the marital vows they had exchanged at their wedding ceremony two years earlier.

Mr Kawubanya was referred to specialised surgeons in Kampala, who said the remaining stump could be reconstructed through plastic surgery.

Mr Kawubanya, who sometimes experienced mild erections, particularly at night, decided to undergo the surgery after being assured it could restore his sexual function.

He sold some of his valuable property, while well-wishers contributed to raise the Shs10m required.

Speaking to Daily Monitor, Mr Kawubanya praised the surgery, saying it restored his sexual function and that his sexual performance is now better than it was before the incident.

‘My sexual desire and libido have been restored, just like those of a man in his early twenties. As a retired teacher, I now have little to occupy my time, so I find myself enjoying the opportunity to become a co-creator [father children],’ he said.

He confirmed that the newborn is his biological child, adding that those who doubt his paternity are free to conduct a DNA test at their own cost.

Wife speaks out

Ms Nabirye said she has no regrets about standing by Mr Kawubanya and supporting him through his ordeal, adding that her patience has ultimately been rewarded by God.

‘I have no regrets because he remains a strong man, indeed stronger than before. His resilience is the reason we have welcomed our healthy baby,’ she said.

Ms Nabirye dismissed claims that she was impregnated by another man, insisting that Mr Kawubanya is the biological father of their child and that she is willing to undergo a DNA test to prove it.

‘Sometimes it is amusing that a small stump can produce stronger charcoal than a long-standing big tree,’ she said.

Outcome for the assailant

Namuganza was arrested four weeks later at a shrine in Namutumba District and taken to court, where she admitted to the offence, saying she acted out of anger and a desire for revenge.

The then Chief Magistrate, Ms Aisha Nabukeera, sentenced her to 15 years in prison. However, Mr Kawubanya contested the sentence, saying she deserved 45 years.

Genital mutilation in Busoga

In Buguwa Cell, Balawoli Town Council, Kamuli District, Kevin Nabirye, 35, allegedly attempted to cut off the genitals of Mathias Bwamiki on February 18, 2025, accusing him of infidelity after 10 years of marriage. They had four children.

Another is Abdalah Ibinga, a resident of Ddongi in Buyende Town Council, Buyende District, whose wife, Madina Namuwaya, severed his genitals with a sharp weapon, accusing him of infidelity.

The severed genitalia were wrapped in a polythene bag and kept in a vacuum flask as he was transported to Iganga before being referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, where doctors reattached them.

Since then, Mr Ibinga has returned home and, by 2023, had fathered five children, including two sets of twins, with his new partner, Lydia Tibintolawo.

Mr Ibinga said he has regained his sexual function and remains eager to have more children, although financial constraints sometimes limit him.

‘I am financially constrained [and yet I] desire to have sex and prove that I can father children. I have achieved that milestone, but it has significantly affected my finances,’ Mr Ibinga said.

Others include Mr Kuteremuka Muzaani, 70, a resident of Kimbaya in Buyende District, who also lost his penis and scrotum after traditional medicine practitioners surgically removed them.

He now lives alone in Nawandala, Iganga District, where he has cared for six children over the past 32 years.

There is HOPE

Dr Faridah Natukunda, a urologist at Gina Herbal Male Clinic in Iganga Municipality, explained that it is highly plausible for a man who has undergone penile amputation to still fertilise an ovum.

‘As long as his sperm production from the testicles remains intact, he can definitely fertilise an ovum and father a child,’ Dr Natukunda said.

She explains that the main functions of the penis are to facilitate urination, transport sperm through the urethra and provide sexual pleasure during intercourse.

Dr Natukunda explained that successful penile reconstructive surgery can significantly improve the function and appearance of a re

constructed penis, including its ability to facilitate sexual intercourse.

‘Where the reproductive functions remain intact, a reconstructed penis can allow a couple to have sexual intercourse and conceive a child,’ Dr Natukunda said.

She says severe structural damage can affect erectile tissue and nerves, although emergency microsurgery can sometimes successfully reattach a severed penis if the injury is treated promptly and properly.

Dr Natukunda adds that successful reattachment may restore sexual function and, where sperm production remains intact, enable the man to fertilise an ovum and father children.

Factors threatening drug manufacturing, by May and Baker MD

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, May and Baker Nigeria Plc, Patrick Ajah, has said the company’s monthly spending2 on energy to power its factory has risen from about N65 million before 2023 to between N160 million and N175 million, highlighting the rising cost of manufacturing in the country.

Ajah, a pharmacist, said the increase of between N95 million and N110 million represented a rise of 146 per cent to 169 per cent in the company’s monthly energy expenditure.

He spoke in his Lagos office during the presentation of the Excellence in Leadership Award plaque to him by the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF).

‘One example that I just mentioned is power. Before 2023, our spending on power monthly was about N65 million. Now, we are spending between N160 million and N175 million.

‘Just for the factory, we don’t use public power; we use gas, and it is denominated in dollars. So, how many companies can afford to do that?’ he asked.

He said the rising cost of energy had become one of the major threats to local pharmaceutical manufacturing, warning that companies could not continue to operate and expand if the cost of doing business remained high.

According to him, the sector is also burdened by poor infrastructure, which has forced manufacturers to provide many services and facilities that should ordinarily be provided through public infrastructure.

Ajah warned that continued factory closures would undermine Nigeria’s industrial growth and called for stronger government policies to support local manufacturers.

‘If companies keep collapsing, then we’re not going anywhere,’ he said.

He urged the government to create a more enabling business environment through improved infrastructure, stable and affordable energy, security and policies that would encourage local and foreign investment.

The May and Baker boss also said foreign exchange volatility had created significant challenges for pharmaceutical manufacturers, particularly those dependent on imported raw materials, equipment and other production inputs.

He said the situation became particularly difficult between 2023 and 2025, when the company’s management spent a substantial part of its time sourcing foreign exchange and managing exchange-rate risks.

According to him, the major challenge was not only the high cost of foreign exchange but also the frequent fluctuations, which made it difficult for manufacturers to plan production and determine the prices of medicines.

‘At some point, our job description changed. About 65 per cent of the time, we were looking for forex, trying to manage it,’ he said.

Ajah said relative stability in the foreign exchange market had made planning easier for the company, even though the exchange rate remained high.

He said the improvement had helped May and Baker avoid increasing the prices of its products so far this year, a development he said was important because frequent price increases would ultimately affect patients and other consumers.

Ajah also called for the restoration of intervention funds for pharmaceutical manufacturers, warning that companies could not sustainably borrow from commercial banks at interest rates of about 33 per cent to finance long-term investments.

He said the CBN’s COVID-19 intervention fund had been useful to pharmaceutical companies because it provided single-digit financing for expansion, machinery and other capital projects.

Ajah said May and Baker used part of the facility to establish a hub for the development and packaging of products derived from Nigerian ntural sources.

He said the investment enabled the company to commercialise a locally developed sickle cell product, with almost all its inputs sourced locally except the capsule shell.

The company also developed and introduced a bitter leaf capsule following research by a Nigerian professor, he added.

He said such investments would have been difficult to undertake with commercial loans because pharmaceutical manufacturing often requires years before a company begins to recover its investment.

‘There is no company like ours who would borrow money at 33 per cent and invest in a factory. No company would do it because it would take you at least five years before you start breaking even.

‘Our gross margin is in the range of 35 per cent to 40 per cent for most products. So, if you go and borrow money at 33 per cent, how do you survive?’ he said.

Ajah urged the CBN and the Bank of Industry to reconsider targeted funding and other incentives for the pharmaceutical sector to encourage local production.

The May and Baker chief also identified the migration of pharmacists and other skilled professionals as another growing challenge for the industry.

He said many qualified pharmacists were leaving the country, making it increasingly difficult for pharmaceutical companies to recruit and retain skilled personnel.

Ajah said May and Baker was responding by opening its facilities to pharmacy students and interns to expose them to career opportunities in the local pharmaceutical industry.

The company, he said, was also exploring better remuneration and other incentives to retain skilled professionals.

Despite the challenges, Ajah said local pharmaceutical manufacturing was making progress and helping to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.

He said Nigeria now had nearly 200 local pharmaceutical manufacturers and that local production had risen from about 30 per cent in previous years to more than 40 per cent.

He said government policies, including duty waivers for some locally produced pharmaceutical products, had provided some relief, although he maintained that more support was needed.

Ajah said local production would make essential medicines more affordable and accessible, particularly antibiotics, antimalarials, antidiabetics and other products used regularly by Nigerians.

He also said a stronger local manufacturing base would improve the fight against counterfeit medicines.

According to him, locally based manufacturers have sales representatives and personnel across the country who can more easily identify and report suspected fake versions of their products.

‘If somebody fakes our products, most of the pharmacies where these products are going to get into know our people. Most of the time, when there is a challenge, they are the ones who call us.

‘But if the company is outside the country and its product is faked, it is difficult for them to know, especially now that many multinationals are not in the country,’ he said.

Ajah said the efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had also helped to tackle counterfeit medicines, but added that Nigeria’s size made effective monitoring difficult.

He said increasing the number and capacity of local pharmaceutical manufacturers would make it easier to detect and respond to fake medicines across the country.

Ajah said May and Baker had performed strongly over the past year, attracting interest from foreign companies seeking investment and partnership opportunities.

He said more than 10 companies from outside Nigeria, including firms from Europe and the United States, had approached the company to explore possible partnerships.

According to him, the company had quadrupled its revenue over the past five years and was targeting another major expansion over the next three years.

However, he warned that Nigeria could lose investment opportunities if insecurity and infrastructure challenges were not addressed.

Ajah said some parts of the country had become unsafe for company representatives to visit, while investors were increasingly concerned about security, power and the cost of operating in Nigeria.

He said Nigeria remained attractive to investors because of its large market and the opportunities created by the exit of several multinational companies, but stressed that the government must create the conditions needed for businesses to thrive.

Ajah said sustained investment in infrastructure, security and affordable financing would be critical to helping local manufacturers fill the gaps left by exiting multinational companies and build a stronger pharmaceutical industry.

Reflections on Nigeria’s Public Health Administration: A Tribute to Dr Oluwatoyin Salawu

Public health is, at its heart, about protecting communities before illness becomes a crisis. It is about preventing disease, detecting outbreaks early, strengthening health systems and ensuring that the most vulnerable are not left behind.

In Nigeria, these responsibilities have evolved through successive generations of public health practitioners who have confronted epidemics, built institutions, trained health workers and shaped policies under often difficult circumstances. The establishment of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in 2011 represented an important milestone in that evolution. The agency emerged from existing structures within the Federal Ministry of Health, including the Epidemiology Division, the Avian Influenza Project and its laboratories, and the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP). Its legal framework was strengthened when the NCDC Act was signed into law in November 2018.

The NCDC’s mandate includes disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness and response, laboratory development, public health research and support to states in managing outbreaks and public health emergencies. These functions are the product of decades of experience with infectious diseases and other health emergencies in Nigeria.

From cholera, cerebrospinal meningitis, yellow fever, measles and smallpox to Lassa fever, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, mpox and COVID-19, Nigeria has repeatedly had to mobilise scarce resources and limited human capacity to confront threats to public health.

Many of these challenges are compounded by poor access to safe water and sanitation, flooding and heavy seasonal rainfall, insecurity and displacement, and inadequate financing of the health sector. Nigeria has also depended substantially on international partners and development agencies for support with vaccines, disease surveillance, institutional strengthening, research and capacity building.

That dependence has become an increasingly important policy question. Recent reductions and disruptions in international health assistance have exposed the vulnerability of health programmes that rely heavily on external financing. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2025 that sudden reductions in external health assistance were already disrupting health services, disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and the health workforce in many low- and middle-income countries. The WHO has consequently urged countries to accelerate the transition towards sustainable domestic financing and greater self-reliance.

For Nigeria, the lesson is clear: international partnerships remain valuable, but they cannot substitute indefinitely for strong domestic institutions, political commitment and sustainable public financing.

The 2001 Abuja Declaration set a target of allocating at least 15 per cent of annual national budgets to health. More than two decades later, the target remains difficult for many African countries to achieve.

It is against this broader history of Nigeria’s public health struggles and achievements that we should remember the men and women who helped build the foundations of the system we have today. The pioneers of public health in Nigeria.

During the colonial era, several Nigerian medical practitioners made pioneering contributions to public health, particularly in Lagos and the southern parts of the country.

Dr Orisadipe Obasa (1863-1940) played an important role in public health campaigns in Lagos and the interior of southern Nigeria after returning from medical training in Britain.

Dr Oguntola Odunbaku Sapara (1861-1935), a Yoruba physician of Sierra Leonean descent, became particularly well known for his campaign against smallpox. His work reflected the difficult intersection between modern medicine, traditional beliefs and public health in colonial Nigeria.

Dr Isaac Ladipo Oluwole (1892-1953) was appointed in 1925 as the first African Assistant Medical Officer of Health in Lagos and later became Medical Officer of Health for Lagos Colony. He established the School of Hygiene at Yaba, where sanitary inspectors were trained, and was involved in measures to improve sanitation, vaccination and disease control in Lagos.

The history of smallpox control also illustrates the complexity of public health in colonial Nigeria. Among the Yoruba, outbreaks of smallpox had traditionally been associated with ??`p?`na, the deity linked to the disease. The British colonial administration eventually prohibited the public worship of ??`p?`na in Lagos in 1907.

Contemporary accounts also alleged that some priests were deliberately spreading smallpox scabs to preserve their influence. Whatever one’s interpretation of those historical events, they demonstrate how public health interventions have often had to navigate medicine, culture, belief and authority simultaneously.

In post-independence Nigeria, another generation of public health leaders continued this work.

Prof. Adetokunbo Oluwole Lucas (1931-2020) became an internationally recognised authority on tropical diseases. His work in public health, research and international health helped advance the development and delivery of interventions against diseases including malaria, leprosy and river blindness.

Prof. Umaru Shehu (1930-2023), a distinguished public health physician and academic, held senior positions at several Nigerian universities and contributed significantly to immunisation and polio eradication efforts. His career also included extensive engagement with the World Health Organization and other national and international health institutions.

Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti (1927-2003), Nigeria’s Health Minister from 1985 to 1992, was internationally respected for his contribution to primary healthcare and immunisation. A renowned paediatrician and teacher, he brought a strong public-health perspective to national health administration and policy.

Prof. Oyewale Tomori, a former President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, has made major contributions to virology, disease prevention and control. His work with the World Health Organization, particularly in polio eradication and laboratory systems, has had a lasting impact on public health in Nigeria and across Africa.

Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria’s current Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, is another Nigerian public health physician whose career has combined clinical medicine, health policy, global health leadership and health-system reform. His international experience includes work with the World Bank and Harvard University.

Dr Gabisiu Ayodele Williams (1937-2018) held several important public health positions, including Medical Officer of Health, Lagos Chief Health Officer and Director of Disease Control and International Health at the Federal Ministry of Health. He also represented Nigeria at international meetings and served in various capacities with the WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Dr Akanni Olufemi Sorungbe, who died in 2019, was a prominent public health physician and pioneer Executive Director/Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), where he championed reforms in primary healthcare.

The contribution of the late Chief (Dr) Emmanuel Ademola Smith, Chief Medical Epidemiologist of the Federal Ministry of Health, also deserves recognition. His work during the smallpox and measles vaccination campaigns of the 1960s and 1970s contributed to the control and eventual eradication of smallpox in Nigeria and the reduction of measles mortality.

These individuals, among many others, helped create the institutional and professional foundations upon which Nigeria’s modern public health system has been built.

Remembering Dr Oluwatoyin Salawu

It is within this distinguished history that the life and career of the late Dr Oluwatoyin Salawu deserve to be remembered.

Oluwatoyin (Toyin) Salawu was born on 25 April 1952 at Dr Abimbola Awoliyi’s hospital in Lagos, into a family that valued learning, service and professional excellence.

Her father was the late Dr Folorunso Salawu (1914-1990) of Shanu Hospital, Lagos, and the third National President of the Nigeria Medical Association. Her mother, the late Mrs Esther Adebisi Salawu (née Osikanlu) (1926-2019), was a retired schoolteacher and respected educationist.

From her parents, Toyin inherited a rare combination of qualities: a healer’s compassion and a teacher’s devotion. Both would become defining features of her life.

She began her education at Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls’ Primary School, Lagos, before attending Queen’s College, Lagos, from 1964 to 1968. She remained a proud member of the Queen’s College Old Girls’ Association, Class of 1968, and maintained friendships forged during those formative years throughout her life.

She subsequently attended the Federal School of Science, Onikan, Lagos. In 1971, she won a Federal Government scholarship to study medicine at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Her decision to study medicine was encouraged by her maternal uncle, the late Dr John Adebayo Oshikanlu (1928-1971), a community medicine physician who served communities in the riverine areas of Lagos State.

Toyin graduated in 1977 with the MBBS degree, reportedly with a distinction in paediatrics. It was an early indication of the compassion and commitment with which she would later serve women and children, particularly those most vulnerable.

In 1979, she joined the Federal Ministry of Health as a Registrar in the Epidemiology Division. Her early work involved investigating outbreaks of cholera, cerebrospinal meningitis and yellow fever.

Over the next three decades, she rose through the ranks and assumed increasingly senior responsibilities. She served as National Programme Manager for the Control of Diarrhoeal Diseases and Acute Respiratory Infections, National Coordinator of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness programme, and Chief Consultant in Epidemiology. In the latter role, she contributed to Nigeria’s polio eradication surveillance efforts in collaboration with the World Health Organization.

Between 2004 and 2007, as Director of HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control, she led the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP) team in the development of Nigeria’s first Health Sector HIV Strategic Plan and national HIV treatment and monitoring tools. Her work was subsequently referenced in a 2022 Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) publication on Nigeria’s HIV response, and she coordinated Nigeria’s Round 5 Global Fund grant.

She later served as Acting Director of Family Health and Director of National Nutrition, contributing to maternal and child health policy at the highest levels of government. Altogether, she spent about 15 years in senior leadership positions within the Federal Ministry of Health.

Her expertise also took her beyond Nigeria. She trained and consulted in Belgium, Kenya, Thailand, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and obtained postgraduate qualifications and professional fellowships, including a Diploma in Public Health from the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, London; a master’s-equivalent qualification in Applied Epidemiology from the Free University of Brussels; and a Fellowship in Community Health from the West African College of Physicians.

She worked with organisations including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Save the Children Fund, Department for International Development (DFID) and USAID on disease surveillance, epidemic control, HIV/AIDS, nutrition and child survival.

From 2012 to 2013, she took her experience into the classroom as a visiting specialist teaching physician at Njala University in Sierra Leone, helping to shape another generation of health professionals.

Yet the positions she held and the programmes she helped develop tell only part of her story.

Those who worked with Dr Salawu knew her as a stickler for transparency, accountability and due process. She earned the confidence of donors, partners and colleagues because she herself could be trusted. She understood that public health was not simply about programmes, statistics and policies; it was ultimately about people.

Even after her official retirement, Dr Salawu never truly retired.

She continued to consult, mentor, train frontline health workers and support the establishment of nutrition treatment centres for severely malnourished children across Nigeria. Her commitment to service was not tied to a government position or official title. For her, caring for people was a vocation.

Behind the statistics, policies and programmes she helped shape was a deep concern for women, children and marginalised communities. She believed, quietly but firmly, that Africa’s development had to begin with its most vulnerable people.

That conviction also found expression in her community and faith-based activities.

She served on the Advisory Board of the Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Foundation (GWAF), contributing her time and expertise to its fundraising and planning efforts. As Director of the BALAAH Hope Initiative for Child and Adolescent Health, she continued her lifelong commitment to improving the lives of children and young people.

Dr Salawu was also a devoted member of the Anglican Church on the Peninsula (ANCOPEN), Ajah-Lagos. Through ANCOPEN’s medical outreach programmes and as a member of the Lagos Diocesan Medical Group, she brought together her two great loves – medicine and ministry – in providing care to communities across the wider Lagos Diocese.

A legacy of service

The story of the Nigerian public health system is ultimately a story of people: doctors, nurses, epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, community health workers, administrators, teachers and volunteers who have spent their lives confronting disease and strengthening institutions.

Dr Oluwatoyin Salawu belonged firmly to that tradition.

She was not a person who sought the limelight. Her contribution was instead characterised by professional competence, quiet determination, integrity and an enduring willingness to serve.

From the epidemiology corridors of the Federal Ministry of Health to national HIV and nutrition programmes; from disease surveillance and epidemic response to the training of health professionals; and from senior government responsibilities to post-retirement service among vulnerable communities, she demonstrated that public health is ultimately an act of service.

Nigeria’s public health system still faces formidable challenges. Epidemics will continue to test our preparedness. Health financing will remain a major concern. External partnerships will remain important, even as the country seeks greater domestic sustainability. And the need for competent, ethical and compassionate public servants will never disappear.

The best way to honour people such as Dr Salawu is therefore not merely to remember their names. It is to preserve the values that guided their work: professionalism, integrity, accountability, compassion and service to the most vulnerable.

Dr Toyin Salawu passed away peacefully in Lagos on Saturday, 25 July 2026, at the age of 74.

She leaves behind a legacy of distinguished public service, professional integrity and an abiding commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable communities and children.

May her soul rest in perfect peace. Amen

Kehinde Johnson, a lawyer and sustainability advocate, writes from Lagos.

Besigye trial: Court hears of plot to spy on Museveni

Two white foreigners were allegedly lined up to pose as tourists in Entebbe and secretly monitor President Museveni’s movements and security arrangements ahead of a purported assassination plot, the High Court in Kampala has heard.

Mr Andrew Wilson, alias Orlando, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing treason trial against opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, told the court that the two men were expected to camp in Entebbe and conduct surveillance around the State House.

‘The plan was that I would send two white people who would disguise themselves as tourists in Entebbe to keep watching the State House, watching the President’s movements, and the levels of his security,’ Mr Wilson told court.

The witness said the surveillance was intended to establish the President’s movements and security deployment so that the alleged plotters could identify the most suitable time and location for an attack.

Mr Wilson was testifying before Justice Emmanuel Baguma during the continued hearing of the case in which Dr Besigye and his co-accused face charges relating to an alleged plot to overthrow the government.

The court was shown excerpts from an over two-hour video recording in which a person whom the prosecution identified as Dr Besigye allegedly discussed President Museveni’s movements between Kampala and Entebbe.

‘He uses one road from Kampala to Entebbe, which road is closed to the general public for one hour,’ the person identified by the prosecution as

Dr Besigye is heard saying in the recording.

Mr Wilson told court that the information provided by Dr Besigye was to be combined with the surveillance findings to determine where and when the alleged attack could be carried out.

The witness claimed that the proposed method of assassinating the President was by gunfire. He also alleged that Dr Besigye had disclosed information about the President’s movements, including that Mr Museveni preferred spending the nights in Kampala rather than at State House in Entebbe.

Mr Wilson said he cautioned the alleged plotters to keep secret the identity of the person who was expected to carry out the shooting.

The witness’s testimony centred on the video recording he said he secretly made during a meeting involving Dr Besigye and his associate, Mr Joel Wakayima, in Geneva on June 14, 2024.

He told court that the meeting was held at his rented apartment and was the third consecutive meeting he had with Dr Besigye and his associates, which he alleges were aimed at planning an attack against Mr Museveni.

Mr Wilson said he recorded the proceedings using a covert camera embedded in a mobile phone power bank, which he had hidden in an adjacent room while the meeting took place in the living room.

The camera was mainly directed at a person who appeared to be Dr Besigye, although the quality of the footage was poor.

The prosecution alleges that Dr Besigye, Mr Lutale and Capt Oola participated in a series of meetings between 2023 and 2024 as part of a plan to overthrow the government. The accused persons have denied the allegations. The hearing continues on next Tuesday with Mr Wilson still taking to the witness dock.

background

Opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye is currently being tried in absentia. He has been absent from the proceedings after collapsing in the court dock about a month ago while protesting against legal representation that he said he had not chosen. He was first admitted to Mulago Hospital before being returned to prison.

After election, Adeleke moves to reconcile Osun political leaders

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Friday began a fresh push to heal political divisions in the state, reaching out to former governors and major contenders in the August 15 governorship election as part of efforts to restore political dialogue after a fiercely contested electoral season.

The governor’s latest initiative, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, saw him engage former governor and former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, in a discussion centred on the need to rebuild bridges among the state’s political elite.

The statement stressed that Adeleke used the 35th anniversary of Osun State as an opportunity to seek the support of his predecessors and other political stakeholders for a broader reconciliation process.

The outreach also extended to former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Rauf Aregbesola, with whom Adeleke discussed his administration’s peace efforts.

The governor congratulated the former leaders on the anniversary of the state while seeking their backing for an initiative aimed at reducing political tension and encouraging cooperation across party lines.

Adeleke’s overtures also included former governor Gboyega Oyetola and the APC governorship candidate in the last election, Bola Oyebamiji.

The governor said he placed calls to both men, although neither responded as of the time of filing the report. Their inclusion in the outreach underscores the administration’s stated intention to extend the reconciliation process beyond its immediate political allies.

The latest move comes against the backdrop of a politically charged election season during which Osun witnessed intense partisan mobilisation and incidents of violence.

Adeleke has repeatedly argued that the conclusion of the election should mark the beginning of a healing process rather than the continuation of political confrontation, insisting that governance must now take precedence over electoral rivalry.

Speaking on the rationale for his outreach, the governor said the 35th anniversary celebration offered him an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of political leaders from different tendencies while simultaneously appealing for peace.

He maintained that the state’s political class had a responsibility to prevent electoral disagreements from permanently damaging relationships or undermining development.

Adeleke also linked the reconciliation initiative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appeal that he should champion peace-building in Osun.

According to him, his administration’s objective is to create an atmosphere in which political differences can be managed through dialogue and where the people, rather than partisan interests, remain the primary beneficiaries of democracy.

The governor’s renewed engagement with former leaders could therefore mark an important test of Osun’s ability to move beyond the sharp divisions associated with the election.

While the response of some of the political actors he has contacted remains awaited, Adeleke said he would continue the peace initiative, declaring that there was ‘no victor, no vanquished’ and that the state’s collective interest must now guide political engagement and governance.

Overlapping mandates threaten higher education quality, warns NPA

The National Planning Authority (NPA) has warned that overlapping mandates among higher education regulators and professional bodies could undermine the quality and development of Uganda’s higher education sector.

Mr Joseph Muvawala, the NPA Executive Director, said government needs to harmonise regulation and clearly define the roles of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), the TVET regulator and professional bodies to prevent duplication.

Speaking at the launch of the NCHE’s five-year Strategic Plan, Service Delivery Standards and Client Charter which will guide the council’s operations from 2025/26 to 2029/30 in Kampala on Thursday, Mr Muvawala said unclear jurisdiction could frustrate implementation of the new tools.

“We need harmonisation in regulation so as to clearly know who regulates what, where does higher education start and stop?” Dr Muvawala asked.

He said professional bodies should concentrate on regulating their respective professions rather than taking over functions that belong to universities or higher education regulators.

“We are seeing a lot of duplication and disharmony but there are professional bodies which are increasingly becoming involved in university affairs. You find some bodies taking roles of accrediting certain programs which isn’t stipulated among their mandates,” he said.

Dr Muvawala said government should address the overlaps as it reviews laws governing the sector, warning that continued duplication could affect universities’ ability to deliver quality education.

“The Ministry of Education and Sports should address the regulatory gaps as the country implements the new NCHE strategic instruments. The issue should be considered alongside other legal reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and regulation in higher education because the quality of universities ultimately determines the quality of human capital available to drive Uganda’s development,” he said.

He noted that the NPA will soon issue an advisory note to the minister, providing technical guidance on the matter and proposing measures to address duplication and regulatory confusion.

His concerns were echoed by Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor, who said NCHE should be given stronger powers and sufficient independence to regulate universities without interference.

Prof Nawangwe called for a clear separation between the roles of NCHE and professional bodies.

“Confusion has to be removed. NCHE is the one to regulate universities. Professional bodies should regulate their professions, not universities,” he said.

He noted that professional bodies should only assess graduates when they are seeking entry into their respective professions, rather than directly supervising universities.

“If they need the university, they should come to NCHE and check whether those people are qualified and have been admitted by the body. It is at that point that they can oversee the quality of people entering their profession, not going to the universities, because we already have a regulator, and then they start threatening that they are going to close you,” Prof Nawangwe said.

However, NCHE says the regulatory confusion needs to be resolved in four key areas: determining which regulator has jurisdiction over particular institutions and programmes; clearly distinguishing TVET institutions from higher education institutions; defining which body should accredit specific programmes; and clarifying how the powers of NCHE and the TVET Council should be exercised.

Under the TVET Act No. 3 of 2025, universities are required to seek accreditation from the TVET Council for their diploma and certificate programmes and to register students for national examinations administered by the Uganda Vocational and Technical Assessment Board (UVTAB) and related bodies.

Section 5(1) of the TVET Act mandates the TVET Council to accredit TVET programmes, while Section 4(d) of the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act gives NCHE similar accreditation responsibilities. The then Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, in December 2025 advised that there was no conflict or overlap between the two systems.

In Rwanda, the Government operated a TVET system similar to what Uganda has just introduced under the TVET Act 2025, for a number of years. However, it was found unworkable because it plunged the education sector into utter confusion. Consequently, they were forced to abandon it and adopt a system where TVET is split into Basic TVET (Certificate Levels 1-5) regulated by the TVET Board and TVET Higher Education (levels 6-9) regulated by the Rwanda Higher Education Council.

Speaking at the same event, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, the acting Minister of Education and chief guest, urged stakeholders to implement the new standards with integrity.

“We ask that the education system is firm and takes action on what is planned, with integrity and in a developmental way for Uganda as a whole. Let all stakeholders play their part, and let the public also demand these standards so that we can see Uganda developing,” Dr Muyingo said.

“Every staff member should understand the contribution they are expected to make, every client should know the standard of service they are entitled to receive, and management should be able to demonstrate, with evidence, the results achieved,” he added.

Prof Mary Okwakol, the NCHE Executive Director, said the Client Charter will provide a basis for monitoring quality while ensuring institutions respond promptly.

“The Client Charter will help us monitor our services, but also require our clients to respond quickly so that we can move their requests forward through the different organs of the university. The Strategic Plan needed to be accompanied by these instruments in order to fulfil the aspirations of our clients,” she said.

Nigerian stock market gets global upgrade

Nigerian capital market was yesterday upgraded to a higher status of global prominence in a major endorsement that validated the country’s macroeconomic reforms and increasing confidence within the global investing public.

FTSE Russell, a global market assessor that serves institutional investors worldwide, yesterday confirmed Nigeria’s reclassification from ‘Unclassified’ to ‘Frontier Market Status’, effective from beginning of trading on September 21, 2026.

The Nigerian equities market responded positively to the announcement, shrugging off an 11-day consecutive losing streak with a gain of N305 billion as investors swarmed large-cap stocks that are traditionally attractive to foreign portfolio investors (FPIs).

The confirmation of the upgrade followed extensive reviews of Nigeria’s foreign exchange (forex), liquidity, capital repatriation and overall macroeconomic environment.

The confirmation of the upgrade to ‘Frontier Market Status’ by FTSE Russell Index Governance Board was sequel to favourable reports by FTSE Equity Country Classification Advisory Committee, which affirmed that there were no ‘no material settlement, operational or funding issues’ around the Nigerian market, even with the transition from a three-day, T+2 transaction cycle to a two-day, T+1 settlement cycle. Nigeria had transited from a T+2 to T+1 settlement cycle on June 1, 2026.

Nigeria had been downgraded to ‘Unclassified’ status in 2023 due to challenges around forex liquidity and capital repatriation as the country grappled with depleted forex reserves, overdue forex obligations, low national revenues, and a spiraling black market in the face of officially pegged but unavailable forex.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration took decisive decisions to unify the forex rates under a market-determined framework, remove petrol subsidy and implement string of other reforms that redirect the country’s macroeconomic outlook.

Group Managing Director, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), Mr. Temi Popoola described the upgrade as ‘an important moment for Nigeria’s capital market’.

He said the return to Frontier Market status creates opportunity for the next phase of Nigerian capital market’s development.

Popoola said: ‘We have to turn greater international visibility into broader participation, deeper liquidity and more capital for Nigerian businesses. Our ambition is to build a market that is increasingly competitive globally and more relevant to Nigeria’s economic growth.

‘We are encouraged by the continued support of the Federal Government and the commitment of stakeholders across the market as we work towards that ambition.’

According to him, the publication of the FTSE Frontier Index Series annual indicative review files for September 2026, which will reflect Nigeria’s reclassification is a milestone for the market.

He noted that Nigeria’s return to Frontier Market status is expected to enhance the visibility of Nigerian equities within the global investment community and create further opportunities to broaden engagement with international institutional investors and deepen participation in the Nigerian market.

The latest upgrade followed SandP Dow Jones Indices’ placement of Nigeria on its Watch List for potential reclassification to Frontier Market status as part of its 2027 Country Classification Annual Review, providing a further indication of growing international attention to improvements in Nigeria’s market accessibility.

‘NGX Group reaffirms its commitment to continued collaboration with the Federal Government, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), market operators, investors, global index providers and other stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s position within the international financial ecosystem and ensure that the capital market plays an increasingly important role in sustainable economic growth and capital formation,’ Popoola said.

President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Dr Fiona Ahimie, said the upgrade should be positive development for foreign portfolio investment, as it restores the country’s visibility and eligibility within the FTSE Russell global index framework.

She explained that the upgrade places Nigerian equities back on the radar of global frontier-market investors and gives index-tracking funds the opportunity to consider Nigerian stocks within their investment universe.

Ahimie said: ‘For the domestic market, the more meaningful benefits could emerge gradually through improved liquidity, broader investor participation and stronger valuations.

‘Increased foreign participation could boost trading activity and potentially reduce the valuation discount attached to Nigerian equities, especially large and liquid stocks that are more accessible to international investors.

‘Nevertheless, the reclassification should be regarded as a catalyst, not a cure-all. Sustained foreign inflows will ultimately depend on Nigeria’s ability to maintain adequate forex liquidity, facilitate the efficient repatriation of investment capital, ensure policy consistency, deepen the capital market and achieve greater macroeconomic stability.’

Chairman, Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Sehinde Adenagbe noted that the upgrade was significant because it enhances the international visibility and credibility of the Nigerian capital market.

He said: ‘It signals that some of the market-access concerns that previously limited Nigeria’s participation in global investment indices are being addressed. This could encourage international fund managers, institutional investors and research analysts to pay greater attention to Nigerian equities.

‘Over time, increased visibility can improve price discovery, deepen market participation and strengthen the ability of Nigerian companies to attract international capital through the equities market.

‘More importantly, the development could strengthen Nigeria’s position within the global capital-market ecosystem. Greater foreign participation would potentially increase market liquidity, broaden the investor base and improve the efficiency of capital allocation.

‘It could also encourage Nigerian listed companies to improve corporate governance, disclosure and investor-relations practices as they compete for international capital.’

Managing Director, GTI Capital, Mr. Kehinde Hassan, said the upgrade sends a positive signal to the global investing public on tradability of the Nigerian market.

He expressed optimism that the country would remain within positive radar of global investors, rating agencies and assessors, citing continuing improvements in the country’s forex liquidity and general macroeconomic outlook.

Wema Bank CEO chairs CIBN conference committee

Moruf Oseni, the MD/CEO of Wema Bank, has been announced as the Chairman of the Consultative Committee for the CIBN 19th Annual Banking and Finance Conference.

The conference is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

The Annual Banking and Finance Conference is themed: ‘Building a Resilient Economy in an Era of Disruptions: Strategic Imperatives for the Banking and Financial Services Industry.’

A statement said that the CIBN 19th Annual Banking and Finance Conference will generate meaningful conversations, provide practical insights and deliver actionable recommendations for strengthening institutions and positioning the Nigerian banking industry for sustained growth.

It added that resolutions reached at the Conference will be documented and forwarded to relevant stakeholders and policymakers in form of a communique, to aid and enable informed decision-making, policy formulation, and strategic alignment with global best practices.

Detailing the focus areas for the 2-day Conference, Oseni described it as the biggest edition of the CIBN Annual Banking and Finance Conference.

‘I am not just speaking about size. What we have curated is a strategic fusion of insightful business sessions, bespoke youth-focused and cyber security programmes and a vast wealth of solution-driven discussions that will take place in a room where all the institutions, bodies and powerhouses with the authority to action the resolutions from these discussions, will be actively present, and this is how positive change is engineered’.

‘For the first time ever, the CIBN Annual Banking and Finance Conference will feature a women-focused programme that will bring to focus the role that women play in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready economy-a first-of-its-kind initiative that marks a defining milestone in our collective commitment to fostering transformative leadership and shaping a more resilient and prosperous future,’ he said.

My maiden encounter with mutton at Middle East Restaurant

In the past, eating mutton was taboo among the ethnic cattle-keeping communities of Western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the South Kivu Province of the DR Congo.

This is mainly because sheep like chicken, which was also taboo, were used in divination and to offer sacrifices to ancient deities.

In addition to this, sheep, which were reared alongside cattle, were believed to impart a sacred, calming energy beneficial to their well-being and considered the divine protectors of cattle, which held immense value and prestige. It is probably due to these beliefs passed down from generation to generation that I grew up never seeing mutton eaten at home and tasted it for the first time in my life, a few days ago, at the Middle East Restaurant in Bukoto.

Here comes mutton

Unlike the cattle keepers of yore, mutton is the meat of choice in the Middle East and is served at important functions such as weddings, cultural events and family feasts, while chicken, beef and goat meat take a back seat. Centuries of trade along the Silk Road and with the Ottoman and Persian empires brought a wide range of spices and cooking techniques to the Middle East and gave birth to popular dishes such as kebabs, falafel and shawarma, all of which are served at the Middle East Restaurant, located at Marigold Heights on the Bukoto-Ntinda Road.

Ambiance

At the entrance of the restaurant is an ice cream counter loaded with all sorts of ice cream. The restaurant itself is large and well ventilated, with the walls tastefully decorated with elegant, ornamental silver and brass plates. The high ceiling is covered with hanging artificial greenery and dotted with electric fans that keep the restaurant cool and airy. The tables, arranged with chairs upholstered in heavy cream and gold fabric, give the restaurant an air of understated opulence. There is a long glass counter at the front of the restaurant with a variety of desserts and an assortment of attractively arranged fresh fruit.

The food and service

The menu has a wide range of Middle Eastern and Lebanese dishes which include felafel – deep-fried ground fava beans and chickpea balls with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices served with vegetables and tahini sauce, and kebabas – a variety of marinated meats roasted on skewers over a fire.

Shawarma, a popular Middle Eastern street food comprised of thin slices of marinated meat stacked and slow-roasted on a rotating vertical spit, is also on the menu, served on a platter with rice, chips and a salad, or stuffed in wraps made from flatbread similar to our local rolex and served with vegetables and several sauces. There is also a variety of burgers and pizzas from their outdoor pizzeria. The service was quick and the waiting staff efficient and courteous.

Since I had secretly come for the mutton, I opted for lamb mansaf rice – two lamb shanks served with Middle Eastern rice with minced beef, cashew nuts, slices of lemon, gravy and a salad with yoghurt dressing. The bones on the pair of lamb shanks were huge and intimidating, but the meat I scraped off them was succulent, delicious and fall-off-the-bone tender and delightful with a squeeze of lemon, despite being a little too fatty for my palate.

The rice too was scrumptious. The meals and drinks here, as in most upscale restaurants, are pricey; there are some good deals, however, such as the half chicken and chips at Shs28,500, as well as the mixed shawarma platter and six goat chops served with rice and salad, which can be shared by two and go for Shs39,500 and Shs59, 500 respectively.

The rest room

The loos were clean and fitted with modern amenities.

Overall impression

Middle East Restaurant has good food, excellent service and is definitely worth a visit.

Nigeria records over 65,000 suspected cholera cases across 35 states – NCDC

Nigeria has recorded more than 65,000 suspected cases of cholera across 35 states and about 195 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2026, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, has disclosed.

Idris, who spoke on Friday during a press briefing on the current cholera and diphtheria outbreaks, however, said weekly cholera cases had declined substantially from the peak recorded earlier in the year, while the proportion of cases resulting in death was significantly lower than during the corresponding period last year.

He cautioned that the decline should not be interpreted as the end of the outbreak, warning that cholera transmission remained active and could worsen as the rainy season continues.

‘Our experience in recent years shows that cholera transmission can peak between late August and October. We are also still in the rainy season, and flooding remains an important risk because it can contaminate water sources and overwhelm sanitation systems,’ Idris said.

He said the country must consolidate the gains recorded so far and prevent a resurgence of cases.

According to him, one of the clearest lessons from the outbreak was the importance of early access to treatment, noting that outcomes had improved in Borno State, which recorded the majority of the cases, where treatment was brought closer to affected communities.

‘But the data are telling us something equally important: while treatment saves lives, we cannot treat our way out of cholera,’ the NCDC DG said.

He identified unsafe water, open defecation, damaged water distribution systems, poor hygiene infrastructure and inadequate sanitation in schools, markets and other public institutions as persistent drivers of cholera transmission.

Idris said sustained interventions in water, sanitation and hygiene, environmental health and community behaviour were therefore required to prevent recurrent outbreaks.

On diphtheria, he disclosed that Nigeria had recorded more than 10,000 confirmed cases this year, although the case fatality rate had declined considerably compared with the same period in 2025.

He said most confirmed diphtheria cases were concentrated in Kano, Borno and Bauchi states, attributing the continuing burden largely to inadequate vaccination coverage.

‘The central issue is that too many children remain unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy, insecurity, hard-to-reach communities, displacement and population movement make it more difficult to reach every child who needs protection,’ he said.

Idris stressed that diphtheria was vaccine-preventable and urged intensified efforts to identify and vaccinate children who had missed recommended doses.

The DG said the NCDC was coordinating the national response with state governments and partners through strengthened surveillance and laboratory capacity, support for case management and infection prevention and control, community engagement, and the deployment of National Rapid Response Teams to affected states.

He said oral cholera vaccination had been implemented in high-burden areas, while water chlorination, rehabilitation of water sources and hygiene promotion were continuing in affected communities.

In Borno, he said NCDC teams had investigated transmission sources and assessed water supply points to identify gaps in water quality, sanitation and chlorination, while in Bauchi, oral rehydration points had been established, treatment capacity strengthened and active case searches intensified.

For diphtheria, he said reactive vaccination was being conducted in affected areas, alongside the provision of essential treatment and laboratory commodities.

Idris, however, stressed that the Federal Government alone could not end the outbreaks, urging states and local governments to provide the human, material and financial resources required to sustain interventions.

He called for improved access to safe water and sanitation, water-quality monitoring, the repair of critical water infrastructure, the elimination of open defecation, and functional treatment and rapid-response capacity in high-risk LGAs.

On vaccination, he urged states to strengthen routine immunisation and targeted vaccination, particularly in affected, underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

‘Enugu only state without reported cholera case’

Responding to a question on states reporting cholera cases, Idris clarified that Enugu State was, for now, the only state without a reported cholera case, but warned against interpreting the absence of reported cases as evidence that cholera did not occur sporadically in other states.

He said the NCDC did not rank states according to disease burden but focused attention on states where cases had reached outbreak or epidemic levels.

‘Because they are not reporting cholera doesn’t mean that they are hiding information,’ Idris said, adding that he had visited Enugu State about three weeks earlier and found the state government proactive in its response to public health issues.

He explained that cholera could occur throughout the year but was exacerbated during the rainy season.

‘Virtually all states have cholera. It may not be on an outbreak level,’ he said.

According to him, some states may record small numbers of cases that are treated in health facilities without reaching the threshold that would warrant classification as an outbreak.

Idris said the NCDC instead concentrated resources on hotspot states where disease numbers were considered unacceptable.

‘We have not rated states yet, but for those states where the numbers are unacceptable, and that’s why I mentioned for cholera, those states, because they are responsible for very, very high number of cases, and that’s why we need to concentrate on to reduce the number,’ he said.

He also attributed the detection of diphtheria cases in more states partly to improved disease surveillance.

‘For diphtheria, it used to be three, four states up north. Now it has spread to one or two this way. And the spread again is just a reflection again of increased surveillance systems. More cases are being detected unlike before,’ Idris said.

He described increased detection as a positive development but stressed that identified cases must be followed by effective control and response.

The NCDC DG also rejected the argument that poverty should be used to explain poor hygiene practices that contribute to cholera transmission.

‘Because you are poor doesn’t mean that you cannot express personal hygiene. Because you are poor doesn’t mean you should just open defecate, defecate anyhow,’ he said.

Idris acknowledged that governments had responsibilities to provide water and sanitation infrastructure but maintained that individuals and communities also had responsibilities.

He said communities could reduce their risk by ensuring drinking water was safe, maintaining clean surroundings, using proper sanitation facilities, avoiding open defecation, washing hands regularly with soap and clean running water, and properly preparing and protecting food from contamination.

He urged Nigerians who develop frequent watery diarrhoea, with or without vomiting, to begin oral rehydration immediately and seek treatment at the nearest health facility.

‘Do not wait until the illness becomes severe,’ he said.

Idris also urged parents and caregivers to ensure children were fully vaccinated against diphtheria, stressing that vaccines were safe, effective and available free through routine immunisation services and vaccination campaigns.

He attributed the decline in cholera cases in some states partly to improved responses by state governments, saying the NCDC had been engaging states and demanding accountability for the resources deployed to fight the outbreak.

‘The states are getting more money. And when they come, we say, ‘What have you done?’ So, you understand me. So some states have taken it up there, said they are active, actively working,’ he said.

He warned that leadership and governance gaps in some states could undermine the national response, stressing that such failures should not be allowed to persist.