MILO: St Jude, King Amakree advance to finals

By Admin

 St. Jude Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State, and King Amakree Academy, Rivers State, have secured places in the 26th MILO Basketball Championship National Finals after emerging champions of the Atlantic Conference held in Asaba, Delta State.

The two schools booked their tickets to the national finals after defeating their opponents in keenly contested finals at the Stephen Keshi Stadium.

St. Jude Girls outclassed Urhobo College 46-25 to claim the girls' title, while King Amakree Academy edged the same school 47-44 in a thrilling boys' final.

Their victories mark the latest stage in this year's championship, which has attracted entries from more than 13,000 schools across Nigeria, underlining the growing popularity of the competition among secondary school students.

For St. Jude Girls, Anthonia Obokawe proved decisive. The Bayelsa star, wearing jersey number four, scored 12 points to help her team cruise to victory and was subsequently named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the girls' category.

In the boys' competition, Edmund Hart of King Amakree Academy delivered a standout performance, scoring 22 of his team's 47 points to earn the MVP award.

Speaking at the event, Category Manager for MILO at Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Gilbert Tweneboah-Koduah, said the championship remains an important platform for nurturing young talent and building life skills through sport.

"These students are not only competing for medals. They are learning teamwork, discipline, resilience and the confidence to overcome challenges. We are proud to support a platform that helps young people discover their potential and pursue excellence," he said.

The championship, now in its 26th year, has become one of the country's most enduring school sports competitions, producing generations of young athletes while promoting healthy competition and personal development.

The Atlantic Conference follows earlier regional qualifiers across the country.

In the Savannah Conference, Government Secondary School, Zing, Taraba State, won the girls' category, while Family Support Programme Secondary School, Katsina State, emerged champions in the boys' division.

At the Central Conference, Government Secondary School, Gboko, Benue State, claimed the girls' title, while Father O'Connell Science College, Niger State, won the boys' category.

With the Atlantic Conference now concluded, attention shifts to the Western Conference, the final qualifying stage before the national finals.

The winners of that conference will join the already qualified schools at the 26th MILO Basketball Championship National Finals scheduled for July 2, 2026, at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The event drew officials from the Delta State Ministry of Education as well as representatives of the Nigerian School Sport Federation (NSSF), the Nigeria Community Sport Federation (NCSF) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).

Water crisis puts 10m pupils, 161m Nigerians at risk, says UNICEF

 

By Admin

More than 161 million Nigerians still rely on contaminated water sources even as millions of children are exposed to disease keeping them out of school and undermining their future.

The scale of the problem came into focus as Nigeria joined other African countries to mark the 2026 Day of the African Child on June 16, themed, "Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa," and drawing attention to a basic need that remains out of reach for many children across the country.

In a statement to commemorate the day, Save the Children International remarked that about seven out of every 10 Nigerian children are deprived of basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services even as only 26.5 percent of the population has access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities, while more than 10 million pupils attend schools without basic sanitation.

“For many families, the daily routine begins with a search for water, and in the rural communities, children often trek long distances to streams, ponds and other unsafe sources. What appears to be a normal part of life can carry serious consequences.

“Unsafe water and poor sanitation continue to fuel outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid. Health experts estimate that more than 70,000 Nigerian children under the age of five die each year from diarrhoeal diseases, many of them linked to poor hygiene, unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation.

“In many schools, children learn in environments without functioning toilets or places to wash their hands. Teachers say illnesses associated with poor sanitation contribute to absenteeism, while many adolescent girls miss classes because schools lack facilities that allow them to manage their menstrual hygiene safely and privately.

“The healthcare system faces its own challenges. Only six per cent of health facilities in Nigeria have basic WASH services, raising concerns about infection prevention and patient safety. Despite years of campaigns and investment, open defecation remains widespread. An estimated 22 per cent of Nigerians still practise it, increasing the risk of contamination of water sources and the spread of infectious diseases,” the statement noted.

Deputy Country Director, Save the Children International, Jane Mbagi Mutua said the situation demands urgent attention.

"Millions of children in Nigeria continue to face daily challenges because they lack access to clean water, safe sanitation and proper hygiene facilities. The urgency of action has never been clearer," she said.

According to Mutua, ensuring that every child has access to clean water and sanitation will require stronger commitment from governments, development partners, communities and the private sector.

She noted that children in poor and underserved communities continue to bear the heaviest burden, despite the fact that access to water and sanitation is recognised globally as a basic human right.

“The theme calls for renewed commitment from governments, partners, and communities to ensure that every child, regardless of where they live, has access to safe, reliable, and sustainable WASH services,” Mutua said, noting that to change the story for millions of children, urgent and collective action is needed.

“Government must increase funding and accelerate implementation of national WASH strategies, development partners and donors should prioritise long-term, sustainable WASH investments, and communities must embrace improved hygiene practices and support efforts to end open defecation.”

Further, Mutua said private sector actors can drive innovation and expand access through partnerships.

On his part, House Leader, Katsina State Children's Parliament, Muhammad Aminu said, “Every African child deserves clean water, safe sanitation, and good hygiene. This is not charity. It is an investment in health, dignity, education, and the future of Africa.”

His remarks reflect a growing concern that while access to clean water is often discussed as a development goal, for millions of children it remains an everyday struggle.

Stakeholders called for increased investment in water infrastructure, faster implementation of national WASH policies and greater efforts to end open defecation. They also want communities to play a more active role in promoting hygiene practices that can help prevent disease.

It was agreed that the reality is that millions will return home from school to communities without safe water, toilets or places to wash their hands. For them, the conversation about water and sanitation is not about targets and policies, but about health, safety and the simple chance to grow up without preventable disease.

After 50, poor sleep more dangerous than you think

 

By Admin

Health experts have urged people in their 50s and 60s to take sleep more seriously, warning that consistently poor sleep can increase the risk of several chronic health conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

 The warning comes amid growing concerns over the impact of sleep deprivation on physical and mental health, particularly among middle-aged and older adults.

 Sleep expert and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of The Sleep Charity, Lisa Artis, said poor sleep should not be dismissed as a normal part of ageing, stressing that quality rest plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and wellbeing.

"Midlife is a key period for sleep because it is often when the risk of long-term health conditions starts to rise. For people in their 50s and 60s, poor sleep should not be seen as an inevitable consequence of getting older."

 She said regular sleep deprivation has been linked to a higher risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, anxiety, depression and diabetes. It can also make existing health conditions more difficult to manage.

 Her comments follow findings from a survey which found that sleep problems are widespread across different age groups.

 The survey revealed that nearly 70 percent of respondents reported difficulty getting adequate sleep. Young adults were among the worst affected, with 80 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 reporting sleep challenges, while 77 per cent of respondents aged 35 to 44 also struggled to get sufficient rest.

Experts attributed the trend to rising stress levels, financial pressures, demanding work schedules and social anxieties.

Artis said sleep should be treated with the same importance as healthy eating and regular physical activity.

 "One poor night's sleep is not necessarily a problem, but when poor sleep becomes a regular pattern, it places additional strain on the body and affects how well people recover, cope with stress and maintain good health," she explained.

 Health experts say prioritizing sleep could play a major role in preventing chronic diseases and improving quality of life, particularly among older adults who face a higher risk of long-term health complications.