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By Gloria Ikibah

The Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, Mersole Mellejor, has called for stronger institutional structures and legislative frameworks to guarantee gender equality, describing gender mainstreaming as an ongoing process that must remain at the heart of governance.

The ambassador made the call during a dialogue session organised under the Female Legislative Mentorship Initiative on Parliamentary Affairs and Diplomacy at the Philippine Embassy in Abuja.

The session, themed “Women at the Table: The Philippine Gender and Development (GAD) Framework for Inclusive Governance, Diplomacy, and Peace,” brought together officials from the Directorate of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the diplomatic community.

Speaking during the event, Mellejor outlined the Philippines’ approach to gender inclusion, explaining how the country’s legal and institutional frameworks compel both public and private institutions to prioritise gender-responsive policies.

“In the Philippines, we have parameters in place that carry direct budget implications for government agencies.

“Failure to implement gender mainstreaming directly impacts an agency’s budgetary allocation, serving as a firm measure to force compliance,” Mellejor said.

The envoy explained that the Philippine model goes beyond policy declarations by tying compliance to funding, thereby ensuring that government institutions take gender issues seriously.

He also highlighted the country’s Safe Spaces Act, which criminalises gender-based harassment and abuse in both public places and workplaces.

According to him, the law empowers not only victims but also third parties to initiate legal action in cases involving gender-based violations.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s efforts to promote gender equality, Mellejor commended the progress already made despite the country’s social and cultural complexities.

“As an outsider, I am very encouraged by where Nigeria is in terms of gender initiatives.

“Nigeria is a diverse nation of over 230 million people, but based on the Philippine experience, diversity should not be a source of weakness; it is a vital generator of unity,” he said.

He also pointed to Nigeria’s youthful population as one of its greatest assets, noting that the country’s growing digital and technology-driven workforce presents enormous opportunities for economic growth.

According to him, Nigeria’s expanding creative and technology sectors could serve as important areas for deeper collaboration between both countries.

The mentorship session provided an opportunity for participants to exchange ideas on gender-responsive legislation, women’s participation in leadership and peacebuilding strategies.

Members of the Philippine diplomatic mission, including Vice-Consul Norman and Vice-Consul Yate, also shared insights into the embassy’s Gender and Development programmes and how they have been implemented in both domestic and international engagements.

Mellejor expressed optimism that the discussions will lead to stronger institutional partnerships between the Philippine Embassy, National Assembly and civil society organisations.

He said sustained collaboration will help deepen diplomatic engagement and strengthen efforts to advance gender equality through legislation and public policy.

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The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), Major General Maxwell Dangana, has reaffirmed the Division’s commitment to strengthening strategic partnership and fostering relationships that contribute to institutional development, security and community engagement.

The GOC stated this on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, while receiving separate courtesy visits from the Controller, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Jos Branch, Mr Akwashiki Nathaniel Aya, and the National Commander, Man O’ War Nigeria, NC Adedamola Gbenga, at the Headquarters 3 Division, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos.

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Receiving the CBN delegation led by the Controller, Jos Branch, Mr Akwashiki Nathaniel Aya, Major General Dangana appreciated the management of the apex bank for the visit and expressed his readiness to sustain the cordial relationship between the Nigerian Army and CBN.

Earlier in his remarks, the CBN Controller congratulated Major General Dangana on his appointment as the GOC 3 Division and Commander OPEP. He explained that the visit was aimed at paying respect to the new GOC, strengthening the existing relationship between the two institutions and identifying areas of mutual interest that could further enhance collaboration.

In a similar engagement, the GOC also received a delegation from Man O’ War Nigeria led by its National Commander, NC Adedamola Gbenga. The visit was also aimed at congratulating the GOC on his appointment and exploring areas of collaboration between the organisation and the Nigerian Army.

Welcoming the Man O’ War delegation, Major General Dangana expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as both timely and significant. He particularly acknowledged the presence of the National Commander and a member of his delegation, the National Coordinator for Financing Safe Schools under the Federal Ministry of Finance in Nigeria, Hajiya Iliya Ibrahim, noting the importance of the organisation’s contribution to youth development and community security.

The GOC reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote the development, empowerment and security of young people across the country. He noted that organisations such as Man O’ War Nigeria, with their youth-focused programmes and basic security training, have an important role to play in complementing the efforts of government security agencies.

Major General Dangana therefore called for stronger collaboration among relevant stakeholders, stressing that a whole-of-society approach remains essential to building a safer, more peaceful and secure nation.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the National Commander, NC Adedamola Gbenga, said the engagement was intended to strengthen inter-agency cooperation and consolidate the existing relationship between Man O’ War Nigeria and the Nigerian Army. He also solicited the support of 3 Division in the area of security for the successful conduct of the organisation’s 4th National Campaign Exercise.

The separate engagements further underscored the importance of sustained institutional partnerships in advancing shared objectives in security, youth development and community engagement.

Highlights of the visits were the presentation of souvenirs and group photographs.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday began the distribution of reprinted ballot papers and result sheets to agents of all participating political parties across the 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The exercise commenced at the Commission’s state office in Osogbo on Thursday night, following INEC’s compliance with a Federal High Court judgment ordering the inclusion of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, in the election.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, had on July 22, 2026, delivered judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, directing INEC to recognise, accept, upload, process and publish Ajala’s candidature for the August 15 governorship election.

INEC complied with the judgment on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, leading to the reproduction of the ballot papers and relevant result sheets to reflect the inclusion of the SDP candidates.

The reprinted materials were subsequently moved to the Osun State INEC office in Osogbo, where agents of the participating political parties gathered on Thursday night to witness the distribution process.

Addressing journalists at the venue, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Oluwatoyin O. Babalola, explained that the exercise would commence with the signing of the result sheets by the party agents before the distribution of the materials to the respective Local Government Areas.

Babalola said the materials had already been customised according to the polling units for which they were intended, with the names of the polling units clearly indicated on the documents.

“Everything is going to be customised. Believe it. All the results, they already have the name of the polling units on them,” the REC told journalists.

She explained that the customisation was intended to ensure that the materials could be properly identified and matched with their designated polling units during the electoral process.

According to her, the signing by party agents was an important part of the documentation process preceding the distribution of the materials.

“If you are signing, you see what happened,” she said, while explaining the procedure to the agents and journalists at the venue.

The REC also indicated that the materials had been prepared in a manner that would allow the Commission and the political parties to keep track of the documents allocated to the various areas.

The exercise was not, however, a distribution of the materials directly to polling units.

Rather, the reprinted ballot papers and result sheets were being distributed to agents of the participating political parties for the respective 30 Local Government Areas of Osun State.

The party agents were present at the INEC office to witness the process, beginning with the signing of the result sheets before the materials were handed over for the respective Local Government Areas.