“The brutalisation of women seeking help is unacceptable. Silence is not an option. Accountability is non-negotiable”..Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi Co-Convener, Womanifesto
Womanifesto has condemned in the strongest terms the violent attack on women who staged a peaceful protest at the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin, demanding urgent action over the worsening insecurity in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area.
These women were not criminals. They were not political actors. They were wives, mothers, and caregivers searching for their abducted husbands and children, some of whom have remained in captivity for months without meaningful government intervention. Their protest was a desperate cry for protection and justice.
Instead of protection, they were met with violence.
Eyewitness accounts and widely circulated video footage show men armed with canes emerging from within the Government House premises to beat, chase, and brutalise these women while police officers present allegedly failed to intervene. This attack occurred in front of a government facility where protesters ought to have been protected, not assaulted.
Every Nigerian citizen has the constitutional right to peaceful protest. Any attack on citizens exercising this right, especially within the premises of a government office, is a grave indictment of the state. As the Chief Security Officer of Kwara State and a gender-sensitive governor, this incident raises serious questions about women’s vulnerability and the government’s responsibility to guarantee the safety of citizens.
Womanifesto notes, commends, and acknowledges the swift Governor’s public statement distancing himself from the attack. While this distancing is desirable, condemning the state from this terrible act is not enough. What is wrong is wrong, and condemnation without accountability only emboldens perpetrators. If hoodlums are allowed to get away with this violence, women will become increasingly afraid to speak out, and such attacks will continue unchecked.
Womanifesto is in direct contact with some of the affected women, who have narrated harrowing accounts of harassment, humiliation, and physical assault. Their trauma is real, and their treatment is unacceptable in any democratic society. This violence must be condemned unequivocally and addressed decisively.
Our Demands
*A public explanation detailing how and why peaceful women protesters were attacked at the Government House. Immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of all individuals seen in the video footage assaulting the women, regardless of their political affiliation or status. *A public report from the Kwara State Commissioner of Police explaining: Why the police failed to protect the protesters Why the attackers were allowed to operate freely *What disciplinary or corrective measures are being taken Full disclosure of the names of those arrested so far, if any, and the concrete next steps being taken to ensure justice. *Clear government commitments on what actions will be taken to prevent a recurrence and to protect women, protesters, and vulnerable communities across the state. Urgent action on insecurity in Oke-Ode, including a transparent update on efforts to rescue abducted persons and support affected families. We reiterate: if hoodlums are not brought to book, this pattern of violence will persist, and women, already disproportionately affected by insecurity, will continue to suffer in silence.
Womanifesto stands firmly with the women of Oke-Ode and all Nigerian women who courageously demand safety, dignity, and justice. We will continue to monitor this case closely and engage relevant authorities.
The brutalisation of women seeking help is unacceptable. Silence is not an option. Accountability is non-negotiable.
Signed: Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi Co-Convener, Womanifesto on behalf of over 300 groups
Today’s Word Today’s Scripture “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 28:8, NKJV
Moving Forward What are you believing for in 2026? How about if you put the past year’s negatives behind you and start with a fresh new attitude and begin to rise to new heights? Reliving old hurts, thinking about what you lost, will keep you grounded. You have to let it go and quit going back to it. It’s over and done. This coming year is a gift from God. It’s filled with possibilities, with new ideas, new friendships. Stay focused on the good, focused on the possibilities. Now is the time to move forward.
God is calling you to rise up with wings like an eagle and soar. How about you take the promise of today’s Scripture and you say, “God, thank You that You command the blessing upon all that I set my hand to in this coming year, that You will bless me in my home, my family, and my work. Thank You that You always cause me to triumph, that what I touch will prosper and succeed. Thank You that 2026 is going to be an abundant, bountiful, flourishing year.”
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for Your blessing and favor on my life in this coming year. Thank You that what I set my hand to will prosper and succeed, that You will cause me to triumph. I declare that I am about to have an abundant, bountiful, flourishing year. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
Wherever you are, whatever it is that you do, with the Lord’s presence and His unmerited favor covering you, there is no way you will not be a success. When I started working in my early twenties, I kept on practicing the presence of Jesus and in a short time, became the top salesperson in my company.
I not only closed the biggest deals for my company, but I also secured the greatest frequency of sales transactions. I started as one of the lowest-paid employees in the company, but the Lord consistently promoted me, and gave me different income streams from within the same company until I became one of the highest-paid employees in that organization.
Please understand that I am not sharing this with you to put a feather in my cap. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that all the successes that I have experienced in my professional career are a result of Jesus’ presence and unmerited favor in my life.
I shared with you about my professional career (before I entered full-time ministry) so that you will not walk away thinking that I have personally experienced good success from the Lord only because I am a pastor. No. Like I mentioned earlier, whatever vocation you are in, you can experience the presence of Jesus and His unmerited favor, and He will make you a success!
Whether you are a chef, driver, or consultant, it doesn’t matter. God is on your side to bless and make you a success.
Of course, you understand that I am referring to only morally upright professions. You cannot depend on God’s unmerited favor if you are in an industry that requires you to compromise on your Christian morals.
If you are involved in a morally corrupt industry or a job that expects you to lie, cheat, or deceive, my advice to you is to get out! You do not have to depend on a job that puts you in a morally compromising position for your income. God loves you intimately and He has something so much better in store for you. Trust Him.
God is here to save you from destroying yourself. He wants to give you good success and He loves you too much to see you remain in a job that forces you to compromise. The Bible says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold” (Prov. 22:1).
God has a higher way and better plan for your life. You can walk in it today by depending on His unmerited favor to provide for and prosper you!
Today’s Word Today’s Scripture “Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” Revelation 3:8, ESV
Doors You’ve Closed It’s easy to lock doors to areas of our lives because of fear, because we think we don’t have the talent or qualifications, because of hurts, or because of mistakes we’ve made, times we’ve failed. You may have gone years with a locked door, thinking it could never happen. Your time is coming. You may have shut the door, but God is about to come through it. Don’t be surprised when doors open that you tried to keep closed. He’s going to present you with opportunities that seem way over your head. Don’t shrink back. You are well able. The fear may not leave, but you’re going to feel a new confidence, a new boldness—that’s the Most High God breathing in your direction. He’s about to take you where you could never go on your own. Those doors you closed didn’t stop your destiny. God knows what’s in you. He knows what you’re capable of. He’s not going to let fear or the negative things people have spoken over you hold you back. He’s about to do something better than you imagined.
A PRAYER for Today “Father, thank You that You are the doorkeeper of my life. Thank You that You have the power to open doors that I’ve closed and bring new opportunities that will take me to new levels. I believe this is a new day to be bold and break free from the limitations that I’ve set for myself. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
SECTION TWO
Today, I want to talk about how you can depend on God’s wisdom to succeed. Wisdom from the Lord comes by God’s unmerited favor. It is not something that you can study for or acquire with your efforts. Wisdom from the Lord is something that the world cannot have.
This is not to say that the world does not have wisdom. Step into any bookstore today and you will find shelves full of books containing experts’ theories and methods on all sorts of subjects. The majority of these, however, stem from human wisdom, which strengthens and builds up only the flesh.
Whether they know it or not, the people of the world are crying out for true wisdom from the Lord. Just look at the constant demand for self-help books. But what we need is not more “self-help.” What we need is the Lord’s help! Read books that are written by Spirit-filled believers and Christian leaders who encourage you to look to Jesus and not to yourself.
Psalm 1:1 tells us this from the start: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.” Beloved, this means that there is counsel in human wisdom. But the man who does not walk according to the wisdom of the world is the man who is blessed.
At the same time, if his delight is in Jesus, and he meditates on Jesus day and night, Psalm 1:3 says, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”
My friend, make a decision to walk in the counsel of the godly and not in the counsel of the world, and you will see whatever you do prosper. God has raised up men and women who are established in the truths of the new covenant, and who will help you keep your eyes on Jesus.
In Him, you will find all the wisdom that pertains to life. The Bible tells us that in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:2–3) for your success. Keep looking to Jesus, draw on His divine wisdom and see the difference it will make to you!
A miracle, in its broadest and most humane sense, is not necessarily an event that suspends the laws of nature. Rather, it is an outcome that defies prevailing expectations, especially when knowledge, statistics, and experience predict failure, decline, or death. A miracle occurs when the limits we assumed were final quietly reveal themselves to be temporary.
A medical miracle, therefore, is any recovery, survival, adaptation, or therapeutic breakthrough that exceeds established medical forecasts, challenges dominant assumptions, or opens new corridors of healing where none previously seemed possible. It may arrive suddenly or unfold slowly. It may emerge from cutting-edge technology or ancient wisdom. It may be driven by drugs, surgery, herbs, psychology, community care, or the mysterious synergy of all these forces.
A medical miracle does not negate science. It expands science’s humility. It reminds medicine that knowledge is always incomplete, and that life often knows more than our textbooks.
History reminds us that many conditions now treated routinely were once absolute death sentences. Smallpox decimated civilizations. Tuberculosis drained entire generations. Polio imprisoned children in paralysis. HIV/AIDS, within living memory, was spoken of only in whispers of impending death.
Today, many of these conditions are preventable, manageable, or survivable. What changed was not the cruelty of nature, but the depth of human inquiry and perseverance. Every former death sentence turned into a diagnosis is, collectively, a medical miracle.
The eradication of smallpox remains one of humanity’s most astonishing triumphs. A disease that once ravaged continents was eliminated not by chance, but by coordination, courage, vaccination, and the refusal to accept inevitability. The miracle was not one patient’s recovery, but humanity’s shared resolve.
Similarly, HIV/AIDS tells a story of resurrection through persistence. Antiretroviral therapy transformed despair into durability. Millions now live long, productive lives — not because the virus vanished, but because medicine learned to coexist with it. The miracle was not instant cure, but sustained life with dignity.
On the other hand, Africa’s medical miracle stories are often underreported, yet they are profound and instructive.
Dr. Catherine Nyongesa, a Kenyan oncologist, pioneered pediatric cancer care at the Texas Cancer Center in Eldoret. In a context where childhood cancer was once an unspoken death sentence, her work dramatically improved survival rates for children with leukemia and solid tumors. Each child who returned to school after chemotherapy represented not just clinical success, but a miracle of access, advocacy, and compassion.
Professor Oyewale Tomori, a renowned Nigerian virologist, played a critical role in Africa’s response to viral epidemics, including Ebola and Lassa fever. His work strengthened disease surveillance and outbreak response across the continent. Thousands of lives saved through early detection and containment may never be individually named, but collectively they form one of Africa’s great modern medical miracles.
During the Ebola outbreaks, survival itself was extraordinary. Patients such as Pauline Cafferkey, who survived severe Ebola infection after experimental treatment, and unnamed African survivors who endured isolation, stigma, and near-certain death, reshaped global understanding of viral care. Many later developed antibodies that contributed to research and vaccine development — turning survival into service to humanity.
The impact COVID-19 on HIV/AIDS should open another vista of medical miracles.
Also a look at sickle cell survivors in Nigeria and Ghana can bring about certain lessons.
In West Africa, sickle cell disease once claimed most patients before adulthood but today, due to newborn screening, better hydration protocols, pain management, blood transfusion strategies, and community education, thousands now live into middle age and beyond. Each adult living with sickle cell in Africa represents a quiet but revolutionary medical miracle — not of cure alone, but of continuity.
In the continuum of the past, the present and the future, traditional knowledge meets modern validation – and with a little sparkle miracles happen.
African herbal medicine has long supported healing where formal systems were absent. Plants such as Garcinia kola, Morinda lucida, Azadirachta indica (neem), and Artemisia species were used for fever, inflammation, infections, and immune support long before laboratories confirmed their pharmacological properties.
When modern science later validates indigenous wisdom, it does not create the miracle — it recognizes one that already existed. This dialogue between ancestral knowledge and contemporary research is itself a medical miracle of continuity rather than conflict.
The human body is philosophical wonder – and the mind the wonder fountain.
Philosophically, the human body challenges reductionism. It is not merely a machine of parts, but a self-organizing intelligence. Cells communicate. Systems compensate. Organs adapt. The body remembers past infections and prepares for future threats.
Patients awaken after prolonged comas. Brains rewire after strokes. Some cancers regress unexpectedly. These phenomena humble medicine and echo an ancient philosophical truth: life is not passive matter; it is active intention.
The Stoics believed nature possessed an internal rationality. African philosophies speak of vital force. Modern biology speaks of homeostasis and resilience. Different languages — same wonder.
Time is not only miracle but every miracle is a function of space and time!
Not all medical miracles culminate in cure. Some culminate in time.
A terminal patient lives long enough to reconcile with estranged family. A mother survives childbirth complications to hold her child. A grandfather lives to bless a grandchild. These moments are not medical failures; they are existential victories.
In palliative care, relief from pain, preservation of dignity, and peace of mind become profound miracles. Here, medicine aligns with philosophy’s oldest concern: how to live meaningfully, even in the presence of death.
One’s mystery can be another person’s mastery so the union of mind and spirituality on the altar of radicalized meaning cannot be wished away. In the pursuit, and in the conquest, of knowledge, complex things can be made simple by the earnest seeker.
Across cultures, healing has never been purely physical. African spirituality, Eastern philosophies, and even modern psychology converge on one truth: meaning strengthens endurance.
Hope is not superstition. It is biological. It modulates stress hormones, strengthens immunity, and improves adherence to treatment. Faith — whether religious or existential — anchors the mind against despair.
This does not mean belief replaces medicine. It means belief partners with medicine. Healing is participatory. The patient is not a battlefield but a collaborator.
As Viktor Frankl observed, those who find meaning endure suffering differently. Medical miracles often occur where meaning refuses to collapse.
Let it be stated without fear or favour that compassion is the most underrated medicine no sane person can ignore.
One of the greatest medical miracles is care itself.
A nurse who notices subtle deterioration. A doctor who listens beyond symptoms. A caregiver who refuses abandonment. Compassion builds trust, and trust improves outcomes. Healing is not only chemical; it is relational.
In overstretched African clinics and advanced Western hospitals alike, kindness often heals wounds that prescriptions cannot reach.
Among other things, medical miracles matter because they defend humanity against fatalism. They remind us that prognosis is not destiny, statistics are not verdicts, and knowledge is never complete.
They teach science humility and patients courage. They insist that what appears final today may be provisional tomorrow.
Above all, they affirm a simple but radical truth: life is stubborn. It resists extinction, adapts under pressure, and surprises even its most careful observers.
It should be noted that medical miracles are not relics of ancient legends. They occur daily — in research laboratories, rural clinics, hospital wards, and private homes. Some arrive with headlines; most arrive quietly.
As long as humanity continues to learn, care, imagine, and hope, medical miracles will persist — not always as dramatic cures, but as steady affirmations that life refuses to surrender easily.
And perhaps that, in the deepest philosophical and spiritual sense, is the greatest miracle of all.o
Today’s Word Today’s Scripture “…how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11, ESV
Gifts from Above God is going to bring gifts across your path that you’ve never seen—forgiveness, favor, wisdom, mercy, abundance, relationships. They are gifts. You don’t have to force them out of God’s hands. You don’t have to talk God into giving them. You don’t have to perform good enough. Just be a receiver. “God, You promise that whom the Son sets free is free indeed. I receive that freedom right now. You say my latter days would be better than my former days. I receive a bright future. You say my children will be mighty in the land. I receive that by faith.” Now thoughts will whisper, “You’ve seen your best days. Nothing good is in your future.” You have a choice. You can let the gift sit there and think, “You’re probably right. I want to be blessed, but it’s never going to happen.” That’s self-sabotaging. Do yourself a favor and receive God’s far and beyond favor. “Heavenly Father, I receive the gifts, the promises, the abundance, the great relationships, a long healthy life, and a bountiful, productive, abundant year.”
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You that You are constantly showing me Your goodness, with every good gift that comes into my life. Thank You that I can receive Your gifts of grace and believe the promises You have spoken are coming true. I will live today with an attitude of thankfulness and gratefulness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
It gives me such assurance to know that the Lord can deliver us from trouble. But do you know what’s better than being delivered from trouble?
Not getting into trouble in the first place.
My dear reader, don’t just seek miracles and protection from God without seeking the wisdom from Him to stay protected and out of trouble. There are times when the challenges that we face are beyond our control. But I’ve found that often, we experience His protection when we follow the Holy Spirit and lean on His wisdom when making decisions.
Every day, we need His wisdom, just as we need His protection. After all, Proverbs 4:7 tells us that “wisdom is the principal thing,” and in all our getting, we need to get wisdom.
The Bible tells us that Christ has become for us wisdom from God (1 Cor. 1:30). So what we really need is the Lord Jesus. We need to lean on Him and draw close to Him daily.
He is our wisdom and only He can cause us to always be at the right place at the right time. I believe that many troubles and dangerous situations can be completely avoided when we don’t depend on our own wisdom and planning, but involve the Lord in all that we do (Prov. 3:6).
Oftentimes, wisdom and divine protection work hand in hand. Knowing that we can trust God for His protection certainly does not mean that we should willfully put ourselves in precarious situations.
We need to apply wisdom and heed the Lord’s leading through the wise counsel of the people around us, such as our leaders in the local church and our spouses. Proverbs 11:14 tells us, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” For instance, if your spouse has been telling you that you have a problem with speeding, please take heed.
While there can be divine protection, do not be foolish and think that you can do whatever you want and nothing untoward will ever happen to you. I pray that as you involve the Lord and learn to walk in wisdom, you’ll begin to walk in a greater measure of peace, protection, and good success.
There are many believers today who don’t cast their cares upon the Lord. I believe that it is because they don’t have a revelation that He cares for them.
Look at what His Word says: “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Unless you have absolute confidence that Jesus cares for you, you will not cast your cares upon Him.
Just think, would you call upon the help of a relative or friend in your time of need if you were not confident that the person would respond to your call? Jesus cares for you. When you call upon Him, know that you have His fullest attention with all of heaven’s resources backing you up!
Maybe you are thinking right now, “Well, I am sure that Jesus has more important things to do than to bother with my problem.” Hang on. By saying that, you have just shown that you don’t really believe that Jesus cares for you.
Now, let’s see what the Bible says: “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7).
I love and care for my sweet daughter, Jessica. But as much as I adore her and care for her well-being, I have never, not once, counted the number of strands of hair on her head!
She does not know how great a blessing she has been to me. I love to kiss her, smell her hair, and hug her tightly. Yet, in all my great love for her, I have never taken the time to count the number of strands of hair on her head in all these years!
But do you know that your heavenly Father numbers the hairs on your head? I really hope that you are beginning to catch the heart of Jesus and not generalize His love for you. His love for you is all-encompassing. If He cares enough to keep track of the hairs on your head, is there anything too small for Him that you cannot talk to Him about?
My friend, His love for you is personal, detailed, and in-depth! Your heavenly Father wants you to involve Him even in the smallest, most mundane matters of your life, and see His unmerited favor surround you, protect you, and lead you to good success.
Dr Babajide Saheed NMA Chairman Lagos State Chapter
REVIEW OF YEAR 2025 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH SECTOR ACTIVITIES AND WHAT SHOULD DONE IN 2026
There is no much development, initiatives and progress in health sector in the 2025 especially at the federal level in view of the poor performance of the minister of health and social welfare with lack of focus and priority at the level of the federal ministry of health. This is made worse by the lack of focus and priority to healthcare delivery system by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It’s highly unfortunate, unacceptable and disappointing.
In 2025 at the federal levels 1 . Complete lack of interest in solving Japa syndrome
2 . Poor remuneration, welfare packages, training and retraining for healthcare workers
3 . Poor management of strike actions of health sector associations by the FG
4 . Lack of focus on the core healthcare delivery system by the minister of health and social welfare but focused on data collections, research and international partners.
5 . Very low health indices, poor UHC, poor health insurance coverage, high cost of healthcare which is not accessible and affordable to the citizens especially drugs, medical materials, equipments, etc.
6 . Poor attention to primary healthcare system in the country
7 . Poor budgetary allocations to health sector and low healthcare financing.
8 . Poor and terrible power supply to the health institutions.
Positive initiative is fair improvement in the infrastructural development especially buildings
For 2026 Focus should be on the followings:
1 . Better living wages and remuneration to the healthcare workers.
2 . Reduction or eradication of Japa syndrome through the followings: i. Better remuneration ii . Better welfare packages. Affordable housing loan and mortgage Affordable Car loans iii. Training and retraining iv . Better career progression v . Provision of necessary equipments, tools and materials vi. Friendly and positively impactful policies that will benefit the workers and the citizens. vii . Overseas training viii. Conducive environment ix . Stoppage of assault to healthcare workers. x . Non taxable call duty allowances
3 . Accessible, affordable and qualitative healthcare workers to the citizens: i. Improvement in UHC ii. Improvement in health insurance coverage, scope, premium and policy iii . Reduction in the cost of healthcare: a. Reduction in the tariff for medical equipments, consumables etc b . Reduction in the prices of drugs
4 . Implementation of extension of the retirement age of healthcare workers.
5 . Focus and priority to the primary healthcare system
6 . Collaboration between government and private hospitals to reduce mortality and improve access and affordability of healthcare delivery to the citizens.
7 . Improvement in the power supply to the health institutions.
8 . FG should review the budgetary allocations to health sector from 6% to 15% of the Abuja declaration, also those in charge of the health sector should use the money efficiently and effectively without corruption.
9 . Minister of Health should focus on the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria than his present focus on research and few infrastructural development in few hospitals.
10 . Minister of health should resolve the unnecessary and avoidable strike actions in health sector with different approach to conflict resolution especially by giving respect, listening ears and dignity to the medical associations eg NARD. When NARD was on strike, citizens didn’t get access to healthcare delivery.
11 . FG should building different categories of specialist hospitals in the 6 regions of the country including infection disease hospitals in the 6 regions.
12 . Improvement in the security of healthcare workers eg assault on staff and conducive environment for practicing and elimination of mental stress and burnout inducers on the healthcare workers.
Dr Saheed Babajide Kehinde Chairman NMA Lagos State.
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:10–11, NIV
Step into the Unknown The Magi had traveled a great distance, perhaps eight hundred miles, following the Star of Bethlehem. Think of their journey into the unknown, their hopes that they might find the special king of Jews whom they would worship. When they saw Jesus, they fell on their knees, began to worship Him, then opened their treasures and presented these costly gifts to this poor family. All the difficulties and hardships of their journey suddenly faded away as they found the fulfillment of their hopes and dreams, the divine favor.
Is there something God is asking you to do but you keep putting it off? Perhaps you’re afraid of the unknown, not sure how it’s going to work out. You can’t play it safe your whole life and become who you were created to be. Don’t stay stuck when God is showing you it’s time to go. If you do the right thing when it’s hard, you’re going to see God turn things in your favor. There are stars for you to follow, things He’s destined you to accomplish. Keep trusting Him, keep following.
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You that You have a plan for my life and that I need not fear stepping into the unknown. Thank You for calling me to follow You and Your direction in my life. I ask You to make clear the next step that I should take, and I will take it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
SECTION TWO
The Word of God says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Now, what is the kingdom of God? The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
When you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and pursue the kingdom of God, which is Jesus’ righteousness, His peace, and His joy, God’s Word promises that “all these things” will be added to you. “These things” refer to what you will eat, drink, and wear.
Jesus tells us that you do not have to be consumed by these concerns. If your Father feeds even the birds of the air, even though they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, how much more will He take care of you, who are of much more value to Him than the birds (Matt. 6:25–32)!
Beloved, keep your eyes on Jesus and His finished work on the cross. He will add the things that you need in this life to you and cause you to become safe for success. Now, turn with me to the book of Jeremiah to see what the Lord says about having riches, wisdom, and might.
“Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.—Jeremiah 9:23–24, NASB
Let us be a people who will not depend on our own wisdom, might, and riches (in summary, our own merits), but rather, let our boasting (dependence) be in understanding and knowing Jesus.
Know that He is gracious and full of unmerited favor toward us. Know that He executes justice against all injustices. Know that He Himself is righteousness and He clothes us with His robes of righteousness. The more you focus on beholding Jesus in all His loveliness and the less you struggle to earn things by your own merits, the more you become safe for greater success in your life.
Today’s Scripture For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16, NIV
Too Wonderful for Words
Beyond the Christmas lights and presents, beyond the music and great food, God reminds us of the most wonderful gift that has ever been given…this gift is Jesus. The babe in the manger. The Savior of the world, who brought the promise of unconditional love, unending hope, and eternal life to every person who believes in Him. The apostle Paul was so overwhelmed at the thought of all that God has given us that instead of trying to put it all in words, he simplified it this way: “Thanks be to God for His Son—a gift too wonderful for words.”
Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. And the amazing thing is that not only are we personally able to receive this gift that is too wonderful for words, but we are able to share Him with others today and every day. We need to make sure our hearts are ready, both to receive Christ’s love and to extend it to others. This is what Christmas is all about.
A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for Your amazing love and the indescribable gift of Your Son Jesus, who is too wonderful for words. Thank You for the gift of eternal life and the unending hope I find in Jesus. I receive Your love right now and look forward to sharing this gift with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
SECTION TWO
I don’t think I have enough faith to be healed
My friend, it’s not for you to see how much faith you have. That’s God’s department. All you need to do is simply see how gracious God is toward you.
The woman with the issue of blood didn’t go around saying, “I must have faith. I must have faith . . .” No, she wasn’t conscious of her faith (or lack of it). She was conscious of Jesus and His goodness.
How? She heard about Jesus. She must have heard all about His kindness toward the sick and oppressed, and how He healed and delivered them ALL.
She simply saw Jesus in His grace, and Jesus saw her faith and affirmed it—”Daughter, your faith has made you well.” Beloved, just focus on Jesus’ grace. See how He healed ALL without qualification and keep hearing of His goodness!
Africa’s Path to Pharmaceutical Sovereignty and Renaissance: Building Champions at Home:
By Prof. Lere Baale
For decades, Africa’s pharmaceutical markets have lived in the long shadow of multinational drugmakers. Across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and much of Francophone Africa, market leadership, pricing power, hospital procurement preferences, and even perceptions of quality were mainly shaped outside the continent. Indigenous manufacturers existed—but mostly at the margins, constrained by structural rather than capability limitations.
Then came a turning point many initially misread as a crisis: the gradual exit or downsizing of global pharmaceutical giants from several African markets.
What has unfolded since 2023—and crystallised powerfully in 2024–2025—is not decline, but realignment. At the heart of this transformation stands a new regulatory confidence, led in Nigeria’s case, by two institutions whose influence now extends well beyond national borders: the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Together, they represent a regulatory model Africa increasingly needs—firm on standards, enabling growth, and credible on the global stage.
From Multinational Exit to African Opportunity
Across emerging markets, multinational exits often trigger alarm: fears of medicine shortages, loss of trusted brands, and declining care standards. The cardiometabolic segment—hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease—is especially sensitive because therapy is chronic, adherence-dependent, and interruption carries severe consequences.
The highly credible PBR Life Sciences Insight analysis shows that Nigeria mirrors a broader African reality: • High cardiometabolic disease burden • Heavy reliance on out-of-pocket spending (≈80–90%) • Concentration of essential molecules in a few innovator brands • Fragile supply chains vulnerable to single-point failure
When multinational Market Authorisation Holders (MAHs) exit—whether Servier in Nigeria or similar innovators elsewhere—the risk is not merely commercial. It is systemic.
Yet, as Nigeria’s experience now demonstrates, when exits are actively managed, they become catalysts rather than calamities.
Regulation as the Enabler of Continental Confidence
The renaissance unfolding in Nigeria—and increasingly relevant for Africa—cannot be understood without recognising the decisive role of regulation.
NAFDAC and PCN have moved beyond the stereotype of passive gatekeepers. Both agencies now operate as market stabilisers and confidence builders, combining: • Strengthened Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) enforcement • Faster but more rigorous product registration pathways • Targeted post-market surveillance • Professional regulation that restores trust at the retail and dispensing end
Their recognition at WHO Maturity Level 3 (ML3) and NAFDAC’s admission as the 24th member of the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) are not ceremonial milestones; they are signals to Africa and the world that credible regulation and local industrial growth can coexist.
For African regulators, the lesson is clear: standards create markets. Without regulatory credibility, growth becomes opportunistic and short-lived. With it, markets deepen sustainably.
Structural Growth, Not a Currency Illusion
Some commentators have attempted to explain Nigeria’s pharmaceutical surge purely through naira depreciation and import substitution. The PBR data decisively rejects this simplistic view.
What we are witnessing is structural growth: • Prescribers actively switching to quality-assured branded generics • Hospitals and HMOs are formalising long-term local procurement • Retail and digital pharmacies expanding access in urbanising populations • Chronic, refill-driven therapies creating predictable revenue pools
This pattern is not uniquely Nigerian. Similar dynamics exist across African markets, where cardiometabolic disease is on the rise and innovator brands dominate narrow niches.
Nigeria is simply becoming the pilot case.
Import Substitution to Domestic Mastery—Africa’s Industrial Moment
Africa’s pharmaceutical challenge has never been a lack of demand; it has been a lack of confidence, coordination, and capital.
Nigeria’s recent performance, where companies such as Fidson, MeCure, and May & Baker collectively posted ₦15.77 billion in profit over nine months of 2025, demonstrates what happens when indigenous firms are allowed to scale under disciplined regulation.
MeCure’s ₦60 billion Nigeria-only revenue illustrates a more profound truth: local production is no longer a fallback—it is becoming the default.
For Africa, this is the pathway from import substitution to domestic mastery, where medicine security aligns with industrial development.
The Continental Opportunity: From National Success to African Leadership
The next frontier is not merely Nigerian dominance, but African leadership.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) creates the possibility of regional pharmaceutical hubs serving multiple markets. But this will only materialise if three imperatives are addressed continent-wide: 1. Industrial scale must deepen In the long term, patient capital—beyond high-interest commercial loans—is necessary for automation, R&D, and API manufacturing. 2. Export ambition must replace survival thinking African manufacturers must build brands and dossiers that travel—clinically, regulatorily, and commercially. 3. The value chain must be localised end-to-end APIs, excipients, packaging, and logistics must progressively move closer to home to stabilise cost and supply.
The PBR analysis reveals that cardiometabolic molecules—such as gliclazide, indapamide, and perindopril-based combinations—represent high-value, underserved niches where African manufacturers can establish durable franchises if regulation actively guides entry.
Conclusion: Africa’s 2025 Inflexion Point
The gains of 2024–2025 should not be mistaken for an endpoint. They mark the beginning of a transition.
When macroeconomic pressures ease and multinational re-entry narratives reemerge, African pharmaceutical markets must already be too disciplined, credible, and competitive to be displaced.
The exit of multinationals did not weaken Africa’s pharmaceutical future; it exposed how much potential had been suppressed.
Nigeria’s experience—anchored by NAFDAC and PCN—offers a blueprint for the continent: Protect standards, enable local champions, and scale with intent.
If Africa sustains this trajectory, the lesson of 2025 will be unmistakable:
The continent does not need to wait for multinationals to secure its healthcare future. With strong regulation, disciplined local industry, and continental ambition, Africa can build pharmaceutical champions of its own—fit for Africa, and competitive with the world.
Thank you, NAFDAC and PCN, for your leadership in Africa.
Prof. Lere Baale President & Chairman of Governing Council. Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy.
Dara Network TV 