The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Ondo State has urged mothers across communities to embrace exclusive breastfeeding as a vital foundation for their babies’ health, especially during the first six months after birth.

This call came from the Director of NOA in Ondo State, Mr James Adekunle, in a press statement released on Tuesday as part of activities marking World Breastfeeding Week, celebrated annually from August 1st to 7th.

“Breast milk is nature’s perfect food — rich in nutrients and antibodies, essential for the growth and development of infants,” Mr Adekunle said.

According to the NOA boss, exclusive breastfeeding not only prevents infections and malnutrition in infants but also contributes to brain development and strengthens emotional bonds between mother and child. He added that the practice offers health benefits for mothers too, helping them recover after childbirth and lowering the risk of certain types of cancer.

“Exclusive breastfeeding saves lives by protecting infants from infections and malnutrition, boosts brain development, and strengthens emotional bonds between mother and child,” Adekunle stated.

“It also supports maternal health, aiding recovery and reducing the risk of certain cancers.”

Family and Community Support Is Key

Mr Adekunle acknowledged the challenges many women face in maintaining exclusive breastfeeding, pointing out that emotional, physical, and practical support is vital for success.

He called on families, especially fathers and relatives, to allow mothers to rest, provide encouragement, and resist introducing complementary foods too early.

He said, “Breastfeeding is a shared responsibility. We must build a supportive system around every mother — at home, in the community, and in the workplace — to ensure healthier children, stronger families, and a better Nigeria.”

Sensitisation Campaign Across Ondo Communities

To commemorate World Breastfeeding Week, the NOA has launched a state-wide sensitisation campaign targeting households, health centres, and community leaders in both rural and urban parts of the state.

This year’s theme focuses on building enduring support systems for breastfeeding, reinforcing the global call for lasting partnerships across homes, health facilities, communities, and workplaces.

“The NOA joins the global call to prioritise breastfeeding as a lifesaving, brain-building, and environmentally friendly practice.”

Mr Adekunle also urged health workers, traditional rulers, and community leaders to help spread accurate information and challenge myths or harmful practices that discourage exclusive breastfeeding.

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has continued his administration’s sweeping reform agenda in healthcare, infrastructure, and public services with a series of fresh interventions aimed at improving quality of life across the state.

At the heart of these developments is the General Hospital, Anaku, in Ayamelum Local Government Area, where the installation of modern electrical and mechanical equipment is nearing completion. The move, approved at the 17th session of the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) on July 30, 2025, represents another stride in the governor’s commitment to comprehensive healthcare delivery.

Revamping Anambra’s Health Sector

Speaking after the meeting, the State’s Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, highlighted the new equipment as part of Governor Soludo’s three-year transformation of the state’s health sector.

“Since the beginning of Governor Soludo’s administration, we have witnessed unprecedented attention to the healthcare system—from personnel recruitment to infrastructure modernization,” Mefor said.

The state’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Anambra recently clinched $1.2 million in health awards, including $500,000 for being the best-performing state in primary healthcare in the Southeast, and $700,000 for overall excellence under the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge.

Popularly known as “The Solution,” Governor Soludo’s leadership has seen the construction of five new general hospitals, the deployment of telemedicine, and free antenatal care for pregnant women across the state.

“We’ve employed over 1,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, consultants, and medical laboratory professionals,” Mefor added. “This has directly improved the availability and quality of services.”

In addition, Soludo has expanded infrastructure at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Nawfia and approved ongoing work on the ultra-modern trauma centre at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka.

Powering Anambra’s Industrial Vision

Alongside the healthcare upgrades, the 17th ANSEC meeting also approved new power projects to energize the Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City (AMIC). The industrial park, which forms part of Soludo’s Dubai-Silicon Valley vision for the state, is expected to become a major investment hub once fully operational.

“This is a key infrastructure milestone,” Mefor noted. “Once power is stable in the park, it opens the door to light manufacturing, digital services, and agro-processing.”

Additionally, the Council approved solar-powered street lighting and earthing upgrades at Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) stations, and solar-powered boreholes and water systems at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli Campus, and Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe.

Expanding Water Access and Sanitation

In a further move to tackle water scarcity, contracts were awarded for the provision of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in Nkwo Umunze and surrounding communities. These will also be extended to the Chief Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex in Awka, benefitting public servants and nearby residents.

“The provision of safe, accessible water and hygiene systems reflects our administration’s people-first approach,” said the Commissioner.

Restoring Cultural Identity, Driving Unity

In a symbolic decision, ANSEC approved the restoration of the historical name ‘Abakaliki Street,’ previously renamed Club Road in 2018, to honour Igbo unity and heritage. According to Mefor, this is consistent with Soludo’s inclusive philosophy, demonstrated by the appointment of Igbos from other states to key political positions in Anambra.

A Model State in Nigeria

Governor Soludo’s multi-sectoral leadership has earned Anambra fourth place nationally in BudgIT’s 2024 “State of States” report for fiscal performance and sustainability.

From education reforms—which include free smart schooling and the employment of over 8,000 teachers—to the digitalisation of Anambra’s judiciary, and revitalisation of urban centres with road networks, flyovers, and modern drainage, the governor’s vision continues to materialize.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, diaspora groups, and numerous independent bodies have praised Soludo’s impact, especially in transportation, innovation, agriculture, and security.

The Road Ahead

As more projects reach completion and more sectors receive attention, observers say Governor Soludo is steadily reshaping Anambra’s identity—from a developing state to a model of sustainable governance, economic ambition, and inclusive service delivery.

By Shakirudeen Bankole

At a time when Nigeria is silently battling an epidemic of mental health issues, suicide, unresolved trauma, and fractured homes, a groundbreaking creative intervention is helping individuals reclaim their voices and emotional balance, question at a time.

The Table of Thoughts, a spiral-shaped interactive art installation designed by Nigerian artist AbdulJaleel Sodangi, is quietly transforming how people relate to themselves and each other. It has emerged as more than just a sculpture, it is a sanctuary for reflection, storytelling, and healing in a country where stigma often silences emotional suffering.

“The Table of Thoughts is more than a product of African creativity. It is a living proof of what happens when difference is welcomed, not feared,” AbdulJaleel told NigeriaUpdates in an exclusive interview.

AbdulJeleel posing with the Table of Thought

Built on Psychoanalysis and African Humanity

Rooted in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis and drawing inspiration from Carl Rogers’ person-centered therapy and Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, The Table of Thoughts is not only artistically provocative—it is psychologically grounded.

AbdulJaleel described the installation as “a participatory experience rooted in reflection, community, and unfiltered expression,” not simply an art display but “art for soul work, for societal repair.”

Built upon a humble office table—once the site of private thoughts—the installation is reimagined with laser-engraved prompts etched into a spiral design. These prompts invite visitors to pause, bend, walk, and reflect. In doing so, they reconnect with buried parts of themselves and engage meaningfully with others.

Introspection, said Wilhelm Wundt, the father of psychology, is the only scientific way to access human consciousness. AbdulJaleel’s design leverages this insight to catalyze personal and communal transformation.

The table of Thought being illuminated for a function at night

A Safe Space for Vulnerability and Truth

At events like Urban November, Moeshen Art Gallery’s Christmas Pop-Up, The Assemble Retreat, and Africana Royal Oath, The Table of Thoughts has acted as a “safe zone” for mental relief. Individuals who encounter the table often experience profound breakthroughs.

“At Almat Farms, under moonlight, a woman overwhelmed by illness and financial stress found not just empathy, but practical support,” said AbdulJaleel. “At Moeshen, a man disconnected from his creative self rediscovered purpose.”

“In a household on the brink of divorce, cards from the Table helped a couple reconnect, turning confrontation into reconciliation. This is not anecdotal fluff; it’s therapeutic transformation in action.”

These testimonies reflect Nigeria’s broader mental health emergency. According to the World Health Organization, over 7 million Nigerians suffer from depression, yet fewer than 10% receive appropriate care. Suicide rates remain alarmingly high—17.3 per 100,000 people, one of Africa’s worst.

Meanwhile, the National Demographic and Health Survey reveals that three in ten Nigerian women aged 15–49 have experienced domestic violence. Yet, silence and stigma continue to dominate public discourse.

Healing Beyond the Clinic: Cultural and Community Therapy

AbdulJaleel sees The Table of Thoughts as a cultural technology rather than just a therapeutic tool. It fits within the African tradition of the palaver circle, where community members come together to resolve disputes and reflect on shared experiences.

“Modern Nigerian life—fast, transactional, hyper-connected—has eroded communal support systems,” he said. “The spiral table subtly restores that intimacy. Vulnerability becomes strength.”

The table aligns with Trauma-Informed Care frameworks advocated by experts like Judith Herman and Bessel van der Kolk, who stress that real recovery often comes not from medical diagnosis alone but from embodied, communal, and ritual practices.

“The Table of Thoughts checks all those boxes,” said AbdulJaleel.

AbdulJeleel in a signature photo with the table as the background

Scalable, Inclusive, and Globally Relevant

The table’s relevance goes beyond therapy. Its potential applications are far-reaching:

Corporate Environments: Promoting employee wellness and leadership growth.

Schools and Universities: Helping students navigate stress, anxiety, and identity.

Prisons and Rehabilitation Centers: Supporting emotional reform and reintegration.

Faith-Based Institutions: Encouraging honest conversation beyond doctrine.

It is affordable, adaptable, and scalable, offering a compelling alternative to inaccessible or overly clinical mental health services.

The vision, however, is not just national. AbdulJaleel believes The Table of Thoughts could be a model for regions marred by identity conflict, from India and Israel to Syria and Iran.

“This simple spiral table, born in Africa, offers a subtle blueprint,” he said. “It demonstrates that by designing spaces that encourage listening and honest expression, diversity stops being a fault line and becomes a force for collective growth.”

Bridging Religion, Tribe, and Identity

In its most moving iterations, the table becomes a space where deeply divided identities converge in peace.

“A Muslim woman and a Christian man can reflect on grief together. A Hausa artist and an Igbo entrepreneur can share stories of doubt and triumph,” said AbdulJaleel. “Even a young atheist and an elderly imam can both answer the same question card: ‘In what ways am I a bridge to those who need hope?’”

Final Word: A Call to Institutions

If Nigeria must confront its emotional wounds—from intimate partner violence to youth suicide—AbdulJaleel believes tools like The Table of Thoughts are vital.

“It is not a product to be consumed. It is a process to be experienced,” he said. “Healing doesn’t begin with diagnosis. It begins with permission—permission to feel, to speak, and to be witnessed.”

He called on Ministries of Health and Education, development NGOs, religious organizations, and corporate leaders to take this concept seriously.

“The Table of Thoughts allows people to feel seen, heard, and valued—not as patients, but as human beings.”