- Urges Urgent Action on Climate, Infrastructure Failures After Deadly Deluge
By Queen Kunde
In a deeply emotional message marked by both celebration and sorrow, veteran journalist and advocate Hajia Fatimah Ajibola Kareem-Adigun has extended heartfelt Eid al-Kabir greetings to Nigerians while mourning the victims of the devastating floods that recently struck Mokwa, Niger State.
In a press release titled “Sallah Greetings to Nigerians, and Condolence Message to People of Mokwa,” Kareem-Adigun conveyed her best wishes to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Muslims across Nigeria, and the general public during the Eid festivities. But her message was shadowed by grief over the tragedy that befell Mokwa just days before the celebration.
“My heart is heavy,” she wrote, “as I extend my deepest condolences to the people of Mokwa home and abroad, who have suffered unimaginable loss due to the recent floods.”
The former President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) lamented the destruction caused by the floods, which claimed lives, homes, and livelihoods. She emphasized that this was not just a local crisis, but a national tragedy—one that affected not only residents but travelers, students, and National Youth Service Corps members caught unaware by the catastrophe.
“The pain of Mokwa is the pain of every Nigerian,” she said. “Your resilience inspires us.”
Kareem-Adigun warned that the incident laid bare the pressing threats of climate change and inadequate infrastructure across Nigeria’s urban and rural areas. While she praised the efforts of NEMA, emergency responders, and volunteers, she called for long-term solutions.
“We must not let this tragedy repeat itself,” she urged, calling on all tiers of government to invest in upgraded drainage systems, sustainable urban planning, and nationwide flood mitigation strategies.
She concluded her message with a call for unity, action, and compassion.
“With sincerity of purpose and a genuine sense of national unity, please accept my sympathy. Together, we will rebuild. And together, we must demand the change that protects our future collectively as a people.”
Kareem-Adigun has long been a vocal advocate for gender justice, infrastructure reform, and environmental accountability in Nigeria. Her dual message of celebration and warning serves as a sobering reminder that while festivals may bring joy, the work of nation-building must persist—especially in times of tragedy.
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