New Year

Nigeria would have approximately 20,210 babies born into the country on the New Year’s day.

This represents the third largest population of newborns in the world on Jan. 1, 2018, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.

UNICEF also said nearly 386,000 babies would be born worldwide on New Year’s Day, representing some 90 per cent in less developed regions.

The agency reported that Kiribati’s Christmas Island in the Pacific would most likely welcome 2018’s first baby while the U.S., its last.

Globally, over half of these births are estimated to take place in nine countries, according to UNICEF.

These are: India, 69,070; China, 44,760; Nigeria, 20,210; Pakistan, 14,910; Indonesia, 13,370; United States, 11,280; Democratic Republic of Congo, 9,400; Ethiopia, 9,020; and Bangladesh, 8,370.

While many babies would survive, some would not make it past their first day, UNICEF said.

Stefan Peterson, UNICEF’s Chief of Health, said on Monday that the agency was challenging nations around the world to make sure more newborns survive their first days of life.

“This New Year, UNICEF’s resolution is to help give every child more than an hour, more than a day, more than a month – more than survival,” Peterson said.

In 2016, an estimated 2,600 children died within the first 24 hours every day of the year, according to the UN agency.

UNICEF said that for almost two million newborns, their first week was also their last.

In all, 2.6 million children died before the end of their first month, the global children’s agency disclosed.

UNICEF said more than 80 per cent of the children died from preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia.

Peterson stressed: “We call on governments and partners to join the fight to save millions of children’s lives by providing proven, low-cost solutions.”

Over the past two decades, the world has seen unprecedented progress in child survival, halving the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday to 5.6 million in 2016.

But in spite of these advances, there has been slower progress for newborns, UNICEF noted adding, babies dying in the first month account for 46 per cent of all deaths among children under five.

In February 2018, UNICEF would launch ‘Every Child Alive,’ a global campaign to demand and deliver affordable, quality health care solutions for every mother and newborn.

These include a steady supply of clean water and electricity at health facilities, the presence of a skilled health attendant during birth, disinfecting the umbilical cord, breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, and skin-to-skin contact between the mother and child.

“We are now entering the era when all the world’s newborns should have the opportunity to see the 22nd century,” Peterson added.

Unfortunately, nearly half of the children born this year likely will not, the UNICEF official regretted.

“A child born in Sweden in January 2018 is most likely to live to 2100, while a child from Somalia would be unlikely to live beyond 2075,” he lamented.

Founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophets T B Joshua, has revealed what his members and followers should expect in 2018.

The prophet, while speaking during a Cross Over service held at the church’s headquarters in Ikotun area of Lagos, prophesied that every unfavourable situation in the year 2017 ended with the year.

He said, “On behalf of Prophet TB Joshua and the Emmanuel TV family worldwide, we wish you all a Happy New Year!!!

“Let the relationship between you and God in this New Year be reestablished in Jesus’ Name! Receive a free spirit – a spirit that is free from offence, bitterness, unforgiveness and pain of the past. Receive it in Jesus’ name, I command!”

“Every unfavourable situation you have faced in the year 2017 has ended with the year! Every unfavourable situation in your business, career, marriage – cease, in the name of Jesus Christ!”

“As you enter the New Year, whatever barrier between you and the Spirit of God – be removed, in the name of Jesus Christ! Whatever wall between you and God – be removed, in the name of Jesus Christ!”
“In the New Year, you are called to God’s kind of lifestyle. I mean, His Divine essence in terms of faithfulness, steadfastness and love. Love your neighbour as yourself.”

He said, “On behalf of Prophet TB Joshua and the Emmanuel TV family worldwide, we wish you all a Happy New Year!!!

“Let the relationship between you and God in this New Year be reestablished in Jesus’ Name! Receive a free spirit – a spirit that is free from offence, bitterness, unforgiveness and pain of the past. Receive it in Jesus’ name, I command!”

“Every unfavourable situation you have faced in the year 2017 has ended with the year! Every unfavourable situation in your business, career, marriage – cease, in the name of Jesus Christ!”

“As you enter the New Year, whatever barrier between you and the Spirit of God – be removed, in the name of Jesus Christ! Whatever wall between you and God – be removed, in the name of Jesus Christ!”

“In the New Year, you are called to God’s kind of lifestyle. I mean, His Divine essence in terms of faithfulness, steadfastness and love. Love your neighbour as yourself.”

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has extended his heart felt good wishes to all Nigerians in the New Year, with a clarion call on them to pray for a full recovery of the economy in 2018.

Saraki in a New Year message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said a strong economy would enable government to achieve physical development and improved standard of living of the people.

He added that God has blessed Nigeria with all the potentials necessary for her to have a strong economy that would take care of its growing population but that it was unfortunate that there is still so much underdevelopment in the country.

He noted that most of the problems now threatening the unity, progress and peace of the country were rooted in the poor state of the economy and that there was need for the government and Nigerians to work together in Year 2018 to ensure the success of policies initiated to rebuild the economy, create employment, attract investment opportunities and make the nation self-sufficient.

He said that government alone cannot make the economy to work but that it requires the co-operation, prayers and change of attitude on the part of the people to develop the country and make 2018 a more fruitful and beneficial year for the citizenry.

“I wish all Nigerians overflowing happiness on this joyful occasion,” Saraki said. “The end of one year and the beginning of another is always a time that is full of hope. While 2017 was challenging for many Nigerians, we must look back on the year with the knowledge that better days are ahead.

“Although we still have so much to do to achieve our desired individual and national objectives, let us rise up with courage and determination to make the situation better”, he stated.

While lauding the resilience of Nigerians in the face of national challenges and their avowed love for the unity and greater progress for the country, he noted that every Nigerian deserve a better deal.

“All of us deserve a chance to live a better life. This is why the Senate and indeed the 8th National Assembly will continue to collaborate with the executive to ensure that all the policies and programmes of the present administration targeted at making life more meaningful for the people are realized.

“The National Assembly will not spare efforts in passing more laws that will serve as catalyst for our economic stability and growth. Laws that will help make our businesses thrive. Laws that will enhance the creation of jobs and put more money in the pockets of our people”, he stated.

He wished Nigerians a happy and blessed 2018.