Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN has won the Distinguished Mary Slessor Impact Service Award.
The National Coordinator of the Apex Twins and Multiple Birth Association in Nigeria, the Twins Alive Foundation Mr. Idongesit Mbukmkponnam said the award presented to Radio Nigeria in Uyo was done to honor the federal Government Agency for impactful service in Educating, Informing, and Preserving the Legacies of the renounced Scottish Missionary who stopped the killing of Twins in the Country, Mary Slessor.
Members of the association also called on the Government to create a fund to assist parents of multiple births who could not afford to Cater to their children after birth.
Mary Slessor was a Scottish Presbyterian missionary to Nigeria who lived and died in Nigeria.
At the time Mrs. Slessor arrived in Calabar, the birth of Twins was taboo as they were said to bring bad luck as well as anger the gods.
Apart from preaching the gospel of Christ and encouraging the spread of western education, the Scottish missionary worked to achieve women’s rights and successfully fought against the killing of twins in infancy, especially in areas that are currently within Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Abia states.
The missionary’s work has been recognized by organizations worldwide especially her native Scotland as well as Twins across Nigeria who have continued to call for proper honor to be accorded her while also urging the government to create a fund to support poor women.
National Coordinator of Twins Alive Foundation, Mr. Idongesit Mbukmkponnam commended Radio Nigerian and urged governments to honor Mary Slessor as well as look into the welfare of Twins and multiple births whose parents cannot cater to them.
He explained that there was a need to do so to ensure that parents do not abandon their Twins and multiple births immediately after birth.
Mrs. Edidiong Eshiet who has a set of Twins and another set of Triplets said that Twins and multiple birth children are unique.
Twins who attended the event including Mr. Aklop Betty a Citizen of Liberia who came to attend the event in Nigeria urged the government to create a fund for Cather for vulnerable Twins.
Receiving the award for Radio Nigeria, Samuel Essien of Atlantic FM and Phinehas Udoeyo of Radio Nigeria Headquarters, thanked the association for the honoUr done to the corporation.
RN