Sarkin Gobir Lailaba challenges students to lead malaria-free Nigeria campaign

Royal Endorsement of the Geneith Health Competition

The District Head of Lailaba and Sarkin Gobir Lailaba in Kebbi State, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Mera, has officially endorsed the nationwide Geneith Health Competition. During a courtesy visit on August 18, 2026, the monarch urged traditional rulers, governments, and community leaders to intensify grassroots efforts toward eliminating malaria across the country.

Speaking at his palace in Lailaba, Mera received the competition’s Activator, Aminu Ahmad Zubairu, and stressed the urgency of renewed action against the disease. He warned that progress in the fight against malaria could be reversed if national attention, funding, and community mobilization were allowed to decline.

With strong commitment, sustained investment, multisectoral action, and community engagement, malaria can be defeated.

— Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Mera, District Head of Lailaba and Sarkin Gobir Lailaba, Gobir Traditional Council

Empowering Youth as Health Ambassadors

The monarch advocated for the significant involvement of young people in malaria prevention and health advocacy. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that students in rural and hard-to-reach areas are included in these campaigns, noting that Lailaba would fully support its students' participation in the upcoming competition.

By equipping students with health knowledge and advocacy skills, Mera believe they can act as vital messengers, carrying life-saving information from their schools to their homes and broader communities. This initiative aims to produce a generation capable of promoting early treatment and healthier environmental practices.

Malaria is a killer disease, and anything that supports its eradication is welcome. Our students are ready to take up the challenge and excel in this competition.

— Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Mera, District Head of Lailaba and Sarkin Gobir Lailaba, Gobir Traditional Council

A Call for National Grassroots Action

Beyond student involvement, the traditional ruler appealed to corporate organizations and other traditional institutions to rally behind sustainable health interventions. He noted that traditional councils play a pivotal role in driving awareness and ensuring that health initiatives gain traction at the local level.

He further urged all levels of government and private sector actors to capitalize on the growing momentum of the Geneith Health Competition. According to the monarch, united efforts are the only way to effectively combat the disease and secure a healthier future for all Nigerian citizens.

I urge all levels of government, private organisations, and community leaders to come together and support this initiative. Our united efforts are essential in effectively combating malaria and safeguarding the health of our citizens.

— Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Mera, District Head of Lailaba and Sarkin Gobir Lailaba, Gobir Traditional Council

Competition Details and Strategic Objectives

The Geneith Health Competition is organized by CEOAFRICA in partnership with the Department of Public Health and is sponsored by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited. Prince Cletus Sunday Ilobanafor, the initiator of the competition and Managing Director of CEOAFRICA, stated that the program is designed to transform students into active ambassadors against the disease.

Targeting secondary and tertiary students across the country, the competition combines health education with advocacy and competitive rewards. Organizers have announced that scholarships and academic prizes valued at over N1 billion are available for participants, with the registration window remaining open until October 30, 2026.

Malaria is Nigeria’s deadliest enemy, causing economic deprivation and loss of lives. Through this competition, our goal is to see students become ambassadors for a malaria-free Nigeria.

— Prince Cletus Sunday Ilobanafor, Managing Director, CEOAFRICA