By Esther onyegbula

The District Head of Lailaba and Sarkin Gobir Lailaba in Kebbi State, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Mera, has declared that malaria can be defeated if governments, traditional institutions, communities and development partners sustain their commitment and work together.

Mera stated this while endorsing the nationwide Geneith Health Competition during a courtesy visit by the competition’s Activator, Aminu Ahmad Zubairu, to his palace on August 18, 2026.
The monarch, who described malaria as a killer disease, called for renewed action against the scourge at both grassroots and national levels, stressing that sustained investment, community mobilisation and multisectoral collaboration were essential to preventing a reversal of progress in the fight against the disease.

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

The traditional ruler particularly advocated the active participation of young people in malaria prevention and health advocacy, urging stakeholders to ensure that students in rural and hard-to-reach communities were not left behind.
He said Lailaba community would support the participation of its students in the competition, noting that exposing young people to health knowledge and advocacy skills would enable them to take malaria prevention messages from schools into homes and communities.

According to him, students could serve as health ambassadors by educating their families and communities on malaria prevention, encouraging early treatment and promoting healthier practices.
“This is the kind of initiative the world must rally behind to foster sustainable healthcare solutions, bridge critical awareness gaps, and mobilise local actors against preventable diseases,” he said.

Mera also urged traditional rulers, community leaders and corporate organisations across the country to support the initiative, stressing that traditional institutions had a critical role to play in driving sustainable health interventions at the grassroots.
“The support for the Geneith Health Competition is growing, and we must capitalise on this momentum,” he added.

“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.”
Reaffirming the commitment of the Gobir Traditional Council to public health, the monarch said achieving a malaria-free society required collective responsibility and adequate mobilisation of resources.
“It is our collective responsibility to prioritise health initiatives and mobilise resources to create a malaria-free future,” he said.

Responding to the royal endorsement, Zubairu expressed appreciation to the monarch for supporting the youth-centred initiative.
“We are immensely grateful to His Royal Highness, Sarkin Gobir Lailaba, for opening his doors to us and standing firmly behind this youth-centred movement,” Zubairu said.

“His royal blessings serve as a powerful catalyst that will inspire students across Kebbi State to actively join the fight for a malaria-free Nigeria.”
The leadership of the Geneith Health Competition, under the vision of its initiator and Managing Director of CEOAFRICA, Prince Cletus Sunday Ilobanafor, alongside the sponsor, Chief Emmanuel Umenwa, Chairman of Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, also expressed appreciation to the traditional ruler for his support.
Ilobanafor said the competition was designed to transform students from passive recipients of health information into active participants and ambassadors in the campaign against malaria.

“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,” he said.
He added that the support of respected traditional institutions would help expand grassroots participation, strengthen community ownership and ensure that malaria education reached more households across the country.

The Geneith Health Competition is organised by CEOAFRICA in partnership with the Department of Public Health and sponsored by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, powered by Coatal Forte Softgel.
The initiative targets secondary and tertiary students across Nigeria at state, regional and national levels, combining health education, advocacy and competition.
According to the organisers, scholarships, academic rewards and other prizes valued at over N1 billion are available to participating students.

The organisers said the growing support from traditional institutions was giving the initiative further momentum as registration continues ahead of the October 30, 2026 deadline.

Vanguard News