FIRSTBANK WINS BEST BANK IN NIGERIA AND BEST BANK IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION NIGERIA 2022
Nigeria’s premier banking institution and leading financial services inclusion services provider, FirstBank of Nigeria Limited has won two awards: Best Bank in Nigeria 2022 and Best Banking Digital Transformation Nigeria at the International Investor Awards 2022, a print and online publication that provides insights, news and visual informative pieces with topics ranging from world markets, investing opportunities, industry analysis and so much more. All content is dedicated to the global investment community that wants to take a step ahead.
The bank was recognized with the Best Bank in Nigeria 2022 award for its leadership role in promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria which has been integral to improving lives and stimulating businesses of individuals across the country.
Also, the Best Bank in Digital Transformation was awarded to FirstBank in recognition of its continued efforts at reinventing its digital banking channels which have been central to reinforcing the Bank’s leading role in promoting a cashless society in the country whilst putting customers at an advantage in enjoying a secured and seamless digital banking experiences. The Bank’s digital banking channels include; its recently unveiled fully automated branch (FirstBank Digital Experience Centre), *894# USSD banking, FirstMobile, First online, and WhatsApp banking amongst others.
Expressing delight at the Bank’s performance. Ms Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications First Bank of Nigeria Limited said: “We thank International Investor Awards for the recognition, whilst dedicating these awards to our esteemed customers spread across the world for their unflinching patronage of our services through our 128 years of existence.
As a bank that is woven into the fabric of society, we remain committed to ensuring that our customers enjoy safe, secure and advanced financial services as they seamlessly carry out their banking transactions on the go, irrespective of where they are,” she concluded.
In 2021 financial year, the Bank received similar recognitions. A few of these are: Most Innovative Retail Banking App Nigeria 2021 by Global Banking and Finance Awards; African Bank of the Year 2021 & Innovative Banking Product of the Year 2021 by African Leadership Magazine Awards; Best Internet Banking Nigeria 2021 by International Business Magazine; Best Financial Brand 2021 by Global Brands Awards.
Others are: Best Consumer Digital Bank 2021 by Global Finance; Alternative Delivery Channel of the Year 2021 by BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions Awards and 2nd Most admired financial services Brand in Africa by Brand Africa.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the official WAEC Timetable for May/June SSCE Exams for Senior School leaving students.
The exam will commence from 9th May to 28th June 2022.
The Exam body hereby urges candidates to abide by the rules and regulations guiding the conduct of the examination by shunning all acts of malpractice and obeying all Covid-19 protocols that have been put in place at the examination centres.
Download 2022-WAEC-TIMETABLE for candidates in The Gambia, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Important Notes:
The difference in Time on Question Paper and Timetable: Where the duration indicated on the question paper differs from that on the timetable, the one on the question paper should be followed.
Question Papers to be Given Out in Advance of the Dates They Are to be Taken
Visual Art 3
Paper 3A – Instructions will be given to schools two weeks before the paper is due to be taken.
Paper 3B – Question paper will be given to candidates two weeks before it is due to be taken.
Paper 3C -Candidates will be required to execute their projects within six months of the examination year. The period of submission of art pieces will be communicated to schools by the Council.
Block Laying, Bricklaying and Concrete Works 3 (Practical): Question paper will be given to candidates three days before the paper is due to be taken.
Project Work Papers: The question papers for project work for Basketry, Graphic Design, Leatherwork, Ceramics, Sculpture, Picture Making, Textiles, Jewellery, Painting & Decorating, Dyeing & Bleaching and Leather Goods Manufacturing & Repair will be forwarded to candidates two weeks in advance of the examination. The exact date for the delivery of question papers to candidates will be communicated to them through their schools.
Extra Time for Candidates with Special Needs: Candidates with Special Needs should be allowed one and half times the time allotted to other candidates.
The General Overseer of Champions Royal Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla has spoken on the 2023 presidency and where he feels the next president of Nigeria should come from.The amiable clergy stated that his opinion was borne out of the love for the country and the unity and practice of true federalism in the nation.
In a live service at his Abuja church, the popular man of God noted that not everyone vying for the post of the presidency carries the light for Nigeria, explaining that electorate have also been blindfolded by money that can deceive the nation from picking true leaders.
He stated that the unity is Nigeria is non-negotiable and if truly the country wants unity, the next president of Nigeria should come from South East being the most deprived region since the inception of a democratic government in the country.
He explained that the agitations coming from the South East region is a result of being sidelined over the years and that to balance it, the next president of Nigerian should come from the region.
‘’Everybody wants to become president but how many how them carry the light for Nigeria and those that carry the light, the electorate might not want to elect them because they don’t see the light, they see money and money is a deception that cannot make us pick true leaders.Whether you are a delegate or an electorate, Why sell your votes for peanuts to a man that will slave you for the next four years? The problem of Nigeria isn’t the problem of we not knowing truth, we know truth but we prefer to walk in darkness rather than truth.’’
‘’When we are talking about the unity of this country which is non-negotiable yet what is the problem? How do you enter a marriage agreement and one side of the region is suffering yet you don’t allow them to produce president, then you are complaining about agitation, why will they not agitate? The south east have been so deprived, you cannot be talking about one nigeria when everytime you want to pick a president, you say the Igbo man isn’t qualified yet you want them to be in the marriage, this is the problem of the Biafra agitation, if you cannot solve that problem, you will still have more Nnamdi Kanu agitating.’’
‘’I’m a Yoruba man but why would the south west continue to be in power, why will the north continue to be in power then the major language you tell them is you don’t trust them, if you don’t trust them then why are you keeping them? Leave them, let them go, give them the opportunity to prove themselves. ‘’
Also, the man of God spoke on the continued detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. He postulated that he is not in support of the division of this country but advised the government to release him to unite the country even in the midst of this gross division. He frowned at the decision of the government to give presidential pardon to some known criminals and Boko Haram repentant without considering Nnamdi Kanu who only agitated for the independence of a region as a result of being sidelined
‘’Every regime has its own achievement, for me, as a citizen, we are so divided now, there is a tiny line between Unity and disunity. Of recent, I read in the news that the government of the day granted some prisoners presidential pardon, that’s a welcome idea but sometimes I ask myself if those ideas are factors in the unity of this country, while you are giving people presidential pardon, why can’t you give people like Nnamdi Kanu? A pardon that can unite the country, if the Igbos are aggrieved, we have to do things that can make this country united. An average igbo man will tell you that he doesn’t think he’s part of this country, we are more disunited in this country. ‘’
‘’I’m not an igbo man but this is what is burning in my mind, if people who are stealing money in the country can be given presidential pardon, if people killed and are called repentant Boko haram, why will someone crying for independence of a region not be given pardon and called for dialogue? I just wonder, it is only in Nigeria we see truth like this and turn it the other way, we speak political grammar and look away.’’
Furthermore, Prophet Joshua Iginla urged youths in the country to make use of the strength to bring a change in the country. He frowned at their involvement in social vices which he described as energy channeled towards the wrong direction. He asserted that the youths in the country can determine the next president of Nigeria if they channel the energy well because they have the numbers.
‘’if you look at the population of the youth, you will discover that the youths can determine the person who becomes the president of this country but where do they reign? On social media. Millions of youth will vote on one show but when it comes to our country, all we do is criticize pastors? Pastors are not incharge of the economy and it’s fine that they criticize pastors so we can check ourselves but can they check the government very well? The reason ladies sleep with dogs and young men go into fraud is because the government has failed. The power of the youths can influence but they major on the minor and minor on the major.’’
‘’When you abuse men of God, can you sit down to say we can go this way? I saw a movement during the #ENDSARS protest and I saw how the youth organized themselves, that’s energy okay not energy channeled in the right direction. If the energy rallies around a genuine youth, we will be talking about the third force that can checkmate the two major parties but what is the problem, the youths still don’t understand when we say you are the future of tomorrow, we need to pray for the youth of this country.’’
‘’There is a cutoff between the younger generation and the older generation and I will not blame the older generation but the youths of this country don’t understand what it means to take over, rule, and influence because the direction we are travelling is not to influence, if we abuse the older generation, what is the light that the young generations have shown that they are competent enough to peform more than the older generation? What are we doing in scamming, fraud, engaging in several social vices? Channeling energy in the wrong direction.’’
One of the celebrated faces in the entertainment world, Actress Juliet Ibrahim has opened up on a terrible experience she underwent in the hands of her ex.
The fun-loving and down-to-earth, Ghanaian actress who is very popular in Nollywood shared her ordeal with an abusive partner in a a chat with media personalty, Chude Jideonwo.
The actress cum producer narrated how her ex-lover would often force his way with her and lock her in for days.
She, however, did not reveal the identity of her former lover. “I told him what he did was rape and he said but we were in a relationship,” the Ghanaian actress said.
“But was I ready, that was the question, did I say I was in the mood? I kept saying no, stop it, stop it, you pin me down and you’re doing whatever you wanted to do and you’re smiling saying don’t worry. And you’re kissing whilst I’m crying, that means you’re a rapist and I had to leave that relationship. I fought my way out of that relationship because he even locked me up in his house for days until my sister Sonia came to find me.
“I was scared, uncertain of what to do because this guy was huge and taller than me. He can raise you above the wall. And just imagine that it was every day. Every day, he wanted to do something. That is rape. You’re naive. Who do you go and tell? Who would come and fight for you? But ladies you can report it now, go and report. If your husband is forcing you to do when you’re not in the mood it is rape and I tell these men that you cannot force a woman,” she said.
An anonymous account on facebook has alleged that a Lagos based politician has contacted assassins to eliminate popular comedian, Mr Macaroni and paid them N100 Million to carry out the act.
The anonymous account mentioned the name of the politician and he happens to be a top contestant for the APC Presidential ticket and a leading contestant for the next president of Nigeria in 2023.
The reason behind the alleged assassination plans is unknown but it may be connected to the role Mr Macaroni played during the END SARS protest and his stand against re-opening of Lekki tollgate.
It would be recalled that he was once arrested during the protest but was later released after so many outcries by social media users.
Six people have been confirmed dead by authorities in Lagos in a fresh building collapse in the state.
A three-storey building on Ibadan Street in Ebute Metta area of Lagos collapsed late on Sunday with about 23 persons involved.
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the collapsed structure had been marked for demolition.
A search and rescue operation is ongoing as of the time of publishing this report.
Since 2005, at least 152 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, a city of some 20 million people, according to data collected by researcher Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola, from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.
One of those incidents that particularly angered Nigerians was in 2014 when dozens of people died in a church collapse in Lagos.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has placed four Rivers State Government officials on its Wanted List. Among them is Mr Fubara Siminayi, the accountant General of Rivers State.
The officials, comprising three men and one woman, were declared wanted by the anti-graft agency over alleged criminal conspiracy, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds and abuse of office to the tune of N117billion.
The four officials are among the 59 suspects wanted by the EFCC for offences ranging from money laundering to obtaining money by false pretence, fraud, internet-related offences and issuance of dud cheques.
The four Rivers government officials include Fubara Siminayi, the accountant General of Rivers State, Lekia V. Bukpor, Dagogo Rodderick Abere, and the only woman among them, Harrisonba Bessi Princewill, a cashier.
According to the EFCC, the suspects, “in their capacity as signatories to the Rivers State Government account, are alleged to have acted as proxies to several government officials, conspired and fraudulently withdrew and diverted the sum between 2015 and 2018.”
It added that all the suspects hailed from Rivers State and urged members of the public with useful information as to their whereabouts to contact any of the Commission’s offices or the nearest police station or other security agencies.
The police in Ogun State have arrested “a notorious and murderous cultist,” who was accused of terrorising Abeokuta and Ifo environs.
The suspect, who was identified as Rotimi Adebiyi (a.k.a Paracetamol), was nabbed on Saturday.
Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi said on Sunday that Adebiyi had been on the command’s wanted list, over “his role in several cult clashes in the State, which has led to the death of some members of another cult group.”
The suspect was reportedly arrested by the CSP Olanrewaju Kalejaye-led SWAT operatives in his hideout at Ifo.
“The suspect, a leader of Eiye cult group, used to come into Abeokuta metropolis to strike and always run back to his hideout in Ifo.
“The police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, stormed his place at about 1:30 am of Saturday 30th of April 2022, where he was apprehended,” Oyeyemi said.
According to DAILY POST a cut-to-size local pistol, a cutlass, one live cartridge, assorted criminal charms and weed suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the suspect.
In order to arraign the suspected cultist without further delay, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Lanre Bankole, has ordered a full scale investigation into the past activities of the suspect.
Joe Anatune, the leader of the media team of Governor Charles Soludo, has died a few days after bagging government’s appointment.
Anatune reportedly lost his life on Saturday a few days after his 62nd birthday, and a little over a week after he bagged a government appointment.
The media manager was recently appointed on April 19, 2022, as the MD/CEO of Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.
Reacting to the demise, Soludo expressed shock and sadness over the incident through a press statement released by Christian Aburime, Chief Press Secretary.
He said: “Soludo described Joe Anatune as one of the foremost Apostles of the Soludo project with an uncommon strength and courage to deliver on any given assignment.
“He stated further that Joe’s personal sacrifices during his electioneering campaign were not only exceptional but highly commendable.
“He spearheaded the Soludo Promoters Forum (SPF) and for two years used the platform to engage the professionals into mainstream politics. The government and the good people of Anambra State will sorely miss Joe Anatune.”
