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FIRSTBANK, OTHERS PARTNER WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT ON AFRICA’S LARGEST HIGH SCHOOL ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMPETITION

Winners of the FirstBank Sponsored National Company of the Year (NCOY) Competition Represents Nigeria in the ACOY Competition

FirstBank has partnered with JA Africa on Company of the Year (COY) Competition, Africa’s largest high school entrepreneurship competition scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria from 7th to 9th December under the theme, “Fueling Changemakers.”

The JA Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition which returns for the 12th year in a row and the first in-person meeting post-COVID, after two successful virtual competitions is JA Africa’s annual celebration of winning teams from the JA Company Program, a program which equips senior secondary school level students with the entrepreneurial skillset and mindset to solve problems in their communities by launching a business venture and unleashing their entrepreneurial spirit.

The young entrepreneurs who compete at JA Africa’s COY go through qualifying competitions at national and sub-national levels, competing against thousands of youth startups to qualify for the regional competition. This program transitions them into employment and transforms them into employers. Having emerged as national winners, they will represent their countries on the continental stage where they have the arduous task to impress a panel of international business professionals who serve as judges.

FirstBank’s sponsored winners of the 2022 Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) National Company of the Year (NCOY) Competition – Green Apex from the International School, University of Lagos – will represent Nigeria in the JA Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition.”

“Given the increasingly complex set of global challenges facing young people around the world from unemployment to climate change and food shortage, we focus on equipping our students to be solution providers who bring about positive change within their communities while developing businesses that generate wealth,” said Simi Nwogugu, JA Africa’s CEO. “Our students have demonstrated great resilience and innovation in grappling with these challenges and I am extremely proud of all of them. I am also deeply grateful to all our sponsors who stayed with us throughout the pandemic period and contributed greatly towards making this a live event again.”

Also speaking on the forthcoming Africa Company of The Year Competition, Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank said; “the 2022 Junior Achievement Company of The Year competition remains another viable opportunity to promote the entrepreneurship skills, spirit and talent innate in school children, across Africa. We commend Junior Achievement Africa on the COY initiative as it serves as an avenue to expose participants to inter-cultural values and traditions that will foster the unity of the continent.

We wish all participants, particularly the Nigerian representatives – Green Apex from the International School, University of Lagos – the best as learnings from every initiative could solve critical problems facing mankind as we collectively make the world a better place.

This year, nine student startups representing Eswatini, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe will put their business acumen to the test as they present the achievements of their businesses in numerous formats to win the prestigious title of JA Company of the Year and other amazing prizes from the sponsors. The highest among the prizes at stake will be the opportunity to represent the African region at the Ralph de la Vega Global Entrepreneurship Competition which will bring together COY winners from the six regions where JA Worldwide operates to compete for awards, $15,000, educational opportunities, and more.

The 2022 JA Africa COY Competition is made possible by the generous support of Headline sponsors FedEx, Citi Foundation and PMIEF; Platinum sponsors: Bloomberg, Johnson & Johnson, Delta Air Lines and First Bank of Nigeria Limited; Gold sponsors: Tomorrow Foundation, Nascon, GB Foods and Rise, who by supporting this competition are demonstrating their commitment to job creation and youth empowerment on the African continent.

For more information, visit: www.ja-africa.org/coy2022

Winner of the 61st FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship gets listed in The World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)

Winner of the 61^st FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship gets listed in The World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)

Emmanuel Ojeabulu, winner of the 61^st FirstBank Lagos Open Golf Championship has been listed in the WAGR.

The premier golf championship which was held from 18 – 20 November at the golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938 was keenly contested by over 190 low handicap players from several golf clubs in the country. Benin based Emmanuel Ojeabulu won the 3-day championship.

Playing three-shots off the pace going into the last 18-holes, Ojeabulu played one of the best golf of his life, maintaining steady pars for a closing 74, 3-over the course par to win the World Amateur Golf Ranking recognized event by two shots.

Ojeabulu started his game with an opening 75, a second day score of 78 and a closing 74 to replace Ilorin based Aminu Kadir, the tournament defending champion on the winners list.

Overnight leader, 20-year-old product of David Mark Golf Academy, George Paul who was tipped to win the tournament collapsed under pressure closing with an unimpressive 79 to lose by two-shots.

In the third position is Muyideen Olaitan, three-time winner of the coveted FirstBank Lagos Open trophy while Iyare Osaze was further down on the winners chart by one-shot, leaving perennial contender, Olajide Owolabi, who shot tournaments best score of 72 on day two of the competition in the fifth position.

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, sponsors of the annual Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship has pledged its commitment to the continuous sponsorship of the tournament which is one of the longest running golf tournaments in Nigeria.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 61^st edition of the tournament in Lagos on Sunday, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan who was represented by Executive Director, Chief Risk Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu said “This year made it 61 years of our undiluted commitment to this cause, and we are absolutely delighted with the amazing support and partnership we have enjoyed from Ikoyi Club 1938 thus contributing to building a legacy not only for golf and golfers, but sports in its entirety.

To all the amateur golfers produced at this year’s championship, these champions are an inspiration and testament that you can do the impossible and I look forward to celebrating you as winners in future championships. Remember that in the words of Ben Hogan, “The most important shot in Golf is the next one”, he added.

Satisfied with the turnout of the participants, Golf Captain, Tony Oboh thanked the sponsors for keeping the tournament going, saying FirstBank commitment should be emulated.

“It is not easy to keep a tournament like this going, I therefore congratulate FirstBank for their commitment”, Oboh said.

Since its debut, FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship has been the most consistent and premier amateur golf event in West Africa and has produced great champions most of who are competing in the elite professional golf cadre. Last year, the Championship threw up Ilorin based Aminu Kadir who won the landmark edition. It is expected that this year’s edition will produce another great winner.

Other FirstBank-sponsored sporting events include the Georgian Cup of Kaduna Polo Tournament, sponsored for 102 years; the Dala Tennis Hard Court in Kano Club for over 30 years; the Obasanjo Pro-Amateur Golf tournament of Abeokuta Club now in its 6th year. The Bank’s influence in the development of sport in Nigeria is under its First@Sport initiative.

ISSAN Confab: CBN to Collaborate with Stakeholders to Check Rising Cyber Attacks

From Left: Managing Partner, Technology Advisors LLP, Basil Udotai, Esq; Co-founder/Chief Visionary Officer, Digital Encode, Dr. Adewale Obadare; Director, IT Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Rakiya Mohammed; President, Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN) & General Manager, Ecobank, Dr. David Isiavwe; Director, Payments System Management Department, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mr. Musa Jimoh; CISO, Heritage Bank of Nigeria Ltd; Mr. Eduje Ighoakpo and 1st Vice President, ISSAN Mr. Laja Sorunke at ISSAN Annual Cybersecurity Conference in Lagos last week

The Central Bank of Nigeria has assured information security stakeholders and the general public of its collaboration to check the rising cases of cyber-attacks within the Nigeria cyberspace. Director, Payments System Management Department of the CBN, Mr. Musa Jimoh in his keynote address at the annual Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN) Cybersecurity Conference in Lagos, stated that the apex bank was firmly committed to building a sustainable payments ecosystem in the country. He commended ISSAN for organizing the event, stressing that CBN will continue to collaborate with organisations that are committed to addressing the rising activities of cyber-attacks.

Also speaking, President of FinTech Association of Nigeria (FinTechNGR), Ade Bajomo said to adequately address the rising rate of cyber-attacks, organizations should embrace collaboration and information sharing on cyber breaches. According to him, keeping silence on the part of organizations that had been attacked would not help others, stressing that full disclosure, synergy and information sharing on reported cyber-attacks and how it was managed would guide other organizations to put preventive and counter measures in place. He called on organizations to constantly upgrade their technology to counter cyber-attacks, urging them to have data backup.

The Co-founder/Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode, Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare, while expressing his views at the panel session, made case for collaboration amongst stakeholders, noting the need to strike the balance between the investments in people, technology, and processes to fight cyber-attack and fraud. He further stated the need to build cybersecurity intelligence quotient, which will comprise of Augmented Intelligence to check what is happening on the system real time, Anticipatory Intelligence to analyse what could happen, and Assistive Intelligence to determine what needs to be done. He recommended that digitization, digitalization and digital transformation should be addressed.

In his welcome address, ISSAN President, Dr. David Isiavwe said the conference was devoted to further expose the new threats and trends in the cyber security space and also offer practical steps on what businesses and individuals need to know and do to check the rising tide of the activities of cyber-criminals. He observed that cyber attackers are getting more sophisticated globally, which is an aftermath of Covid 19 pandemic, stressing that greater awareness must be created to minimize attacks on businesses that may result in losses by various organizations.

Further, Dr. Isiavwe who is also General Manager at Ecobank made case for customer awareness as well as collaboration by all stakeholders.

Other speakers at the conference include Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Digital Jewels Limited, Mrs Adedoyin Odunfa; Founder & CEO, Mint FT Innovative, Mr. Similolu Akinnusi; Chief Information Security Officer, First Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Harrison Nnaji and Managing Partner, Technology Advisors LLP, Basil Udotai, Esq; Others are Group Head, Customer Fulfillment Center, UBA, Mr. Prince Ayewoh; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Financial Services Limited, Mr. Stanley Jacob; Sales Director (Africa), OneSpan Europe, Mr. Nicholas Poire and Field CTO, OneSpan Europe, Mr. Dan Mcloughin.

ISSAN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection of Nigeria’s cyberspace specifically and the entire cyberspace in Africa, generally.

Parthian Partners wins Inter Dealer Broker of the year, lauded for pioneering IDB model in Nigeria

Parthian Partners Limited, Nigeria’s first interdealer broker and founder of i-invest, the first fixed income investment app in Nigeria, has won the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards for the ‘Interdealer Broker of the Year 2022’ in recognition of its impact and contribution to the overall growth and stability of the fixed income market, its financial performance – credit rating affirmed Bbb+, as well as its innovativeness and growth across different product lines.

According to the organisers of BAFI, the Inter-Dealer Broker of the Year Award was initiated this year in recognition of the critical role this little-publicized corner of the fixed income market’s microstructure plays in ensuring its efficiency. “We congratulate Parthian Partners on the celebration of its tenth anniversary. Reading reports of how the journey of building the first interdealer broker in Nigeria, at a time when the regulations did not even exist, attests to the foresight and determination of the founding team and its backers. This is the type of grit to follow the path less travelled that we celebrate at the BAFI Awards,” they explained.

Commenting on the award, the Group Managing Director of Parthian Partners, Mr. Oluseye Olusoga thanked the staff of the company for their commitment to the actualisation of the company’s vision, while dedicating the award to the firm’s clients. “Since we pioneered the wholesale fixed income financial intermediary model in Nigeria 10 years ago, Parthian Partners has remained steadfast in its commitment to matching buyers and sellers, providing independent data to participants in the fixed income market, enabling confidence in transactions, creating liquidity and price discovery, as well as facilitating the unfettered flow of capital for an efficient market,” he said. He stated that the company will not rest on its laurels but will continue to provide the best services while increasing shareholder value and returns on investment.

Now in its 10th year, the BAFI Awards were created to recognise and celebrate organisations, teams and individuals that are achieving excellence in the delivery of financial services across the entire client and customer spectrum.

Why Seyi Tinubu is not your usual silver spoon By Mohammed Funsho Abdullahi.

Why Seyi Tinubu is not your usual silver spoon

By Mohammed Funsho Abdullahi

I hate praise-singing or flattery, because I believe they are traits and habits of sycophants. But every writer is also, by nature, a reporter; we always love to document our experiences, either good or bad. Hence, this piece is about my encounter with Seyi Tinubu, son of APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It is about what stood out for me and, of course, my general impression of the young, successful businessman.

Economist and author, Tope Fasua once narrated how Asiwaju Bola Tinubu sought him out after reading some of his commentaries on the article he (Asiwaju) had written about some economic policies. My path to Seyi followed a similar pattern. I had written an article in which I observed that Seyi was doing a good job of upholding his father’s legacy of human cultivation which, for me, has been the biggest secret of Asiwaju’s humongous political network and powerbase.

I sent a link to the writeup to one of the closest guys around Seyi Tinubu, who also happens to be a personal friend. He obviously shared the article with Seyi and requested him to see me when next he was in Abuja. He granted his request and when, on Tuesday, my friend confirmed that he was in town, he asked me to come with him to the ‘Youth House’ to meet a man I had always admired for his breathtaking and compelling entrepreneurial success in marketing communications, a sector I also happen to have more than a passing interest.

I am, by nature, an observer rather than a researcher. Most of my writings are personal commentaries on events and people. And having observed how deeply invested Seyi Tinubu had been in his father’s campaigns for the country’s topmost job, the Presidency, I had initially planned to write about how his active involvement in the electioneering process is changing the almost established narrative of children of politicians not joining political struggles.

With captions such as “Seyi Tinubu inaugurates youth campaign office in Kano,” “Seyi Tinubu leads one million man march for Tinubu,” “Seyi Tinubu plans youth engagement forum for Tinubu,” etc dominating newspaper headlines; then you know that when the story is written about those who make Asiwaju’s victory possible, none would arguably deserve more praises and commendation than his own son. Possibly for the first time in our nation’s political history, the biological son of a politician is joining the campaign fray, jettisoning the ‘Ajebota’ practice of having children of political candidates hide away while others work their hearts out for the victory of their parents.

But beyond what is being reported in the media, what I saw on Tuesday at The Youth House clearly validated the claims Seyi made in some of his interviews, about working hard to be his own man, and how he was determined to create his own legacy and not tie himself to his “father’s apron.” I now know that those were not just mere talks. On that Tuesday, as I saw Seyi Tinubu working his hearts out, subjecting himself to a most hectic and grueling schedule and enjoying the thrill of the struggles of life which must have made his father into the accomplished political enigma he is today; I concluded that it would be most unfair for anyone to belittle the achievements of this hardworking man simply on account of his surname.

I am sure many of us must be familiar with stories of rich kids who are totally disinterested in their own progress, not to talk of those of others, parents or not. But Seyi is one of the few exceptions, he has shown that he has a large dose of fighting spirit in him, and he is working hard to take charge of his life, fully secure in the knowledge that he is not responsible for what happened before he was born. He must have resolved not to let the judgements of others, about whether or not his success was a consequence of his family name, get him down.

In one of his recollections of the lessons he learnt from his parents, Seyi once told a reporter: “That’s how my dad raised us to be. We were all told from day one: once you are done with school, that’s all we can give you.” But in truth, Seyi did get more than a good education from his father, the Jagaban. He learnt the secret of loyalty cultivation and the benefit of investing in people.

As every good student of business and management should know, the best investment, one which yields the greatest return, is in people. This is the skill that is hardest to cultivate, but one which represents the greatest source of strength for every powerful individual; and one whose core foundation is the exclusive focus on what matters which, to most people, is their welfare and wellbeing.

It is said that for a leader to earn the loyalty of his followers, he must be able to show that if they (the followers) are ready to die for him, he would at least also be willing to faint for them. A leader focuses not so much on what matters to him as a person, but rather on what matters to those who follows him. By showing concern about the wellbeing of his followers, a leader is able to cultivate loyalty and dedication. This is one secret Seyi Tinubu has mastered.

I visited him the same day he arrived Abuja, so the crowd of people I saw was quite expected. There were quite a number of groups waiting to see him, aside those with individual appointments. The Youth House witnessed a beehive of activities on the day in question, and Seyi was obviously looking very tired and overworked. When it was my turn to see him, he first explained why the meeting would have to be brief, almost apologizing that he was filling sick. But in spite of the ‘crazy’ schedule he had ran for the day and the telling effect it was having on his physical appearance; Seyi still remember to ask me, after we were done talking, whether “everything was fine with me.” I couldn’t believe someone that stressed out, and who still had a lot of people waiting to see him, would care to know how someone was faring at that busy moment. I was impressed!

I left The Youth House with the impression that Seyi is, indeed, an unusual silver spoon kid. While most rich kids are brash and arrogant, Seyi is courteous, polite and friendly. He also has one of the strongest work ethics I have seen in any young man of my generation. No doubt, beyond his success as a politician, I believe Jagaban has done a wonderful job in the home front as well, raising a man like Seyi who treats every man with dignity while living a life of inspiration and meaning.

THE MEMORY OF PROF. IBIDAPO-OBE COMES ALIVE AS ZENITH BANK NAMES ICONIC UNILAG ALUMNI BUILDING IN HIS HONOUR

The memory of Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, came alive as Zenith Bank Plc named the iconic building housing its Unilag Branch and the University of Lagos (Unilag) Alumni in his honour on Friday, November 25, 2022.

In his opening remarks at the commissioning ceremony, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman of the Body of Banks’ CEOs in Nigeria, Mr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, lauded the Founder and Chairman of the bank, Jim Ovia, CFR, for being physically present at the commissioning of the building to honour the memory of his late friend, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who served on the board of Zenith Bank as a Non-Executive Director, and for his passion for youth education and digital learning.

He noted the remarkable and continued commitment of Jim Ovia, CFR, to education and youth development in Nigeria, especially through the setting up of James Hope College, a co-educational institution which offers a combination of British and Nigerian curricula, and the James Hope University, which is billed to commence academic activities next year. He also extolled his philanthropy through the setting up of the Jim Ovia Foundation and Mankind United in Total Support for Education Initiative, which has awarded scholarships and produced over 1500 graduates from among indigent people who would not have had the benefit of having a university education.

Onyeagwu also recalled how the bank’s partnership with the University of Lagos began in 2001 with the donation of the first ICT centre, when the Founder and Chairman was the Group Managing Director/ CEO of the bank. According to him, “Today, Zenith Bank has built not less than 15 ICT centres in various tertiary institutions and cities all over the country. And I just want to say that no single institution or individual has been able to accomplish what we have done in that respect. And this is a demonstration of the passion our Founder and Chairman has, not just for education, but also for digital learning and computer literacy. This is in addition to several other support to the university, including the institution of Academic Excellence Awards in 2001, where the best graduating students from selected departments – Banking & Finance, Business Administration, Economics and Accounting, receive awards with financial rewards (currently NGN500,000) and employment opportunity, and the donation of 3,500 tablets to enable indigent students of the university to learn online effectively in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic”. Onyeagwu noted that the building is a strong statement of Zenith Bank’s sustainability initiatives as a signatory to several global sustainability frameworks including the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking, as it incorporates many of the elements that make a facility environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Speaking at the commissioning of the iconic building, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel noted the huge contributions of Zenith Bank and, in particular, Jim Ovia, CFR, a man he described as a father, to the development of Nigeria. In his words,” when you see things being done consistently in the right way, there is always a man pointing in that direction. A lot of people ask me how come you are doing so much in public service; I say I come from a background where my mentor told me that you don’t report efforts, you don’t give excuses, but you report results. So no matter the situation, even in the midst of an economic recession, in the midst of Covid, you should not stop development and performance. As far as you are from the Zenith family, you are expected to have that creativity and ideas that can make you produce results. In Zenith, we say only the paranoid survive. So I really want to appreciate what I am seeing here today”. Whilst thanking the alumni association and the school authority for their collaborative efforts towards achieving capacity development, which he described as the bane of Nigerian society, he expressed his delight and honour to commission a building named after the revered Late Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who touched and impacted so many people while he was alive.

In his address, the National President of Unilag Alumni Association, Dr. John Momoh, thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank as well as the management of the bank for the magnificent building and Mrs. Sola Ibidapo-Obe for accepting the association’s request to name the building after her husband as a lasting legacy in his honour. He encouraged everyone to take good care of and maintain the building to serve the university community for years to come.

In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, acknowledged the invaluable contributions of Zenith Bank to the development of the school, promising to work with the Alumni association to ensure that the facility serves not only the Alumni but also the entire students populace. She thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, CFR, for donating 3,500 tablets to the university, which ensured that students who could not afford laptops for e-learning during the covid-19 pandemic were not left behind.

In her remarks, the wife of the Late Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, Mrs. Sola Ibidapo-Obe, thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, CFR, for immortalising her late husband with such a great edifice named after him. Recalling how close he was to her late husband, Mrs Ibidapo-Obe said: “You are my husband’s friend. Dr. Jim Ovia has demonstrated the love that does not die in his friendship with my beloved husband. When he fell ill, Dr. Jim Ovia was there from day one till the last moment. I could feel the way he felt. From then, I knew that he was a genuine friend. He tried his best to ensure my husband survived, but he did not”.

The iconic building, which sits on a total site area of 950m², was constructed by a team of world-class builders who had the mandate of delivering the best quality possible. The iconic structure is a smart building that incorporates many of the elements that make a facility environmentally friendly and sustainable, including a grid-tie solar system that sustains power load on solar and not on a generator or national grid, an inverter-driven VRF air conditioning system and motion sensor lighting to enhance energy efficiency, perforated aluminium composite panels for natural lighting and ventilation, free Wi-Fi system to provide internet access for students, fire management systems, including fire hydrant, smoke detector, and fire alarm system, and a LED screen installed on the building for the dissemination of information. The iconic building will house the Unilag Branch of Zenith Bank Plc and the operations of Unilag Alumni. Of the total 1,665m² of floor area designated for office use in the four-storey building, 585m² will be used by Unilag Alumni.

Tears As Lagos Lawmakers Hold Valedictory Session For Late Colleague

It was a solemn moment filled with tears at the House of Assembly on Thursday as lawmakers held a valedictory session for their late colleague, Hon. Abdul-Sobur Olayiwola Olawale.

Before performing the ceremonial removal of his name tag from his seat, the lawmakers, who held a minute silence in honour of Olawale, also urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to assist two children of the deceased with jobs and scholarship for the one who still in school.

Hon. Olawale died in Jos, Plateau State recently and was buried according to Islamic rites.

The lawmakers thanked Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State for standing by them till the body was moved to Lagos. They also thanked the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his wife, Ibijoke, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, his wife, Falilat and all those who stood by the family of the deceased.

Raising the lawmaker’s demise in a motion, Majority Leader of the House, Sanai Agunbiade, described Olawale as an angel who did not show his identity.

Agunbiade said: “At a time just before our trip to Jos, I had headache and he showed a lot of care. He even told someone that he would be in Lagos before dawn.
We got to Jos together, had our activity. He did not show any sign of illness.”

Hon. Victor Akande recalled how Olawale joined him and the others at the airport before the trip.

“I was the one that called Omititi that it was time for us to go to the airport. I was with Hon. Jude Idimogu. He immediately asked me if I had taken my drugs and even showed me where to get water. He even helped one of us to get his boarding pass,” Akande said.

The lawmaker denied a report that the late Olawale owed a local government chairman.

“He was a real friend. We were together in Jos till I told him I was going to use the restroom. He was even telling someone to come and meet him in the office the next day,” he added.

Hon. Rotimi Olowo described his late colleague as one who loved his family.

“His parents died early, but he persevered and went to school. He was preparing for his daughter’s wedding and inside the plane when we heard of the death of Iya Oniyan, (APC chieftain who died recently) he promised to visit her home when he returned not knowing that he too was left with few hours.

“We must learn not to hide things from our wives. If you have money and your family does not know, strangers would feast on it when you’re gone. Let’s learn to love like Olawale did,” he said.

Hon. Kehinde Joseph, who said he and the late lawmaker were both planning for the wedding of the latter’s daughter, added: “We played football on Friday, we were at the retreat on Saturday to Monday and he died on Tuesday.
He was never an angry person. There was nothing he could not give for love. If you look at his death, you would want to ask what the essence of our toiling is.”

Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, while recalling the bond he shared with the deceased, said: “I stand here in sadness because while I represent Mushin 1, Omititi represented Mushin 2 and we were close. He was very accountable.”

Hon. Richard Kasunmu said the night before Olawale’s death, “We played and joked till 12 midnight and I even tapped him and told him I was going to sleep. I greeted him goodnight, not knowing that would be the final from me. He was a brother. He would call me everyday to check on me.”

Hon. Temitope Adewale described the late lawmaker as one who was patient and never had time for quarrels. His position was supported by Hon. David Setonji, Yinka Ogundimu, Noheem Adams and others who spoke.

Meanwhile, the House also confirmed Saheed Adio, a former lawmaker, as Commissioner in the House of Assembly Commission.

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Jigawa Flood: Abdul Samad Rabiu to the Rescue Again

Leading African Industrialist, philanthropist and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, through his ASR Africa Initiative, has donated a 200million Naira to the Jigawa State Flood Disaster Committee to provide emergency relief efforts for those affected by the recent flooding across the state. This donation by ASR Africa will be channelled towards support for internally displaced persons, provision of food items, medicine, and rebuilding communities destroyed by the recent floods.

Speaking on the donation, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said that the adverse impact of climate change remains a clear and present danger to human security and development in the global south. “Nigeria, and Africa, contribute less than 6% of global emissions yet bear the biggest brunt of the negative impact of climate change. The recent flooding in Jigawa and elsewhere across Nigeria, and Africa are a pointer to that. Whilst we must continue to advocate for a better deal at all levels for countries most affected by climate change, we have a responsibility towards our people to mitigate the impact of the recent floods on them and their livelihood.”

Rabiu went further to state that the 200million Naira donation to Jigawa state will be channelled properly to intended recipients and monitored within the ASR Africa mutual accountability framework to ensure judicious use.

The Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammed Badaru, expressed appreciation for the donation, and urged the committee to be equitable and just in the distribution of the palliatives and cash.

Over the past three years, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative’s fund for Social Development and Renewal, and the BUA Foundation, have actively intervened in various humanitarian activities within Nigeria and Africa from COVID-19-related support to health, education, social development, and security interventions.

Nairametrics

I am Able and Capable, My Track Record Speaks for Me – Tinubu

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SPECTACLE AS ZENITH BANK LIGHTS UP AJOSE ADEOGUN STREET FOR THE YULETIDE SEASON

It was a great spectacle to behold as the Christmas and Yuletide season came to life at the 2022 Zenith Bank Christmas Light-Up Ceremony, which was held at the Ajose Adeogun Street Roundabout, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, November 19, 2022. The official lighting ceremony, which was performed by the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, supported by Executive Management, was witnessed by many of the bank’s staff and customers, with others joining virtually.

With the theme “Let There Be Light”, this year marks the 16th edition of the Light-up Ceremony at the Ajose Adeogun Roundabout. The Light-Up event is an annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by the bank to herald the yuletide season through the beautification of Ajose Adeogun Street – home to Zenith Bank’s Corporate Headquarters – which has come to be recognised as an iconic place, attracting people from all walks of life who visit with their families and friends to take pictures and make videos of the wonderful spectacle, especially at night and enjoy the ambience of the street and season.

Speaking during the ceremony, Onyeagwu expressed his delight in heralding the yuletide season of 2022 through the iconic Ajose Adeogun Street lighting up. In his words, “today is a unique day. It is unique in the sense that we are going to turn on the Christmas light and activate the spirit of Christmas, which we usually have annually. It is also unique in the sense that we are honoured and delighted to have in our midst the wife of our Founder and Chairman, Mrs. Kay Ovia”.

He praised Quantum Markets, the company responsible for the annual decorations, for the outstanding, very creative and extremely beautiful work that they have done. According to him, “when you look at the Christmas set-up we have every year, it looks completely different, and there is no repetition of themes. And when we think we have seen it all, by the time a new one comes, it is something completely different and massively so. The one for this year, as I entered here, I was wondering if this is a theme park”.

Whilst urging everyone to imbibe the message and spirit of Christmas, which is about peace, love, forgiveness and above all, respect for humanity, Onyeagwu prayed for peace in every home, business and in the country and that this year’s celebration would be like no other that we have seen.

Zenith Bank has clearly distinguished itself in the Nigerian financial services industry as an institution committed to building a more sustainable and inclusive economy and promoting responsible business practices in Nigeria through integrating sustainability principles in its business operations.

The bank’s sustainability and CSR initiatives are hinged on the belief that today’s business performance is not all about the financial numbers – the bank believes that an institution’s social investments, contributions to inclusive economic growth and development as well as improvements in the condition of the physical environment, all constitute a balanced scorecard.

Through its CSR initiatives, Zenith Bank has embodied the overarching objective of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework for addressing the major challenges confronting society. Its social investments are targeted at health, education, women and youth empowerment, sports development and public infrastructure enhancement. Overall, Zenith Bank’s total CSR investment in 2021 was NGN4.37 billion, representing 1.79% of its Profit After Tax (PAT) and 33.1% increase from 2020.

The bank remains committed to furthering the economic, cultural and social development of host communities, particularly through community-based initiatives and philanthropy. As a good corporate citizen, it continues to deliver projects that have long-term social and economic benefits for the communities because it believes that its business is only as strong as the communities in which it operates.

To demonstrate its commitment to creating and expanding opportunities, the bank regularly makes donations towards setting up ultramodern ICT centres in several educational institutions and cities across the country. It also supports various developmental projects, and healthcare delivery causes in Nigeria and contributes to the development of sports in Nigeria through its sponsorship of the Zenith Women Basketball League and the Zenith Bank Delta State Principal’s and Headmaster’s Football Competitions, amongst others.

In recognition of its contributions and social investments to its host communities and the society at large, the bank was recognised at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021 as the “Most Responsible Organisation in Africa”.