The Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto diocese, Matthew Kukah, has faulted the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for its refusal to declare bandits as a terrorist group.
Kukah, in his homily at the burial of Rev. Fr. Alphonsus Bello, which held at Our Lady of Apostle Catholic Church Independence Way, Kaduna, on Wednesday, also said Nigerian leaders had no blood in their hearts.
“Those who govern us are allowing this killing of citizens in their innocency because they have no blood in their hearts,” Kukah said.
The late Bello was kidnapped alongside Rev. Fr. Joseph Keke and murdered by bandits on May 21, 2021, in Katsina.
The cleric noted that there was nowhere in the world where killings of human beings were so manifested as it was in Nigeria.
Kukah said, “There is nowhere citizens can be slaughtered in the whole world without the government showing empathy and concern.
“The continuous barbaric slaughter and murder of our people in their innocency suggests that our beautiful Presidential Villa, National Assembly, government houses, are not evidence of civilization.
“How did Nigeria come to this tragic situation? We know who they are, who they believe in and where their inspiration comes from. The government has never declared the kidnappers to be a terrorist group.
“There is no ambiguity about those who are killing our people and why they are doing so and where their inspiration comes from. We hear and live with stories of complicity at the highest level. We as Christians can only rely on the faithful Word of God.
“Is it possible that you have a country where people have sworn with Qur’an and Bible to uphold the principles of governance that they will do everything within their power to protect and defend the integrity of Nigerians and suddenly we are where we are today?”
Kukah added, “I think the President and governors of Nigeria should address Nigerians and say, fellow Nigerians I have sworn that I will not protect you from foreign invaders, kidnappers and being killed.
“You are on your own. Your security is in your own hands. Keeping you safe is not our immediate priority. Foreign bandits or anyone can come at will kill, loot, rape, kidnap and murder you. They can wipe out your communities, destroy your homes, your farmlands, property.
“They can kidnap or murder your children at will. They can rustle your cattle. If they kidnap your children, wives or husbands, we will consider you criminals for negotiating for their release. We are preparing a law that could see you go to jail for 15 years for this heinous crime against your fatherland.”
The Chairman of the Oyo State of South-West Security Network, aka Amotekun, Gen. Kunle Togun (retd), on Wednesday advised residents of South-West states to be vigilant because of the presence of foreign Fulani herdsmen in forests in the region.
The Amotekun Commandant, who was a director at the Directorate of Military Intelligence, said the foreigners might unleash terror on the region.
He noted that the Fulani, who were mainly from Mali, Niger Republic, Chad and Burkina Faso, had been residing in the forests for some years.
The Amotekun boss said this on Wednesday while speaking at an annual lecture organised by the students of the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan.
He spoke on the theme, “Security challenge: Holistic approach and the significance of regional security dimensions.”
Togun said, “The people who are supposed to administer Nigeria to move forward are biased in the aspect of religion. The Fulani that I grew up to know were the native Fulani.
“But these ones causing problems are non-Nigerians. They are from Futa Jallon, Mali, Bourkina Faso, Chad, Niger Republic. Some of these people were Tuaregs, who used to ambush traders in the olden days and robbed them of their money and property.
“These foreign Fulani, somebody has told them that Allah has given Nigeria to them as their heritage and they are coming here to come and take what Allah has given them.”
The Amotekun boss advised people in the six states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States to be security conscious.
Toogun said the commercial motorcyclists, who had infiltrated the region, were foot soldiers sent to study the topography of the region.
The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele who was represented by Mrs Bolanle Aina, ex-House of Assembly candidate for Abeokuta South constituency II of Ogun State, Igbalaye Wasiu Ayodele, the president of National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, Oyewale Femi were among dignitaries who attended the wedding of Adeyemi Obadimu, the publisher of Newsextra on Saturday in Ifo.
Also in attendance were the Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists, NGIJ vice president on Information and strategy, Bashorun Israel Bolaji, popular Ibile Lemi crooner, Okiki Bright, as well as top-notch journalists across Nigeria.
The family of Sanni entrusted Balikis, the bride into the hands of the groom’s family, the Obadimu of Egba decedant, during the wedding fatiha held at Jam-bed multipurpose hall in Ifo local government of Ogun state.
During the traditional marriage, the couple received the blessings of their parents in the presence of family, friends, and well-wishers.
The groom, a renowned journalists with vast experience in reporting politics, business and sports. He is also an advocate of youth inclusiveness in governance. He went to ESTG University in Benin Republic, Cotonu, where he studied Mass Communication.
The bride, Olayemi balikis an entrepreneur who graduated from Osun State College Of Education, where she studied Social studies/Yoruba has be versatile despite the economy disadvantage.
Veron, as the groom is fondly called by admirers and colleagues said he had always known he would marry ‘the love of his life’ since they met years ago. The immense wedding was a way of reiterating his love to her.
The couple described the marriage as a dream come true for them given the mutual love, respect, and understanding they have shared in previous years.
In a Public Announcement coming from the corporate communications department of FirstBank, Nigeria’s leading bank, the rumor that the bank offices in the South-Eastern part of the country has been shut was refuted. Below is the statement made available to us;
Public Announcement
This is to inform the public that our South East branches are fully open for business. Please disregard any news making the rounds that is contrary to this.
Thank you.
About FirstBank
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) is the premier Bank in West Africa and the leading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria for over 127 years.
With over 750 business locations and over 100,000 Banking Agents spread across 99% of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, FirstBank provides a comprehensive range of retail and corporate financial services to serve its over 30 million customers. The Bank has international presence through its subsidiaries, FBN Bank (UK) Limited in London and Paris, FBNBank in the Republic of Congo, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Senegal, as well as a Representative Office in Beijing.
The Bank has been handy at promoting digital payment in the country and has issued over 10million cards, the first bank to achieve such a milestone in the country. FirstBank’s cashless transaction drive extends to having more than 10million people on its USSD Quick Banking service through the nationally renowned *894# Banking code and over 4.5 million people on FirstMobile platform.
Since its establishment in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships with customers focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management and leadership. Over the years, the Bank has led the financing of private investment in infrastructure development in the Nigerian economy by playing key roles in the Federal Government’s privatisation and commercialisation schemes. With its global reach, FirstBank provides prospective investors wishing to explore the vast business opportunities that are available in Nigeria, an internationally competitive world-class brand and a credible financial partner.
FirstBank has been named “Most Valuable Bank Brand in Nigeria” six times in a row (2011 – 2016) by the globally renowned “The Banker Magazine” of the Financial Times Group; “Best Retail Bank in Nigeria” for seven consecutive years (2011 – 2017) by the Asian Banker International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards and “Best Bank in Nigeria” by Global Finance for 15 years. Our brand purpose is always to put customers, partners and stakeholders at the heart of our business, even as we standardise customer experience and excellence in financial solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, in consonance with our brand vision “To be the partner of the first choice in building your future”.
Our brand promise is always to deliver the ultimate “gold standard” of value and excellence. This commitment is anchored on our inherent values of passion, partnership and people, to position You First in every respect.
Junior Chamber International, JCI, Ikeja has recently organised its annual forum which was focused on reaching out and sensitising Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on how to scale up innovation and creativity in the various sectors of the economy.
JCI revealed that in order for entrepreneurs to be successful at sustaining and developing their businesses it is essential to have a mindset that begins with acquiring and investing majorly in the knowledge and information of the sort of business they are operating.
The leadership organisation during the JCI forum which was themed, Innovative Enterprise Seminar (IES) stated that it saw the crucial need to contribute its own quota towards supporting entrepreneurs with the necessary information, skills and tools they need to sustain and upscale their business operations due to the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on small and large scale businesses.
Speaking at the event, President, Junior Chamber International, JCI Ikeja, Tricia Inalu said that when an entrepreneur develops a positive mindset it would become possible to tackle the challenges in a particular industry, thereby innovating economical problems solutions within the ecosystem of the entrepreneur.
“A knowledgeable and empowered mindset would result in the empowerment of the workforce of any organisation. So, it is important that business owners invest not only on improving their technical know-how and capacity but also on the employees in order to attain maximum performance and results within the enterprise.”
“As part of efforts to develop our minds, as a country, it is crucial for the educational sector to be rehabilitated in order to enhance innovations and creativity of our children, youth and adults who are aspiring to join the labour market or become entrepreneurs.
“We have gathered that the education sector remains a crucial factor for the progress of citizens and how businesses are established and operated.”
Meanwhile commenting on the challenges startups face regarding manpower, JCI President Inalu explained that business owners who make up the entire workforce of the organisation as they do not have staff to carry out various functions for the business need to understand what becomes essential to delegate and outsource to other experts at a low scale, thereby creating more time for the entrepreneur to think creatively and innovate ideas for the sustainability and growth of the enterprise. “It is necessary for entrepreneurs to outsource in order to attain maximum results for the business as this generates more innovation and creative ideas for the business.”
“In addition, as prioritisation is essential, leveraging on the resources and skills available to the workforce is crucial towards the success of such a business.”
Also speaking at the JCI Ikeja event, Founder, Accounting Experts for SMEs, Ogochuckwu Lawson said a major factor that hinders innovations and creativity of businesses is the lack of structure, lack of following due process, and absence of bookkeeping. “Majority of entrepreneurs are still struggling towards understanding the vital role keeping records play towards the sustainability and development of a business.
“Also, it is important to set up the business’s bookkeeping with efficient software that would keep the records of the business throughout the existence of the business.
“In addition, an entrepreneur should be able to forecast monthly or yearly the number of sales and revenue that is to be generated by the organisation, whilst also projecting what it would cost to attain the forecasted results.”
Though the acting Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko is yet to reel off his plan of action after his appointment weeks back, sources close to the new boss atthe Nigerian sector regulator have hinted on some aspects of his job that he hopes to put in the front burner.
Basically, with his appointment, Bello-Koko is saddled with the sole responsibility of overseeing operations at the NPA, which include, administration of land and water within port limits, planning and development of port operational infrastructure, leasing and concession of port infrastructure and setting benchmark for tariff structure, carrying out nautical/harbour operations and hydrographic survey, handling marine incidents, avoiding pollution, maintaining safety and security, enacting port regulations and byelaws as well as monitor and enforce while superintending the day-to-day operations and enforcement of relevant sections of respective agreements.
A stickler to rules and regulation himself, paramount on Bello-Koko’s agenda is the need to embark on stricter regulatory re-enforcement. He hopes to ensure that every operator in any of the Nigerian ports play by the rule, believing that it is only by so doing that the ports could be optimally utilised and more funds remitted to government’s coffers. There will also be firm regulatory oversight for sea vessels cargo movement.
The acting MD is familiar with the problems of maritime insecurity and during a recent visit to him by members of the Support for West African Maritime Security (SWAIMS), an affiliate of the European Union, at the NPA head office in Marina, Lagos, he reckoned that maritime insecurity had heightened hence the need to tackle the matter frontally. Urging the SWAIMS team to diligently concentrate on the theme of their operation, he assured them that the NPA would always identify with.
Successive NPA leaderships have made efforts to address the issue, but it has remained a recurring decimal, making the Nigerian seaports rank among the most dangerous maritime zones, where pirates, kidnappers and other sea robbers freely operate. This has denied Nigeria its membership of category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) during its elections in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Apart from the surcharges and high insurance premiums that this problem brings about, some foreign vessels have opted to divert their cargoes to much safer neighbouring countries or limit their voyages to the Lagos ports, which is relatively safer than most other ports in the East and South-south.
Before his emergence as acting MD, Koko-Bello always harped on the need for a safer maritime environment. One of such examples was during a visit of the federal government’s team for the implementation of the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure on the arrest, detention, and prosecution of offenders in the maritime environment, to the NPA corporate headquarters in Marina, Lagos, where he spoke on behalf of his former boss. On that occasion, he noted that a safe and secure environment as well as restored sanity at the anchorage were factors that could help generate more funds for Nigeria.
The Bello-Koko leadership hopes to ensure vigilance at the ports, train and retrain its security personnel and ensure that terminal operators/concessionaires remain complaint to dictates of the International Ships and Port Security (ISPS) code and there will be regular monitoring and supervision to ensure compliance.
Another vision of the NPA boss is to facilitate inter-agency and stakeholders’ collaboration, especially,relevant security agencies and host communities to engender safe and customer-friendly operating environment. These include the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), which facilitates legitimate trade, the Port Health Services, which implements the WHO International Health Regulations, the International Maritime Organiastions (IMO) laws on health matters, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) laws, the Nigeria Quarantine Act (aircraft and ship), the Public Health Laws of Nigeria and any other relevant laws and the Nigerian Police, which responsibility is to maintain law and order in the ports.
One other agency that must work in synergy with others are the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), established to oversee maritime safety, seafarers’ standards and security, maritime labour, shipping regulation, promotion of commercial shipping and cobatage activities, pollution prevention and ensure control in the marine environment. The agency is also responsible for the implementation of domesticated International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
The Department of State Services (DSS), responsible for intelligence gathering and protection of government concerns, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), with a mandate to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, detergents, medical devices, and other regulated products and the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS), charged with detecting fraudulent travel documents, border patrol and control of the seaports, are expected to explore more innovative techniques to work together to make the seaports safer.
One problem that operators have had to contend with is the menace of illegal barge operators. Barge operators under the aegis of Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), have called on successive administrations at the port to get to the nitty gritty of quack barge operators on the waterways. So, expectedly, the new leadership plans to address how they get access to the ports to load their cargoes and how they get jetty approvals to operate, with the hope to regulate their activities.
There are so many other sundry issues that will top the agenda of the new NPA MD, and this will include, but not limited to cleaning up the system and ensuring transparency in port operations, dredging of the channels and removal of wrecks for safe navigation of vessels to make channels navigable, completion and full deployment of functional information and communication technology to drive the operations at all locations, continued automation of port authority operations to facilitate speedier processes, reliability and trust in the system, and very importantly, closing the gap between funds generated and remitted to government coffers.
The Lekki and Ibaka deep seaports are projects started by former managing directors of NPA. The $1.6bn project is already at 50 per cent completion, so Bello-Koko is determined to continue from where previous MDs stopped. He obviously would muster the needed political support and work with government to see them become operational. This will also give him the opportunity to take the credit for their commissioning as Nigeria begins to take advantage of the world-class port complex and welcome deep-sea vessels.
Talk of the Lagos ports and what quickly comes to mind is the horrendous traffic gridlock that usually spills over to the major arterial roads in the metropolis, affecting the economy of the state and the country at large. Therefore, Bello-Koko’s plan is to see to the full implementation of the Eto, the Electronic Truck call-up system designed for the management of truck movement and access to and from the Lagos ports complex and the Tin Can Island ports, Apapa, Lagos.
Therefore, all trucks doing business at the ports would have to stay at the approved truck parks until they are called up into the port through the Eto app, which is being used for the scheduling, entry and exit of all trucks since February 27, 2021.
Coming into office from his position as the former ED Finance, a position that puts the welfare of NPA employees and pensioners under his control, port workers and pensioners can rest assured that top on his agenda is to ensure smooth and cordial relationship that would be founded on ensuring that their welfare is priority.
*Olupitan, a public commentator, lives Abeokuta, Ogun State
Fidelity Bank remains committed to putting smiles on its customers’ faces by enriching their lives through its ongoing savings loyalty program. To mark this year’s Children’s Day, the bank doled out N150, 000 to 62 Sweet Account (SWEETA) holders across the country, a whopping total of N9.3 million. As part of its efforts to deepen customer engagement, the bank readjusted its approach with respect to the loyalty scheme.
Under the auspices of the loyalty scheme, the bank presented cheques to the beneficiaries of the loyalty scheme at various children’s events organised by Bounty Kiddies Bites & Event, Katsina; Zeelove Event Management; Pamvilla Primary & Secondary School; Refiner School; Ilupeju Junior & Senior Secondary School; Orphanage Home, IDP camp throughout Katsina, Niger, Abuja, Lagos, and so on.
Commenting on this initiative, Fidelity Bank CEO, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe pointed out that all round quality education remains a strong anchor in raising tomorrow’s children and breeding exceptional children who can compete globally. “This is why we have decided to contribute our quota as a bank by offering school fees support to select Nigerian children.
Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe urged well-meaning Nigerians and corporate entities operating in the country to continue to support positive causes that would ensure a secure future for children. In the same vein, Richard Madiebo, Head of Product Development, encouraged prospective and existing customers to open SWEETA accounts for their children and wards to participate in this initiative.
It is worthy to note that the bank has given out N4.1bn to 10,280 customers (7,367 FPSS & 2,913 SWEETA) from the inception of the loyalty scheme to date. In keeping to its promise of rewarding N500,000 “extra income” and N150,000 “School Fees Support” to all active FPSS and SWEETA holders every quarter, the bank conducted random electronic selection of the loyalty beneficiaries across Regional banks/branches for quarter ended March 31, 2021.
During the week, the bank conducted a virtual cluster loyalty selection for Fr. Hillary Group of St. Peters Catholic Church, Awka, and Mrs. Ngozi Cynthia was the recipient of N500, 000 in “extra income.”
The Head, Agency Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Olanike Kolawole has said there are many inherent rewards and benefits of being an agency banking partner, also known as Xpress Point agent of the bank. Kolawole, who was speaking on the bank’s ongoing mouthwatering gifts presentation to its Xpress Point agents across the six geo-political zones of the country for their increased transactions on the bank’s platforms, stated that apart from helping to drive Ecobank’s financial inclusion strategy in Nigeria, the agents were being empowered to create wealth and enjoy financial freedom.
She disclosed that the bank currently parades 30,000 agent locations across the country, stressing that the agency banking scheme is driving entrepreneurship, providing employment opportunities and supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“We are happy with our Xpress Point agents, knowing they are playing a crucial role in helping us reach out to the unbanked and underbanked in the society. That is why we have designed a reward system for them. They are bringing more people to the banking space through their services. They carry out financial transactions on our behalf and earn commission on every transaction processed. The customer experience is very good as customers can do simple deposit, payment, and transfers in their own neighbourhood rather than travel for hours to a bank branch. The Xpress Point is also a channel that is being used for the deployment of national social intervention programmes of the government,” she said.
Further, Kolawole listed the services offered by the Xpress point agents as: cash in, cash out, fund transfer, bills payment, airtime recharge, remittances and account opening, among others. She added that the services are available for MSMEs, sole proprietors, partnerships, co-operative societies, microfinance banks, companies with large distribution network – like petrol stations, FMCGs, telecommunication companies, super agents, aggregators and unregistered businesses such as petty traders, hair saloon and others.
She enjoined the youths and owners of small businesses (both men and women) to use this initiative to expand their revenue streams while offering this value-added service to customers. “Are you looking for a business opportunity? Do you have a business and need an easy way to earn extra income? Xpress Point is the way. Become an Ecobank Xpress Point Agent today and enjoy financial liberty. Xpress Points are Ecobank approved agent locations that bring easy banking services closer to your neighborhood. Ecobank Xpress Point Agents offers simple banking services to solve your financial needs without you having to visit the bank.”
Ecobank boasts of a bouquet of digital channels comprising solutions aimed at delivering convenient, accessible and reliable financial services. The USSD platform, *326#, makes it possible to open an Xpress account and Xpress Save account instantly. The bank’s mobile banking app, Ecobank Mobile offers the option of generating a virtual card among other functions; this comes in handy as customers are continually turning to web payments for their shopping. The Ecobank virtual card offers the flexibility and convenience of creating a shopping card that is not linked to a customer’s account but is fully capable of carrying out online payments. The virtual card can also be shared with loved ones as a gift card for their own shopping.
Not unaware of how some party elders and others in APC in Lagos state use his name to perpetuate all kinds of shenanigans to subvert smooth electoral process, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as regards APC primary election towards upcoming chairmanship election in the state, days ago made a categorical statement that he didn’t endorse any aspirants and that such tales should not be entertained.
He went further to charge the party officials and other leaders that they should ensure the process of the election is transparent and all aspirants are given equal opportunities.
Meanwhile, against the order and counsel of the former governor, Tinubu, news are making round that some party elders in some local government ahead of the commencement of the primary election have turned the whole process in to an ugly and worrisome situation as they are alleged to have seen opportunity to make brisk money in the affair.
A source particularly made preference to the situation in Ifako-Ijaye where he alleged the APC leaders have turned themselves to money mongers thereby jettisoned ideal arrangement to one that will ensure their pockets are swollen. They are alleged to have collected huge amount of money from a particular aspirant who now banks on that to win the election.
Meanwhile, according to source, the situation is beginning to generate tension as observation revealed things might result into a crisis and chaos because supporters of other aspirants who had hitherto prepared for a free and fair election are aware of the plot by the leaders and the particular aspirant and they are poised to ensure no aspirant is shortchanged.
My Mother’s Daughter, the widely-acclaimed Autobiography book by Chief Taiwo Taiwo is now available on Amazon, Apple Books and other online platforms for Nigerians and the global audience.
The highly applauded book that x-rayed the life journey and experiences of Chief Taiwo Taiwo, Chairman, Lexham Investments (Owners of Shonny Investment & Properties) Trustee, Founding and Immediate past Chairman of Atlantic Hall, Chairman Aart of Life foundation was launched in February 2021.
It would be recalled that, the book offers valuable insights in the areas of Inter-Generational Female Entrepreneurship and Mentorship, and the importance of mentorship for young entrepreneurs.
As a young lady who was thrown into the family business in her early 20s after finishing school in England, her many years of experience in entrepreneurship, as well as her roles as a vibrant activist in society building ventures like Atlantic Hall Secondary School, Aart of Life Foundation etc. would be very valuable to young girls and middle age women of the present generation.
The book also pays tribute to her mother, Mrs. Alice Olaperi Shonibare who was instrumental in the heights Chief Mrs. Taiwo Taiwo has reached today.
Chief Mrs. Taiwo was born into a family of eight children with a father who was of an innovative businessman of his age. The author’s father died at 44 and the mother had the duty to bring up the eight children and grow the business the father started. Her nifty balancing powers that motivated the daughter, Chief Mrs. Taiwo are shared in detail in the new book.
The book looks at Chief Mrs Taiwo’s education in Nigeria, her secondary school and university education in the UK. The text is indeed a loaded masterpiece that would inspire the best line of action in everyone who wants to navigate the path of life with vitality to overcome those daily challenges that life throws across the pathway.
C
For easy read and purchase log on to the Amazon, Apple and other online stores. You can also click on the following links. https://www.agapea.com/libros/My-Mother-s-Daughter-Coloured–9789785849455-i.htm
My Mother’s Daughter [Coloured] : Taiwo Taiwo : 9789785849455
