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CAN CHAIRMAN COMMENDS PDI’S GRASSROOTS TELEHEALTHCARE INITIATIVE

L-R: Chairman, Kano State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samuel Adeyemo; Managing Director, PreDiagnosis International, Dr. John Iguve and Regional Manager, North, PreDiagnosis International, Yusuf Salihu during a courtesy visit by PDI officials to the CAN leadership at the CAN Secretariat, Kano

The Kano State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Samuel Adeyemo, has called on philanthropic organisations and governments at all levels in the country to intensify efforts towards providing cheap and practical solutions to the continued inability of poor and vulnerable grassroots dwellers to access basic healthcare to meet common health challenges.

Reverend Adeyemo who is also the General Overseer of the Believers World Baptist Fellowship in Kano made the appeal during a visit by officials of the PreDiagnosis International to the leadership of the Kano State CAN Chapter last week Monday.

While lauding the extension of PreDiagnosis International’s grassroots telehealthcare initiative coverage to Kano State, the CAN leader noted that lack of compassionate interventions by people of means as well as poverty and ignorance among the citizens have worsened the standard of living among grassroots communities across the country.

“The suffering brought to majority of the citizens by lack of access to basic healthcare is really huge. The CAN Leadership in this State is therefore excited by this initiative of PreDiagnosis International to help the masses get basic access to healthcare. This is because access to qualified doctors from the comfort of wherever one can use technology is something every citizen needs in order for many health challenges to be resolved at an early stage”, he stated.

Earlier in his remarks, the Leader of the PDI team, Dr. John Iguve, explained that the coming of the company to Kano and adjoining states in the Northern part of the country was a step further in PDI’s commitment to making affordable healthcare services available at the doorstep of the people especially the poor and the vulnerable across Nigeria.

According to him, PDI’s operational focus was based on the determination to meet the target of delivering efficient and affordable modern healthcare to at least 20 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians between 2020 and 2030.

Dr. Iguve appealed to the CAN Leadership and other cadres of leadership across the State to help in spreading the news among the citizens in order for the benefits of the Initiative to be fully enjoyed by the people.

“We are happy to announce that we are moving a step further in our campaign to make affordable healthcare services available at the doorstep of the people, especially the poor and the vulnerable across Nigeria. We need the community leaders at all levels to help us spread the news among our people so that everyone can benefit.

“As a semi-philanthropic hybrid health service company, PDI is determined, through our bouquet of technology-based and mass-market targeted medical services, to be at the forefront of meaningful efforts to ensure public healthcare delivery to the poor and vulnerable. Our decision to come and establish strong presence in the Northern part of the country and Kano in particular is aimed at further opening up the frontiers to reach, rescue and fortify many more Nigerians through our modern day Ark of telemedicine in the country,” he disclosed.

Polaris Bank Introduces Target Saving Account

Polaris Bank has launched an account called ‘Polaris Target Savings Account’ to boost healthy savings culture and build a strong financial base.

The Group Head, Products and Market Development, Mrs Adebimpe Ihekuna, said this in a statement entitled ‘Polaris Bank introduces target savings account’ on Saturday.

Ihekuna said, “The savings culture is gradually going into extinction as people generally spend than save; hence, the launch of the target savings account to help Nigerians save for a better tomorrow.

“We recognise that there is never going to be enough money to save; that is what one must first accept but the need to develop the habit of savings is as important as life in itself.

“A salary increase for most people will not necessarily get them to save more, your children finishing school will not get you to save more, a bigger client for your business will not get you to save more, and getting older will not enable you to save more.”

Ihekuna added, “Paying off your mortgage and other debts will not get you to save more; all these are excuses not to start saving today. If you are not saving with what you have today, chances are you might not save when you have more money.”

She said it was not too late to start saving, adding that Nigerians willing to take up the challenge and begin to save for specific goals for the future could do so with ease, through the Polaris Target Savings account.

IBUKUN AWOSIKA, FIRSTBANK’S CHAIRMAN MAKE ACTING DEBUT IN CITATION

Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has made her debut in a movie produced by award-winning, and proudly Nigerian movie producer, Kunle Afolayan. The movie, Citation, is created to correct one of the greatest ills – rape and sexual molestation – which affects the educational system and indeed societies around the world.

Mrs. Awosika plays the role of the dean of a university faculty, overseeing the senate hearing panel of a female postgraduate student (Moremi), played by Temi Otedola, who has been a victim of sexual harassment. The movie was shot to lend a voice to support victims of sexual harassment and rape, beyond the university environment. Ibukun Awosika was chosen due to her leading impact on women advocacy and leadership.

Unveiling Ibukun Awosika, the surprise cast of the movie, Kunle Afolayan posted on his official Instagram handle; “It all began in 2018 with the pre-production of Citation, then the production in January 2020, and now the 30th of August, we officially had the first private screening of Citation at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).

“Why OAU? Well, not only was Citation shot at the University, but our surprise cast is an alumna of the school.”

Expressing her delight on the movie, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, FirstBank said; “the physical and psychological effects of sexual harassment have a considerable toll on individuals and institutions in terms of cost. The effects of can hamper growth and the potentials and can stop the victims from engaging fully in life. We must, therefore, (as stakeholders, governments, institutions of learning; parents; media etc.), collectively rise against this menace and never let the deplorable behaviour of sexual harassment to fester.”

“I remain upbeat about this project – being part of a collective goal to continually keep dreams and hope alive; sacrificing and holding strong to our commitment to reignite the lost values. The casting experience has been very enriching and impactful to me. I am delighted to be amongst the very amazing casts in such an intriguing and brilliantly scripted movie.

Obafemi Awolowo University played host to the movie which was written by Tunde Babalola. Other stars in the movie include; Joke Silver, Jimmy Jean Louis, Sadiq Daba, Gabriel Afolayan and Temi Otedola, amongst others.

Heritage Bank to stimulate economic growth with youth empowerment schemes

As part of its further response to deal with the global economic challenge occasioned by COVID-19, Heritage Bank Plc has reiterated commitment to deepen its support to young entrepreneurs in Nigeria to grow their businesses either as start-ups or prospective business owners. This, the bank said, is in line with its culture as timeless wealth partners, which would impact positively on the nation’s socio-economic development.

The MD/CEO of the bank, Ifie Sekibo stated that Heritage Bank was mindful of the devastating impact of the pandemic to the nation’s economic system, hence as an institution at the forefront of investing in human capital development for critical economy recovery, “we will up our game to empower Nigerian youths who are one of the bedrock of any vibrant economy,” he added.

He disclosed that one of the channels churned out in partnering the youths to leverage their talents and contribute their quota to the growth of the economy, was the use of financial inclusion strategy which would be adopted to boost entrepreneurship development, as this is critical to Heritage Bank’s mission to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

He further explained that Heritage Bank’s various entrepreneur schemes in the support for business had always focused on dependable job-creating sectors, such as agricultural value chain (fish farming, poultry, snail farming), cottage industry, mining and solid minerals, creative industry (tourism, arts and crafts), and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Sekibo restated that the aim of Heritage Bank being at the forefront of youth empowerment is to emancipate the latent entrepreneurial spirit in the teeming youths to unleash their support to the growth of the economy.

His words: “At Heritage, nothing else is more fulfilling than to groom-to-empower young aspiring start-up entrepreneurs, as we mentor them to grow and become large corporates enlisted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

“In recent times, we have worked with private and public sectors- The Next Titans, HB Lab, Creative Nigerian Summit, National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST), NYSC and the Central Bank of Nigeria to support youths and young entrepreneurs to grow their businesses as a start-up or prospective business owners.

He also reiterated that the bank had continued to make efforts to lead the recovery of the Nigerian economy through championing several empowerment schemes such as the Prime Women Builders Foundation of Nigeria, Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YIEDP), Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) on Young Entrepreneurship Business Training Programme (YEBTP), Young Entrepreneurs and Students (YES) Grant and Nigerian Young Professional Forum (NYPF), amongst others.

AKINWALE ADEMOKOYA LAUNCHES AKAD RECORD LABEL

AKAD RECORDS is a music discovery company, dedicated to discovering, supporting, and promoting visionary African artists from around the globe.

Its pioneer act, Lil Dee has been signed to the record label while the new company also aims to sign one of the hottest producers around.

CEO of the company, Akinwale Ademokoya offers a sneak peek into what this new record label has to offer; with the release of the hot new single by its artiste Lil Dee titled “OWO” featuring Jaywon.

As a Management Company, Akad Records will make its mark in West, East, and South Africa through their proposed offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and the company’s launching is a boost for the music industry in Africa.

The Group Chief Executive of Akad Records, Akinwale Ademokoya, said this announcement was a watershed in the history of music in Africa. “With the launch of AKAD RECORDS, we are now positioned as a uniquely Pan-African label,” he said. “We will coordinate releases to synchronize in unison from Lagos to Lesotho and from Nairobi to Niamey.”

Adding that he was very excited about the opportunities of a “borderless Africa.”

“I am excited to make a movement that is borderless and that exports Africa’s best talents to the world,” Akinwale said. “The world is about to experience a new superpower.”

Expressing his excitement about the company, Akinwale also said this is a long time dream come through “This is something I have been excited about for a long time,” he said. “We are joining forces with some international players in the industry who are already doing it big and we will keep pushing to make beautiful music.”

“At Akad Records, we believe in dreams, we believe in success, we believe in greatness, together [WE OWN THE CITY]”

Akad Record is ready to begin a new journey by delivering the best of Africa to the rest of the world.

Death to Rapist: In Defense of the Josephs

The issues of rape has suddenly become a scourge that needs urgent and swift interference of relevant government agencies, many organisations and individual has been clamoring for different and stiffer punishment rapists. The holy Bible according to Deuteronomy 22 verse 25 put the punishment for rape as death.

The 2008 UN Security Council meeting had also passed Resolution 1820, which states that “rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes”. Patricia Sellers, a prominent international criminal attorney and special adviser for prosecution strategies to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court further reinforce the fact that the Yugoslavia and Rwanda judgment enforcement has erased the doubt and established rape as a war crime, a crime against humanity and sexualized violence within the meaning of genocide.

It is therefore expected that legislators will take the bold step as making sure that rapists are made to pay the swift maximum punishment for the crime tagged crime against humanity.

However, one thing that come to mind when we are trying to ascertain the guilty or the innocent is what I call the Joseph treatment. Since most of the cases enjoying media mention in Nigeria especially those that has to do with celebrities are issues the accusers always dated to years back with no doctor report to back them up, many are of the thought that the case of biblical Joseph may be the case.

If it could be recollected Joseph was accused by his master’s wife of rape even when the story relays that it is a case of fight back of a scorned woman. Findings shows many men have been punished unjustly for such cases all around the world, this write-up will be mentioning few and the consequence on those that were falsely accused.

The story of Daniel Jones of Queanbeyan City in Australia is one story that stand out, the then 25 years old was accused of rape by his fiancée and he was made to undergo more than six (6) years long persecution that cost his parent their life savings of more than $600,000, it took intervention of a new detective to set him from the false accusation of a lady who is supposed to be his wife.

Though Dan did not spend more than months in the prison but his accusation ended up destroying his parents’ more than 30 years relationship and all their life savings while the lady in question Sarah Jane Parkinson was only sentence to 3 years and 1 month period in prison not for falsely accusing Dan but for misleading investigator with no monetary compensation for the ruined family.

Another like that is the case of two young men in New York, USA, who were accused of rape, Gregory Counts, then 19, and Van Dyke Perry, then 21 in 1991, they were arrested and charged with rape. Despite the fact that investigators had no physical evidence. Semen recovered from the woman did not match the two accused men. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on her testimony, and in 1992, a jury convicted Mr. Counts and Mr. Perry on all counts except for the weapons charges. Mr. Perry ended up serving 11 years in prison while Mr. Counts served 26 years.

It took efforts of the attorneys with the Innocence Project in 2012 to reopen the case and with the help of DNA proved the two men were wrongfully imprisoned, during further investigations and questioning the woman who accused the two admitted that the story was a lie. She told investigators that her boyfriend forced her to make the fake accusations.

Though Perry who was released when he was 32 years after spending 11 years in prison was able to pick-up his life, the case is Counts was released when he was 45 years after spending 26 years behind bars for an offence he did not commit and he will have to start picking his life up from there while the woman who falsely accused them left off the hook.

Here some of the cases that is raising the people’s fear that the campaigners for capital punishment for rapists though on track but a law must also be put in place for those who are falsely accusing people of rape and other sexual related offences to face almost the same punishment as rapists, since the two of them will be altering the lives of those at the receiving end.

It will therefore be right for sexual offence activists to join in their clamour same punishment for both rapist and the Josephs.

CAMA 2020: CASON Urges Churches to Reposition for Accountability, Growth

CASON Board Members: Seyi Oladimeji [President] Tomi Vincent [Legal Adviser] and Segun Shelleh [Treasurer]

The Church Administrators Society of Nigeria (CASON) has announced the need for churches in Nigeria to see the new Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 as a call to reposition themselves; improve self-regulation and entrench proper administration, rather than see it as persecution by government.

Addressing professional members, invited pastors, church administrators and members of the public at a webinar hosted online in Lagos, Nigeria Wednesday August 25, CASON President, Pastor Seyi Oladimeji said, “Understanding the law and applying it to the way churches are run is an administrative issue. That is why we seek to educate The Church today.”

Speaking at the webinar, CASON Board Member and Adviser on Legal Matters, Mr. Tomi Vincent submitted that if Nigerians embraced CAMA 2020, the law would help in building more credible businesses and not-for-profit institutions, including churches.

“The new law also grants power to the Corporate Affairs Commission with the approval of the Minister of Trade in cases of misconduct or mismanagement to suspend trustees for the purpose of protecting the property of the association or for public interest or for abatement of fraudulent administration, which also include frivolous remuneration or reward of persons acting in the affairs of the association or other frivolous administrative expenses e.g. indiscriminate honoraria for guest speakers without established policy or protocol” Vincent said.

It was noted at the webinar that certain features of CAMA 2020 provide for prosecution, fines and suspension of trustees where falsehood, misconduct, criminal negligence etc are discovered in the registration, activities and operations of a church under ‘Incorporated Trustees.’

Also speaking at the webinar, CASON Treasurer and Governing Council Member, Mr. Segun Shelleh, who is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, explained that CAMA 2020 specifies clearly, the legal framework for the registration of churches as incorporated trustees, appointment, qualification and removal of the trustees, constitution of the church, appointment of its governing body, application of its income and property, rendering of accounts, annual returns and dissolution of the organisation.

Shelleh said, “It is advisable to apply the funds of a church strictly for the purposes set out in its constitution. Proper steps should be taken to include in the church constitution, every legitimate purpose of the church that is not already in its constitution, which may include approaching the CAC to alter such constitution in line with section 833 of CAMA 2020.

“Any trustee of the church who needs to draw salaries from the organisation, should immediately consider removing himself/herself from the trustees’ body and remain just a staff of the organisation rendering his/her service to the church dutifully in compensation for every salary or remuneration received” Shelleh advised.

CASON has promised to issue a communiqué following the webinar on CAMA 2020 as an advisory to its constituents who are the founders, leaders and administrators of churches in Nigeria.

In concluding his address, CASON president, Oladimeji said: “If churches are better self-regulated, we would not need to be externally supervised by any government agency for we would function by the law. That is why CASON organized this webinar even as we get ready to host our 2020 annual conference in September.

“Our detailed professional advice to the Body of Christ in Nigeria shall be contained in a communiqué soon to be published and circulated to all our constituents” Oladimeji said.

NEC 10th Edition: UBA Foundation Calls for Entries, Introduces Digital Submission Portal for Students

Increases prize money by over 33%

UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has today commenced the 2020 edition of its annual National Essay Competition in Nigeria with a call for entries.

Now in its tenth year, the National Essay Competition (NEC) is part of UBA Foundation’s education initiative which is aimed at promoting the reading culture and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst secondary school students in Nigeria and across Africa.

This year’s edition, which is the 10^th since inception, has been modified to ensure ease of access and increased participation of senior secondary school students from the comfort of their homes through the introduction of a digital submission portal.

Taking into consideration the effects the Covid-19 pandemic has had on lives and incomes across board, the UBA Foundation has also increased the prize money for the 2020 edition of the NEC by 33 per cent as the first prize winner will get an educational grant of N2.5m, up from N2m in 2019. The second and third prize winners will now receive N2m and N1.5m educational grants respectively, from N1.5m and N1m which were awarded in the previous year’s competition.

The Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Mrs. Bola Atta stated that with the newly introduced digital submission portal, more students in secondary schools across the country will have the opportunity to scan and send in their entries and compete to win educational grants for study at any university of their choice on the African continent.

She said, “As a Foundation, which is the CSR arm of the United Bank for Africa – a fully digitalised bank, we are driven by the mantra to always innovate and adapt to our constantly changing environment. This year, we thought hard about how to ease the pains that everyone is feeling. Students have not been able to go to school and there has been a lot of anxiety in families trying to ensure that educational gaps do not emerge. It is imperative for us at the UBA Foundation that our impact programmes do not wane. We also need to design them to be as inclusive as possible so that those students who don’t have easy access to computers can still participate in the competition with a chance to win grants towards their tertiary edification.’

Atta explained that the choice of topic for this year’s edition is one that helps promote creative and analytical thinking in students whilst helping them become problem solvers. The essay topic selected is “Do you think that the lock – down during the Covid-19 pandemic was an essential measure in spite of the hardship it has brought economically? What would you have done differently and why?”

All entrants are to hand write their essays and upload scanned copies of their handwritten entries as well as ID on the digital portal at www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competitionbefore October 2,2020. They may also drop off the handwritten essays at their nearest UBA business office for onward submission to the UBA Foundation.

The judges who are made up of esteemed professors from reputable Nigerian Universitieswill receive all the essays on a digital drive, evaluate them and select the top 12 finalists all of who will take home consolation prizes including personal computers.

The finale of the NEC this year will be conducted virtually as the initiative rolls out across 19 more countries in Africa.

UBA Foundation embodies the UBA Group’s CSR objectives and seeks to impact positively on societies through several laudable projects and initiatives. The Foundation has donated hundreds of thousands of books to students across Africa under the ‘Read Africa’ initiative aimed at encouraging and promoting the reading culture in African youths.

Students can apply for the National Essay Competition 2020 at: www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition;

OMSL DIRECTORS REFUTE ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF $18M DOLLARS BY CHAIRMAN

Our attention has been drawn to a malicious and spurious publication by a one-man blog (nurajos.blogspot.com) on alleged schism in the board of OMSL over alleged mismanagement of $18m (Eighteen million dollars).

In the said write-up, the faceless hack mischievously alleged that our chairman, Capt Idahosa Wells Okunbo, had taken possession of the said sum from NNPC, and squandered it in alleged bribery of National Assembly members and presidency officials over the squabble with Nigeria Ports Authority on the SAA issue.

Ordinarily, we would not have dignified the faceless writer with a reply, but in the interest of unsuspecting members of the public who may be swayed by deliberate falsehood and for record purposes, we are constrained to put out this press statement

1. The write-up is totally false in every material particular.

2. No payment of $18m dollars or any such payment was received by OMSL or our Chairman, Capt Hosa Okunbo

3. No bribe was paid to National lawmakers or presidency officials in respect of SAA issue with NPA by OMSL or our chairman.

4. The concocted story could only have been in the warped imagination of the writer and his sponsor(s)

5. We believe the write-up is politically motivated to smear the reputation of our company and our chairman.

6. There is no division whatsoever in the directorate and management of OMSL.

SIGNED
1) Admiral Ameen Ikioda (Rtd)
2) Mr Garth Dooley
3) Admiral Joe Aikhomu (Rtd)
4) Mr Kunle Oyekunle

‘Black Panther’ is Dead

Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, died Friday of cancer, his representative said. He was 43.

Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Associated Press.

Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, his family said in a statement.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in the statement. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more- all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”

Boseman had not spoken publicly about his diagnosis.

Born in South Carolina, Boseman graduated from Howard University and had small roles in television before his first star turn in 2013. His striking portrayal of the stoic baseball star Robinson opposite Harrison Ford in 2013′s “42” drew attention in Hollywood.

Chadwick Boseman arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Boseman died on a day that Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson day.

His T’Challa character was first introduced to the blockbuster Marvel movies in 2016′s “Captain America: Civil War,” and his “Wakanda Forever” salute reverberated around the world after the release of “Black Panther” two years ago.

“This is a crushing blow” actor and director Jordan Peele said on Twitter, one of many expressing shock as the news spread across social media.

“This broke me,” said actor and writer Issa Rae.