He still remains undeniably the indefatigable music act that injected crazy dance steps, eccentric dress-sense and controversial lyrics into the wowing scene of the Nigerian music industry, with his ‘Free Madness’ style.
Widely known for his superlative and sensational performance when it comes to stage craft, Gabriel Amanyi, artistically known as Terry G, who recently release a new single and video tagged “Inspiration,” is right now preparing to shake some selected the European cities with his electrifying craft, all things being equal.
On the heels of this impending musical tour, the Akpako Master just released a rare set of his new photographs to facilitate and update his ever increasing fans home and abroad about his upswing in the fast-evolving music scene, especially as his coming trip intensifies, and you want to bet how scintillating and commanding these new images are? Check them out.
The new tour, with the theme, “Legendary 2020 Europe Tour,’’ kicks off from February 28th to April 12th, and will go round some selected top European Afrobeat cities. History will surely be made for African music through this tour from one of the most consistent musicians and greatest Afrobeat exports from Africa. The Akpako Master himself cannot just wait for the concerts to roll out, as he is eagerly preparing big time to storm these selected European cities with a bang, of course with his special brand of music and his signature tone.
Expected among the European cities that have already sold out its tickets are: Genova, Italy; Torino, Italy; St. Gallen, Switzerland; Parma, Italy; Athens, Greece;Padova, Italy; Amsterdan, Netherlands; Paris, France; Zaragoza, Spain; Prague, Czech Republic; Barcelona, Spain; Vienna, Austria; Brescia, Italy; Lausanne, Switzerland; Antwerp, Belgium; Parlemo, Italy.
The much-awaited Europe tour is proudly packaged by URBAN ENT×AFRO EURO that had previously taken notable acts like Timaya; Olamide; Reekado Banks; Patoranking; Tekno and many more, on similar concerts to Europe.
(L-R) Andrew Nevin, Partner -West Africa Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist at PWC; Patrick Akinwuntan, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria; Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Minister of State for Agriculture; and John Aboh, Chairman, Ecobank Nigeria Limited at the Ecobank Agribusiness Summit, held in Lagos
Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan says the Ecobank Agribusiness Summit was an initiative to create a common platform that brings together partakers in the Agric value chain, be it producers, processors, logistics entrepreneurs, insurance practitioners and others within the sector to think a better approach to agriculture sustainability for Nigeria. The bank Managing Director stated that Ecobank believes food security is critical, as it enhances national security, and to ensure our continuous survival as a country, we must put agriculture in the front burner.
“Agriculture is not just a culture, it is a business. Historically, Agriculture used to be the lead within the economy, before the advent of petroleum, now, we understand that the long term sustainability of the economy can only come from Agriculture, because of its ability to create employment for the teeming young population and its ability to integrate all the parts of the country. When it is Agriculture, there is no North, West, South and East, it is all about where do I get the best item, best quality, best value. In addition, given the landscape in Nigeria, given the population within Nigeria, we are a natural market and so when you look at what the Government and the central bank has been promoting in the last four to five years, a lot of focus have been on supporting Agric as a means to reduce the import bill of Nigeria and ultimately increase the export revenues of Nigeria”.
“Ecobank saw the opportunity that Agriculture provides and we decided that working together on the policies provided by the Central Bank and in partnership with Vanguard Newspaper, we established this national Agric summit as a platform to bring the entire ecosystem of the Agricultural sector together to interface to get the best value for the growth of the sector in Nigeria. Naturally as a bank, we know that participants in the Agric sector need to be financially included, we will therefore give them the ability to open an account instantly on their mobile phones so as to have the ability to make payment for farm needs and to also collect their proceeds from anywhere. We believe “you can stay somewhere in Niger State, sell to someone in in Lagos and through our secured platform, the person in Lagos will pay and you will receive your alert in Niger state before you release your goods from your farm in Niger state. That type of integration is what Ecobank brings to bear by bringing the entire participants; producers, processors, logistics, insurance and other participants in the sector unto a platform, the national Agric Summit, established by Ecobank”.
Further, Mr Akinwuntan stated that Ecobank’s relevance to Africa would mean supporting growth in the mainstay of the continent’s economy, which is agriculture. “Agriculture ensures that our survival is guaranteed. Agric is available in every corner of Nigeria, be it fishery, to poultry, to arable farming . Be it Cocoa, maize, rice, cashew nuts, palm oil, or any of the Agric items that you know that is available in Nigeria and these can be produced on a higher scale” he stated.
Also speaking, Dr. Andrew Nevin, Partner -West Africa Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist at PWC said reshaping Nigeria’s Agribusiness Landscape will require us integrate agriculture value chain to manufacturing, invest in agriculture infrastructure and mechanization, see agriculture as a business in the form of capacity building and education, and enhance crop yields and output and also instigate Land reforms and integration of national and sub-national policies.
Dr. Andrew Nevin who spoke on the topic “Unlocking productivity and investment opportunities across Nigeria’s agribusiness value-chain”, also maintained that there’s need for interventions to overcome agriculture financing challenges and risks in the area of Capacity development – that is offer training to farmers and advise them on how to undertake farming as a profitable business; Develop agricultural customized loan products that are relevant to farmers’ needs – this could enable farmers to borrow and repay loans successfully; De-risk through financial and entrepreneurship education; Establish strong partnerships and alliances to promote investment in Agriculture and deployment of high-end technology to enhance efficiency and convenience of access
He noted that the UN expects agricultural production to rise by 69% between 2010 and 2050 to meet the expected increase in demand. Farmers, he said are therefore required to start implementing advanced technological techniques to boost productivity.
The maiden Ecobank Agribusiness summit in partnership with Vanguard Newspapers had exhibitors and hundreds of participants from within and outside the country in attendance.
She’s without doubt the most talk about Nigerian actress at the moment, Regina Daniels, who is married to billionaire philanthropist, Prince Ned Nwoko has been involved in to many ventures of late one of which she will be launching in a couple of days from now. It was gathered that the actress will be introducing to the people and her teeming fans her first work as a publisher as she is due to launch her own celebrity magazine on 22nd of February, 2020.
In an invite made available by Ifetayo Adeniyi, the media and publicity officer of Prince Ned Nwoko, the celebrities’ magazine will be hitting the newsstands in less than two weeks after it must have been launched in an event slated for Abuja.
The magazine which was named “Regina”, after the fair-skin actress will feature exclusive interview with the elegant role interpreter as well as other stories center around women especially those that has something to do with the media.
It will be recollected that the actress has so far had a very busy 2020, she was and is currently actively involved in her husband’s pet project on eradicating malaria in Africa as well as her recently launched, Regina Entertainment Television (RET) which will soon be on DSTV, where it will be transmitting various programmes to the viewing pleasure of many Nigerians.
Tony O. Elumelu, CON, has congratulated the African Development Bank (AfDB), and AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina, on their commitment to African entrepreneurship, with the disbursement of $2.5million seed capital to the AfDB-sponsored beneficiaries of the 2019 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. $2.5m was released today, with the remainder expected to be disbursed to the entrepreneurs in Q12020.
The AfDB commitment follows the recent $8.5 million disbursement from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to 2,648 entrepreneurs in the Sahel region and Africa more broadly, and further accelerates the economic empowerment generated by the Tony Elumelu Foundation. In 2019, the Foundation significantly increased the scale and reach of it impact, with the number of beneficiaries of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme rising from its annual commitment of 1,000, to 5,150, in collaboration with global and African partners.
With its commitment to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and develop young entrepreneurs, AfDB joined the growing list of global development institutions benefiting from the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s unique model of identifying, training, mentoring and funding entrepreneurs and start-ups across Africa. The partnership demonstrates the implementation of the AfDB’s ten-year “Jobs for Youth in Africa” strategy, launched in 2016, to support the creation of 25 million meaningful jobs across the continent.
The partnership illustrates TEF’s willingness to share its infrastructure and know-how, with others who share the mission to empower young African entrepreneurs and TEF’s goal of creating millions of jobs, as well as generating billions in revenue, to catalyse economic growth across the continent.
The Foundation is currently accepting applications to the 2020 cohort of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme on TEFConnect.com, Africa’s digital hub for entrepreneurs.
AfDB Joins TEF Programme Catalysing Entrepreneurship Across Africa
Tony O. Elumelu, CON, has congratulated the African Development Bank (AfDB), and AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina, on their commitment to African entrepreneurship, with the disbursement of $2.5million seed capital to the AfDB-sponsored beneficiaries of the 2019 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. $2.5m was released today, with the remainder expected to be disbursed to the entrepreneurs in Q12020.
The AfDB commitment follows the recent $8.5 million disbursement from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to 2,648 entrepreneurs in the Sahel region and Africa more broadly, and further accelerates the economic empowerment generated by the Tony Elumelu Foundation. In 2019, the Foundation significantly increased the scale and reach of it impact, with the number of beneficiaries of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme rising from its annual commitment of 1,000, to 5,150, in collaboration with global and African partners.
With its commitment to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and develop young entrepreneurs, AfDB joined the growing list of global development institutions benefiting from the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s unique model of identifying, training, mentoring and funding entrepreneurs and start-ups across Africa. The partnership demonstrates the implementation of the AfDB’s ten-year “Jobs for Youth in Africa” strategy, launched in 2016, to support the creation of 25 million meaningful jobs across the continent.
The partnership illustrates TEF’s willingness to share its infrastructure and know-how, with others who share the mission to empower young African entrepreneurs and TEF’s goal of creating millions of jobs, as well as generating billions in revenue, to catalyse economic growth across the continent.
The Foundation is currently accepting applications to the 2020 cohort of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme on TEFConnect.com, Africa’s digital hub for entrepreneurs.
One of the top shots at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation-NNPC, Josiah Adediran Ikusemoro must have bitten more than he can chew if information at our disposal is anything to go by.
The man who’s presently running from pillar to post over his messy divorce case with his wife of many years, Enquirermag gathered has resorted to ritual consultations as a last solution over his plight.
According to inside sources, Ikusemoro, 57 who hails from a ruling house in Bunu Kabba local government area of Kogi State has been trying hard to put an end to the pending divorce case so he can marry his 20 something years old younger lover who just finished her youth service.
Close sources confided in this office that, the Bunu Kabba Prince who’s one of the topflight staff of NNPC in Benin, Edo State has been lavishing lots of money on the young girl whose parents live in Ibadan.
We gathered that as at last count, the man has bought the young girl who’s now his live-in-lover in Benin home, cars and several other worldly accomplishments just to force her into marrying him.
Josiah Adediran Ikusemoro
Bubble burst however when Ikusemoro was spotted in company of his driver, Sunny somewhere in Ibadan at a herbalist hideout where he’s gone for spiritual consultations and he was also said to have visited another of his spiritual father in Iwo, Osun State where he was said to have written names of his parents, ex-wife’s name and that of her parents and even his younger lover should she refused to marry him after all he has spent on her.
This office was appalled of the lengthy story of his dirty spiritual escapades which is quite unbefitting of a petroleum engineer of his status and when we made efforts to get in touch with him, perhaps to clear the air, so as not to misrepresent his person, instead, Mr. Ikusemoro threw caution to the wind and began to threaten us, “where did you get my number from, who’re you to open your mouth to talk to me, where did you see me in a herbalist place, do you think you can blackmail me, infact, you will suffer for this, am going to send this number to the SSS and they will get you arrested, quote me, I will make sure I finish you”, the man threatened and finally hung up in a very rude manner.
We have since been waiting for his SSS and have began to dig more about his dirty lifestyle and facts of his pending divorce case before Hon. Justice H.A Courage Ogbebor.
Two limited liability companies Sunlek Investment Limited and Sunsteel Industries Limited have slammed N7billion suit on First City Monument bank Plc FCMB over alleged breach of contract.
In a 126 paragraphs of statement of claim accompanied by another 27 paragraphs of a witness sworn to on oath and filed before a Federal high court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria by a Lagos lawyer Mr. John Olusegun Odubela SAN, the two companies alleged that they operated loan accounts with First City Monument Bank upon which disbursement was made for all letters of credit /loan facility granted to them by the bank for the importation of raw materials.
However, since 23rd May, 2013 when the bank entered into an agreement to grant them loan, and open a loan facility account for them till date, they have not been given the particulars of the loan facility account neither has any statements of account of this loan account been made available to them.
The plaintiffs companies alleged further that by commitment letter dated 23rd May, 2013 and the term sheet for facility duly signed /executed by the two parties, FCMB committed and undertook to fund on fully-underwriten basis the debt finance of $1,500,000 and N422,500,000. Thereafter, other loans facilities were granted to the companies by the bank.
The total amount of the letters of credit opened by the bank in favour of the companies is $8,003,247.5 out of which said sum the companies contributed 10% based on the terms of the grant of the various offer for facility utilized to open letters of credit from 22nd ,March 2013 to September, 2017. The loans facilities were well secured.
The plaintiffs contended that from the available records available to them, it was reflected that they have fully repaid their indebtedness to the Bank.
However, the companies were bewildered when they received the bank’s letter that their indebtedness to the bank as at 14th of March, 2019 is in the sum of N1,129 884,104.72., that the debt should be liquidated within 14 days, despite the fact that they have fully repaid the loan they took from the bank.
Consequently, they engaged the services of accounting firm to audit their account,the plaintiff by their letter and their solicitor’s letter requested for statements of accounts of the loan accounts from the bank, but the bank has deliberately refused, failed and neglected to make available the said statement of account. However from the forensic analysis of their accounts, the plaintiffs contended that they are not in any way indebted to the bank in the sum of N1,129,884,104.72.
From the forensic audit report it was discovered that there were two transactions carried out on letter of credit, wherein substantial volume of the product were damaged.
The value of items purchased by the letters of credit was in the sum of $1,999,965 for the importation of cold rolled steel strips, galvanized steel strips and Zinc wire from Chemetals(HK) limited Unit 1105H/F Lippo Center 89,Queens Way Hong Kong. FCMB is solely and unilaterally liable to undertake all the risk Insurance policy Clause A for the consignment/raw material to be imported by virtue of the letter of credit.
The bank solely negotiated insurance policy obtained for the products purchased and appointed Mansard Insurance Plc to provide insurance cover Clause C for the importation of the consignment. Upon taken delivery of the consignment after payment of custom duties and port charges, it was discovered that a large volume of the said consignment were in various forms of damaged conditions.
The plaintiffs informed the bank about the damaged consignment and the need to pursue insurance claim for the damage consignment,the bank requested for documents from the officers of the plaintiffs which was sent to them to pursue the claim.
However, the agent of the bank sent a report to the plaintiffs to inform them that from the nature of damages to some of the products, the insurance policy, being a Clause C policy as undertaken by the bank is not sufficient to cover the nature of loss from the said damages to the products. The total value of the consignment damaged is in the sum of $628,386.23 and N336,136.692.66. The bank ought to have undertaken an all risk insurance policy cover with the insurance company. As a result of the damages to the consignment,they were not fit for use and could not be refined in the plaintiffs machine and remained in the plaintiffs factory as junk or waste material.
The plaintiffs averred that they have suffered financial loss as a result of the breach of contract in the sum of N884,934,268.56 which has negatively affected their business operation since 2014 till date. The plaintiffs averred that they are entitled to claim damages for breach of contract against the bank who had by its various acts of breaches of the various letters of offer for facility caused great loss to their business. Consequently the plaintiffs claim against FCMB jointly and severally are as follows:
General damages in the sum of N5billion.
A declaration that the plaintiffs are not indebted to the bank in any sum premised on the fact that they have settled all their indebtedness on the facilities granted to them by the bank. A declaration that the bank breach the terms of letter of credit and is liable for the loss of the letters of offer on importation, in the sum of $1,999,865.
A declaration that the bank is liable to refund to the plaintiffs N884,934,298.56,being the losses uncured on the damaged consignment purchased through letters of credits,and failure and refusal of the bank to obtain an all risk insurance policy for the shipment of the said consignment.
An order for the payment of N826,996,135.00 being the total sum wrongly debited on the plaintiffs account by the bank. An order of the court restraining FCMB from appointing and or registering any instrument of appointment of an official receiver or any instrument whatsoever made for the purpose of enforcing the security for the payment of alleged indebtedness in the sum of N1,129,884,104.72 being allegedly claimed against the plaintiffs by the bank. Cost of litigation assessed at N250 million.
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, has called on the federal government to make Nnewi a full manufacturing hub in Nigeria to serve as a panacea for the chase for foreign investment.
Moghalu, who made the call weekend during the Nnewi 2020 Investment Summit contended that Nnewi would hardly become a successful manufacturing hub based on the efforts of the private sector alone hence the need for the federal government to provide the necessary amenities to make businesses thrive in the area.
Muoghalu who was the lead speaker at the event lamented that the federal and state governments in Nigeria are always on the move, looking for foreign investments, when it could support a huge manufacturing hub like Nnewi to reach its limit and in turn help in growing the nation’s economy.
He said, “Nnewi is the only industrial town in the whole world that is growing without the support of government. A huge manufacturing hub that was started from the scratch by indigenes of the town and has continued to grow without the support of the government.
“It will not be out of place to say that the federal government has abandoned Nnewi. Do you know what people in Nnewi will do if what government did at the Lekki Free Trade Zone is done here?
“Let me tell you, manufacturing sector is the easiest way to grow the economy of a country. It doesn’t matter the number of mineral resources you have. How many mineral resources does China have? You can only survive by manufacturing and exporting your products, and that is why China is surviving today.
“That is why I always say that the chase for foreign Investment is a wild goose chase. If you create the right environment, investments will come. Money knows where to go and multiply, you do not need to go asking it to come. Instead of pumping in Naira to rival the dollar, why not create a manufacturing hub and once products are exported and foreign exchange is earned, you will see the economy grow on its own,” Muoghalu said.
Muoghalu also tasked the Nnewi business community to show maximum interest in politics. He contended that politics influences public policy, and that when the right kind of people are in political offices with ideas that can drive business and manufacturing, then, businesses would not face as many problems as they were facing presently in Nigeria.
Mr Kelechi Nwosu, the CEO of TBWA, a leading marketing company and co-sponsors of the event in his welcome address said that the summit is an inaugural event put together to rub minds on ways to scale up growth in Nnewi.
Earlier, the member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Constituency at the national assembly, Hon. Chris Emeka Azubogu, said the dream of the greater Nnewi industrial hub could be achieved when government provide needed infrastructure to drive manufacturing and also reshape policies that would help drive industries.
According to him, “Government has to work hard to ensure that the policy on energising the economy works in Nnewi. Again, Nnewi business community has to generate power locally; I mean independent power source. When we get reliable, affordable and sustainable energy and support it with what we are getting from the national grid, it will stimulate both economic and industrial growth.”
Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s(USAID) Middle East Bureau, Michael T. Harvey, Acting Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Africa at the U.S. Agency for International Development,(USAID) Christopher Maloney, E.D Treasury & International Banking UBA, Abdoul-Aziz Dia, Group Head, Consumer & Retail Banking, UBA Jude Anele during the signing of the memorandum of understanding to advance trade and investment goals of Prosper Africa, held in Tunisia on Thursday
U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Prosper Africa initiative is partnering with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) to increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and the nations of Africa.
This partnership ensures businesses are equipped with the technical and financial tools they need to enter into new trading and investment relationships in Africa and the United States.
USAID will provide technical assistance and advisory services to prospective businesses through its Trade and Investment Hubs, and will connect UBA with African Diaspora business groups working across the United States.
The MOU enables UBA, the only sub-Saharan African bank licensed to operate in the United States, to expand access its reach and extend financing to American companies in the United States looking to do business with African nations.
Recognizing tremendous growth opportunities, USAID and UBA are collaborating to advance Prosper Africa’s goal of substantially increasing two-way trade between Africa and the United States.
By working together, they will extend financing and technical assistance to businesses that will strengthen the American economy, grow African economies, and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.
The two institutions entered into this agreement as part of the opening ceremony of the Tunisia Prosper Africa Conference, co-organized by the U.S. Embassy in Tunis and the American Chamber of Commerce of Tunisia.
The event facilitated U.S. and African business-to-business connections and featured remarks by key representatives from the U.S. Government and the U.S. and African private sector.
For general press inquiries, please contact Press@USAID.GOV.
In its resolve to build a sustainable economic growth in Africa, a world class infrastructure building giant, International Service Group (ISG) has vowed to empower Africans and enhance economic advancement, as it promises to collaborate and finance any willing government in Africa to fund projects that will boost the economy of the nation.
In the organization’s New Year package for the Continent of Africa aptly tagged ”Vision 2020”, ISG detailed its projection on how it intends to finance willing African governments to create economic growth in their countries by improving, renewing and adjusting the infrastructure.
Chief Executive Officer of the International Service Group (ISG), Mr. Steven Tuinstra.i
In a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the International Service Group (ISG), Mr. Steven Tuinstra, the organization believes that if Africa concentrates on the development of Infrastructure and fights corruption, the continent is capable of ruling the World.
ISG, according to Tuinstra, in its Vision 2020 package for Africa is committed to providing funding for any country that is ready to develop their country to a higher level, declaring that the organization has projected billions of dollars to render Financing to any country on the continent that is willing to embark on capital projects that will enhance development and job creation for the citizens.
Tuinstra mentioned further that, the areas of Interest for the organization in building infrastructure in Africa include roads, railway, airports, ports, bridges, and electricity to improve power amongst others, as he assured ISG’s total financing of projects in the one specified areas.
He pointed out that his experience in Africa has exposed him to the fact that even though Africa is rich on resources, people are very poor with no jobs for the citizens.
According to the ISG boss, traveling across Africa and seeing people suffering in spite of the enormous wealth in resources calls for concern. He thus vowed that ISG through its unique funding model that connects all of the dots is now ready to make the necessary financing available, which has been the main issue of the African nation to improve lives for African citizens.
Tuinstra, in the statement disclosed that ISG is currently financing projects all over Africa, ISG has among others signed agreement to build an Olympic Village in Ivory Coast towards the successful hosting of CAF 2023, while Plans are in top gear to finance the construction of 100,000 low cost housing unit in Ghana and the construction of Railway throughout West Africa.
He concluded that the infrastructure building giant would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Africa realizes its potentials.
Meanwhile, the Organization has appointed a Nigerian International Journalist, Moses Owopade as its Media & Publicity Adviser.
