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FirstBank DecemberIssaVybe: Showing Kindness as You Vybe

The roof is already getting raised with #FirstBankIssaVybe, #DecemberIssaVybe campaigns. With FirstBank, it is always a total experience of being woven into the fabric of society from banking at its finest, to music, fashion, arts, and sports. Across the spectrum of human endeavour, FirstBank stands tall behind its over 32 million customers and counting.

As FirstBank makes every day a vybe every December, it is also passionate about ensuring that everyone vybes with kindness. This is in sync with the words of Maurice Elias, Professor of Psychology, “without kindness, our communities, families, schools, and classrooms become places of incivility.” As we get the blast of the season, the 127 years strong banking brand in furtherance of its kindness campaign has created a simple calendar to ease your ability to create a SPARK in the lives of people around you.

At FirstBank, SPARK stands for Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness. The SPARK initiative was launched 4 years ago to make a difference in the nation by seeking to inspire and institutionalize kindness. By encouraging kindness, empathy and consideration for others, SPARK is placing FirstBank at the forefront of the social impact space. The unique way FirstBank is amplifying kindness is through its different directorates and departments. This way the Bank is reaching more communities, touching more lives, and spreading kindness.

The FirstBank kindness drive stands on three (3) pillars of compassion, civility, and charity. Compassion and charity readily come tops when we think about kindness, and FirstBank is championing the cause to also promote civility through the SPARK initiative. Civility covers the aspects of kindness that does not cost you anything to use in igniting the world around you. Imagine as you get to the venue of the next FirstBank’s DecemberIssaVybe show, and you give up a parking lot closer to the event hall to the car behind you?

The global head of marketing and corporate communication of FirstBank, Folake Ani-Mumuney says “At FirstBank, we spend every waking moment working to create meaning in the lives of our customers and publics. We are inspiring kindness because it brings meaning to lives and creates a happier society. So, as you vybe this Yuletide, vybe with kindness.”

Kindness does not have to cost you a kobo, so click here download and share your kindness calendar for those simple tips to start performing acts of random kindness every day this December.

The need to promote kindness in our homes, schools, fun places, and the society at large cannot be over-emphasized especially with the increased incidence of bullying prevalent around us. In promoting the need for kindness in education and ‘cyber kindness’, FirstBank sponsored two impactful webinars during its corporate responsibility & sustainability week in July 2021. You can click here to access the Zoom recordings of the webinars.

Kindness should be a way of life, and FirstBank is at the forefront. Join the kindness train, vybe with kindness this Yuletide and always!

Eziaku Esther, Emerges Winner of UBA Foundation’s NEC 2021

Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa, (UBA) Plc, Kennedy Uzoka; 1ST Prize Winner, 2021 UBA National Essay Competition, Eziaku Esther Enwereuzo, (Middle) and Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta at the grand finale of the UBA Foundation, National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools, held at UBA House, Marina, Lagos on Tuesday

UBA Foundation, the CSR arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, on Tuesday, held the Grand finale of its eleventh annual National Essay Competition (NEC) at the Tony Elumelu Amphitheatre at the UBA House, Marina Lagos, in a ceremony that was well-attended by students, staff and parents.

A visibly excited 15-year-old Eziaku Esther, a student of His Grace High School, Enugu State, emerged the overall winner with the best essay. For the fifth consecutive year the girls have clinched the best prize as, Esther beat 11 other finalists selected from over 7,000 entries received digitally by the UBA Foundation from students of senior secondary schools across Nigeria.

Esther won an educational grant of N3 million to study at any African university of her choice. She also received a brand-new state-of the-art laptop and many other educational tools from the UBA Foundation. She will be supported throughout her educational career and beyond with constant mentoring by the UBA Foundation.

The 15 year old winner who was escorted to the event by her mother, Mrs Joy Chika Eziaku, said she was excited to have come top in the competition, adding that the experience has bolstered her confidence; “I am so grateful to UBA Foundation for this grand opportunity. it was not very easy as I had to study hard and conduct a lot of research, but I am happy that it paid off for me. This opportunity has changed my life, made me want to learn more, read more and to aspire to be a better person and I really appreciate the UBA and the UBA Foundation for this,” she said.

The UBA Foundation’s Education initiative has been changing lives for over a decade as the tertiary education scholarship programme continues to impact the lives of many students and their communities at large.

The second prize was bagged by Nduka Chukwuemeka, male, aged 17, of Oxfords international School, Abia State, who won a N2,500,000 educational grant and a laptop; while the third prize of N2,000,000 and a brand new lap top went to 15-year old Hajarat Abdulwahab of Addy Basic School, Kano. The other 9 finalists also received brand new laptops as well as consolation prizes, including books and other learning materials.

In his remarks the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UBA Plc Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, said UBA as a bank is happy that it has been touching lives and making a solid impact through the UBA Foundation, adding that the annual competition which is in its 11^th year, has produced hundreds of winners, some of who have long graduated from higher schools and have been impacting their communities.

He said, “Like we did last year, we again increased the prizes to match the rising cost of living. Over the years, we have been assured that we are doing something very unique and truly African, and this is why the initiative is for those who wish to study in Africa, because we are proud of our continent.”

The MD/CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, whilst congratulating the winners, commended them for their exceptional brilliance. “Every student who sent in an entry is a winner. To be confident about your writing skills and ambitious enough to enter a competition to further enhance your educational path is laudable. For those that did not win, I would say do not be discouraged. Take it as a challenge to perfect your writing skills and enter for the competition again next year” she said.

According to Atta, UBA Foundation, being the CSR arm of UBA Plc, makes it a point of duty to give back to communities where UBA operates. Education remains one of the Foundation’s focus areas as it is the bedrock of any nation

UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition has been rolled out to other African countries including Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea, with plans for more footprints in 2022.

UBA Foundation, the CSR arm of the UBA Group, is committed to the socio-economic betterment of the communities in which the bank operates, focusing on development in the areas of Education, Environment, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects.

Judge, National Essay Competition, (NEC) Professor Sam Oniugbo; Member Board of Trustee, UBA Foundation, Mary Udu- Ejembi; 3rd Prize Winner, UBA National Essay Competition, (NEC) Hajarat Abdulwahab; Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa, (UBA) Plc, Kennedy Uzoka; Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta; Judge, NEC Professor Ini Uko; 2nd Prize Winner, Nduka Chukwubikem and Judge, Professor Emmanuel Omobowale at the grand finale of the UBA Foundation, National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools, held at UBA House, Marina, Lagos on Tuesday

3rd Prize Winner, 2021 UBA National Essay Competition, Hajarat Abdulwahab; Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa, (UBA) Plc, Kennedy Uzoka; 1ST Prize Winner, Eziaku Esther Enwereuzo; Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta and the 2nd Prize Winner, Nduka Chukwubikem, at the grand finale of the UBA Foundation, National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools, held at UBA House, Marina, Lagos on Tuesday

Suspected Yahoo Boys stab RCCG pastor to death in Lagos church

Suspected hoodlums have attacked and killed a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in FESTAC Town, in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim, Pastor Babatunde Dada, was killed inside the RCCG Chapel of Resurrection on 13 Road, 6th Avenue, FESTAC Town.

The killing, which happened on Thursday, December 2, was said to have been perpetrated by two new converts who came to the church for the first time a Sunday before the incident.

The two youths were said to have come out during an altar call and surrendered their lives to Jesus.

The church accommodated them on its premises after they claimed to be stranded.

They had barely spent a week in the church when they reportedly stabbed the cleric to death.

A senior pastor in the church, Akin Odejare, declined comment on the incident when contacted by PUNCH Metro.

However, the wife of the pastor, Bose, told our correspondent on the phone that she called her husband on the day of the incident and he promised to come home to rest.

She said, “My husband was killed on December 2 at the church. He was the admin/accounts officer, as well as the parish pastor. I was not with him when he was killed, but I was told that they collected money from him. I heard that those who killed him were new converts.”

A family member, who is also a security expert, Mr Abolarinwa Olatunbosun, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the pastor was killed after withdrawing money from a bank.

He said, “The pastor went to a bank to withdraw some money and went to rest on the first floor of the church. Two persons said to be new converts went to meet him upstairs, broke his head and killed him.

“The matter was reported to the police and one of the suspects, who ran to Ilorin, has been arrested.”

Olatunbosun said the killing might be for ritual purposes, adding that the assailants were suspected Internet fraudsters, aka Yahoo boys.

The expert said criminals were beginning to attack churches and pastors because they believed there was money in church.

He advised religious centres to be security conscious and put in place strategies that could stop criminals from killing, kidnapping and robbing leaders and worshippers.

A friend of the slain pastor, Fred Enemigin, who is the founder, Highflyers International, Lagos, said in a Facebook post that the pastor was stabbed multiple times.

He wrote, “Two boys had come to church last Sunday and they responded to the altar call by giving their lives to Christ. After church service, they waited to see the head pastor and told him that they were stranded without any place to stay.

“On compassionate grounds, the pastor allowed them to stay somewhere within the church premises pending when they would be resettled. Pastor Tunde Dada, who had for almost a decade been the accountant of RCCG Chapel of Resurrection Parish, was assigned to provide needed welfare for the boys until their matter would be sorted.

“On the fateful Thursday, Tunde was seated in his office and the boys targeting that they were alone on the church premises with him, entered his office and attacked him with knives and other sharp weapons. He was stabbed multiple times and places until they had him killed right there on the spot.

“Our minds are still searching for what the rift between the boys and Tunde was considering the fact that the Tunde we knew was a very gentle soul. Could they have asked for more welfare than what was approved for them and Tunde declined? What on earth would warrant this brutal killing by those who were recipients of a server of the church’s benevolence? There are many more questions that we have not found answers to.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said he had yet to be briefed about the case.

Tiwa Savage, Obi Cubana Top 2021 Google Most Searched People In Nigeria

Popular Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage, and businessman, Obi Cubana, has topped Google’s 2021 list of the most trending people in Nigeria.

Google on Wednesday released the list showing the most searched terms, moments, people, topics, events, places that capture the world’s attention in the year 2021.

Savage was a major topic of discussion in October as she was involved in a sex tape scandal while Obi Cubana trended in July after an elaborate show of wealth at his mother’s burial in Anambra state.

Apart from Tiwa Savage and Obi Cubana, others that made the list are Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho, Romelu Lukaku.

Buhari Denies Ordering Sack Of AEDC Management

The Presidency has denied President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the immediate sack of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) management.
Reports had emerged that Buhari had through the minister of state for power ordered the sack of the AEDC management over the recent strike embarked upon by electricity workers.

But in a swift statement on Wednesday, Buhari’s media aide, Garba Shehu distanced the president from the news item making the rounds.

According to Shehu, since the privatization of the Power Sector in 2013, the management of the successor companies has reverted to the new owners.

He said: “It is, therefore, totally out of place and inconceivable that the President would be linked to the management of a private organization, let alone sacking it.

“It is gladdening to note that the minister quoted in the statement has himself distanced himself from it.

“The Presidency, therefore, wishes to state expressly and reassure investors in the economy that President Buhari did not order the sack of the management of AEDC, neither does he intend to interfere in the running of the affairs of private business entities.

“The Presidency, however, welcomes ongoing discussions with relevant stakeholders to resolve the issues surrounding the recent developments in the company.”

Naija News reports that the Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) on Monday embarked on a strike to demand their unpaid allowances, salaries and unremitted pension deductions.

This strike by the electricity workers left some areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states without power for hours.

Jailbreaks: I Don’t See Any Reason To Resign – Aregbesola

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesoa has said the calls for his resignation over recent jailbreaks in the country are unnecessary.

This as the Minister maintained that he won’t be resigning his position over the cases of jailbreak in the country.

Aregbesola made the position known on Wednesday while speaking with State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja.

He argued that those agitating for his resignation must understand the enormous security challenges facing the nation at this time and the sacrifices been made by security agents and agencies in tackling the situation.

Naija News recalls there have been a series of jailbreaks in different parts of the nation with the latest being the Jos Correctional Centre attack which happened in November 2021 in which hundreds of prisoners escaped while an officer of the service was also killed.

The development has sparked renewed calls for Aregbesola’s resignation as the nation’s custodial centers (prisons) are under the supervision of his ministry.

The Minister has however said he won’t be resigning.

“Morally, the state owes itself the responsibility of safe custody that must not be violated. So, on that account alone, we must appreciate the enormity of any successful attack on our custodial facility and I so do. But I want us to put these things in the context of our security situation,” he said.

“In Jos, our men died, meaning that the best we could put there was there and when your best could not suffice, it means that it is no longer a question of inability to make preparation or failure for preparedness, it is just that at that instance, we could not just hold the defence as expected.

“As to whether it calls for my resignation, I still don’t see any need for that because it’s not for lack of preparedness that the attacks were successful. No.”

He, however, assured that the federal government will scale up security within and around the various custodial centers to forestall such attacks in the future.

“What I can assure Nigerians is this: Yes, as contextual as these attacks and the successes such criminals are having, we are upping our game and we will not allow it. We will prevent any such opportunistic attack and even make it impossible. And that is what the state must do,” he said.

“We are working with all arms of government, particularly the security, to make our custodial facilities impregnable. We will not rest until that is achieved. That’s the assurance I want to give Nigerians.”

As part of the renewed efforts, the Minister disclosed the FEC on Wednesday granted approval for the sum of N965.9 million to be expended on the purchase of 49 operational vehicles for the correctional service.

The new vehicles will be added to the 513 operational vehicles the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) already possesses.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service, through the ministry of interior, presented a memo to council and obtained approval to spend the sum of N965,902,524.58 to procure 49 operational and Green Maria vehicles,” he said.

“These 49 vehicles will complement the 513 operational and Green Maria vehicles already purchased between 2016 and 2020.”

BREAKING: Only two students died at Ojodu – LCDA

The Ojodu Local Council Development Association (LCDA) on Wednesday revealed the identities of secondary school students killed by a truck in the Ojodu area of Lagos State on Tuesday.

A statement by the Chairman of Ojodu LCDA, Odunmbaku ‘Segun, claimed that two students died while 12 others were injured.

Read part of the LCDA’s statement below:

Yesterday, December 7, 2021, at about 02:15 pm, a DAF truck with Registration No. APP 438 YA driven by one ‘Bolaji Kabiru’ rammed into some pedestrians at Grammar School Bus Stop along Ogunnusi Road later identified as students of Bab Fafunwa Millennium School, Ojodu Junior Grammar School, Omole Junior High School.

Unfortunately, as a result of the accident, two students were confirmed dead on the spot. The identity of the deceased is revealed below: 1. Adedoyin Adebayo; 2. Akpolebi Israel.

Asides from the two deceased, seven females and five males totaling 12 victims also sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Corpses of the dead students have been evacuated with the support of officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps and were deposited at the Morgue of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy.

As of now, we can confirm that all the injured students are in stable conditions and are receiving medical attention at the following Hospitals,
• God’s Apple City Hospital, Ojodu Berger
• Royan Hospital, Aina Street Ojodu
• St. Michael Hospital, Ojodu
• Lagos State Emergency Hospital, Toll Gate, Ojota.

The erring driver has been apprehended and is in police custody.

Just In: Lagos Government Shut Down Ojodu Grammar School Until January 2022 After Truck Mishap

The Lagos State Government has shut down Bab Fafunwa Millennium School, Ojodu, formerly Ojodu Grammar School until January 2022.

Education commissioner Folashade Adefisayo announced this when she visited the school on Wednesday morning.

Yesterday, a speeding truck rammed into some of the school’s students, killing two and injuring 12, according to the police. Some reports, citing eyewitnesses, put the death toll at 17.

Adefisayo said the government will, this afternoon, release an “explicit” statement containing an official death count and more details about what led to the tragic accident.

Reports claimed that the truck driver, who has since been arrested, was being chased by officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

But the agency denied the claim, adding that its officers were called to the scene to save lives after the crash tragedy already happened.

Gunmen shoot FRSC official dead in Ondo

An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr. Omiwoye Sunday, has been shot dead while attempting to stop some boys from being attacked.

Omiwoye had gone to visit a friend at Agbala area in Ondo town along with his wife when the incident occurred.

Witnesses said he parked his motorcycle in front of his friend’s house when some hoodlums chased some boys to the area and the boys ran towards him.

He was said to have attempted to prevent further attacks on the boys when the hoodlums shot him dead.

His wife, Bunmi, said she ran into the compound when the hoodlums asked them to stay out of the fracas.

”Last Sunday, My husband and I went to see one of his friends that stays on the same street with us.

“Suddenly, some men ran towards where we were standing by the gate. My husband was trying to park his motorcycle then. So, two gunmen came with bike and started beating the boys that ran to us.

“My husband challenged them. But they told him that they were not there for him and that he should go inside the gate. I went in immediately, but my husband was still outside standing by his motorcycle.

“Later, we heard a gun shot. So, I ran out of the gate and saw my husband on the floor in a pool of his own blood. The gunmen ran away with his phone and motorcycle key.”

Some residents in the area said several persons have been attacked previously in the area.

It was gathered that the corpse has been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital morgue in Ondo town.

Ondo police spokesman, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami, could not be reached for comments.

Northern youths endorse Gov. Bello for 2023 Presidency, say he’s capable

A group of young Nigerians under the aegis of Yahaya Bello Network (YBN) on Tuesday appealed to Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to run in the 2023 Presidential race to enable the country achieve desired peace and robust economic development.

The group, composed of young people from the North-west and North-central zones of the country, besieged the state capital Lokoja in a town hall meeting.

The National Chairman of YBN and the convener of the town hall meeting, Abdulamart Mai Kwasherwa, from Kano State said the Network was out to ensure actualisation of “Not Too Young To Rule” Act and as well to appeal to Governor Yahaya Bello to contest the 2023 President race as the youngest contestant.

Mai Kwasherwa noted that the governor had proved his mettle as a capable leader in Kogi and also has the capacity to lead the country to the promised land.

“Many elders have led this country but we are yet to reach our destination in terms of development and this time around we want a young and dynamic leader in the person of Governor Yahaya Bello to contest the presidential election so that inject new knowledge and ideology into the governance of the country” he stated.

The convener of the meeting who said that God had blessed the people of Kogi State for giving them a leader in Governor Bello noted that the leadership style of the governor is very rare in the country.

“God has blessed this state with a pragmatic, detribalised leader and the youngest governor in Nigeria. I have never seen a leader that cares so much about the welfare of youths and women.

“He has the largest number of youths in his government far more than any other state Governor in this country and this is the type of a leader we want as president who will weave the six geopolitical zones together for the purpose of unity and prosperity” he said.

Kwasherwa also commended Governor Bello’s stance on the Covid-19 and efforts in securing the state.

“There was massive insecurity in the state before he took the mantle of leadership and today due to his tireless effort and commitment to security issues, Kogi is one of the safest states in the country.”

The Chief of Staff, Abdulkarim Jamiu Asuku, who represented the governor at the occasion lauded the effort of members of YBN for organising the town hall meeting in Lokoja , Kogi State.

He noted that going by fairness, equity and justice , the North-central zone since 1999 has never tasted the position of Vice President and President, stressing that 2023 ought to be for the zone without any eyebrow from other geopolitical zones.

The Chief of Staff however told the multitude of the youth that at appropriate time the people’s governor will make his intention known and he assured them that Governor Bello he knows will not disappoint the youth.

“His Excellency Governor Yahaya Bello feel your concern toward the leadership of this country, the governor will soon make his position known to Nigerians” he assured.

Also speaking, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, Kogi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said history was being made in Nigerian political terrain with the youths now taking their destiny in the hands to support one of their own to move the country to the next level of development.

The APC Chairman said that Yahaya Bello presidency would ensure adequate reward for hard work, excellence and dedication adding that the country’s leadership over the years had lacked a good rewarding system.

Hon. Ahmed Mohammed, Deputy Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly commended the convener of YBN for the evolution of the group cutting across states in Nigeria.

“Our priority as Kogites is to see Governor Yahaya Bello becoming the next President of Nigeria because of the quality leadership in him which he has demonstrated in Kogi State.

“With him at the helm of affairs of this country, the Nigerian dream will come true. Our body language, thinking and dream is Yahaya Bello and our dreams shall come true and become a reality.” he prayed .

Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr Folashade Arike Ayoade described the aspiration of Governor Yahaya Bello as timely in view of the prevailing challenges assailing the country.

However, the town hall meeting also featured the inauguration of the Kogi State executive council of the YBN.