The All Progressives Congress, Anambra State chapter, has announced that a disciplinary committee had been formed to examine Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige and Director-General of National Inland Waterways Chief George Moghalu after both were accused of conducting anti-APC activities.
The news was announced by APC State Chairman Basil Ejidike in Awka on Monday, in which he also accused them of causing a crisis in the party.
“We are seriously disappointed by Senator Chris Ngige and Moghalu, who benefited greatly from the party,” said Mr Ejidike. “As a party, we are seriously disappointed, particularly with Ngige. Ngige is the brain behind the crisis in Anambra state APC.
“Whatever is the problem of the party has always come from Ngige because he wants to remain the leader of the party in the state forever.
“He cannot be the leader forever. Today, we have a sitting deputy governor, Dr Nkem Okeke, a serving senator, Chief Stella Oduah, and governorship candidate in the state, Dr Andy Uba.
“We have set up a disciplinary committee to unravel those who are engaged in anti-party activities; including the activities of Ngige and Moghalu. Any person found culpable shall be dealt with according to the letters of our constitution.”
Mr Ngige previously warned Mr Ejidike against creating “a Trojan Horse” in the party and “look inwards and manage the self-inflicted tear in the State Exco and Working Committee of the Party”.
Photo caption: At The Shalina Young Talents Awards (SYTA) National Grand Finale at Radisson Hotel, Lagos . L-R: Mr Folorunsho Alaran, Marketing Manager (West Africa), Shalina Healthcare; Ms Okafor Cynthia Chidera, University of Ibadan, 2nd Runner Up; Ms Zakariya Farida, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Winner, Shalina Young Talents Award, SYTA Season 3, (Best Pharmaceutical Student in Nigeria); Oyenyi Adedoyin Emmanuel, University of Lagos, 1st Runner Up; and Mr Arun Raj, Vice President/ Head, Shalina West Africa at the National Grand finale of SYTA 2021 held in Lagos, Tuesday November 23, 2021.
National grand winners have emerged in this year’s Shalina Young Talents Awards (SYTA) organized by Shalina Healthcare, a leading pharmaceutical company in Nigeria.
They emerged after a keenly contested competition amongst the final year pharmacy students in universities across Nigeria.
The grand event took place in Lagos recently at the Radisson Hotel, where Ms Zakariya Farida of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Oyenyi Adedoyin Emmanuel of University of Lagos, Idi- Araba, Lagos State and Ms Okafor Cynthia Chidera of University of Ibadan, Oyo State emerged the Grand Winner, 1st Runner up and 2nd Runner Up respectively.
According to the Vice President & Head – West Africa Shalina Healthcare, Arun Raj, the Shalina Young Talents Awards (SYTA) “is a Value-Added Initiative designed to bring the best out of pharmacy students in Nigeria”.
“This pharmacy contest tagged ‘The Quest for the Best Pharmacy Brains in Nigeria’ began in August with Zonal Championship Contests. The zonal winners who emerged from the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria competed for the coveted crown at the grand final where the national winners emerged. In this process, we had put in place, the right resources and appropriate structure to ensure that the best brains in the Nigerian universities emerged in the exercise”, Arun said.
Speaking in the same regard, Folorunso Alaran, the Head of Corporate Marketing said, “the contest had indeed lived up to its aim and objectives”.
He stated, “this is the 3rd edition of the academic contest and had been an improvement from the past editions. From zonal levels where great numbers of students participated to the grand final where the zonal champions slugged it out among themselves, it had been a battle of wits, excellence, and ideas. Eventually the national winner had emerged, endorsed by our respected panel of judges made up of Deans of the Faculties of Pharmacy, thus by many standards is the current best pharmacy student in Nigeria”.
Speaking about her experience in the competition, the grand winner, who was visibly elated at the event, Ms Zakariya Farida of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria said the contest had given her the opportunity to study more and had also spurred her to double her efforts to ensure that she remained focus.
Thanking the organizers of the academic contest, Farida said “Shalina Healthcare must be well acknowledged for their contribution to the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria and most especially in creating competitive platform for pharmacy students to drive best standards in pharmacy study through the Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA)”.
The event witnessed a roll call of top Pharmacy professionals and personalities led by the Special Guest of Honour and the #1 Pharmacist and President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Prof Cyril Odianose Usifo, and the National Secretary – Pharm Gbenga Falabi. The rollcall also includes Pharm Ken Onuegbu, National Chairman of the NAIP; Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu, National Chairman of the ACPN; Pharm. Olabode Ajayi Ogunjemiyo, National Chairman of the AHAPN; Dr Ezekiel Olugbenga Akinkunmi, National Chairman of the NAPA; Pharm Folasade Lawal, the MD/CEO Victory Drugs representing the National Chairman of CPAN; Pharm (Chief) Yetunde Moroundiya, Vice Chairman Board of Fellows representing the National Chairman of the ALPS.
In attendance were also Pharm Gbolagade Iyiola, Chairman of Lagos State PSN, and his Vice Pharm Babayemi Oyekunle; Pharm Shakirat Adeosun, DPS Primary Healthcare Board Lagos State; Pharm Paul Owolabi, Vice Chairman ACPN Lagos; Dr Arinola Joda, Chairman NAPA Lagos; Pharm Hafusat Adesina, Chairman ALPS Lagos. Pharm Layi Ogidan, representing the Registrar of the PCN; Pharm Mrs Olufunke Awopegba, MD/CEO Funket Pharmacy Ltd; Pharm Mrs Olaide Soetan, MD/CEO NHC Pharmacy Ltd; Pharm Tunde Oyeniran, President of SocPharmSMN, and many more who had graced the occasion with their presence.
Amid the deteriorating state of Nigeria’s economy, a total of 112 students have voluntarily withdrawn from the Federal University of Technology, Minna on financial grounds in 2021 alone, the institution’s management has said.
The University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and chairman, Students Support Committee, Professor Emeka Udensi, disclosed this on Monday during the launch of a students’ benevolence fund as part of efforts to cushion the worsening economic situation of students from low income families.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Abdullahi Bala, who formally launched the fund during the 2nd and 3rd Annual Institutional Performance Review Retreat of the university at its main campus in Gidan Kwano, said the provision of the fund became necessary to ameliorate the plight of students whose “lofty aspirations are threatened daily by their financial constraints.
“Let it not be said that the future of a promising student is killed while we all could do something little and little together to help,” he said.
“We have seen a very worrying trend of a large number of students having to defer their sessions, having to drop out as a result of financial difficulties,
“And we feel that as parents we also have to stand up and be counted in making sure that dreams, aspirations and potentials of our youths are not killed as a result of financial difficulties,” he added.
“We believe that as a university, whatever we can do to stop this kind of withdrawal we should be able to do it, and that’s why we are creating the benevolence fund,” said Bala.
Reacting, the president of the institution’s student union, Shuaib Isiaka Yahaya, described the initiative as unprecedented while appreciating the management for prioritizing the welfare of students.
He assured of the continued support of the students’ union in the policy direction of the university.
FIRSTBANK HOLDS NON-OIL EXPORT WEBINAR SERIES, CREATES AWARENESS OF THE BANK’S EXPORT SOLUTIONS
FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the convening of its non-oil export webinar series. The Event is centered on deliberating opportunities that will enhance the country’s expansion of its drive towards diversifying the national economy, thereby reducing the reliance of oil as a mainstay of the country’s revenue.
The first series of the virtual event is scheduled for 10am on Tuesday, 30th November 2021 via Zoom meeting. To register and be part of this transformational knowledge session, click on this link-https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/business/non-oil-export/ . Registration is Free!!
The event is themed “Building Sustainable Non-Oil Export in Nigeria; Harnessing Opportunities within the AfCFTA Treaty & Agro Commodities” and will have the attendance of Mr. Segun Awolowo MD/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC); Dr Biodun Adedipe, Founder and Chief Consultant of B. Adedipe Associates Limited (BAA Consult) amongst others, as guest speakers.
The FirstBank webinar series aims to facilitate sustainable exports as well as guide participants on ways of navigating the hurdles and challenges of exports in Nigeria. The webinar will explore market and economic trends, unique export opportunities and potentials within the non-oil export industry across the geopolitical zones in the country.
The importance of exports in Nigeria remains a front burner conversation by individuals and organisations as it provides a means of increasing the markets for producers, and an opportunity to attract the much needed foreign exchange earnings to boost the national economy, which is critical to expanding its Gross Domestic Products.
Speaking on the event, FirstBank Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Folake Ani-Mumuney said: “in recent years, the country has witnessed increased activities by the government towards diversifying the economy, thereby boosting the export potentials of the country – beyond the contribution of crude oil – which has been the mainstay of the national economy for many decades.
Our forthcoming Non-oil Webinar series will expand discussions that are crucial to the growth of Nigeria’s export potentials as we unlock numerous opportunities that will promote the economic diversification drive of the government which is essential to the continued growth of the national economy, especially with the current business challenges posed by the pandemic.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has run into fresh murky waters as a faction sacks Mai Mala Buni.
The faction has also attacked President Buhari over his supervision of the party.
Buni, Yobe State Governor, is Chairman, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
On Monday, a unit within the party, Progressive Youth Movement, announced his replacement.
They named Mustapha Audu as National Caretaker Committee Chairman with immediate effect.
Audu said a National Reconciliation Committee will be formed to reconcile aggrieved members before the February 26, 2021 convention.
He further announced a zoning formula for Positions in the new National Working Committee (NWC).
In a reaction, John Akpan Udoedehe, APC National Secretary dismissed the “felonious activities of the purported group”.
The scribe’s statement said they are unknown to the party, its structure or as a registered support group and therefore non-existent.
“However laughable, the criminal attempt of the purported group to usurp the leadership of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC now bothers on treasonable felony.
“Relevant security bodies must now check and address their unscrupulous activities. The attention the purported group seeks will not be given to them by the party.
“We can only advise that the general public completely disregard them. They are not registered members of the APC and are being used by opposition elements and fifth columnists to cause confusion.
“As widely reported, the successful meeting between the APC leadership, Progressive Governors’ Forum and the President produced February 2022 as the timeframe for the National Convention”, Udoedehe noted.
DAILY POST confirmed that the APC National Secretariat has been under heavy security in recent weeks after intelligence of a planned forceful takeover.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Dorsey said he was leaving after 16 years of co-founding the company and occupying the positions of CEO, chairman, executive chairman and interim-CEO.
The 45-year-old billionaire said he had come to realize that it was “severely limiting” for a company to continue to be founder-led, describing it as “a single point of failure.”
While noting that his primary wish was for Twitter Inc to be “the most transparent company in the world,” Dorsey gave the following as the 3 main reasons he was stepping down as the company’s CEO.
“The first is Parag becoming our CEO. The board ran a rigorous process considering all options and unanimously appointed Parag. He’s been my choice for some time given how deeply he understands the company and its needs. Parag has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware, and humble. He leads with heart and soul, and is someone I learn from daily. My trust in him as our CEO is bone deep.
“The second is Bret Taylor agreeing to become our board chair. I asked Bret to join our board when I became CEO, and he’s been excellent in every way. He understands entrepreneurship, taking risks, companies at massive scale, technology, product, and he’s an engineer. All of the things the board and the company deserve right now. Having Bret in this leadership role gives me a lot of confidence in the strength of our board going forward. You have no idea how happy this makes me!
“The third is all of you. We have a lot of ambition and potential on this team. Consider this: Parag start. here as an engineer who cared deeply about our work and now he’s our CEO (I also had a similar path…he did it better!). This alone makes me proud. I know that Parag will be able to channel this energy best because he’s lived it and knows what it takes. All of you have the potential to change the course of this company for the better. I believe this with all my heart!”
He added that, “Parag is CEO starting today. I’m going to serve on the board through my term (May-ish) to help Parag and Bret with the transition. And after that…I’ll leave the board. Why not stay or become chair? I believe it’s really important to give Parag the space he needs to lead. And back to my previous point, I believe it’s critical a company can stand on its own, free of its founder’s influence. or direction.
“I want you all to know that this was my decision and I own it. It was a tough one for me, of course. I love this service and company…and all of you so much. I’m really sad…yet really happy. There aren’t many companies that get to this level. And there aren’t many founders that choose their company over their own ego. I know we’ll prove this was the right move.
“We’ll have an all-hands meeting tomorrow at 9:05 AM Pacific to discuss it all. Until then, thank you all for the trust you’ve placed in me, and for the openness to build that trust in Parag and yourselves. I love you all.”
The Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, on Monday visited the embattled leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu is in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), facing terrorism-related charges before Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kalu said he encouraged Kanu to consider the consequences of certain actions and utterances “for the sake of Igbo people”.
He pointed out that his ideology and Kanu’s “are totally different”.
“This afternoon, I visited my brother, Maazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody, Abuja. I met him in good health and care and we discussed as ‘Umunne’. In 2001 when I was Governor, I made his father Eze Israel Okwu Kanu traditional ruler of Akwara Ukwu and since then the family has been very close to me .
“I understand that Nnamdi has an insane amount of people rooting for his back home and I encouraged him to consider the consequences of certain actions and utterances for the sake of the same people.
“Even though, my ideology and his ideology are totally different, God has made us brothers and we can’t run away from each other. I owe him and Nigerians good counseling…Whether he and his family listens to me or not, I will continue counseling him as I have always done in the past. What we need most is a peaceful and secured society,” Kalu said via his verified Facebook page.
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a businesswoman, Mrs Olayinka Adisa, a Saudi Arabia-bound passenger who ingested 80 pellets of cocaine.
She was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while ostensibly on her way to perform Umrah (Lesser Hajj).
NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated on Monday in Abuja that Adisa, 46, lives in Ibafo, Ogun State and hails from Ilorin.
“She was arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at the boarding screening area of the airport during an outward clearance of Qatar Airways flight 1418.
“She was subsequently taken into custody where she excreted 80 pellets of the illicit drug between Wednesday and Saturday.
“She claimed during interrogation that she saved N2.5million over a period of one year to buy the drugs in bits from six different people at Akala, Mushin area of Lagos,’’ the statement said
Babafemi added that the suspect said she was trading in clothes but had to borrow N1 million from three persons to make up the money used to buy the drugs.
My Mother’s Eye Problem Pushed Me Into Drug Trafficking, Says Man Arrested With N2.7bn Cocaine
“She spent another N1 million to renew her passport, obtain visa and buy return flight tickets.
“She said she was encouraged to traffic the drugs by a woman she met during her last Umrah trip to Saudi Arabia in 2019.
“She said she needed to raise N7 million for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment due to pressure from people because she’s been married for 28 years without a child due to fertility challenges,’’ Babafemi added.
Meanwhile, another trafficker, Inusa Abdulrazaki, was arrested with 101 wraps of heroin weighing 1.3 kilograms on Friday, November 19.
Abdulrazaki was arrested at the Departure Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Italy via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines.
“The drugs were concealed inside cassava flour popularly called `Gari’.
“On Nov. 20, NDLEA operatives at the airport intercepted an abandoned consignment of khat 17.90kg,’’ Babafemi also stated.
Prophet Joshua Iginla celebrates Champion’s 15th Anniversary With Car, cash gifts to pastors and Members
It was signs, wonders and miracles galore as Prophet Joshua Iginla led Champions Royal Assembly Church celebrated her 15th anniversary with exotic car and cash gifts worth millions to pastors and deserving workers in the ministry.
The epoch making anniversary inside the 80,000 seaters auditorium was a week long celebration which began with school of the prophets programme, international women’s conference ,and the international ministers and leadership conference. And the theme was greater glory. Of a truth, diverse miracles and deliverance were wrought through his servant with prophetic conformations.
The peak of the power packed event was the anniversary celebrations which drew partners and participants from across the world. In the process, the philanthropic prophet Joshua Iginla dazzled some of his ministers and workers when he gave them awards which comes with car and cash gifts.
Pastor Ekene won the best evangelist of the year 2021 and was blessed with a new exotic car and a cash gift of N500,000. Pastor Bright emerged second best performing pastor with a gift of 400k.
And the third pastor was the pastor from Minna branch, pastor Femi jakes who won 300k, while Pastor Osi from America won the best international pastor with a 1000 dollars.
Interestingly, the Sons of the prophet and daughters of the prophet who composed award winning birthday songs for him during his birthday won the best group artistes of the year with 500k each making one million.
The best male artiste was bro Sunday Onaja with 500k. And the best female artists of the year was the choir mistress with a gift of 500k while the best producer goes to the choir master of that ministry know as mr make it happen. He was given the award of excellence with the sum of 500k.
UBA Foundation Projects Message of Hope, Encouragement as Uzoka lights up the Foundation’s Garden Ahead of the Yuletide
Set to Give Back at Its Annual Food Bank
l-r: Group Head, Customer Fulfilment Centre(CFC), United Bank for Africa Plc, Prince Ayewoh; Group Head, Personal Banking and Retail Liabilities, Ogechi Altraide; Deputy Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba; Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; Executive Director, Chiugo Ndubisi; UBA Foundation, Bola Atta; Head, Commercial and Corporate Banking, Muyiwa Akinyemi; and Head of Operations, Alex Alozie, at the 2021 Christmas and New Year Light Up Ceremony of UBA Foundation, Garden, by UBA Foundation at Marina, Lagos on Friday
Africa’s global bank, United Bank for Africa, through its UBA Foundation has been spreading joy across Africa for many years as they continue to give back to the underpriviledged in the communities in which they operate.
At the UBA Foundation gardens in Lagos where the bank is head quartered, a lights up ceremony was held to mark the start of the festive season. The garden lights were activated by UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka who was joined by other key management staff and some customers of the bank.
Uzoka who is also the chairman of the UBA Foundation, emphasised that giving back was the main tenet of the UBA Foundation. He said ‘We have over the years, engaged in various activities aimed at appreciating our host communities all around Africa and especially in countries where we operate and so for us, these lights symbolise hope for the future and all the goodness it will bring into people’s lives.
‘it is hard to believe that we have been in this pandemic for almost two years. People have lost friends and family members and businesses decimated by the effects of the pandemic. There has been a general feeling of hopelessness but our desire is to fill people’s lives with hope once again.’ Continued Uzoka.
The UBA Foundation has been very active in combatting the spread of Covid -19 across Africa as the bank did not waste any time at the start of the pandemic, donating over $14m to its communities across Africa to support the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, the Foundation will be feeding tens of thousands of people across Africa through its annual Food bank initiative where food, hygiene products and other gifts items are handed over to those who have less, especially during the festive season.
Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka; flanked by Executive Director, Chukwuma Nweke; Head of Operations, Alex Alozie; MD-CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, and other staff members at the 2021 Christmas and New Year Light Up Ceremony of UBA Foundation Garden, at Marina, Lagos on Friday
The CEO, UBA Foundation, Mrs Bola Atta, said that the light up ceremony was important for the Foundation adding: “This goes beyond lighting up the Marina and adorning the streets with beautiful colours. It reminds us as an institution of our promise to continue to touch lives and treat our communities with kindness. We are living in very difficult times and a little gesture to put a smile on even one face, goes a very long way. We should all endeavour to do whatever we can, within our power, to uplift others’
The Lighting Ceremony which observed all necessary Covid-19 protocols was witnessed by members of staff and customers, and featured Christmas carols by UBA’s CFC choir, as well as a guided tour around the beautiful UBA Foundation Garden at the Lagos Marina.
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, the Environment, Economic Empowerment and other Special Projects.
