Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa, is the biggest absentee from Gernot Rohr’s squad for next month’s international friendly with Mexico in the US.
Heartland goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, has however been recalled to the team.
Ezenwa’s last call-up for Nigeria was in October 2019, as they drew 1-1 with Brazil.
The Super Eagles’ friendly against the Tricolor will take place on July 3 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
However, Nigeria will be parading only Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) stars. Even though Musa now plays for Kano Pillars, he has not been invited.
Others invited for the clash against Mexico are Enyimba goalkeeper John Noble, Rivers United’s Ifeanyi Anaemena, Enugu Rangers’ Ibrahim Olawoyin and Kwara United’s Stephen Jude.
The invited players are expected to report at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on Tuesday, June 22.
However, only 22 players will make the trip to the USA.
Media entrepreneur and popular blogger Linda Ikeji , said she was motivated to partner with Ecobank on her “Selfmade Woman” initiative because of the bank’s various women friendly programmes, stressing that many individuals, especially women who own small businesses are supported by the bank to succeed. “When I conceive the idea of self-made women empowerment conference, Ecobank was the first bank I thought about because I love how much they are into women empowerment.
They have a lot of programmes, a lot of platforms internally to help women in business. They are really into helping women reach their full potentials. Fortunately, when I met with them and told them what I wanted to do, they immediately said yes to me, and they have been fully involved and here we are today. Ecobank today is my bank of choice”.
Linda Ikeji who spoke at the “2021 Selfmade Woman Conference”, her women empowerment initiative testified that Ecobank Nigeria as a female friendly is helping women achieve their dreams and full potentials. On why she initiate the Selfmade Women Conference Linda Ikeji said “I am very passionate about women succeeding and it was very important for me to put something together as a platform where successful women would meet and mentor those aspiring to be successful.
My purpose for doing this is to hopefully encourage more women to believe in themselves, encourage more women to fight for their dreams, encourage more women to know that there is absolutely nothing that they can’t achieve. I want them to hear stories of women who have achieved great feats, women who have broken tables and know that it’s possible for them to break through all these barriers, believe in themselves, see people like myself, Tara Durotoye and other women who have done amazingly well. Getting a women friendly bank like Ecobank to partner me is heartwarming”.
Also speaking, Founder, House of Tara, Tara Fela-Durotoye, applauded Ecobank for supporting women initiatives. She observed that partnering with young women and young entrepreneurs would go a long way to empowering women to play greater role in families.” I appreciate Ecobank’s various empowerment initiatives to support women and we can see the results. My advice to the bank is to sustain the initiatives”. This was the view of several other speakers which included
In his keynote address, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, said the decision to partner with Linda Ikeji Selfmade Woman Conferencealigns with the bank’s empowerment policy for women. He noted that Ecobank recognizes women as the bedrock of most families and entrepreneurship in the society, stating that to succeed as a nation, it is imperative to recognize women’s unique potentials and support them sufficiently.Akinwuntan who was represented by Head, Consumer Banking, Korede Demola-Adeniyi reiterated that Ecobank remains a women friendly bank and have been playing the role, stressing that, the bank has many initiatives and innovative products targeted at empowering female entrepreneurs in the country.
“We have many women centred empowerment programmes such as the Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs’ Initiative (EFEI) which is designed to empower, and support women owned small-scale businesses. Under this initiative, there is special loan package where prospective female entrepreneurs could easily access credit facility with interest rates as low as 1 per cent. Through EFEI, we have trained many female business owners on digital marketing skills in our state-of-the-art Academy and have also organized capacity building workshop for them. We also have another women empowerment programme “Ellevate” for women in Business; this will be publicly launched across the country in July. With Ellevate, we want to ensure we raise and recognize our women for the significant role they have always played to ensure a better society for us all.” He said.
Further, the Ecobank Nigeria Managing Director said examples of the bank’s support to women entrepreneur includes “our long-standing partnership with Tera Kulture, that is Bolanle Austen Peters who has come out with various movies such as ‘Bling Lagosians’, ‘Moremi The Musical’, ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens,’ ‘The Oluronbi Musical’ and others. Recently, we also supported ‘The Wait’, a movie inspired by the popular book from renowned lawyer and entrepreneur, Yewande Zaccheaus. We are currently working with the Ogun state government to promote the Adire industry which is also primarily women driven. In the agric industry, we have supported the Anchor borrowers programme of the CBN across the six regions of the country to reach out to farmers, especially the women folk to support them financially to increase their farm size and yield capacity through the introduction of new techniques.”
The 2021 Selfmade Women conference attracted over 3000 female participants both online and at a physical event. The Linda Ikeji Selfmade Woman Conference was borne out of passion to see women succeed. it is a platform for women who want to achieve success to meet those who have already achieved success. The all-female event attracted many speakers and wide audience including potential and established women entrepreneurs, businesswomen and students. The Linda Ikeji Self-Made Woman debuted in 2013, as an advocacy project with the sole aim to mentor and provide financial empowerment to young female entrepreneurs or aspiring ones. it is essentially to build stronger economies and improve the quality of life for women, men, families and communities.
The Registrar General/Chief Executive, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Alhaji Garba Abubakar, has expressed the commission’s commitment to the anti-corruption war of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, adding that it will not in any way be party to corrupt practices.
He said the CAC would continue to work hard to achieve the objectives for which it was established to the satisfaction of its customers and stakeholders.
Abubakar spoke against the backdrop of alleged abuse of power and financial impropriety among others leveled against the management by the CAC staff union under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation , Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).
He vowed that the commission would not be distracted by mischief makers bent on running down the organisation.
The commission in a statement said contrary to the claims by the union, the registrar-general had declared his assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in accordance with provisions of the laws of the land, pointing out that it was laughable that the claimants were raising doubt over the content of asset declaration they are not privy to. “It behooves on them to establish any case of wrong declaration,” it stated.
On the alleged inflation of consultancy fees for tax reconciliation, the commission in a statement issued over the weekend by the Director of Public Affairs, CAC, Duke Ukaga, said the tax consultant was engaged long before the appointment of Abubakar, adding that the former’s fees was based on the percentage of savings made to the commission as contained in his engagement letter.
The commission said the consultant was able to renegotiate the commission’s tax liability, saving about N600 million in the process.
The commission, among other things, denied accusations of abuse of power, financial impropriety and commercialisation of promotion examination in the commission.
According to it, “The 2019 examination was held on October 10, 2020, at JAMB CBT Centres in Abuja, Kano and Lagos. A total of 394 staff members sat for the 2019 promotion examination.
“The result of the examination was published the same day at the commission’s website upon receipt from JAMB.
“At the end of the final collation, a total of 258 candidates were successful and promotion letters were issued to the staff upon approval by the board of the commission. It is highly mischievous for anybody to claim that the process was commercialised.”
The management further clarified that the allegations are “figment of imagination of the AUPCTRE who could still not accept the reality of losing checkup dues of over N2 million monthly from the commission following the stoppage of checkup dues deduction in respect of senior staff.”
Emmanuel Larry and Victor Udoka have been granted bail and released from the Nigeria Correctional Centre in Kabba, Kogi State, having spent 68 days in the facility.
The two had been detained since April 5, after participating in the #BuhariMustGo protest, staged against the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
They were physically assaulted and tortured by some youth for distributing posters perceived to be critical of the president in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.
A few days later, they were turned over to the police and subsequently transferred to the prison facility. They were denied access to their lawyers.
Society gazette had reported the plight of the activists and how their attorney, Benjamin Omeiza, was deceived by police operatives and officials, who denied him access to his clients.
Many activists and rights groups including Amnesty International have demanded their release from detention, believed to be influenced by Kogi State authorities.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the duo were granted bail by a magistrate sitting in Lokoja.
‘Undaunted’
Speaking in a recent interview, the two shared their unpalatable experiences in the correctional centre but maintained that they are undaunted by the move to silence them.
Mr Udoka said he does not pray that any Nigerian should face a similar fate, beckoning on Nigerians to demand their rights.
“Everybody has to be free to express themselves every day. I should be free.”
The activist stated that the government has trampled on the citizens’ freedom of association, citing the continued incarceration of the Shiites leader, Ibrahim El-Zakyzaky, and harassment of members of his movement.
He, however, advised that Nigerians should resist all attempts to ‘hijack’ the freedom of speech.
Asked if discouraged by his prison experience, Mr Udoka said the fight has just begun and that he is not ready to give up the struggle.
“Giving up is totally out of it. As a matter of art for me, the fight has just begun,” he said.
Also, Mr Larry, who hails from Benue State, narrated how they were manhandled by ‘thugs’, believed to be working for the state government.
“Their plan was to kill us on Easter Sunday,” he said.
According to him, police operatives “supervised a severe beating that was meted out to them by the thugs”.
Meanwhile, police spokesperson, Williams Aya, did not respond to telephone calls and texts put across by our reporter.
Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank PLC. Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe was in Abuja on Thursday June 17, 2021 when Air Peace Airline took delivery of the first of 13 brand new E195-E2 directly from Embraer facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The new aircraft with registration number 5N-BYF, named Helen Ekwusi Onyema, touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 2.00 pm and was greeted with a water salute by men of the Fire service department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
A former Managing Director of Alpha Beta LLP, Dapo Apara, has filed a lawsuit at a Lagos State High Court to stop former Governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, from taking control of the finances of the tax consulting company.
In the suit filed by Apara’s lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), the former MD alleged that Tinubu still controls the affairs of the firm that monitors and generates revenue on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
Also mentioned in the suit as defendants include the current MD of Alpha Beta, Akin Doherty, a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, and the firm itself.
Apara had, in 2020, filed a suit before the High Court but withdrew it before filing it a second time on Friday, after making amendments.
In 2018, he had also written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing Alpha Beta of tax fraud.
He had gone further to petition the High Court to compel the firm to pay him his entitlements after he accused Tinubu of facilitating his removeal from his position as MD for investigating the firm’s finances.
In the ammended suit, Apara is seeking eight reliefs including “A declaration that Tinubu, not being a named partner of the Alpha Beta, is not entitled to direct or influence the affairs of the firm in such a way that will deprive the claimant (Apara) of his profits.”
The fire that gutted a moving cooking gas truck in Lagos on Thursday came from the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant at the OPIC Plaza on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way in Ikeja.
In final tallies of the ensuing disaster, five persons died, 11 were injured.
Twenty four vehicles and many offices were equally burnt.
Director-General of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, made this known in Lagos on Saturday in a preliminary report on the incident.
“Close investigation revealed that the leaking cooking gas from the truck was ignited by the exposed fire from the kitchen of the New Chinese restaurant inside OPIC Plaza.
“As a result of wind action, the whole area of OPIC Structure was engulfed with fire.
“The fire trailed the cooking gas resulting in the combustion of the gas tanker outside the compound,’’ he said.
Oke-Osanyintolu added that the inferno from the explosion resulted in several damages to the OPIC Plaza.
He said that LASEMA’s “Tiger Team’’ received a distress call at about 10.57 p.m. on Thursday and immediately swung into action with its private sector technical partner.
“On arrival at the scene of the incident, it was discovered that a 13.5-ton gas tanker in motion was leaking its content.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the fire resulted in 13 burns causalities at the scene who were given first aid by LASEMA before they were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and Gbagada General Hospital for further treatment.
“Unfortunately, three adult males were further discovered dead at the scene and their bodies were bagged and transported to the morgue.
“Also, two victims died while undergoing medical attention at LASUTH, hence a total of five fatalities were recorded as at the time this report was put together,’’ he said.
He added that LASEMA and other responders evacuated other occupants of the building to a safe place, while the LASG Fire Service ensured that the fire was curtailed from spreading into nearby buildings and completely extinguished the inferno.
He said also that the crowd and traffic control were managed with the help of the Police, LASTMA and FRSC.
Oke-Osanyintolu also said that the OPIC Plaza had been cordoned off as a disaster zone and prepared for further investigations, adding that 24 vehicles were burnt in the inferno.
He appealed to tanker owners to ensure that their trucks were certified road worthy before embarking on a journey.
“All tankers conveying volatile gases should be road worthy before embarking on a journey. All commercial buildings should develop an Emergency Response Plan and Fire Prevention Plan in case of an emergency,’’ he said.
Oke-Osanyintolu admonished Lagos residents to feel free to call the toll free lines112 and 767 in the event of any emergency.
IBADAN – The son of late former Oyo State Governor Lamidi Adesina, Dapo Lam-Adesina, on Friday evening paid a condolence visit to the mother of slain Rahmon Azeez, who was killed by thugs, suspected to be men of the Park Management System (PMS) on Wednesday at Iwo Road area of Ibadan North-East Local Government.
Recall that a disagreement broke out over parking spaces between the members of Mukaila Lamidi popularly known as Auxiliary and the shop owners at the late Rahmon’s shopping complex, which led to the killing of Rahmon, the Lead City graduate while leaving several people injured.
The former lawmaker, who represented Ibadan North East/South East federal constituency between 2015 and 2019, while consoling the deceased mum, explained that it was sad that the state is gradually sliding into anarchy.
He said the rise in violence, if not immediately curtailed, could move the state 10 years backward.
He said, ”This sad event affects us all. I may not know the deceased like that but I know Ahmed, his elder brother. The deceased was one of us, one of the brighter stars any state would be proud of. He didn’t say because the mum is well-to-do and sit down idling away. He was still ‘hustling’, doing businesses to excel.
“Ma, I received a call from a friend in Canada yesterday. It was his birthday and we got talking. He said the only birthday gift I can give him is to join others to ensure justice for the deceased. See, it is not about Rahmon alone. Let’s concede he is gone. Who knows who is next? I have always lived my life here. But we cannot thrive in an atmosphere where peace is elusive.
“It is enough. All of us must join hands together to ensure this is tackled. And this is also a lesson for us all. When it is time for election, let’s take our time before thumb-printing that ballot. It means a lot. Don’t vote for those who don’t have anything for you except violence. It is so sad”.
He, however, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to ensure that justice is done, stressing that any government that cannot guarantee the security of lives and property has failed.
