Ecobank Nigeria, a member of the pan African banking Group has concluded plans to host its first Regional Trade Conference. The virtual forum with the theme “Facilitating Regional Trade in the emerging AFCFTA era” is slated for the 22nd of September. The conference, which will feature presentations and panel discussions by highly experienced subject matter experts and thought leaders in relevant industries, will provide an opportunity for exporters and importers within Africa to engage, creating a marketplace experience.
The Ecobank Nigeria ‘Africa Trade Conference 2020’ earlier slated for March was postponed due to the lockdown restrictions following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Announcing the new date and movement of the conference to an online platform in line with current realities, Sunday Abah, Head, Trade Finance, Ecobank Nigeria stated that due to its unrivalled footprint across Africa, Ecobank is uniquely positioned to facilitate cross border trade within the region leveraging its comprehensive trade solutions and various payment methods available across its network within Africa. According to him, “Ecobank’s unique intra-Africa trade solutions enable settlements of international transactions and mitigation of payment risk while providing regional solutions such as issuance of payment guarantees to exporters without the need for a letter of credit and its related costs to the importer. Ecobank works closely with clients in structuring transactions, settlements, financing and risk mitigation” he noted.
Further, he said “Our trade products and solutions are designed around two broad areas; trade finance and trade services. Trade Finance enables our customers benefit from adequate and well mitigated credit facilitation in the area of Import finance, export finance, bill discounting, trade loans, distributor finance, payables and receivables finance, structured trade and commodity finance amongst others while our trade services, offer our customers the advantage of speedy turn around and error free processing of their import letter of credits, import collections, avalised bills, Customs bonds, export collections as well as their local purchase orders and payment invoices, via our electronic trade platforms OMNI e-Trade and OMNI eFSC (electronic financial supply chain).
The Ecobank Regional Trade Conference, which will be moderated by Mr. Tedd George, the Founder and Chief Narrative Officer of Kleos Advisory, UK is privileged to have as its Special Guest of Honour, Mr. Segun Awolowo, Executive Director/ Chief Executive, Nigeria Export Promotion Council. Notable speakers and facilitators across the globe are also expected at the event.
The Big Brother Naija Lockdown has been living up to its billings in terms of intrigue, and yesterday’s eviction and disqualification has set Nigerian social media into frenzy like never before. The eviction of Lucy caught many unaware especially giving that Tricktee and Vee survive it, another issue like that is the disqualification of Erica who is not up for eviction.
Erica seems to have on Monday secure her place for another week by her emergence as the Head of House, though on two strikes for infringing on house rules it was the general believe that she will at least scale through this week eviction but that is not to be over issues that we can say is more the fault of Big Brother than hers.
I know many people will be wondering how I arrived at my conclusion. Let’s look at it this way, the genesis of the issue that led to her disqualification was her trying to kiss Laycon during their Saturday party sponsored by Johnnie Walker, it is the party that happens like 4 weeks back that has DJ Consequence on the turntable, if you could recollect most of the Saturday parties before then are sponsored by Guinness but this was the first time a spirit drink brand will be the drink for the Saturday’s party and Erica became so intoxicated that she could hardly recollect event of the night.
Knowing her weakness for spirit drinks she was this time around allowed to indulge in Gordons Dry Gin, someone once said gins are revered even by the ancestors that they only drink it with the cover, the decision to again expose her to spirit drinks when she’s already on two strikes is to me a deliberate attempt to quickly send her home and that was the case yesterday.
My belief is that should there be Origin present she may not be that high to act the way she acted but exposing her to consumption of gin is partially the fault of Big Brother but mainly her fault for not knowing her ability, if not there won’t be need for young Nigerians who had campaigned intensely for her to be contributing the money the are supposed to be using for upkeep to support her.
Stay tune while we expect the next drama to be linked to the follies of the Big Brother.
Twitter and other social media platforms has been set on fire over the reaction of popular Nigerian-Romanian born On Air Personality (AOP) Ifedayo Olarinde popularly known as Daddy Freeze to a social media write-up of the presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Tabernacle a.k.a Winners Chapel. Bishop Oyedepo in a series of tweets on marriage has written “The only way to a fruitful marriage is submission on the part of the wife. Until it is in place, every other thing she tries to do will be out of place. As a woman, you might even be a minister of the gospel, and your husband is not, the Word of God still says to submit to him.
” One of the ways a husband should express his love for his wife is by giving. A husband should willingly and joyfully give gifts to his wife. How much is given is not the issue. He should rather accept his responsibility, by joyfully giving his wife gifts. That is what counts.”
But in his way of doing things Daddy Freeze had capitalized on the first part of the tweet to lash onto the revered man of God on his own twitter handle where he responded by saying submission in the Bible goes both ways and that it is both the wife and the husband that must submit to one another.
His response has however elicited harsh words from many twitter users who questioned his right to give marriage advice where he failed in the past not too long, according to one twitter user with @jesusemmanuel_ty47 handle he questioned the rationale where a man whose marriage ended in divorce is questioning a man with over 30 years marriage and this in turn attract reaction from the AOP a situation that has seen others weighing in.
The only way to a fruitful marriage is submission on the part of the wife. Until it is in place, every other thing she tries to do will be out of place. As a woman, you might even be a minister of the gospel, and your husband is not, the Word of God still says to submit to him. pic.twitter.com/hYocX8rHFh
One of the ways a husband should express his love for his wife is by giving. A husband should willingly and joyfully give gifts to his wife. How much is given is not the issue. He should rather accept his responsibility, by joyfully giving his wife gifts. That is what counts. pic.twitter.com/oeg0B3o4CA
Because I failed once doesn’t mean I can’t succeed this time. I’m much happier now. Hope you can get a re-wire to remove that ‘check engine’ light flashing in your brain. ~FRZ pic.twitter.com/nYBAgymvqt
I didn’t direct my tweet to dingbats with IQs competing with their shoe sizes. Paul, Christ and Catholic priests give advice on marriage without being married so your infantile argument is dead on arrival.
Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan has pledged the bank’s support for small businesses operating in the country, stressing that the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sub sector remains the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and needs support in the revamping of the nation’s economy. Akinwuntan who was speaking at the virtual launch of the first Pan-African MSME Academy in Lagos on Thursday, maintained that MSMEs are the drivers of post COVID-19 economic recovery for Nigeria, noting that the sub sector should take advantage of technology, financial services, and support from the government to drive the survival and growth of their businesses.
Further, Mr Akinwuntan said the MSME Academy is an initiative of the African Union Development Agency – AUDA-NEPAD in partnership with the Ecobank Group. The Academy provides easy access to practical training and resources on financing opportunities in various countries, how to build a digital presence for businesses and how to adapt business operations in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. In his words, “ as an MSME friendly bank, we have been helping them with capacity building; providing simple and easy access to loans in various sectors including agriculture, creative industry, healthcare and commerce amongst others; access to markets via our e-commerce solutions and simple but robust digital platforms for collections and payments. We have also provided a channel to enable MSMEs open various accounts via self-service on our webpage. I encourage all MSMEs in the country to avail themselves of this opportunity to grow their business. ”
Also speaking Amine Idriss Adoum, Director, Programme Delivery & Coordination, AUDA-NEPAD explained that the MSME Academy aims to build the capacities of MSMEs across Africa through a combination of relevant content library, a network of institutions specialized in MSME support such as incubators and accelerators, and a community of peers, mentors, and advisors. He noted that the key objectives of the academy is to radically expand access to finance by aggregating smaller financial institutions such as micro-credit institutions and credit unions that have access to micro-enterprises, standardising their processes, and building trust in their capabilities. “The MSME Digital Platform is a one-stop-shop for all MSMEs across Africa to access all these three programmes which jointly address MSMEs’ challenges with access to capacity building, markets, and capital”. He explained.
In his presentation titled: “How MSMEs can access funding – opportunities from financial Institutions/banking sector”, Managing Director, Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Tony Okpanachi, said to be bankable, the MSMEs should have accurate financial statement, collaterals, good credit history, viable business model and sound corporate governance, listing the sources of funding to include equity, grants and credit. He emphasized that, “the AUDA- NEPAD and Ecobank partnership must be lauded as the entrepreneurial potential and critical role of MSMEs in economic growth and development in Nigeria is clear. We will continue to collaborate with other financial institutions to assist them with all necessary support to play their role to the economy.”
For the Director, Development Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yusuf Philip Yila, he said the apex bank had put in place several funding support initiatives to enable the sub-sector survive the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. According to him, “For this important sub sector to survive the current COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, CBN and the bankers committee have put in place various stimulus packages to support MSMEs in the country. He noted that the CBN’s N50 billion Target Credit Facility (TCF) has been increased to N100 billion with the interest rate slashed to 5% from 9% to keep them in business”. He encouraged MSMEs in the country to take advantage of the CBN’s various funding windows to meet the demands of their businesses as government is striving to revamp the economy as soon as possible through their efforts.
The first Panafrican MSME Academy is open to Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises in Nigeria and across Africa . The programme provides support to African MSMEs and is structured in three pillars, namely: the MSME Academy, MSME Marketplace, and MSME Financing Support Programme to be delivered through an MSME Digital Platform. The Academy provides easy access to practical training and resources on financing opportunities in various countries in Africa, how to build a digital presence for businesses and how to adapt business operations in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also offers free access to market intelligence, mentors with a diverse experience and assisting with access to funding opportunities.
One singer who has kept the flag of Fuji music flying in Ekiti state is no other than Akanmu. He’s also called Chief Banuso of Fuji worldwide.
The Ado-Ekiti based Sensema who was decorated as Eyinju Oganla by the Oganla of Fuji, Pasuma Wonder, is set to release a new album. The new effort is titled, Assignment.
The album which was produced by prolific music producer, Prince Ademola Adelakun, is slated to be launched 6th September at the prestigious Oyebam Hotel in Ado-Ekiti.
Some of the tracks on the highly danceable and philosophical album include, Motide, Ogbon, Education, Okudu 1, among others.
Captain Hosa Wells is a consummate philanthropist and a household word in Edo state, emanating largely from his deep impart on the lives of the common man and corporate institutions in the society. Captain Hosa Okunbo is one exceptional Benin man that has used his God given talents, time and treasury for the emancipation of the common man. He’s the hero of the unsung Nigerian who has no godfather to pillar his desires. He is the quintessential egalitarian who transcended the ropes and is today one of the ‘big boys’ of the evolving Nigeria neo mercantile economy. Captain has a cursory disposition towards humility and one of the most unassuming billionaires the black race has ever produced. Captain is very passionate about his string of business and makes humongous successes of them.
From industrial engineering to high tech farming, through the very highly wired terrain of oil and gas, Marine engineering, Hotels, Logistics and real estate. Recently he resorted to newspaper publications to call the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki to order.
His very detailed and well laid out expose` of the dwindling relationship between him and the governor based largely on an unfounded misconception and fuelled by the reelection ambition of the latter, was so well articulated that the Governor had to beat a retreat and openly apologized for his reticence. Capt. Hosa enjoys
enormous good will in the society and being a ‘son’ of the Palace is an added virtue to his integrity. He’s a great mobilizer of the youths of the society and understands the psychology of hunger and wants.
He creates social structures that endures through jobs and employment generation, provision of very supportive scholarship, and health care support facilities. It is on record that he pioneered private hostel development in tertiary institutions in Edo to address the acute deficit in the accommodation of students. He represents the new face of Edo especially in the quest for growth and development. He’s most deserving of National honours and his untiring efforts in industry development, Marine engineering, direct foreign investment into Nigeria makes him outstanding for praises.
In the desire to halt the many appalling stories of persons caught driving without up-to-date
vehicle permits and licenses especially in a busy city like Lagos, an initiative which becomes operational on the 2nd of September is born.
It comes in the name of Pidgeonhole.
Pidgeonhole is necessitated by the development of an easy to use platform for vehicle documents renewal (vehicle license, hackney permit, road worthiness and vehicle insurance) within 24 hours and physical delivery of the renewed documents within 48 hours after renewal.
Pidgeonhole provides convenience and affordability in one package as all deliveries are pegged at a flat rate of N1, 000 within Lagos.
Pidgeonhole also provides a self-serve instant third party vehicle insurance that is accessible across Nigeria while its full compliment vehicle document renewal service is currently operational only in Lagos State with plans to launch in other states in
top gear.
Its services can be accessed on its website; www.pidgeonholeng.com and it can be reached via its social media handle; pidgeonholeng on facebook, twitter and instagram including WhatsApp on 08033947152.
This initiative is powered by Moore Auto works in collaboration
with vehicle licensing authorities and Law Union and Rock insurance
Amid the din and dingdong of electioneering, the promises and propaganda of a starry-eyed era and the generous exchange of money for prospective votes as September 19 draws closer, the people of Edo State need some reality check – a deliberate and sustained reminder of the head-spinning and harrowing catalogue of cruelties, crises and crimes foisted on them by a self-serving governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
The time cannot be more auspicious for this reminder so that the people are not swayed by money and superfluous promises. They must muster all their votes to reverse the ills of the Obaseki administration by voting him out.
Considering, therefore, that many public affairs analysts, commentators, columnists and bloggers alike have recurrently written and extensively documented Obaseki’s catalogue of sins against the people, this writer would attempt to periscope those malfeasances from the perspective of the Seven Deadly Sins propounded initially by the Roman ascetic and theologian, Evagrius Ponticus, but modified in the Sixth Century by Pope Gregory 1.
Though not biblical, the Seven Deadly Sins are theological and are believed to be the precursors for other sins and further immoral behaviours. The are Pride, Greed, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Lust, and Sloth.
Evagrius describes pride as the father of all sins and it has been deemed the devil’s most prominent trait. From all indications, Obaseki’s pride drives him. Having tasted power, Obaseki’s pride skyrocketed and began to manifest in wanton corruption and whimsical selfishness at the expense of the welfare of the people.
His concatenation of crises has been predicated largely on his self-interest, nothing more, which is why the second term bid for him is a do-or-die affair. He is ready to crush anything in his way. He has been fighting those, who propelled him into power, because he thought he had seen it all and every other person was inconsequential.
It was pride that prompted Obaseki to say on television that he would not only deal with a two-term former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole but that he would ensure his arrest if he came anywhere near Edo State. Yet, this was the same man that sold Obaseki to the electorate and allowed him to run for office on the strength of his (Oshiomhole’s) achievements.
It was greed writ large, when Obaseki accused some phantom Edo APC leaders of fighting him for access to the state treasury to share Edo money and that he would never do so but defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he was given an automatic ticket to contest after billions of naira allegedly exchanged hands, all in a desperate bid to remain in office.
Like greed, lust is an intense longing for sex but in Obaseki’s case, his lust is for power and money and ego-tripping. And he goes about these like a bull in a China shop. His face-off with the House of Assembly exemplifies this.
In 2019, Obaseki refused to order a proclamation, in line with constitutional provisions and procedure, to clear the way for the inauguration and constitution of the seventh assembly.
His reluctance was predicated on his belief that he did not have enough foot soldiers in the House as against the number loyal to Oshiomhole. He vowed that the doors of the assembly would remain shut for as long as he desired and it has remained so thereby denying the people legislative representation.
Envy is characterised by an insatiable desire – sad or resentful covetousness towards the traits or possessions of someone else. So, fighting a non-partisan, apolitical man like Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, is a clear manifestation of envy.
One of Edo’s most prominent sons and pre-eminent Nigerian, Captain Hosa’s investments in the state are in the region of billions of dollars and he, arguably, employs as many Edo indigenes as does the government. His philanthropy is felt beyond even Edo State. He is what Obaseki and his collaborators aspire to be.
Whilst he never sought anything from the Obaseki administration apart from support it with his resources, a puerile and unfounded rumour that the widely loved Captain was eyeing the governorship seat has unleashed Obaseki’s base animalistic impulses. Obaseki may not have come to the realisation yet, but confronting and impugning on the integrity of a colossus like Captain Hosa is a recipe for political obliteration.
The evidence of Obaseki’s gluttony is an extension of his greed and lust for power: He not only wants power, but he also can’t get enough of it. Like all gluttons, he is leaving a mess in his wake. Instead of discarded bones, there are a ruined economy, unhappy indigenes, insecurity and underdevelopment.
Under Obaseki, the Edo government is drunk for more money, which the people never see its impact whether on infrastructure or the economy or the life of an average indigene. For him, it is just about how to make more revenues even at the detriment of taxpayers while maintaining the second position of the most indebted state in Nigeria.
Wrath is defined as uncontrolled feelings of anger, rage and even hatred often revealing itself in the wish to seek vengeance. Who better epitomises this than Obaseki? His wrath is one of the defining features of his administration. No one is immune to his anger and vengefulness. From Oshiomhole to Captain Hosa, legislators and even the revered Oba of Benin, they have all tasted of it.
How about Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who was mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari to mediate in the face-off between Obaseki and the House of Assembly, when he blatantly refused to inaugurate the House at the appropriate time.
Upon the constitution of a 10-man reconciliatory committee last December to resolve the crises and appease the aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, nationwide, Obaseki accused the senate president and the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, of playing a prominent role in the crisis rocking the party in the state.
He did not rest until Lawan was replaced with Chief Bisi Akande, a former governor of Osun State. The height of his wrath, perhaps, was the demolition of the hotel of Tony Kabaka Adun, whose only offence was that he is an ally of Oshiomhole. Despite a court order restraining the state government from demolishing the hotel building and appeals from well-meaning indigenes and prominent Nigerians, Obaseki still went ahead to do so citing nebulous excuses.
Sloth, according to its proponent, has different meanings but, in this context, is defined as the absence of interest or habitual disinclination to exertion – a failure to do things that one should do, therefore, allowing evil to reign, because good people failed to act. The dictionary meanings also include laziness and wilful inactivity.
Thus, it is ironic, tragic even that Obaseki has been blaming his failings on the APC on which platform he rode to power in 2016 but which he defected from in June 2020. He has brazenly refused to do the work he was elected for, thereby, taking the state on a retrogressive expedition!
Every human – whether the artist or artisan; cleric or clerisy; the prosperous or proletariat; politician or professional – have their failing. But Obaseki departs from his predecessors and the character components that Edo State requires in a leader and one who can take them out of the doldrums, because he is unable to control his impulses and manage his sins.
So, the likelihood of him repenting or changing is not even remote and, therefore, does not deserve a vote from the people of Edo State!
L-R: Chairman, Kano State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samuel Adeyemo; Managing Director, PreDiagnosis International, Dr. John Iguve and Regional Manager, North, PreDiagnosis International, Yusuf Salihu during a courtesy visit by PDI officials to the CAN leadership at the CAN Secretariat, Kano
The Kano State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Samuel Adeyemo, has called on philanthropic organisations and governments at all levels in the country to intensify efforts towards providing cheap and practical solutions to the continued inability of poor and vulnerable grassroots dwellers to access basic healthcare to meet common health challenges.
Reverend Adeyemo who is also the General Overseer of the Believers World Baptist Fellowship in Kano made the appeal during a visit by officials of the PreDiagnosis International to the leadership of the Kano State CAN Chapter last week Monday.
While lauding the extension of PreDiagnosis International’s grassroots telehealthcare initiative coverage to Kano State, the CAN leader noted that lack of compassionate interventions by people of means as well as poverty and ignorance among the citizens have worsened the standard of living among grassroots communities across the country.
“The suffering brought to majority of the citizens by lack of access to basic healthcare is really huge. The CAN Leadership in this State is therefore excited by this initiative of PreDiagnosis International to help the masses get basic access to healthcare. This is because access to qualified doctors from the comfort of wherever one can use technology is something every citizen needs in order for many health challenges to be resolved at an early stage”, he stated.
Earlier in his remarks, the Leader of the PDI team, Dr. John Iguve, explained that the coming of the company to Kano and adjoining states in the Northern part of the country was a step further in PDI’s commitment to making affordable healthcare services available at the doorstep of the people especially the poor and the vulnerable across Nigeria.
According to him, PDI’s operational focus was based on the determination to meet the target of delivering efficient and affordable modern healthcare to at least 20 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians between 2020 and 2030.
Dr. Iguve appealed to the CAN Leadership and other cadres of leadership across the State to help in spreading the news among the citizens in order for the benefits of the Initiative to be fully enjoyed by the people.
“We are happy to announce that we are moving a step further in our campaign to make affordable healthcare services available at the doorstep of the people, especially the poor and the vulnerable across Nigeria. We need the community leaders at all levels to help us spread the news among our people so that everyone can benefit.
“As a semi-philanthropic hybrid health service company, PDI is determined, through our bouquet of technology-based and mass-market targeted medical services, to be at the forefront of meaningful efforts to ensure public healthcare delivery to the poor and vulnerable. Our decision to come and establish strong presence in the Northern part of the country and Kano in particular is aimed at further opening up the frontiers to reach, rescue and fortify many more Nigerians through our modern day Ark of telemedicine in the country,” he disclosed.
Polaris Bank has launched an account called ‘Polaris Target Savings Account’ to boost healthy savings culture and build a strong financial base.
The Group Head, Products and Market Development, Mrs Adebimpe Ihekuna, said this in a statement entitled ‘Polaris Bank introduces target savings account’ on Saturday.
Ihekuna said, “The savings culture is gradually going into extinction as people generally spend than save; hence, the launch of the target savings account to help Nigerians save for a better tomorrow.
“We recognise that there is never going to be enough money to save; that is what one must first accept but the need to develop the habit of savings is as important as life in itself.
“A salary increase for most people will not necessarily get them to save more, your children finishing school will not get you to save more, a bigger client for your business will not get you to save more, and getting older will not enable you to save more.”
Ihekuna added, “Paying off your mortgage and other debts will not get you to save more; all these are excuses not to start saving today. If you are not saving with what you have today, chances are you might not save when you have more money.”
She said it was not too late to start saving, adding that Nigerians willing to take up the challenge and begin to save for specific goals for the future could do so with ease, through the Polaris Target Savings account.
