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AFFC lauds Heritage Bank on youth, entertainment devt

African Freestyle Football (AFFC) Championship 2019 in collaboration with World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA) have commended Heritage Bank Plc for its pivotal role in enhancing youth development and engendering the Nigeria’s entertainment space on the world’s stage.

The 2019 African Freestyle Football Championship ended on a high note, with defending champion Abdul Titi Kone of Cote d’Ivoire emerging as the African Champion once again. This event marked the 2nd edition of the African Championship and the 3rd annual edition of the Nigerian Championship hosted by Feet ‘n’ Tricks International Limited. The final was a repeat of the 2018 championship, as Kone again defeated Egypt’s Yousef Mohamad just as he did in last year’s final while Ashley Mhkize of South Africa placed third.

In the female category, Evelyn Okafor (Nigeria), Hadhara Charles (Tanzania) and Augustina Unamba (Nigeria) placed first, second and third respectively.

This year’s edition accommodated at least 30 African countries that participated at the championship.

The Chairman of AFFC, Valentine Ozigbo, who commended bank for being at the forefront of promoting freestyle football for the past two years, said Heritage Bank is “always very innovative and supportive to the cause of entertainment and youth development.

According to him, these achievements would have been impossible without the extensive support of the official bankers (Heritage Bank) for the championship for two years running.

Speaking further, Ozigbo hinted, “since inception, Feet ‘n’ Tricks has been committed to promoting freestyle football talent to stardom and we haven’t relented. Through this platform, we have seen talented freestylers get a head start in life, travel to exciting places and represent our beloved continent doing what they know how to do best.”

The MD/CEO, Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo, said the bank has strong desire towards developing and positioning youths to become world-class citizens equipped and ready to be absorbed into an increasing competitive professional skills and endeavours.

Sekibo, who was represented by an Executive Director, Jude Monye advised the youths who were participants to adopt strong positive character to enable them take advantage of the platform being presented to them.

“One of the reasons why we chose, as an organization, to support the freestyle championship is to enhance youth development in sport and entertainment, which will empower them play vital roles in the socio-economic development of the country and help curb the high level of unemployment,” he stressed.

According to Sekibo, the drive to support youths seeks to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.
It is against the backdrop of the competition that Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, promised to give more support to the entertaining part of football.

“We need to encourage this entertaining part of football because what they are doing here is great. Freestyle is quite interesting, and I am happy with what I have seen so far.

“With this project, a goal has been achieved. I also want more ladies to come out and do freestyle football because it is highly entertaining and competitive.

“I will see to how we can give more support to freestyle football in the future,”he said.

Congratulating the Feet n Tricks team, Daniel Wood, Co-founder and Head of Global Partnerships, World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA) said, “Feet n Tricks have proven that they can produce world class events and we are so excited to be extending our partnership. We are fully committed to creating opportunities for young people and this event is to be the focus point for our sport in the continent of Africa.”

L-R: Dan Akpovwe, Publisher, Abuja Inquirer; Valentine Ozigbo, Chairman of Feet n Tricks Limited; Jude Monye, Executive Director, Heritage Bank Plc and Oluwafunmi Aloku, Head, Product Strategy and Business Solutions, Heritage Bank, during the 3rd edition of African Freestyle Football Competition 2019 in Lagos.
L-R: Erlend Fagerli, Multiple World Champion, Freestyle Football (AFFC Judge); Valentine Ozigbo, Chairman of Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited; Jude Monye, Executive Director, Heritage Bank Plc; Philip Gertsson, Sweden-based Norwegian-Filipino Football Freestyle (AFFC Judge) and Laura Biondo, first female freestyle to establish a Guinness World Record (AFFC Judge), during the 3rd edition of African Freestyle Football Competition 2019 in Lagos.

UBA, LCCI to Create Value For SMEs At 2019 Lagos Int’l Trade Fair

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI), have assured small medium enterprises (SMEs) that the 2019 Lagos International Trade Fair will bring far reaching benefits that will help transform their businesses and take it to the next level.

UBA’s Head Group Consumer Retail Business, Mr. Jude Anele, who gave this assurance on Tuesday at a press conference to officially herald the 2019 Lagos international Trade Fair as well as unveil sponsors of the trade fair, said that Africa’s global bank has put in place various service offerings to guarantee that this year’s fair provides a veritable platform targeted at catalysing businesses to new highs.

He explained that the 33rd edition of Lagos International Trade Fair scheduled to commence on November 1st, 2019 is expected to provide an avenue for networking, trade and investment bound to boost business activities in Africa’s largest economy and by extension, Africa.

While ensuring that SMEs maximise their presence at the fair, Anele explained that UBA would provide  uninterrupted banking services during the two-week event, and also provide advisory services to the small and medium entrepreneurs, which the bank realises is fundamental to achieving their business goals.

 He said, “Worthy of mention is that merchants and entrepreneurs from other African countries and abroad would be able to conduct their transactions seamlessly without currency exchange hassles, using the extensive reach of UBA as a pan African bank with presence in key commercial capitals in the world,”

 “We have realised that critical to the success of SMEs in Africa is not necessarily access to finance, but their understanding of business and accounting mechanisms, process and procedures critical to their growth and existence especially on e-commerce, tax management, and bookkeeping and access to funding, and these are issues which we are trying to address,” he said.

Speaking on the ease of payment during the event, especially with African companies from outside Nigeria, Anele disclosed that UBA has successfully put in place solutions that would see ease of payment within Africa.  “UBA will be deploying state-of-art Point of Terminals(POS) configured towards ensuring merchants receive immediate values in currencies of their choice,” Anele assured.

The Bank further said that in line with its unflinching support to the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), it has reached an agreement with the organisers of the fair to give 20% discount to its small and medium business customers who register to showcase their products and services at the fair.

A key activity at this year’s fair is the Africa Special Day, to be organised by UBA to promote Intra-African Trade. “At UBA, we believe that Africans must grow trade and investment amongst themselves. In pursuits of that goal, Africa Special Day will seek for the promotion of trade and investment among African countries.”

Also speaking, the Chairman, Trade Promotion Board, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa promised that the 33rd edition of West Africa’s flagship fair would bring utmost value to entrepreneurs and businesses in Nigeria and beyond as he acknowledged the massive support being provided by corporate organisations such as UBA

“At UBA, we have chosen a suitable partner with extensive reach on the continent with capacity to engineer a seamless financial transaction expected of international trade fair of this magnitude,” he said.

Speaking further on the partnership with UBA, he said: “The LCCI and UBA has partnered to give exciting services to visitors and exhibitors at the fair. UBA is a foremost Pan African financial institution operating in 20 African countries, the United Kingdom and the USA and France, thus offering unique services to the delight of visitors and exhibitors during the fair.”

According to Idahosa, 40,000 square metres of exhibition spaces are available with over 2,000 exhibitors from 16 African countries and  200 foreign exhibitors expected in Lagos.

l-r: Chairman, Operations Committee, Trade Commission Board, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI) Engr. Ojo Banjoko; Head, SME Sales, Airtel Nigeria, Toyin Seriki; Chairman, Trade Promotion Board and Vice-President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI), Mr Gabriel Idahosa; and Group Head, Consumer and Retail Banking, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Jude Anele; at the Press Conference organised by LCCI, the headline partner, UBA Plc with other partners, on the upcoming Lagos International Trade Fair 2019 in Lagos on Tuesday
r-l: Group Head, Consumer and Retail Banking, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Jude Anele; Chairman, Trade Promotion Board and Vice-President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI), Mr Gabriel Idahosa; and Head, SME Sales, Airtel Nigeria, Toyin Seriki, at the Press Conference organised by LCCI, the headline partner, UBA Plc with other partners, on the upcoming Lagos International Trade Fair 2019 in Lagos on Tuesday
Chairman, Trade Promotion Board and Vice-President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI), Mr Gabriel Idahosa and Group Head, Consumer and Retail Banking, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Jude Anele, at the Press Conference organised by LCCI and the headline partner, UBA Plc, on the upcoming Lagos International Trade Fair 2019 in Lagos on Tuesday

TOP NIGERIAN ARTISTES THRILL FANS AT THE ZENITH BANK ASPIRE MUSIC FESTIVAL

It was a night filled with magnificence and splendor as music lovers and fun seekers were treated to topnotch entertainment at the Zenith Bank Aspire Music Festival which held on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at the Harbour Point Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The musical festival lived up to its billing as the most anticipated entertainment event of the year, as the audience were treated to electrifying and captivating musical performances by Nigeria’s top artistes including Olamide, Flavour, Phyno, Niniola, Mayorkun and Rema.

Also on hand to anchor the event and thrill the audience with rib-cracking jokes was Kenny Black, while celebrity hypeman, Do2dtun, revved up the crowd throughout the night.

Indeed, the crowd could not have asked for a better and more enthralling night as the artistes took to the stage one after the other treating the audience to their major hit songs. From Olamide’s rave-of-the-moment song “Pawon” to Rema’s “Dumebi”, Niniola’s Maradona, Mayorkun’s “Mama”, Phyno’s “Fada Fada” and Flavour’s “Ada Ada”, the audience well held spellbound throughout the night and got real value for their time.

The breathtaking festival, which is one of a series of events lined up by Zenith Bank to usher in “Style by Zenith 2.0”, the bank’s annual lifestyle fair which takes place towards the end of the year, will no doubt linger in people’s memories for many years to come.

Peter Obi to Ngige: Your achievements can’t stand mine

Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra state, says Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, achieved little when he governed Anambra.

Obi said what Ngige achieved as governor of the state cannot be compared to his records in his eight years of leadership.

The vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said this while reacting to comments credited to the minister in which he reportedly said Obi did not construct quality roads in the state after succeeding him as governor.

But in a statement issued by Valentine Obienyem, his spokesman, Obi said Ngige achieved “little or nothing” when he governed Anambra for about 32 months.

“Over 90 per cent of the roads, Ngige mentioned he built were done in his Local Government Area,” he said.

“Knowing the importance of road maintenance, shortly before he left, Obi set up the Anambra State Road Maintenance Agency with full compliments of brand new equipment.”

He said unlike Ngige, he patronised local contractors in the state and “left over N4bn in the ministry of works for road maintenance before he handed over”.

“Where will the comparison start? Is it health, where Ngige did nothing? Is it education, where Ngige did nothing? Is it commerce and industry, where Ngige did nothing?” the statement added.

“Is it the provision of infrastructure, where all he did was to cause the burning down of the state? Is it our relationship with donor agencies? Where? What is most condemnable in Ngige’s attacks are the lies he tells just to bring Obi down.”

After corruption trial, Ngwuta, supreme court judge, resumes duty

Sylvester Ngwuta, a supreme court justice who faced trial for corruption, has resumed his official duties.

Ngwuta, who has been absent from the bench since 2016, was seen at a ceremony on Monday in Abuja, where the title of senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) will be conferred on 36 lawyers.

He is the third most senior judge on the bench of the apex court. Bode Rhodes-Vivour is the second most senior while Ibrahim Muhammad, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), is the first.

In October 2016, Ngwuta’s home in Abuja was raided by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The secret police claimed it found hard currencies believed to be proceeds of corruption in his residence.

He was asked to step aside from his duties, though his salary was not stopped, to face charges of money laundering brought against him at a federal high court in Abuja.

He also faced charges of false asset declaration at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). But both cases were dismissed in 2018.

The charges were dismissed based on a judgement of the appeal court which held that serving judges cannot be prosecuted until they have been disciplined by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

However, the CCT overruled itself on this precedent in the case of Walter Onnoghen, former chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Onnoghen was found guilty and convicted of false asset declaration in April – without discipline or recommendation by the NJC.

BIZARRE: Lightning kills 36 cows on Ondo ‘sacred mountain’

At least 36 cows were reportedly struck dead at Oke Owa in Ijare community, Ifedore local government area of Ondo state during the weekend.

According to a community source, the cows were killed by lightning shortly after they strayed to a mountain where the monarch of the town makes sacrifices on an annual basis.

A resident said Adebamigbe Kokotiri, the monarch, accompanied by his chiefs, carry out yearly sacrifice on the mountain described as a secluded place.

Speaking with reporters through Wemimo Olaniran, one of his chiefs, Kokotiri described the incident as an act of God.

The Sapetu of Ijare said the herdsmen had been destroying their farmland for a very long time which had led to confrontation on many occasions.

“We were there this morning and we saw about 36 cows dead apart from the one inside the bush. It has happened and there is nothing we can do, we regards it as the act of God which nobody can query,” he said.

“There had been occasions like that but not as massive we are having it now, to some individuals who desecrated the land. In the past we did witnessed thunderbolt attack, when you desecrated any part of Ijare particularly the sacred places.

“The dead cows will be there forever; it is part of the history in our land for people to see as testimony in future that such a thing happens, a whole Oba buried there live and heaven did not fall talk less of ordinary cows.

“Oke-Owa is a sacred hill where the Oba and some of his chiefs visited once a year during new yam festival to offer sacrifices on behalf of the community. Even those chiefs accompanying the Oba must not go to the inner part of the hill because there is a particular place where only the Oba have to enter and spend a night.

“This is a hill that the herdsmen wanted to desecrate with their herds. It is a taboo. When we heard about the incident, we invited the herdsmen and they confirmed that it was lightning that struck the cows.

“We went to the police station to report the matter and the Divisional Police Officer was contacted before chiefs including myself went there.

“Those cows would remain there and rotten because nobody must touch them otherwise there would be problem.”

Rider lottery launches Daily million, Lucky lady and Food basket into Nigerias lotto market.

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In its latest press Release, the management of Rider lottery stated that rider lottery has entered the Nigerian lottery market with the UK model of National lottery In which several people have benefited through lottery to improve their income and impart on their lifestyle thereby improving on their revenue

The lottery which is basically for adults from 18 years and above as done globally is now in Nigeria..

The three brand new products played with 6 numbers in a set played within numbers one to forty nine in 3 straight lines is generated by a power ball machine in a very transparent and open method gives Nigerians the opportunity of becoming a millionaire dail Prospective player’s are advised to visit ..www.ridderlottery.com and play now

The maiden draw and lunch will take effect on 28th September 2019 and will be streamed live on all the social media handles. There’s a special bonus number for prospective players on the first draw. According to the chairman of (Ridder Sports Software Nig Limited) Mr Ola Omotoso “i’m excited to alleviate poverty in
Nigerians through rider lottery..”he stated

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Reps ask CBN to suspend cashless policy implementation

The house of representatives has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to hit the brakes on the implementation of the cashless policy it recently re-introduced.

At the plenary session on Thursday, the lower legislative chamber said the policy will lead to a significant decrease in credit extension by Nigerian money deposit banks.

The lawmakers also said the policy will have negative impacts on small and medium enterprises “which are clearly the engine room for growth of the economy”.

In a circular released on Tuesday, the CBN had directed all deposit money banks in the country to charge 3% processing fees for withdrawals and 2% for deposits of amounts above N500,000 for individual accounts.

Corporate account holders will be charged 5% processing fees for withdrawals and 3% for deposits of amounts above N3 million.

The directive was, however, criticised by some Nigerians for various reasons.

In a motion introduced during the plenary session, Benjamin Kalu from Abia state and spokesman of the green chambers urged the lawmakers to call for the suspension of the policy pending further consultations on it.

He said while the policy is expected to reduce risk of cash-related crimes among other benefits, its implementation would have negative impacts on micro, small, and medium enterprises “thereby throwing many of them out of business and sending more Nigerians into poverty”.

Kalu said while Nigerians are still battling with the burden of the numerous bank charges introduced by commercial banks, the CBN deemed it necessary to “impose the implementation of cashless policy on deposits, without due consultations with all shades of stakeholder who will be impacted by the policy”.

“This overbearing burden is aimed at closing down majority of micro, mini, small and medium businesses in Nigeria while enriching Nigerian money deposit banks owned by a privileged few, without any known financial contribution to the consolidated revenue fund of the federation.”

The lower legislative chamber subsequently adopted the notion and urged the CBN to suspend the implementation of the policy “until the appropriate and extensive consultative process is concluded”.

It also directed its committee on banking and currency to meet with the apex bank to ascertain the relevance and need for such measure considering the prevailing economic situation of the country.

CAN Raises Alarm as El-Rufai moves to Demolish 110-year-old church

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has raised the alarm over a 7-day quit notice issued to St. Gregory’s Anglican Church, Sabon Gari, Zaria, by the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Agency (KASUPDA).

In the notice seen by TheCable, the agency said the failure to comply with the directive will lead to the forceful eviction of the church.

“Reference to the directive given by the Executive Governor on the issue of Market development which compensation has been duly paid, you are hereby directed to vacate your residence within Seven (7) days from now, failure to comply will leave the Agency with no option than to evict you at your own expense. (from 19h – 24 September),” the statement read.

The zonal head of the agency, who signed the notice on behalf of the zonal manager, did not include his name.

Reacting to the development, Joseph Hayab, chairman of CAN in Kaduna, said the association is alarmed over the quit notice.

“CAN wishes to draw the attention of the Kaduna state government to a quit notice to St. George’s Anglican Church in Sabon Gari, Zaria,” he said in a statement.

“The 7-day quit notice by the Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Agency (KASUPDA), is purported to be a directive from the executive governor.

“The notice also claimed that compensation had been duly paid to the church. We are alarmed and apprehensive about this if it is true that it is a directive from the governor. But we doubt much if the governor issued the directive.”

Hayab said the state government made moves to relocate the church over the expansion of the market at Sabon Gari in February 2016 but later realised that the church had all valid documents and that even some parts of the market are on the church’s land.

Hayab said following the presentation of the necessary documents by the church, the matter was resolved amicably.

He called on the governor to immediately investigate the quit notice from KASUPDA and take prompt action.

”This will go a long way in allaying fears and apprehension among Christians in the state and the nation at large,” he said.

“This unfortunate notice is coming just a few weeks after the alarm about the purported demolition of a mosque in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, which, upon investigations, was later confirmed to be false. We urge the governor to take a step to avert that kind of situation in Kaduna.”

Muyiwa Adekeye, spokesman of Nasir el-Rufai, the governor, said he was not aware of the notice.

“I am not aware of the notice you are talking about. What I know, and is a fact that is very much in the public domain, it is that the Kaduna State government is redeveloping and expanding markets, including the Sabon-Gari market” Adekeye said via a text message.

No official of KASUPDA could be reached for comments as of the time this report was filed

110 years old St. Gregory’s Anglican Church, Sabon Gari, Zaria

Osinbajo to NEC: Don’t ask Me for Anything on the New Economic Council ask Buhari

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the national economic council will have to send a request through the president to get a briefing from the newly appointed economic advisory council (EAC).

Osinbajo made this statement on Thursday in response to a request for clarification by members of the national economic council regarding their relationship with the newly appointed council.

A statement by Laolu Akande, Osinbajo’s senior special assistant on media & publicity, quoted the vice president as saying both councils are for the benefit of the president.

“If NEC wants to be briefed regularly by the Economic Advisory Council, EAC, we will request the President to do that,” he said.

Clem Agba, the minister of state for budget and national planning, gave the balance of the federation accounts as at September 17 as:

  • Excess crude account: $274,583,856
  • Stabilization account: N23,796,349,487.76
  • Development natural resource account fund: N105,135,613,817

Agba also said state governments are expected to start servicing their budget support loans from September 2019 and the repayment will be done over 240 months.

“Council resolved that Governors should meet with the Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Nigeria to sort out the details of repayment modalities and the Vice President will ensure same and ensure the meeting between the Governors, CBN and Finance Ministry in order to facilitate the speedy resolution of the matter,” the statement read.

The national economic council is made up of the 36 state governors and the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The NEC is empowered by section 18 of the 1999 constitution to advise the president on the necessary measures for coordinating the economic planning efforts and economic programmes of the various governments of the federation.

The president, on Monday, disbanded the economic management team headed by the vice president and appointed an economic advisory council in its stead.

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