Dapo Ojora, a socialite and one of the sons of board room guru, Otunba Adekunle Ojora and his wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora is dead.
Dapo who is also an in law to the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki who married his younger sister, Toyin, reportedly shot himself in the head this evening according to sources close to The Street Journal.
Having mysteriously escaped death sometime back via a ghastly power bike accident, which forced him to beat a retreat from the public space, it therefore comes as a shock that the polo buff would take his own life in such a gruesome manner.
There are indications that his death may not be unconnected to his marital woes with wife, Patricia who is a trained lawyer and and an entrepreneur. Their much celebrated marriage began having hiccups a few years ago and both decided to go their separate ways for undisclosed reasons.
His marital woes was a huge blow to him especially because of the love he shared with his wife, Patricia. And much as he tried to put up a brave face, his marriage problems was too hard for him to handle as he couldn’t bear to loose his loving wife..
Just last year, himself and his wife put their differences aside when they both hosted the creme of society to their daughter, Tara’s wedding to her beau, Folajimi Ayodeji, at their family house in Ikoyi, Lagos.
His parents and two siblings left, Toyin Saraki and Yinka Ojora would no doubt be badly hit with this sad news as just nine years ago, they lost the scion of the family, Gboyega Ojora, fondly referred to as Gbegi. He died at the age of 50 of heart attack at First Consultant Hospital, Ikoyi. He left behind a wife, Solveigh Omosalewa and a son, Toluwani.
All is set for the digital financial inclusion summit as Ecobank Nigeria, in partnership with Vanguard Economic Forum Series, convenes top minds in the industry on a discussion centering around Digital Financial Inclusion. The virtual summit is slated for 8th of December, 2020.
The Speakers and panelists who are subject matter experts in digital transformation and financial inclusiveness were carefully drawn from the banking, regulatory bodies, telecoms and other key sectors of the economy notably Jimoh Itopa, Director Payment System Management, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alan Sinfield, current CEO 9mobile, Ronke Kuye, CEO, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities Limited (SANEF), Jacqueline Juma of EfinA a transformative specialist in Digital Financial Services (DFS), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of Alton, and Kolawole Olanike, Head Agency Banking, Ecobank Nigeria.
According to a statement from Ecobank and Vanguard, Alan Sinfield, CEO 9mobile is a telecoms expert with vast international and operational expertise and experience in wireless telecoms, fintech, and banking sectors spanning over 30 years. He had been a CEO at Ooredoo (Starlink), a subsidiary of Qatar Telecommunications Group.
Ronke Kuye, is the Chief Executive Officer of Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities Limited (SANEF). Ronke has over 24 years experience in banking, cards and Payment systems and e-business, Operations, Process Transformation and Project Management.
Jacqueline Juma, a transformative specialist in Digital Financial Services (DFS), currently serves as the Head, Digital Financial Services at EFInA.
Also listed as panelist is Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and Kolawole Olanike, Head Agency Banking in Ecobank.
Announcing the Summit in Lagos recently, Head, Consumer Banking, Olukorede Demola-Adeniyi said the Summit will provide a platform to discuss the need for a comprehensive alignment of policy and regulatory frameworks among regulators like CBN, NCC, NITDA to support a sustainable digital financial inclusion growth, examine key issues and ways of advancing digital financial inclusion for women, youths and MSMEs and discuss the role of interoperability in mobile payment innovation. Further she mentioned that the role and impact of agency banking for financial inclusion growth will be x-rayed as well as the need for public and private sector investments in internet infrastructure and mobile connectivity growth in rural areas.
Also, Jude Ndu, Director Vanguard Conferences and The Economic Forum Series, said the Summit would help Ecobank communicate and connect with Nigeria’s largely unbanked population on the urgent need to adopt and subscribe to innovative digital payment channels like the *326# and financial service offerings to close the large financial Inclusion gap and a direct response the economic challenge post COVID-19. Participants can register by visiting the url —http://bit.ly/2Fj5Mvm.
The Ecobank Digital Series is a virtual programme organised by Ecobank to educate and enlighten the public on crucial issues of public interest, especially as it relates to their financial freedom.
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), in its commitment to ensure that residents at the grassroots have access to affordable, effective and quality healthcare, has partnered with First Bank of Nigeria Limited to utilise its over 13,000 Firstmonie Agents as payment channels for the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS).
The General Manager, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr. Emmanuella Zamba, made the disclosure during the flag off of the partnership in Alausa, saying that the partnership became necessary to facilitate ease of health insurance premium transactions for residents, especially at the grassroots.
She noted that FirstBank was selected for the partnership in recognition of its effectiveness, efficiency and large clientele base.
“The Agency realised that not all residents can go to the Bank or use online platforms for the payment of their health insurance premiums, hence the Agency identified the need for other payment platforms such as the Firstmonie Agents”, Dr. Zamba explained.
Asserting that the partnership would avail residents the opportunity to pay either N40,000 annually for family plan or N8,500 annually for individual plan through any of the Firstmonie Agents, the General Manager said that once the insurance premium is paid before 25th of every month, such enrollee can receive care from the first day of the following month at any public or private hospital of their choice within the scheme’s network of providers.
While commending the good gesture of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Zamba urged other corporate and multinational organisations to support the Agency towards ensuring that Lagos residents, irrespective of their tribal, cultural or religious differences, access quality healthcare.
The General Manager disclosed that efforts are being intensified to ensure that residents can also enrol for the Scheme at any of the Firstmonie Agents situated within their localities.
The Deputy Managing Director, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gbenga Shobo, who commended the Lagos State Government for its determination in ensuring the good health and wellbeing of all residents, said “the initiative will have a crucial role at improving the life expectancy of Lagos residents, whilst promoting their increased contribution to the growth and development of the State”.
He implored residents not to hesitate to pay their health insurance premiums at any of the Firstmonie Agents located in all the local governments and local council development areas in the State in order to have their health secured.
Shobo advised residents in the State to register and enrol in the Scheme in order to enjoy the good gesture of the present administration led by Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, who has been detained in prison since Monday over his suretyship for Abdulrasheed Maina believed to have jumped bail.
Justice Okon Abang in a ruling on Friday said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court, notwithstanding that the other grounds of his bail application failed.
The judge granted bail to the senator pending the hearing and determination of Ndume’s appeal filed at the Court of Appeal to challenge Monday’s order sending him to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing Maina.
He ordered the senator to produce one surety who must be a resident of Abuja and present evidence of ownership of property anywhere in Abuja.
According to the judge, the surety must also depose to an affidavit of means to indicate his readiness to forfeit the bail guaranty should the senator jump bail.
The judge also ordered the senator to deposit his passport with the Chief Registrar of the court.
He also ordered the lawmaker to file an undertaking that he would compile records of appeal and transmit it to the Court of Appeal within 10 days, a way the court wants him to demonstrate his readiness to prosecute his appeal.
Maina, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, is being prosecuted by the EFCC on charges of money laundering involving N2bn.
On November 18, 2020, Justice Abang revoked the bail granted him, ordered his arrest, and directed that his trial would proceed in absentia.
The judge also on Monday remanded Ndume in prison until he produced Maina or paid the sum of N500m bail bond to the Federation Account.
Ndume, through his lawyer, Marcel Oru, had on Tuesday filed an appeal against the remand order at the Court of Appeal, along with an application for the bail of the defendant filed before Justice Abang.
Billionaire philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates will pay off $76 million of Nigeria’s debt through their namesake foundation. The payments, which will be made over the course of 20 years, are due to begin this year.
In 2014, Nigeria borrowed the money from Japan to fund its fight against the preventable disease, Quartz reports. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has “agreed to repay the loan after Nigeria met the condition of achieving more than 80% vaccination coverage in at least one round each year in very high risk areas across 80% of the country’s local government areas,” according to Quartz.
No new cases of polio were reported in the country in 2017. That’s a drastic change from 2012, when Nigeria had over half of all polio cases worldwide, according to the publication.
In a recent blog post, Gates acknowledges the significant strides made towards wiping out the disease globally — 30 years ago, there were 350,000 cases of polio per year worldwide, while last year, that number dropped to just 21.
“The heroes who have made this progress possible are the millions of vaccinators who have gone door to door to immunize more than 2.5 billion children. Thanks to their work, 16 million people who would have been paralyzed are walking today,” Gates writes.
Polio is “a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease,” which, after invading the nervous system, can cause paralysis. Among those paralyzed, two to 10 percent die.
The Gates Foundation spent $3 billion in 2017 to help stop the spread of the disease, and names polio eradication one of its “top priorities.” The foundation says it has supported the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s efforts to wipe out the disease by contributing technical and financial resources to accelerate targeted vaccination campaigns, community mobilization and routine immunizations.
“Progress in fighting polio might be one of the world’s best-kept secrets in global health,” Gates previously acknowledged in the foundation’s 2017 annual letter. “If things stay stable in the conflicted areas, humanity could see its last case of polio this year.”
In 1988, the virus was present in over 125 countries, paralyzing about 1,000 children per day. Since then, cases of polio have decreased by over 99 percent.
The Gates’ donation is not out of character; in 2017, they gave $4.6 billion to their namesake organization. In addition to its work with polio, the foundation has also spent $1 billion in an effort to send over 20,000 kids to college and has committed millions more toward fighting Alzheimer’s and providing resources to women in developing countries.
Thanks in part to his massive philanthropic efforts, Gates is no longer the richest person in the world, a title that he had held for much of the last decade. Jeff Bezos is currently the richest person, with a net worth of more than $108 billion, according to Forbes. Gates is currently worth $92 billion.
However, Bloomberg notes that Gates would have a net worth of $150 billion if he had not been so generous. While Bezos is not known for being particularly philanthropic as billionaires go, in January he announced a $33 million donation toward TheDream.Us, an organization that provides scholarships to undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, known as “dreamers.”
Gates also founded The Giving Pledge with Warren Buffett. Its billionaire signers have promised to give away at least half of their wealth.
“We have been blessed with good fortune beyond our wildest expectations, and we are profoundly grateful,” Bill and Melinda wrote in their Giving Pledge letter, CNBC Make It previously reported. “But just as these gifts are great, so we feel a great responsibility to use them well.”
Pragmatic Homes, a diversified real estate investment, development and Management Company based in Lagos Nigeria last Thursday unveiled popular Fuji Singer Alabi Pasuma and top crossover Nigerian actress, Iyabo Ojo as the company new brand ambassador in a 3-in-1 event held at their new Lagos office located on highbrow Omole Estate Phase 2.
The new ambassadors who were full of praise explained that the professionalism and ingenuity of the Pragmatic home team in meeting the demand of their teaming customers influence their decision to join the movement.
It was stated further by the new ambassadors that they will be working tirelessly to make sure many of their celebrity colleagues are encouraged to own properties with trailblazing and credible organization knowing that the creative industry does not promise retirement benefits.
While addressing the newsmen, Iyabo Ojo noted that it was important for entertainers and other people to own properties saying “As a new landlady, it is my desire and dream to see people of all ages get their properties. At Pragmatic Homes, they have proper documentation for all their properties. And one does not need to have all the money at once before getting the properties. They can pay in instalments.”
The event which also serves as the official launch of the company’s new state-of-the-art office edifice in Omole also serves as the kick-off of the publicity towards their new estate “Berry Courts” in Abeokuta, the company which prides itself as an real-estate company with properties in choice areas rather than most with lands in towns out of the main town.
Speaking on behalf of Pragmatic Homes, Dr. Shobowale the Managing Director explained that the company strategies in making sure anyone who come in contact with them smiles home with their choice property is by not only making the property affordable but also making payment flexible, it was also revealed that the company in other to make savings for property easy are in the process of establishing a mortgage bank that will be giving mortgage facilities to their customers.
A representative of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo on Saturday said President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the deployment of soldiers to Lekki Tollgate on 20th October.
He said this under cross-examination by counsel to the Lagos State Government, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), while testifying before the Justice Doris Okuwobi Judicial Panel of Enquiry and Restitution on the alleged atrocities of the disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
The army general admitted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu does not have the authority to give order to troops. He said he could only have made the request for them to be deployed.
General Taiwo also said it was not true that the Nigerian Army was looking to nab entertainer DJ Switch over the role she played in giving the impression that people were massacred at at the Tollgate plaza.
“Some people take delight in misrepresenting Nigeria and particularly the Nigerian Army to the international community and our fellow Nigerians. This, I believe is done for pecuniary gains.
“Quite recently, a Nigerian, Catherine Udeh, also known as DJ Switch, claimed the Nigerian Army was looking for her. There is nothing further than the truth.
“My Lord, we have bigger fish to fry; and that is how to stabilise Lagos. We can’t be bothered chasing one or two people. Where she got that from, I do not know, ” he said.
Rahama Sadau in the backless cloth that led to the crisis
There has been news of death threat over alleged blasphemy on Kannywood actress Rahama Sadau, and this has been causing many agitations on social media amongst youth. The actress who has been silent since has however come out to clear the air over her purported arrest, she explained that she has has not been invited by the police nor sentenced to jail by any court.
The actress said this in reaction to a report that she’s being arrested and charged before a Sharia Court.
An Islamic schooler Lawal Gusau, who is also a security expert, had written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on November 3, 2020, demanding that Sadau be investigated for posting a photo of herself wearing a backless gown.
Gasau said the indecent photo attracted blasphemous comments against Prophet Mohammed and this was capable of setting the country on fire.
However, Sadau in a statement released on Tuesday noted that she has not received any legal trial for whatever reason.
“I have received many messages that I have been arrested and sentenced to jail earlier today. I have no idea where the news emanated from. I’m therefore calling on people to stop spreading FAKE and unfounded stories.
“I haven’t received any police invitation or court trial. I’m reiterating this to well-wishers that I’m SAFE and FINE and I have never received any legal trial for whatever reason. To those trying to bank on this issue to create an unrest, Please give it a rest.
“It’s indeed a hard time for me. This is not the right time for FAKE NEWS. Much love to those who reached out, I’m grateful,” Sadau stated.
The Corps Marshal Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has described as unfortunate but avoidable, the fatal crash that occurred today Saturday 7 November, 2020 at Kara bridge on the outward Lagos lane of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway , stating that frantic efforts are already in place to put an end to tanker explosions.
In a statement by Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, the Corps Marshal said this after receiving reports of the fatal crash. He stated that the fatal road traffic crash involved a single Tanker fully ladened with PMS. that the crash investigation carried out by a team of FRSC personnel deployed for rescue operations, revealed that the driver lost control of the wheels as a result of mechanical deficiency (tyre blow out) making the tanker to fall on the expressway amidst a wild inferno.
From the crash investigation report submitted, a total of 2 male adults were killed and burnt beyond recognition, while a wanton destruction of properties occasioned by the fire also left 29 vehicles parked by the road side burnt down completely.
Oyeyemi also lamented the actions of hoodlums who prevented the combined rescue teams of the Federal Fire Service and FRSC from approaching the scene of the crash.
According to him, “when our personnel got to the scene, they met teams of Lagos State Fire Service who advised our men against approaching the scene of the crash. The fire fighters said they were equally deployed to the scene for same reason but on arrival, they were chased back by some hoodlums, carrying dangerous weapons”. Both teams had to run to the Isheri Division of Nigeria Police for security cover.
The Corps Marshal also maintained that the Corps is seriously engaging critical stakeholders and making frantic efforts to find lasting solution to tanker explosions on the road . . He called on the Governments at all levels to expedite action towards working out modalities that will support and hasten existing efforts towards fleet renewal as most of the articulated vehicles are aged while efforts are on to enforce compulsory use of safety valves to prevent spillage after falls of tankers.
On the present state of traffic on the road, the Corps wishes to inform the general public that there is no need for panic as the crashed vehicles have been successfully removed from the road and all Obstructions cleared with the road now opened to use. As such, road users already on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway or intending users who have not explored alternative roads should please exercise caution and drive safe; avoid speeding, road rage and ultimately, avoid driving against the flow of traffic. FRSC wishes us safe journey to our various destinations.
The story of the property market in Lagos cannot be told today without also stating the immense strides of Mr Olabisi Akanbi, one of the few forces behind the emerging market boom of the industry in the commercial nerve centre of the country.
Olabisi Akanbi, though have had brief stints entertainment, automotive and publication, his penchant for success led him to real estate where Akanbi is now well decorated for excellence in building and philanthropy across Nigeria.
Meet, Mr Olabisi Akanbi the president and founder of Lafaith Property Ltd(an indigenous construction company in Lagos Nigeria ) and one of the emerging civil construction company in Lagos. Born and raised in Lagos Nigeria, he has been a key participant in the emerging property market boom in Lagos today.
He’s had business stints in entertainment, automotive and publication before he proceeded to the United Kingdom to further his education, he majored in international business management from the Cavendish College in London then proceeded to the St. Patrick’s College London where he bagged a bachelor of science-IBM.
He returned to Nigeria and delved into the property business having understudied multinational and indigenous civil constructing companies such as Cappa de Alberto, Elalan civil engineering company,lekki homes and a host of others. He established the Lafaith Property Company in 2008 which it was later registered with the CAC in 2017 and has been part of major building constructions in Banana island, Magodo GRA, Parkview estate Ikoyi, Alimosho, Opic Isheri, just to mention a few.
Through his commitment to excellence and a dedication to professionalism, Mr Olabisi Akanbi and the Lafaith company has continued to exceed industry standards by forming strong professional partnerships based on integrity, ingenuity and reliability.
This characteristics along with deep-rooted tie to the Lagos state government housing authorities has enabled Mr Akanbi and his company to become one of the most sought after and respected names in building construction, contracting and real estate management in Lagos Nigeria and beyond. Mr Olabisi Akanbi is well decorated for excellence in building and philanthropy across Nigeria, he is also an honorary member of the civil construction society of Nigeria, member Lagos state builders guild. Mr Olabisi Akanbi is also studying to become a building consultant with a specialized interest in building material alternatives and distribution in AIU university for him to be able to give the best to his client.
