₦airaland Forum

Mrs Joy Mark, from Amangwu, in Arochukwu LGA of Abia state is a woman who is into one of the few professions where you can hardly see people of her gender engaged in.

When asked how she took up the tricycle operator job. Joy a widow, said she;
“I had no option than to take up the job after the death of her husband Mr. Mark Onwubiko a secondary school teacher”.
“Instead of going into prostitution, I decided to help myself and my family by riding Keke and by God’s grace it has been sustaining me and my children”.
Joy a mother of three said that she will appreciate it if large hearted individuals can come to her help as she has not been finding it very easy paying the school fees, house rent and feeding the family all alone with the proceeds from the tricycle.
Joy who operates within Umuahia town said she is appealing to God and kind hearted individuals for assistance.
MORE at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/photos-meet-tricycle-operator-widow-in.html

1. A mother is someone who takes the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.

2. She holds her children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

3. These can best describe the charismatic diamond mother in a million, Nne ora, the late Mrs. Christiana Chinelo Obiano [Adighi n’ije ma ije ekwe ogiga].

4. As her name portends, Christiana was born in 1927 into the noble Christian family of Mr. Azodo Manafa and Mrs. Josephine Manafa of Idigo dynasty in Ezi Agulu, Aguleri.

5. Christiana’s mother, Josephine, sold Mangala fish while her father, Azodo was a hunter and farmer.

6. The early catholic missionaries that brought Christianity to Igboland met the family and converted them.

7. Thus, Mrs. Christiana’s brother, Meze, became a priest.

8. In view of this, most of the early missionaries, including foreigners and their converts as well as other indigenous priests settled in Mama’s family house, which became a rallying point for priests.

9. Hence she was widely known as Nne ndi Father.

10. The little Christiana, perfectly skilled in the art of cooking, would cook for them, wash their suitans, cassocks and other clothes as well as tidy the home.

11. In return, they would bless her.

12. Mama was a gifted cook.

13. She served many priests, including Blessed Father Michael Iwene Tansi, Dominic Cardinal Ekandem, Bishop Obeleagu, Bishop Shannahan, Father Gbuzue among numerous others.

14. Father Tansi baptized and later taught Mama at Saint Joseph’s and Saint Raphael’s Elementary Schools, Ezi-Agulu, Aguleri up to Standard Six.

15. From her mother’s side, Mama was the first daughter amongst two brothers and five sisters.

16. At 90, Mama was the oldest in Manafa dynasty in Ezi-Agulu, Aguleri.

17. Because of her beauty, cookery skills, cleanliness, humility, respect, hard work and prayerfulness, the eyes of a handsome and Christian suitor caught up with the then Christy.

18. That lucky man was Sir Philip Onuorah Obiano from Umuanaeveli, Egbeagu Village Aguleri, a Scout Commissioner in the then Eastern region (even during the war), a catechist, teacher and later headmaster. He was highly disciplined.

19. Story has it that Sir Philip, who had taught in many areas, including Onitsha, Abakaliki, Isienu, Izzi, Ezamgbo, Obosi,Umuoji, Nkwelle Ezunala, Aguleri and then Onitsha, had been observing Christy and remarking her early arrival to church activities, her dedication, honesty, simplicity and humility and other attributes which made him to inquire further of her parents.

20. True to type, the day Philip came visiting, Christy was in the market selling fish with her mother.

21. They eventually married and were wedded by Monsignor Meze.

22. The union produced six children, two died, while three males and one female survived.

23. They are; His Excellency, Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano, Governor of Anambra state, Chief Cyril Chukwudozie Obiano, Queen Elizabeth Nkechi Iheme and Mr. Evaristus Chukwunedu Obiano.

24. Madam Christiana Chinelo Obiano, Nne umu ogbenye, as she was fondly called, was always there for her family, no matter what.

25. Adighi nije was clothed with strength and dignity and she laughed without fear of the future.

26. When she spoke, her words were wise and she gave instructions with kindness.

27. Mama was very beautiful, down to earth, always helping others and very benevolent, which gave her the name, Adighi nije ma ije ekwe ogiga.

28. She followed her educationist husband to all the towns he was transferred to teach until he fell ill and died on Wednesday, October 4, 1978 at the age of fifty seven when Willie, was in the University.

29. Successful mothers are not the ones that have never struggled.

30. Successful mother are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles.

31. Adinije never gave up at the death of her husband, rather, she intensified her efforts and with relentless prayer, she was able to train all her children successfully.

32. Just like Governor Obiano, mama was always with her Chaplet, praying her Rosary wherever she went.

33. Adinije was a famous dealer in “Mangala fish” she would buy bags of Mangala at Ochanja market and resell at Ose Okwodu market, Onitsha.

34. She could finish up to ten bags within two days.

35. She was so popular that people from far and near were coming to her shop to buy.

36. Christy Obiano was popularly known as “Ozulu Umuogbenye” (that is, a woman that fed the poor).

37. Whatever amount you came to her shop with, mama must give you fish to feed your family.

38. To the poorest of the poor, she would give money and other food items to take home.

39. Adinije also settled many marital quarrels through good pieces of advice.

40. Before, during and after the war, her home was always a beehive of activities as she gave food, fish and clothing to people, free of charge.

41. During the war, she was selling kola nuts to keep Biafran soldiers awake

42. Nwunye Onye Nkuzi was benevolent to a fault.

43. She would always finish selling her fish first before any other in the market.

44. A story was told of a barren woman who came to her shop, after narrating the ordeal she was passing through as a childless woman, Adinije brought out some fish, prayed over it and gave it to the woman to go and cook with the fish for her and her husband to eat.

45. The couple ate the fish, conceived and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy.

46. Madam Christiana Chinelo Obiano was highly religious as she never missed mass.

47. She inculcated in her children the attribute of prayer.

48. When the children were younger, they must attend the Block Rosary and recite sermons to prove they attended the mass.

49. She had no enemies and she always advised her children to always forgive.

50. Mama hosted most of Ndi Aguleri who visited Onitsha then; gave them shelter, food and transport fares at the end of their stay, thus, she was also called Nwanyi Obioma and Otabili onye.

51. She never left her brothers-in-law, even when her husband died.

52. Before she ate, she must ensure that all others had eaten.

53. Before she died, she ran a charitable organization where she was feeding the poor, the less privileged and the vulnerable, three times a day.

54. She took the vulnerable ones as their mother, which gave her the name, “Ozulu Umuogbenye.”

55. Mama was very strong.

56. During her hey days, she was trekking from Onitsha with her wares to Umuoji because then, there were no vehicles.

57. The poor called her Nwanyi Kpojuem aka, Otabili Onye, the rich knew her as Nwanyi udo, the middle referred to her as Nwanyi Obi oma, while everybody knew her as Adinije.

58. The CWO, Onitsha Archdiocese honoured her with Ezi Nne title.

59. Her son, the governor, once said of Adinije, Quote “my mother is the bone of my spine, keeping me straight and true. She is my blood, making sure it runs, rich and strong. She is the beating of my heart. I cannot imagine a life without her”. End of quote.

60. Nne oma, to the world, you are a mother but to your family, you are the world.

61. We will miss your folklore, your moonlight tales, your food and your advice.

62. Good night Nne Willie, Nne Governor, Mother Excellency.

Tweets from the Tribute "EZI NNE CHRISTIANA OBIANO (ADINIJE), MOTHER EXCELLENCY"
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/62-facts-about-gov-obianos-mother.html

The Project Coordinator of Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP), Dr. Marvin Dekil has explained why Ogoni cleanup was not included in the 2017 budget.

Dekil, who spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the policy of Polluter Pay Principle made it impossible for the National Assembly to include it.
He said HYPREP and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have drawn up a road map for the holistic remediation of the environment, which is expected to gulp $200 million this year.
He explained that $200 million would be required for the project this year, while the remaining $800 million for the next four years, would be provided by the international oil companies, in partnership with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

According to him, the activities surrounding the clean up might gulp more than the initial proposed $1 billion for the next five years. Dekil stressed that the representatives of HYPREP and UNEP met at the weekend in Geneva, Switzerland to work out the remediation plans for the cleanup.
He said the Federal Government’s commitment to the implementation of the UNEP report has already been received from a four-man committee that was raised to identity and evaluate existing water facilities in Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme local council areas.
“The report was done in line with the recommendation of UNEP, which stated that before any cleanup of the oil impacted environment could be done, potable water must be provided for the people.
He stressed that their sources of drinking water is contaminated 900 times above what the World Health Organisation (WHO) considers as pollution. Dekil further explained that the report, which was submitted in 2011, was still valid, but would be reviewed by HYPREP.
He said there have been some changes in the nature and characteristics of the impacted sites that were studied in the report. Also, there have been other impacted sites that were not captured on the UNEP report, adding that HYPREP has collected an accurate and up-to-date data on the sites.
He said the data, which include soil, water surface and underground were at various demonstration sites at Kwawa, K-Dere, Korokoro and Ogale communities.
Dekil said HYPREP has also opened up different sites, at no cost, for the demonstration of remediation opportunities by companies who volunteered to test them technologies.
To have an accurate and up to date data on these sites, he said HYPREP has collected new samples (soil, water surface and underground) at various demonstration sites at Kwawa, K-Dere, Korokoro and Ogale communities. “The report is valid, we are doing an update of the baseline that was obtained at that time. A site that was accessed in 2011, this is 2017, if we wanted to remediate that site today, we will do scooping. It is an exercise that would allow us to capture the contamination profile as at now. And that is what we will use to design the remediation plan” he said. Dekil said HYPREP has opened up different sites for the demonstration of remediation technologies by companies who volunteered to test their technologies. According to him, the demonstration of technologies by these companies are being
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/why-ogoni-cleanup-is-not-in-2017-budget.html

Nollywood actress , Rechael okonkwo a.k.a Nkoli Nwa Nsukka stuns in new makeup photos.
more photos at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nollywood-actress-rechael-okonkwo-stuns.html?m=1

At least 16 Hindu pilgrims were killed and many more injured Sunday in a bus crash in northern India, police said, just days after gunmen shot dead eight worshippers making the same holy visit.

The bus plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir, the state where hundreds of Hindus make the annual pilgrimage to a Himalayan cave revered as the abode of the god Shiva.
“16 people are now confirmed dead, 19 with serious injuries and eight others with minor injuries,” the state’s police force said in a statement Sunday.

Some of the worst injured are being airlifted to hospital, while others were taken to local clinics for treatment, police said.
For the second time in a week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the pilgrims who died making the holy journey.
“Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath Yatris (pilgrims) due to a bus accident in J&K,” the prime minister said, referring to the state by its initials.
“My thoughts are with the families of the deceased.”
The tragedy came as another Hindu pilgrim died Sunday from injuries sustained six days ago when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a bus full of worshippers.
“One lady who was injured in the July 10 attack succumbed to her injuries in hospital,” S. P. Vaid, the state’s director general of police, told AFP.
Her death takes the toll from Monday’s attack to eight, with seven women and one man killed in the late-night assault. Most of the victims were from the western state of Gujarat.
It was the worst such attack in the divided Himalayan region since 2000 when gunmen fired on a group of Hindu pilgrims, killing 32 people including two police officers.
Indian leaders and Kashmiri separatists united in their condemnation of this latest attack. No group has yet claimed responsibility.
Authorities said the two-month pilgrimage season would continue after the attack on the bus, which was not part of the official convoy carrying pilgrims.
Tens of thousands of Hindus from all over India travel to Kashmir every year to visit a phallus-shaped ice formation in the Amarnath caves that is worshipped as a symbol of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction.
The caves, which lie 3,900 metres (12,800 feet) high and can only be reached on foot or on horseback, are seen as a symbol of religious unity in the volatile region.
The ice formation is said to have been discovered in 1850 by a Muslim shepherd who became a custodian of the shrine, along with two Hindu priests.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/16-pilgrims-killed-in-bus-crash-in.html

"Chief Agbaso, as an accomplished man who wears humility like a robe, took the initiative of knocking on every door to seek reconciliation. He consulted almost every power broker in Anambra State. He made several overtures to Governor Obiano which were rebuffed. He was personally taken to Governor Obiano's house by a very prominent and respected political figure from Anambra State and Obiano insulted and tongue lashed him and this man." ~ Uche Ezechukwu

In 2013, Obiano said he was begged to become governor and he reluctantly accepted. In 2017, Agbaso, the national chairman of APGA alzo went to beg him again and this time he refused and walked him out of his house.

Now you have read how Obiano insulted and abused Ochudo Martin Agbaso who went to his house to give him APGA ticket.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/obiano-refused-to-reconcile-with-agbaso.html

The nollywood actor share on his IG page Read below.
My name is Yul Edochie.And i am running for governor of Anambra state 2017

#The last busstop
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nollywood-actor-yul-edochie-join.html?m=1

The young girl is really trying sha
See the mum reaction at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/photo-nollywood-actress-reginal-daniel.html?m=1

The Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi has hinted of a possible outbreak of war between the state and Cross River unless something urgent was done to resolve the boundary disputes in the two states.

Umahi spoke as the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, restated the Nigeria Army’s commitment to remain professional, apolitical and responsive in the discharge of their duties to the country.
They spoke in Enugu yesterday at the commissioning of the urban water treatment plant at the 82 Division cantonment in Abakpa, Enugu, that was built by the army engineers.

The plant has the capacity to deliver one million liters of water per day and would provide potable water to the division neighbouring communities of Abakpa and New Haven axis.
A visibly disturbed Umahi, stressed that the disputes had assumed an alarming dimension following the way people were being slaughtered and houses burnt in Ikwo, Abakaliki, Izzi and other communities, which share boundaries with Cross River, stressing that time had come to take the matter seriously.
He told Buratai that time had come to enforce peace in the affected places to stop a looming war, adding, “It is disheartening to see our people being slaughtered, houses being burnt every day in the name of boundary disputes.
“The stories are quite disturbing and I thank you because the General Officer Commanding (GOC) has demonstrated character and content. He has done everything he could by standing with us, shuttling between Abakaliki and Cross River to see how he could establish peace, but we have challenges and only you can help us.
“It is time to enforce peace at the place and I am happy that you are here because if nothing is done, it has gotten to a point where we could say there is already a war between the two states.”
Buratai said the water treatment plant was aimed at reducing the sufferings of officers of the division noting that large coal deposits in the city had compounded the problem of water shortage in Enugu.
He praised the GOC, 82 Division, Major-Gen AB Abubakar, whom he said, took it upon himself to find solution to the problem in the barracks, adding that the federal government was committed to the welfare of the officers and soldiers.
Also speaking, Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said the realisation of the project would complement the efforts of state
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/boundary-disputes-may-cause-war-between.html

Facebook has shut down pages offering marijuana for sale in Alaska, angering the businesses that run them, who say they were licensed to sell it.

It highlights the problems faced by social networks trying to set boundaries for what users can post.
The National Cannabis Industry Association said it was seeking "clearer guidelines" from Facebook.

Affected businesses should appeal to have their accounts restored, the NCIA told the Associated Press news agency.
The problem had affected all of the nine US states that had legalised recreational and medical cannabis, deputy director Taylor West added.
"The issue seems to pop up and then go away. These rules are applied extremely inconsistently," she told the BBC.
Facebook does not allow content that promotes the sale of marijuana regardless of state or country.
"In order to maintain a safe environment on Facebook, we have community standards that describe what is and is not allowed on the service," it said in a statement.
TV and radio advertising about legal marijuana is often restricted, meaning social media can be a vital way to communicate with customers.
Leah Levington, who owns cannabis business Enlighten Alaska, told AP the take-down was "frustrating" and she was worried her Instagram account could also be shut down.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/facebook-shuts-down-legal-pot-shops.html

more photos at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/photos-chief-of-army-staff-visit-gov.html

The National Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, South East Zone, Chief Austin Umahi also congratulated Senator Ahmed Makarfi over the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed him as the authentic National Chairman of the party.

In a statement in Abakaliki, Umahi described Makarfi’s victory as remarkable but appealed to all members and supporters of the party in the South East zone to embrace the victory with maturity and in the spirit of true reconciliation.

Umahi also commended the National Working Committee of the party for their doggedness and belief in the country’s judiciary as the last hope of the common man and called on Sheriff and other members of the party to unite with the Makarfi led leadership to regain the country and save it from imminent collapse.


He noted that the victory was a second chance given for the party to consolidate and put its house in order for the task of recovering its lost glory and further urged other zonal leaders and stakeholders of the party to reconcile with any aggrieved members of the party.

He said “today is remarkable in the history of democracy in Nigeria. The Supreme Court judgment affirmed Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic National chairman of PDP. This victory is dedicated to the Almighty God”.

“I passionately appeal to all PDP members and supporters in South East to embrace this victory with maturity and in the spirit of true reconciliation; forgive and forget whatever we individually or collectively did wrong. God has decided to give us as a party a second chance and we cannot afford to jeopardize it as that will attract unpleasant consequences”.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/supreme-court-ruling-umahi-urges.html

As part of its restructuring efforts, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has redeployed no fewer than 58 officers and established two new commands and a branch to enhance its effectiveness.

The 58 redeployed officers comprises 25 Air Vice Marshals (AVMs), 20 Air Commodores, five Group Captains, one Wing Commander, four Squadron Leaders, two Flight Lieutenants and one Flying Officer.

A statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya yesterday in Abuja said the newly established commands are the Air Training Command (ATC) in Kaduna and Ground Training Command (GTC), Enugu.
According to him, the new commands were excised from the defunct Training Command (TC) thereby bringing the total number of commands in the NAF to six.He added that the ATC would be responsible for the implementation of policies on flying and air operations while the GTC would be responsible for the implementation of local ground trainings.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/naf-redeploys-58-officers-establishes.html

Two years later, Mr Choudhury, right, is believed to be the first Muslim man to have had a same-sex marriage in Britain and feels he is proof that it is okay to be both gay and a Muslim.Jahed Choudhury, left, and Sean Rogan, right, married wearing traditional Muslim dress in a ceremony inside Walsall Registry Office. Daily Mail photo

A gay man from the West Midlands has become the first Muslim to wed in a same-sex marriage. Jahed Choudhury, 24, according to Daily Mail, grew up feeling ostracised by the Muslim community because he was gay and was even sent on a religious pilgrimage to change his sexual orientation.
Two years ago, following a lifetime of bullying, Mr Choudhury considered taking his own life until he was spotted crying on a town bench in Darlaston by Sean Rogan, 19.

Mr Rogan comforted Mr Choudhury and they soon became a couple. Now the couple have wed in a ceremony in Walsall, both wearing traditional Bangladeshi wedding clothes.

However, despite their happiness, the couple have been subjected to several death threats.
He said: ‘I want to say to all people going through the same thing that it’s okay – we’re going to show the whole world that you can be gay and Muslim.’

At a low-key ceremony at Walsall registry office, Mr Choudhury from Darlaston, tied the knot in traditional Muslim attire with his partner of two years.

In what is seen as a cultural taboo for many traditional Muslims, Mr Choudhury is one of only a few openly-gay Muslim men and the first in the UK to marry another man.

Growing up with Bangladeshi parents and three siblings in a traditional Muslim household, Mr Choudhury recalls being the ‘black sheep’ of the family.

He is now looking forward to a happy life with Mr Rogan, who he first met while crying on a bench in Darlaston.

Mr Choudhury said: ‘I was crying on a bench and Sean came over and asked if I was okay. He gave me hope at one of my lowest points and he’s stood by me all the way.’

‘I stood out like a sore thumb – I never liked football, I preferred watching fashion shows on TV. I remember feeling trapped.’

He said: ‘It went all over school, people would spit on me, empty the rubbish bins on me, call me pig and the Muslim people would shout “harum” – which is a very nasty insult in my language.’

A period of trying to change his sexual orientation consisted of him having a girlfriend, changing his social circle, taking medication and even going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.

According to Mr Choudhury the situation only got worse – he was assaulted by fellow Muslims in the street where he lived and a homophobic slur was sprayed on his front door.The mosque he’d been attending for the past 15 years no longer allowed him in and he was physically attacked by other Muslim boys. Feeling ostracised, Mr Choudhury attempted to kill himself.

Mr Choudhury said: ‘I’d been viciously attacked by Muslim boys, my mosque told me non-Muslims were not allowed in.

‘I tried killing myself and I then met Sean. The housing association got us a house in a week and we’ve been living together ever since. I proposed on Sean’s birthday last June.’
Following their wedding in Walsall, the happy couple are jetting to Spain on honeymoon

Following their wedding in Walsall, the happy couple are jetting to Spain on honeymoon

Mr Choudhury says he has post-traumatic stress disorder meaning he struggles to face people alone and can’t work.

But now he has taken a significant step forward for both the Muslim and LGBT communities.

He added: ‘We’re going to have a big party in Darlaston afterwards and go to Spain for a week on holiday.’

Mr Choudhury’s mother, sister, older brother and cousin witnessed the wedding, as did Mr Rogan’s mother, two sisters and older brother.

Mr Choudhury said: ‘My mum has always been so supportive. Without her I would not be here today.

‘It was lovely for both out families to be there. We get on really well.

‘It was just close friends and family who were invited as more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/first-ever-muslim-gay-wedding-in-uk.html?m=1

I hope they will pass message to Nigeria Government because the corruption is much.
source- www.Akelicious.com

Representative of Lagos State Governor & Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Oluranti Adebule (3rd right); Sole Administrator, Yaba LCDA, Hon. Bayo Adefuye (2nd right), Mr. Goke Osibodu (right); Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh (3rd left); Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje (2nd left) and Commissioner for Energy & Mineral, Mr. Olawale Oluwo (left) during the commissioning of the newly rehabilitated Herbert Macaulay Library, Yaba, Lagos.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/photos-ambode-commissions-newly.html

The anticipated merger between Airtel and Tigo received a big boost with the inauguration of the National Communication Authority (NCA) board of directors which is expected to give approval to the deal.

While the two companies completed merger talks earlier this year, the finalisaton of the deal was subject to the approval of NCA, the industry regulator, which has been without a board since the Akufo-Addo government took office.

The board, chaired by Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, the former telecoms industry lobbyist who headed the Ghana Chamber of Telecoms, is expected to, as a matter of urgency, look into the merger deal which has left the two companies increasingly frustrated over the lack of action from the regulator's perspective.


Speaking at the inauguration of the 8-member board, Communications Minister Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Erkuful, expressed confidence in the expertise of the board members.

"I am confident your various backgrounds and expertise in private, business and public administration will help enrich the strategic decision making process so as to guide the management of the NCA to decide on strategic initiatives in the sector to meet the challenges in creating a robust and secure information and knowledge society in the country," she said.

The board is comprised of persons with backgrounds varying from telecommunication policy advocacy, broadcasting, among other areas of expertise in communication technology.

The membership of the board include its acting Director-General, Joseph Anokye, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, Bernard Aidoo Forson, Philip Kwame Asare Ayesu, Paul Adom-Otchere, David Gyewu and Susan-Barbara Adjorkor Boye Kumapley.

While acquisitions in the country's mobile telecoms space are nothing new, a merger of this magnitude between well-established operators presents a test case for the industry regulator and the industry as well.

A country of 27 million people, Ghana has six mobile operators, a number of 4G operators and countless ancillary telecom operators in what has been described as a saturated market where companies barely break even.

Industry experts have continuously argued that the only way players within the space can make profit is to consolidate and the announcement by Airtel and Tigo is likely to pave the way for other similar consolidations in the not too distant future.

How the NCA approaches the Airtel/Tigo merger will most likely serve as a standard and how the new entity performs will also signal how fast similarly struggling mobile network operators seek to consolidate their operations.

Merger talks

According to the announcement made earlier this year, per the agreement, Airtel and Millicom, operators of Tigo, would have equal ownership and governance rights in the combined entity.

It is estimated that the combined business would serve nearly 10 million customers, of which 5.6 million are data customers.

The resultant network operator would cover more than 80 percent of Ghana's population with high speed data, providing the widest 3G coverage across the country, and would have revenues close to US$ 300 million, making it one of the largest communications companies in the country.

The combined business is expected to provide customers with a major boost in both rural and urban network coverage, translating into better voice quality, high speed data services and reinforced network stability and resilience.

With the combined fibre footprint and increased number of data centres, enterprise customers including both large corporations and SMEs are expected to have access to a diverse portfolio of solutions.

Mobile Financial Services will also be enhanced with combined agent networks and platforms, the companies said.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/airtel-tigo-merger-gets-major-boost.html?m=1

What do you think?
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/why-would-any-adult-drop-off-their.html

The former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi stated that his biggest challenge as governor was the battle he fought trying to change the mindset of his people of Anambra.

Speaking while addressing students of St. Michael's Model Comprehensive Secondary School, Nimo, on Friday , Mr. Obi explained how tough it was trying to make his Executive Council and all that worked with him to understand the concept of accountability and responsibility in governance.

Mr. Obi, who expressed happiness that the battle he fought to return school to missions has been yielding fruits in the improvement in infrastructure and general performance thanked the Church for there efforts. He called on the wealthy to support the Church to make the society a better place

"When I expressed the intention to return schools to missions at a State Executive Council meeting only three out of 30 members supported me. Even Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) threatened to go on strike if I tried that and actually did. But I knew I was right and insisted until I had my way. Today I am so happy to see the transformation in this school since I took the bold but unpopular decision."

In his remarks, the manager of the school, Rev. Fr. Francis Obi Okoye thanked Mr. Obi for coming. He said Anambra people would ever remain grateful to him for his disposition towards education which has continued even after he left office.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/my-biggest-challenge-as-governor-peter.html?m=1

A 45-year-old Nigerian national and his local accomplice were arrested by Bengaluru Cyber Crime Police, India on Wednesday, July 5, for committing car fraud through declassified ads site OLX .

Augustin Anyeva Peter, who came to India on a 15-day travel visa, took photos of luxury cars parked in posh areas of the city and posted the images on OLX, pretending to "sell" the cars at very low rates and accepting advance payments from prospective customers.
He and his gang snapped pictures of high end cars parked outside malls and hotels and uploaded the images on OLX and attracted customers with a reasonable to very low selling prices.
A 35-year-old local resident was also arrested in connection to the fraud case. Police booked Jagadish Kumar of KR Pura for activating a SIM card with duplicate address provided by Augustin.
Augustin used many duplicate addresses to open bank accounts. He'd given the same photo to all banks with different names.
When customers called Augustin to enquire about the car sale, he would spin a lie and tell them he was a foreign student who had just completed his education and would be returning to his native country, so he's looking to sell his vehicle.
Taken in by the Nigerian's tale, customers transferred advance money into his bank account.
As soon as he received the payment, Augustin would debit the amount and deactivate his SIM card.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nigerian-man-arrested-in-india-for.html

more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/breaking-obasanjo-calls-for.html

Governor of Anambra state, Chief Willie Obiano has handed out the sum of N1million each as palliatives to the widows of the five Officers and Men of the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services(DSS) in the state, who lost their lives in the line of active duty.


The deceased personnel include Inspectors Cyril Onyia and Shuaibu Usman, Sergeants Ike Anari, Mathew Nguru and Mathew Julius as well as Mr Anthony Anaeto of the DSS.

Presenting the cash donations, Gov Obiano said the exercise was a continuous one through which the State Government recognizes and appreciates the efforts of security personnel who paid the Supreme sacrifice in the service of the State.

He highlighted that the circumstances that led to their deaths have been noted and efforts being made to fortify the approach of security men in future.

He revealed that the State Government is presently taking care of the hospital bills of a Police Officer who sustained severe bullet wounds in the cause of a security operation in the state.

Condoling with the bereaved families, the Governor urged them to take solace in the fact that their departed loved ones would be remembered for their gallantry, assuring that as time goes on, the State will continue to support them.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Umar, acknowledged that due to its numerous constraints, the Force has not been able to do anything for the bereaved families and commended Gov Obiano for his humane disposition towards security operatives in the state, which he noted, was now widely acclaimed.

One of the Widows, Mrs Sophia Nguru who spoke on behalf of the others, thanked Gov Obiano immensely for remembering them and giving them succour, praying God for more blessings and favour upon him and his family.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/photos-obiano-splashes-n6m-on-widows-of.html

The Federal Capital Territory indigenes have stated that they will not be part of the Arewa Republic if Nigeria breaks up.

The Abuja natives said they would rather seek an independent status by asking the United Nations to govern the territory through a transitional arrangement until it could become an autonomous city state with socio-political and economic sovereignty.

The President of the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja, Pastor Danladi Jeji, who said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja, however, declared support for Nigeria and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We urge more peace and unity at the moment but should the Nigerian federation be dissolved, we shall have no choice but to seek an independent status from the northern or southern groups agitating for separate countries at the moment.

“Like Kosovo, we shall seek the United Nations’ administrative, civil and military support to declare an autonomous status of self-government,” the statement signed by OIDA Media Adviser, Sumner Sambo, stated.

It warned any region or individuals hoping to annex or forcefully claim Abuja in the case of the disintegration of Nigeria to discard such notions.
More details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/breaking-newsabuja-indigenes-disowns.html

Being the impatient and “clever” people that we are, we have tended to always advocate confederation whenever there was a hiccup in our federal arrangement! George Kousoulas defines “confederation” as a “loose association of independent and sovereign states, which goes beyond the context of alliance by establishing some common political and administrative organs but without setting up central governmental authorities.”

In comparing federal unions with confederacies, Karl Deutsch reveals, inter alia, that “states often may secede from confederacy, if their own governments or voters so decide, whereas such secession is not permitted in a federal union.”
The European Union is one example of a confederation, and it should be understood from the context of the above authoritative definitions why the pull out of a member nation, Britain being the latest example, has not been a subject of conflict or acrimony. Britons voted in 2016, albeit by a small margin, to pull out of the European Union and the process of withdrawal has since commenced with the triggering of “Article 50” by the former. The Scottish referendum of 2014, also has to be understood within the context of the United Kingdom and the nature of laws and understandings that guide relationships therein.

On the contrary, the dissolution of a federal union has tended to result from some war or conflict. The United States of America is the oldest federal nation in the world, the founding fathers having rejected the erstwhile Articles of Confederation which did not meet the needs of a purposeful and dynamic nation. The attempted secession of 11 southern states in 1860 and 1861 led to the American Civil War of 1861 to 1865. The successful prosecution of the war by the federalists firmly established the indestructibility of the union as a doctrine. In Texas v White (1869), the United States Supreme Court held that the USA was an “indestructible union” from which no state can secede. However, the justices commented that revolution or consent of the states could lead to a successful secession.
Almost 100 years after the American Civil War, Nigeria fought its own “war of unity” between 1967 and 1970. The federal authorities asserted that the war was to preserve the “territorial integrity” of Nigeria. With the “indissolubility” of the nation emphatically inserted in the Constitution, it is doubtful if the authorities will acquiesce in any action or suggestion that directly or indirectly results in the destruction of the Nigerian state. It is in this regard that the referendum demanded by Nnamdi Kanu and his co-agitators on the prospect of a sovereign state of Biafra, might have fallen on deaf ears. The smart bet is that they will not get that referendum from the Federal Government, and the principle of self-determination, elegantly crafted in international law, has not been the easiest of principles to invoke or implement.


However, the agitators have an option; they could warmly support the restructuring of the Nigerian federation, as currently being canvassed by politicians. Motives compete and contend in this advocacy; some proponents genuinely believe that their advocacy will lead to a better and more stable Nigerian federation, while there are those whose utterances suggest that they anticipate that such restructuring could lead to their ultimate goal of breaking up the federation. Beyond mere sloganeering, the protagonists of restructuring have yet to forcefully articulate and disseminate their agenda. Of course, some have suggested the scrapping of the states for new regions and this suggests that they might have quickly forgotten that some of the states were once violently agitated for by Nigerians.
Be that as it may, Kanu and his Indigenous People of Biafra have said all they ever advocate is a referendum and not the restructuring of Nigeria. The agitators may very well end up engaging the Federal Government in a war that would eventually decide the fate of their cause. Their leadership seems to have adopted some stubborn and more militant posturing recently, not least in their declaration or warning that there would be no elections in any part of the south-eastern states, beginning with the Anambra State elections in November, unless the Federal Government authorised a referendum on Biafra.

Although some politicians in the region have voiced their anger at the seeming arrogance and over-exaggerated feelings of self-importance on the part of Nnamdi Kanu in making that declaration or warning, it is in effecting it that the entire world will know or
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/will-nnamdi-kanu-fight-war.html

The Court of Appeal will today hear the application of former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, on the refusal of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to issue an order inviting former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to appear in court as a defence witness for him.

Justice Okon Abang had, in dismissing Metuh’s application, ruled that Dasuki is not a compellable witness and ordered that the accused should seek other ways of getting the DSS to produce the former NSA in court to testify for him.

Metuh had approached the trial court to issue the subpoena as the defence has made several moves including correspondences to get the DSS to produce Dasuki to no avail.Following the dismissal of the application by Justice Abang and the failure of the DSS to produce Dasuki in court, Metuh took the matter to the Court of Appeal for intervention. The defendant had insisted that the evidence of Dasuki is needed to establish his innocence and in the interest of justice
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/appeal-court-hears-metuhs-request-to.html

The leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has absolved the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, from blames over the 2016 Igbo Day killings of his comrades at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The IPOB leader, who spoke during a surprise visit to Eze Eri of Aguleri, Eze Chukwuemeka Eric, at Obu-Gad, the ancestral birth place of Ndigbo, declared to a large crowd of his followers that thronged the venue that contrary to the insidious campaign by the opposition on social media, Governor Obiano had no hand in the killings.

In his own words, the Biafran self-determination group leader declared: “I have said it again and again that there was never a time that our brother, the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, directed the Nigerian Police or the Nigerian Army to shoot our brothers. I cannot in good conscience blame an innocent man for another man’s crimes. I cannot be a party to that.”

Recalling that he was once the Chairman of the UK chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Kanu vowed that all attempts by the APC to take over Anambra State would be stoutly resisted by his group.

Speaking on the need for APGA to retain its foothold in Anambra State, he also recalled that “although many people are not aware of it, but we were the ones who voted massively for governor Obiano in 2013 to give him victory at the polls.”

According to him, IPOB does not harbour any ill feelings against Governor Obiano. “The only grouse we had about him was that he did not acknowledge that the victims of the killings were his brothers. But we have forgiven him because he is our brother and a wise man does not nurse a prolonged grudge against his own brother. We have forgiven him.” The self-determination activist further observed that Governor Obiano was from Aguleri, a historically important town to Ndigbo and should be supported by the Igbo people in the coming election.

It would be recalled that some mischief makers had made desperate efforts to pin the blames for the killings of some Biafran self-determination activists in Nkpor in May last year on Governor Obiano.

The vicious campaign had gone on unperturbed by the governor’s repeated declaration of his innocence.

The IPOB leader’s absolution has finally rested all doubts about Governor Obiano’s culpability in that widely condemned incident.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nkpor-ipob-killings-nnamdi-kanu.html

James Eze is the SSA media to gov Obiano, he was responsible for issuing the statement that caused diplomatic row between govs Obiano of Anambra and his brother in Imo state.

This time he has caused another row between Obiano and Nise community.
On Friday, June 30, 2017, James Eze took some journalists on tour of project inspection to substantiate their lies in media that Gov Obiano had performed.
And unfortunately, he took them to Nise community, a town that has no single project from Obiano administration. He misled them to the Federal govt college road Nise that was constructed by ex gov Peter Obi.
He introduced the road, the spur and the bridge on that section of the road as solidly constructed by Obiano administration.
After the tour, James Eze took to his Facebook page where he uploaded the video of the Federal govt college road Nise and credited it to Obiano.
This action has angered the quiet community. Ndi Nise have been in deep anger against gov Obiano.
The first to draw the attention of the public and Nise town to false claims was Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia, a native of Nise and the SA media to Dr Ifeanyi Ubah. He called the claim an outright lie, deceit and falsehood.
When APGA Interactive Forum media published the story yesterday, our reporter filed in a report that ndi Nise have been calling their people, drawing their attention to the falsehood.
The Nise community said the claim by Obiano govt was not only misleading but an attempt to deceive the public into believing that the community has benefited from his administration.
A source told our reporter that the community is considering baring Obiano from campaigning in Nise community except he retracts the false claim.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/nise-community-in-awka-south-to-ban-gov.html

Two former governors of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief TA Orji, are still bitter with each other. Not even respect for the dead could make them control their emotions as they tore at each other verbally at at Oboro, Ikwuano LGA of Abia State during a burial ceremony over the weekend.

Barely controlling himself, immediate past governor of the State, Senator T A Orji maintained that his predecessor forced all political appointees in the State to swear oaths of allegiance to him and his mother at Okija shrine, but he did away with such fetish practices as governor.

The two political gladiators clashed at the Ntalakwu Secondary School. Oboro venue of the funeral ceremony for former Secretary to the Government, Dr Elekwachi Nwogbo.
Chief Orji Uzor Kalu who attended the event with his brother, Mascot Uzor Kalu and bus loads of his supporters threw the first punch when invited to speak.
Kalu who recently joined APC and is facing a N2.7b fraud case at the Federal High Court, used the opportunity to praise the departed man. He went further to throw not so veilled snide remarks against his successor, Chief T A Orji who also served with the late Nwogbo in his administration.
OUK narrated that while he served as governor, the late Dr Nwogbo helped him to ensure that workers and pensioners were taken care of instead of suffering with no hope. He also claimed that Abia State stopped working after he left the government and since then no other Governor has been able to do as well as he did.
When he was invited to speak, the immediate past governor, now representing Abia central senatorial district, Senator T A Orji, praised the work ethics of the departed former SSG who worked with him while he was serving as Chief of Staff in the government led by Orji Uzor Kalu.
Sen. Orji who attended the event with his wife subsequently launched into counter attacks against his former boss.
Sen. Orji declared: "if there is nothing else I achieved as Governor of Abia State I can at least beat my chest and say I ended idol worship in this state. On my watch, Commissioners and appointees didn't have to go to Okija or any other shrine to pledge allegiance to me and my mother or wife. Even the inherited debts and outstanding salaries/pensions were largely settled and I left the state as one of the least indebted in the country while adding many legacy projects that Abia people are enjoying to date"
He went further: "it is on record that I am the only elected former Governor of this state that our people massively elected to represent them at the senate whereas others have tried many times and were rejected by our people."
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/orji-kalu-made-us-swear-oaths-of.html

In readiness for the quit notice Northern Youth Forum served to the Igbos. The report reaching us this morning is that they have sold there mosque at Sokoto road, Onitsha.

Central Moques Sokoto road, Onitsha, Anambra State was allegedly sold to Agison an Oraugwu man at N400 Million naira.
This report is coming from the current Eze Ndi Igbo in Malaysia.
The report was sent in this morning showing the northern readiness to relocate to their region.
According to the massage, it urged every igbo man to relocate now or be blamed.
This is a call to be taken serious as the northerners are not relenting on the quit notice served to the igbos.
Investigation are ongoing to ascertain the authenticity the said claims that Agison from Oraukwu paid N400 Million for the property.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/breaking-onitsha-central-mosque-sold.html

Senator Andy Uba is currently a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as a frontline governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State. In this interview with ANYAORA THELMA CHIOMA, he speaks on several matters ranging from his style of politics to his relationship with Ngige as well as his ambition to serve the people of Anambra again as governor.


Question:

*Are you not afraid that the party might still go with an “original” APC member?*

Response:

*I do not understand what you mean by “like original APC member,” which one then is the fake APC member? Please listen, the party does not have original or fake members, we are all one within the party, we all have guaranteed status as aspirants of the party, there is indeed no divide in the APC. Lets look at the near past, in 2014, the present Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Tambuwal decamped from the PDP to the APC and ran for the ticket, the people in Sokoto did not say, he is new in the party or he is fake APC. Same also goes for the present governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom who moved from the PDP to the APC under 48 hours.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/apc-do-not-have-fake-or-original.html

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the Federal Government would remain resolute in its fight against corruption in spite of the daunting challenges. Osinbajo said this in Lagos at the 5th Annual Christopher Kolade Lecture on Business Integrity titled: ‘Prevention is better than Cure even on the Issue of Corruption.’

The lecture was organised by the Integrity Organisation Limited, an anti-corruption, research and advocacy organisation concerned with public accountability and transparency.

He restated that the country must ensure that corruption is prosecuted, adding that in the last two years, there have been many cases of persons accused of corruption who have been taken to the courts.


“We have a hardworking and courageous team as most of our law enforcement agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have worked commendably despite daunting challenges.

“Of course they are not perfect and there are several complaints, but what is obvious is that they have focused on the work of investigation and prosecution and in fact, very few convictions and there are several reasons for that,” he stated.

Osinbajo added that the most notorious of the complaints were the delays in administration of justice system mainly caused, sometimes by lawyers whose defence strategy is delayed.

“Often, Judges have indulged these tactics by not taking firm control of their courts and witnesses being cross-examined for over a month.

“An important lesson for any society that hopes to fight a successful war against systemic corruption is that corruption will fight back viciously, using every means possible, and sometimes, using the very constitutions that are created to fight it,” he added.

He pointed out that Nigeria had experienced and continued to experience that but the antidote is single-minded commitment.
more details at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/07/fg-will-remain-resolute-in-anti.html

Nigeria’s economy may be in a difficult period, but with digitalisation at the core of the national banking strategy, financial inclusion has been given room to grow.

“There are so many people in Africa that are outside the banking system”, said Segun Agbaje, Managing Director and CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), one of the continent’s leading financial institutions. “For you to be part of organised society, financial inclusion is a must.”

Slowly but surely, financial inclusion in Africa is improving. In fact, the Central Bank of Nigeria predicts that, by 2020, the number of adult Nigerians with access to payment services will increase to around 70 percent (see Fig 1). “It’s not as superfast as we would like it to be, but there are marked improvements, and this is steadily increasing”, said Agbaje, speaking to World Finance. “Just 10 years ago, data on financial inclusion was hard to come by. Now we know just how much better we must do in order to expand access to financial services.”
Access to savings, credit, insurance and pensions is also growing rapidly.
“Encouraging as these projections are, we know that there’s a lot more to be done. This is why, at GTBank, we are keen to leverage digital technology to expand the reach of our products and services. Mobile has become very, very big and we have begun to see people doing a lot using their mobile phones.”
Agbaje points to the example of Kenya’s M-Pesa, a mobile-based money transfer and finance platform that is now used by more than two thirds of the country’s adult population. The mobile app serves as a channel for approximately 25 percent of Kenya’s GNP. “When I look at our mobile technology compared to a lot of developed economies, I think we’re a lot further ahead. You know, I actually think that the African banking sector is very much ahead in terms of mobile banking. And I think African banks are probably embracing disruptive technologies a lot quicker, because we don’t have as many legacies.”

Making banking more mobile
This readiness to embrace new technologies has helped a large proportion of the African population skip whole stages of traditional digital development altogether. Indeed, for many, a smartphone is their first computer. Agbaje said: “From experience, we know that the major reasons for financial exclusion include the lack of physical access to financial institutions, inadequate understanding of financial institutions and their products, general distrust in the system, and the affordability of products as a result of minimum opening balance requirements.”
Despite these hurdles, technology is helping forward-thinking institutions tackle such challenges head on, prompting financial inclusion to leap forward on the African continent. Agbaje explained:
“The world is changing around us and the future of banking is digital. To protect our traditional business and maintain our social relevance, we are incorporating another model, which involves mobile phones, use of data, partnerships and collaborations. Simply put, we are creating a platform to support our traditional business model by leveraging digital solutions.”
GTBank’s Bank 737 provides banking services to millions of Nigerian mobile phone owners, and does not require internet access to perform basic banking services. Anyone with a phone registered in Nigeria can open an account, transfer money, buy airtime or check their balance by dialling *737#. The convenience of Bank 737 lies in the fact that all of its services can be accessed through a customer’s mobile phone, at the dial of *737#. And because stable internet access is still not ubiquitous in Africa, Bank 737, being USSD-powered, side steps the need for an internet connection.
“Through this service, which makes banking simpler, cheaper and faster, we continue to pull into the banking stream many of those who have long been excluded from the country’s financial framework”, said Agbaje. “Since its introduction, we have recorded an uptake of over three million customers and over NGN 1trn [$3.1bn] in transactions via the platform.
The reception of Bank 737 has been phenomenal, with it gaining recognition as Product of the Year in Africa from The Asian Banker and Best Digital Bank in Africa from Euromoney. The bank was also the recipient of six awards at the 2017 Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme Awards, which was organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria in conjunction with the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System to recognise financial institutions, merchants and other stakeholders at the forefront of driving electronic payments in Nigeria.”
Digitally minded
“Core to our digital strategy is both our understanding that the future of banking is digital, and our determination to lead that future”, Agbaje said. “We know, because digital technologies have dissolved the boundaries between industry sectors, that our competition is no longer just banks. It now includes fintechs, telcos and tech companies that can provide speed and flexibility to customers as we can. This creates tough challenges for the banking sector, but it also creates ample opportunities to extend our footprint.”
A readiness to embrace new technologies has helped large portions of the African population skip whole stages of traditional digital development altogether
For example, the bank’s SME MarketHub is an e-commerce platform that allows business owners to create online stores. Agbaje told World Finance: “Our strategy is to take advantage of the new opportunities born from the digital revolution by moving beyond our traditional role as enablers of financial transactions and providers of financial products, to playing a deeper role in the digital and commercial lives of our customers. In pursuit of this strategy we have created our own in-house fintech division, while also actively seeking partnerships and collaborations with other fintechs.
“Our immediate focus is three-pronged; to digitalise our key processes, build a robust data-gathering infrastructure, and create a well designed, segmented and integrated customer experience, rather than a one-size-fits-all distribution. In the long run, our goal is to build a digital bank that consistently delivers faster, cheaper and better solutions for the constantly evolving needs of our customers.”
The lack of digital and electrical infrastructure, as well as lower levels of wealth than those found in more developed markets, means that there are some barriers to the full adoption of digital banking that are particular to Africa. “Another obvious challenge is the little focus given to innovation in the banking industry.
African banks, like most banks across the world, tend to innovate in bite sizes, and generally around products, rather than service delivery. It was almost as though banks believed that ownership of the customer was their right, as long as they had the branch network to support customer footfall. Now, facing the real threat of losing relevance, banks are waking up to this need to innovate – not just out of dire necessity, but as a strategic objective.”
Agbaje also pointed out that, while GTBank has made significant gains in getting customers to accept digital banking as a viable alternative to traditional forms, there is still more to be done. That said, he is hopeful that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ‘Cash-less Nigeria’ policy, which discourages the use of cash, will drive greater migration to e-banking platforms.
“We are also tackling the innovation challenge. We now operate an open innovation policy, through which we invest significantly in building our in-house digital capabilities. At the same time, we are seeking effective partnerships and alliances to drive operational efficiency and boost our competitive advantage.
“We want to become a fully digital bank that offers everyday banking services outside of traditional bank walls, but more than that, we want to create digital touch points that ensure we are constantly interacting and playing a deep role in the lives our customers. This of course requires a sustained commitment, and we have repositioned our business structures in such a way that makes us very confident in our continued leadership of Africa’s digital frontier.”
Gaining interest
Despite the difficult business environment in 2016, GTBank enjoyed “a fairly decent year”, according to Agbaje. The bank overcame these challenges by growing its retail business and leveraging technology to deliver superior payment solutions to make banking simpler, faster and better. Gross earnings for the period grew by 37 percent to NGN 414.62bn ($1.3bn), from NGN 301.85bn ($959m) in December 2015 (see Fig 2).

This was driven primarily by growth in interest income, as well as foreign exchange income. Profit before tax stood at NGN 165.14bn ($524.7m), representing a growth of 37 percent since December 2015. The bank’s loan book also grew 16 percent, from the NGN 1.37trn ($4.4bn) recorded in December 2015 to NGN 1.59trn ($5.1bn) in December 2016, with corresponding growth in total deposits increasing 29 percent, to NGN 2.11trn ($6.7bn).
Likewise, the bank’s balance sheet remained strong with a 19.7 percent growth in total assets and contingents, reaching NGN 3.70trn ($11.8bn) at the end of December 2016, while shareholders’ funds reached NGN 504.9bn ($1.6bn). The bank’s non-performing loans remained low at 3.29 percent – below the regulatory threshold of 3.66 percent, with adequate coverage of 131.79 percent. Against the backdrop of this result, return on equity (ROE) and return on assets closed at 35.96 percent and 5.85 percent respectively.
According to Agbaje: “The vision of the bank is to build an oasis in a country that was not necessarily known for doing things properly, so we focused on ethics and integrity. And once you build anything on that type of foundation – because even though things change, values never change – and bring in very young people who imbibe this culture along with a healthy attitude towards work, you have a workforce that’s very young and dynamic, possessing all the right values to enable you to build a successful organisation.”
Pan-African
GTBank is building on its successes both at home and abroad through its ‘Pan-African’ growth strategy. Apart from its home market in Nigeria, the bank enjoys a presence in three countries in east Africa (Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda), five in the west (Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone) and has plans to have another in Tanzania by the end of the year.“Our strategy has always been to go into a country and take the high end of the middle market, and then as we grow, enter into the corporate markets.
“We are building a high-end type retail business because the middle class is emerging in most countries in Africa, and where you have an emerging middle class, you have a lot of banking opportunities. So far, we have been fairly successful, delivering an ROE after tax of over 25 percent.”
The bank’s expansion strategy has enjoyed remarkable success, with businesses outside Nigeria now accounting for 15 percent of total deposits, 11 percent of its loans and around 8.2 percent of its profit. Over the next three years, Agbaje expects subsidiary contribution to grow further, to approximately 20 percent.
more at http://www.akelicious.com/2017/06/digital-banking-holds-key-to-financial.html