₦airaland Forum

Investors in Sterling Bank Plc shares are impressed with the bank’s stock recording over 52percent year-to-date (ytd) price gain amid its impressive earnings in full year 2017 and first-quarter (Q1) 2018 records.

Remarkably, the bank reported a profit after tax of N8.5 billion for the financial year ended December 31, 2017 as against N5.2 billion in 2016, representing an increase of 65 percent in profitability. Gross earnings increased by 19.8percent to N133.5 billion in 2017 compared to N111.4 billion in 2016. Sustaining the impressive performance, Sterling Bank reported a profit growth of 65.2 percent for the first quarter ended 31st March 2018.

Analysts and stockbrokers at a recent Facts Behind the Figures session of the bank at the Nigerian Stock Exchange were unanimous in their verdict that the bank’s coherent strategy, business transformation initiatives, strong management team, and disruptive solutions will lead to better than expected future results for the mid-sized lender...

Read more: http://www.businessdayonline.com/investors-upbeat-sterling-banks-growth/

An international rating agency, Moody’s, has assigned a B2, stable rating to Sterling Bank Plc for its resilient deposit funding base and stable local currency liquidity.

The rating was also informed by the bank’s improvement on its Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and risk management processes.

The rating agency has also assigned a national scale local currency deposit rating of A1.ng/NG-1 and a Counterparty Risk Assessment (CRA) of B1.

It noted that Sterling Bank’s strength is balanced against Nigeria’s challenging operating environment, which takes into account the strong growth potential of the system, institutional and structural weaknesses and low foreign currency liquidity buffers...

Read more: http://thenationonlineng.net/moodys-affirms-sterling-banks-b2-rating/

Sterling Bank Plc has emerged as one of the best banks in Nigeria in international trade cash payment from Deutsche Bank AG of Germany.

The bank emerged second runner-up in the 6th edition of the Straight Through Processing (STP) Excellence Award 2016/2017 Dinner held in Lagos recently.

Mr Harold Leenen, Managing Director, GTB Head Middle East & Africa of Deutsche Bank presented the award to Mr Yemi Odubiyi, Executive Director, Operations & Services and Mr Ayodele Ogumeru, Group Head, Trade Services, both of Sterling Bank...

Read more: http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/sterling-bank-wins-deutsche-banks-excellence-award/

Sterling Bank Plc has joined other corporate bodies around the world to celebrate its employees as part of activities to mark this year’s International Customer Service Week (ICSW). In his comments on the annual event, Executive Director, Operations & Services, Mr. Yemi Odubiyi explained in an e-mail that the bank decided to honour its employees in recognition of their significant contribution to the growth and development of the bank over the years...

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sterling-bank-fetes-employees-for-international-customer-service-week.html

Sterling Bank Plc saturday took its financial inclusion drive to the next level with the training of over 20,000 secondary school students nationwide to mark the 2018 edition of the Financial Literacy Day.

The lender also staged a quiz competition among students from 42 schools in Lagos with winners going home with attractive prizes...

Read more: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/03/18/sterling-bank-takes-financial-literacy-to-imo-hosts-42-lagos-schools/

Yemi Odubiyi currently serves as the Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer of Sterling Bank Plc – a role he has held since December 2014.

Mr. Odubiyi was born on 2nd September, 1972; studied at the University of Lagos and holds a first degree in Estate Management (1994) as well as a Master in International Law degree(1998) from the same institution. He started his banking career with the Nigeria unit of Citibank NA (at the time known as Nigeria International Bank) in 1995 as an Operations & Technology Generalist serving across all its Operations and Technology functions and was thereafter enrolled in its ManagEment Associate program undertaking stints across all key units of the Bank...

Read more: https://pageone.ng/2016/11/08/yemi-odubiyi-executive-director-sterling-bank/

Sterling Bank Plc has joined other corporate bodies around the world to celebrate its employees as part of activities to mark the 2017 Customer Service Week.

The Executive Director, Operations and Services, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Yemi Odubiyi, said the bank decided to honour its employers in recognition of their significant contributions to the growth and development of the bank over the years.

He attributed the success of the bank to its employees and praised them for rendering vital services to customers, on behalf of the bank.

According to him, such services are business loans, mortgage, cash management, merchant services and other customer service functions...

Read more: http://punchng.com/sterling-bank-celebrates-employees/

Sterling Bank Plc, THE one–customer bank, has joined other corporate bodies around the world to celebrate its employees as part of activities to mark this year’s International Customer Service Week (ICSW). In his comments on the annual event, Executive Director, Operations & Services, Mr. Yemi Odubiyi, explained that the bank decided to honour its employees in recognition of their significant contribution to the growth and development of the bank over the years...

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/10/sterling-bank-celebrates-employees/

Sterling Bank Plc says it has taken its financial inclusion drive to the next level with the training of over 20,000 secondary school students nationwide to mark the 2018 edition of the Financial Literacy Day.

The lender also staged a quiz competition among students from 42 schools in Lagos with winners going home with attractive prizes.

The Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Designate, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, led other executive and senior management team for the exercise as he taught students of Owerri Girls’ Secondary School, Owerri to the delight of both students and teachers of the school.

He also gave out various gift items, which the bank said was in line with its enriching lives proposition and renewed commitment to promoting financial literacy among students...

Read more: http://punchng.com/sterling-bank-trains-20000-students-in-financial-literacy/

By Jonah Nwokpoku

At the end of the campaign, a total of 193,650 naira was raised through 3,873 Facebook shares; 11,150 naira through 223 Instagram likes and 1,567,350 through 31,347 retweets.

One of Nigeria’s commercial banks, Sterling Bank has raised 3,544,300 million naira to support victims of Benue flood.

The bank, which is reputed for innovative Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR strategies and prgrammes, raised the fund through social media engagement.

As soon as the Benue flood story hit the airwaves, the bank began galvanizing the support of Nigerians to raise funding for the flood victims.

The bank asked its followers on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to retweet, share and like messages about the flood in exchange for 50 Naira for every retweet, share and like.

At the end of the campaign, a total of 193,650 naira was raised through 3,873 Facebook shares; 11,150 naira through 223 Instagram likes and 1,567,350 through 31,347 retweets.

http://www.jalupon.com/sterling-bank-raises-3-5-million-naira-benue-flood-victims/

As part of efforts to mentor and coach young people in the society, Wesley Chapel, Lekki, Methodist Church Diocese of Lagos, has announced Mr. Tonye Cole, Co-founder Sahara Group, as the guest speaker for the September edition of its quarterly “Words of Wisdom” (WoW) inspirational programme.

The programme which will hold on Saturday, September 2, 2017, at Wesley Chapel’s premises, Km 14, Lekki-Epe expressway, opposite Oluwanisola Estate, Lekki, is expected to bring professionals, entrepreneurs and undergraduates together to listen to Mr. Cole as he shares his experiences of life garnered over the years.

Taking inspiration from the book of Proverbs and the story of Solomon in the Holy Bible, the event organisers enlists the assistance of proficient people who have gone through the thick and thin of society’s rigours to share their challenges over the years, and how they tackled them to serve as worthy examples for the youth with the privileged young minds.

According to the Convener, WoW, Very Reverend Ayo Richards, who is the Chaplain of Wesley Chapel, “the programme gives young people the opportunity to be tutored by senior executives, administrators, and entrepreneurs on how to diligently plan and make decisions that will help to make their careers to blossom. It equally provides a platform for the business gurus to encourage the younger ones to take up the gauntlet and venture into business, offer strategic tips on how to remain relevant, and surmount the challenges that lies ahead.

“More importantly,” he said, “our guest speaker will use the platform to communicate the need for the young ones to put their trust in God and not to compromise their faith whenever they find themselves in difficulties. The youths also would have the opportunity to ask the guest speaker questions.”

Mr. Cole is the co-founder and executive director of the Sahara Group. An architecture alumni of the University of Lagos and Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program (AMP186), Mr. Cole, together with his partners has grown the company, founded in 1996, from a single entity to a leading African Energy (Oil, Gas and Power) and infrastructure conglomerate with operations in over 10 countries across four continents of the world.
Mr. Cole is an active member of the World Economic Forum’s Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) and also represents Sahara Group as a member of the Private Sector Advisory Group of the United Nations Sustainable Development Fund (UN SDG-F) – in recognition of Sahara Group’s role in promoting inclusive economic growth for poverty eradication, capacity building, food security and access to potable water in Africa.

A motivational speaker, ordained minister, entrepreneur and a firm believer in Africa’s inherent greatness, Mr. Cole’s passion for youth development has seen him travel vastly, delivering numerous papers to the continent’s youth. Also, his philanthropic activities are expressed through his foundation, Nehemiah Youth Empowerment Initiative and the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the group, Sahara Foundation; which has recorded many interventions in the area of Education, Environment, Health, Capacity building and currently in the area of Extraprenueurship, using a model that seeks to drive sustainability and create platforms that finds, creates and connects young people with business interests in emerging markets.
http://www.jalupon.com/tonye-cole-headlines-words-wisdom-wesley-chapel-lekki/

In support of Sterling Bank’s exciting One Woman value proposition, a select number Nigerian women were taught to take action, make positive choices about their own lives and do positive things for others at the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos.

These and many more positive outcomes were the bank’s expectations from the programme entitled, “Sexually Confident Woman”. The theme of the one-day programme organised by Tope Mark-Odigie was “Self-Love”.

A-list speakers and panelists at the programme include Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, CEO, Design Options, Mrs. Mojisola Bakara, General Manager, Corporate Banking, Sterling Bank, Ms. Kate Henshaw, Nollywood Actor and Izefua Ehi-Williams, a prominent life coach. Others were Dr. Maymunah Kadiri, a clinical psychologist, Barrister Orbby Agwuncha, a sexologist and Beecee Ugboh, a gospel hip hop artiste.

Speaking during the programme, Mrs. Ighodalo commended Sterling Bank saying the bank is living up to its promise of supporting and empowering women.

“Sterling Bank is a very strong supporter of women and when the bank launched the ‘One Woman’ product recently, the goal was to empower women and support them. By putting the word out there about self-love, Sterling Bank is hoping to encourage women and hopefully help them to love themselves”, Mrs. Ighodalo disclosed.

Also speaking, Mrs. Mojisola Bakare, General Manager, Corporate Banking, Sterling Bank said, “We have always been talking about breaking the glass ceiling. This unacknowledged barrier to a woman’s career advancement cannot be cleared except women are aware and self-conscious of themselves and know how to position themselves. It is only when a confident woman brings herself out that is when she can be identified for positions and for greatness.”

Mrs. Bakare added that “One Woman by Sterling Bank is about making women realise their potential to make positive changes and be successful in life. Changing how women see themselves is a process and some need professional help. This explains our support for the self-love programme which brings professionals and women together to kick-start this process.

On her part, Mrs. Tope Mark Odigie, convener of the Sexually Confident Woman programme said “The objective of self-love is to motivate and encourage women to love and accept themselves. It is about changing the thinking that they must fit a stereotype to be beautiful and also to help them understand that self-confidence will improve their lives and business.

“So it is very important for women to find themselves, find their voices and be comfortable with themselves to achieve all round success.”

Ms. Omolara Akinfolarin, Head of MSME, Sterling Bank, disclosed that the One Woman proposition of the Bank was designed to meet the financial, business and personal needs of women thereby eliminating vulnerabilities and dependencies that may stifle their self-discovery journey.

Benefits of the One Woman proposition include discounts on lending rates of all retail loan products, capacity building programmes and the Sterling Maternal Medical Finance (SMMF) which is available to women for peculiar medical treatments like fibroid. Others are customized debit cards with a bold feminine touch that would provide cardholders access to discounts for spas, makeover services, and furniture/household items at select outlets.

The bank’s service and branch operations team led by Yemi Odubiyi – Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Sterling Bank, is delivering benefits of the One Woman proposition at all branches of the bank nationwide.

http://www.jalupon.com/sterling-bank-tackles-low-esteem-among-women-promotes-self-love/

In today’s interconnected world, quality international education is producing citizens of the 75. This new crop of cultural aware, skilled and knowledgeable citizens that apply global thinking when responding to local situations are sought after by multinational corporations from Lagos to Paris and Berlin, despite the language difference.
As a result, international education has become a global passport sought by young Africans, especially Nigerians, in order to ignite their career potential. To realise this dream, they look towards developed countries of the world for tertiary institutions with pedigree in scholarship, innovation and enterprise/entrepreneurship development.
With one of the most revered educational system worldwide, the Netherlands is a preferred academic destination for young Nigerians seeking ideal international education in the undergraduate, graduate and specialised education categories.
The country is home to one of the oldest and highly respected higher system of education, dating back to the 16th century. The Netherlands’ education institutions have a strong reputation for research and offer students world-class education in a variety of fields. It has 13 of its universities globally ranked in QS’s World University Rankings 2014-2015.
Primarily, universities in the Netherlands are highly sought after by foreign students because the qualifications are recognised and respected by employers and academics worldwide.
Remarkably, the Netherlands is a unique non-Anglophone country, where approximately 95% of locals speak English language. English is the second most widely spoken language in the country after its lingua franca, Dutch. Many courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels are offered in English. This factor makes living, studying, and working in the Netherlands very convenient, comfortable and pleasant for international students.
In addition, the Netherlands provides a multi-cultural learning and social environment for international students. This is an outstanding feature which attracts prospects, especially those who hail from heterogeneous countries like Nigeria. The Netherlands is home to over 190 different nationalities, and 10 percent of the entire student population is international.
The Netherlands also provides an efficient transportation system and an excellent opportunity to travel. With the country situated in the centre of Europe, it is quite easy to travel to major European cities from the Netherlands. From Amsterdam to Paris, Berlin, Brussels, or London takes only about an hour by flight. It also has great connections and accessibility by train to all major European cities.
The country also provides transportation discounts for students. You do not need a car in the Netherlands; you are more likely to need a bicycle- the preferred and cheapest means of transportation. It has an extensive network of cycle paths that are famously popular and eco-friendly, meaning you can easily move from one point to another.
One distinguishing feature of Netherlands universities that resonates positively among prospects is that some universities specialise in selected subject areas. The majority of postgraduate degrees are taken at universities or colleges and all subjects can be categorised into the following faculties- Arts and Humanities, Business and Social Sciences, and Technology, Science and Engineering.
Therefore, you can follow your passions and choose a course that matches your goals and interests. You can also choose to study online or on campus, in the Netherlands or even at an overseas campus!

Read more: http://www.jalupon.com/international-education-netherlands-advantage/

Solabomi Okonkwo is the Chief Executive Officer of NM En.Core Limited, a company that has made impact in brand activation, experiential marketing and advertising. BRANDCAMPAIGN had a chat with her on marketing and brand development issues. Excerpts:

Between Direct marketing, TV, Radio, outdoor and PR, which one adds more value to brand building?

Brand building is holistic and not single minded, so all the above listed marketing communication platform play significant roles when brand owners decide to grow their brand in the market space and with their target consumers. You have left out another major player in brand building in our world today, this channel takes your brand beyond the brands operating frontier and that is digital. These platforms have their peculiar reach in terms of stakeholders’ engagement but they all have one direct objective; brand building. TV radio and OOH are deployed majorly for brand adverts, while PR speak to the opinion shapers popularly called the fourth realm who then transfer the information to the intended receivers and finally reaching out to the consumers the main divide of a brand’s stakeholders would be the responsibility of direct marketing; the field Nm Encore plays in.

In the present state of Nigeria’s economy, what measures should brand owners take to improve on Returns on Investment?

I strongly believe a brand can’t go wrong if they employ creativity in pushing their brands, despite the economic challenges Nigeria is presently facing we are a people who appreciate creativity and would put our money where sound thinking exist. Brands have failed to use out of box thinking during stable economy any brand that continues in such trend might experience the flip side of business. Brand owners should have a proper knowledge and understanding of their consumers and how to effectively engage them which will transform into affinity/loyalty for the brand and this would bring about repeated purchase. So if you truly want ROI then put your thinking caps on and create a world for your brand and its consumers.

Some believe that Above the Line marketing solution has not been effective in growing brands and products, unlike in the past, what is your opinion on this?

I would not want to join the queue of those who believe in this theory of ATL not being effective anymore like in the past, the issue here would be the dynamism of today’s consumers. Consumers are now more in tune with global trends through country visits and online channels they patronize thus their thirst for creativity and proper brand messaging in adverts is now premium. So when you find consumers aversion to adverts it has more to do with the quality as against ATL. If you ask me what the job is I would say let’s put on our thinking caps and WOW the consumers.

Read more: http://www.jalupon.com/consumers-now-tune-global-trends-solabomi-okonkwo/

She recently joined other panelists at the African Women in Leadership Conference 2017 (AWOL) held in Ghana discussing “Unleashing the Power; Inspiring Greatness”.
Solabomi has over 15 years’ experience working with blue chips in sectors that include business services, digital printing solutions, telecommunications, marketing communications, financial services, foods and beverage sectors.
A seasoned business developer, brand builder, events manager, experiential marketer and quality audit specialist, Solabomi is a graduate of Psychology from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She also holds a Masters’ of Science degree in the same field from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Remarkably, Solabomi stands tall among Nigeria’s illustrious women who have broken the glass ceiling – the unacknowledged barrier to career advancement – which keeps women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their skill and qualification.
Solabomi is well known for successfully managing ground breaking projects in the marketing communications industry in Nigeria. The consumate marketer who started her professional career at Xerox – the world’s leading business service and digital printing solutions provider, was part of the team that launched, nurtured and built the Celtel, Vmobile and Airtel brands in Nigeria.
While working as part of the Airtel Team, she worked on big-budget pan Nigeria thematic campaigns, Airtel Nigeria-Arsenal Partnership, Arsenal Players’ visit to Nigeria, as well as the high-octane Airtel Night of Influence Event and the Airtel Rising Stars experiential executions. She was also part of the Nigeria’s Got Talent project.
However, Solabomi came of age and became a force to be reckoned with in the marketing communications industry when she became CEO of NM Encore in 2014. Under her leadership, the experiential marketing and activation agency redefined Nigeria’s experiential marketing landscape through innovation, creativity and originality.
This has seen the agency, which has been in operations for a little over three years, win prized accounts of multinational corporations and blue chip companies to the amazement of industry watchers; more especially because the experiential marketing sector is dominated by male Chief Executive Officers.
The success achieved by Solabomi in less than three years is indeed a barrier breaker for women aspiring to reach the top in the sector. She was inspired and propelled to achieve greatness in her chosen career by the believe that every woman has the potential to realise her dreams regardless of the barriers enroute to success by cultural,societal and traditional beliefs.
She identifies hard work and faith as the essential ingredients required to achieve success, and also believes that every African woman possess these sterling attributes and can therefore be successful. She is glad that a new generation of successful women are leading the younger generation by example – mentoring, inspiring and helping to liberate them from poverty, oppression and illiteracy.

http://www.nigeriacommunicationsweek.com.ng/news/solabomi-experiential-marketer-flies-nigeria-s-flag-at-awol-2017

Consummate experiential marketing professional and innovative thinker, Solabomi, is a rising star on the Nigerian experiential marketing firmament. She has over 15 years’ experience working with blue chips in sectors that include business services, digital printing solutions, telecommunications, marketing communications, financial services,foods and beverage sectors.
A seasoned business developer, brand builder, events manager, experiential marketer and quality audit specialist, Solabomi is a graduate of Psychology from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She also holds a Masters’ of Science degree in the same field from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Read more: http://www.jalupon.com/solabomi-okonkwo-experiential-marketer-rising-star-move/

The Deputy Head of Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Michel Deelen, on Friday said that the exposure of more Nigerians to international education would enhance Nigeria’s overall development.

Click here to register https://www.eventbrite.com/e/study-in-holland-fair-nigeria-tickets-34353434046

Deelen, who made the assertion in Lagos at a news conference to announce the First “Study in Holland Education Fair which holds at the Federal Palace on 10 June 2017,’’ restated his government’s commitment to strengthening educational cooperation with Nigeria.
The Deputy Head of Mission in Lagos said the current and future development of Nigeria would depend on the exposure of her young men and women to international education.

“Nigeria and the Netherlands have had cordial relations in different areas, but both countries’ educational cooperation has been running for decades.

“We strongly believe that if Nigerians are exposed, they would come back and apply their knowledge and exposure for the development of their country.

“So, we want more young Nigerians to study in an environment that is broad-based and with international exposure,’’ he said.
According to him, there are currently existing linkages between some Nigerian and Netherlands universities, aimed at promoting educational exchanges between both countries.

He said that there currently existed many government-owned universities in the Netherlands, that Nigerians should take advantage of in their educational development initiatives.

Deelen said that the Fair would afford Nigerians the opportunity to know first-hand, that there were qualitative and affordable educational opportunities for them in the Netherlands.

“We have found out that most Nigerians do not know of the huge educational opportunities for them in our universities and other institutions.
“We have also found out that the focal point for Nigerians in International education has usually been toward the U. S., UK and Canada.
“Now, we want Nigerians to come this fair and interact directly with representatives of the Delegation of Universities and other organisations at the fair,’’ he said.

Mrs. Temitayo Akinbiyi, the Education Affairs Advisor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said that about 12 different Dutch universities and other professional institutions would be at the Fair.

Akinbiyi said that the fair would afford Nigerians the opportunity to choose from the institutions, who were currently offering about 2,001 different courses in English Language.

She also said that the institutions were internationally recognised for qualitative and affordable education, as well as their innovative teaching methods and research.

Akinbiyi enjoined young Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunities at the Fair, scheduled to hold on June 10th, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, starting at 9:00 a.m.

Click here to register https://www.eventbrite.com/e/study-in-holland-fair-nigeria-tickets-34353434046

http://www.jalupon.com/holland-gives-young-nigerians-broad-based-education-international-exposure-envoy/

It worth it

I need to take advantage of this programme...

Holland is one of the places I would like to go...I really like the country

Surely a good place to study.

Staff of Sterling Bank, especially those who were made fair game for attack by ‘dubious’ blogger, Tega Oghenedoro alias Fejiro Oliver, are now heaving a sigh of relief. The blogger, who writes using pseudonyms, was arraigned and remanded in prison custody in Lagos for cyber stalking.

In 2014, Oghenedoro was arrested at the Abuja Airport by the DSS for attempting to extort N50 million from the governor of Niger State. The ‘blogger’ was a staff of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in Asaba as a camera man when he used a pseudonym to demand N50 million from the Niger State government as a condition for dropping a juicy story on the governor.

After the news of Oghenedoro’s detention broke last Friday, a Facebook user familiar with his mode of operation, Obiri Ebilade, wrote on the blogger’s wall: “Many days for the thief, one day for the owner. I think hand don touch Oliver Fejiro, the serial blackmailer.” Ebilade is the former president of the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU).
Before his arrest and arraignment in court, Oghenedoro and his accomplice, Dennis Ukpabi, a disgruntled former staff of Sterling Bank, used the controversial Secret Reporters Blog to publish libelous stories about his former colleagues. Ukpabi’s leverage was knowledge of the details of a 2014 fraud investigated by the bank which led to the sack of a member of staff responsible for the crime.

Ukpabi, who departed the bank unceremoniously over petty squabbles with some of his colleagues, allegedly contracted the services of Oghenedoro to inflict maximum damage on his perceived enemies in the bank. Oghenedoro swung into action by publishing vicious and slanderous stories about Ukpabi’s perceived enemies on the payroll of Sterling Bank using his online platform. He was later arrested and remanded in prison custody.

Immediately after Oghenedoro’s recent arrest, his associates blamed the former governor of Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, for his ordeal. Truly so, Uduaghan had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, alleging intimidation and threats from the person of Oghenedoro alias Fejiro Oliver.
Ukpabi and Oghenedoro were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos last Friday for acts punishable under the provisions of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc.) Act, 2015.

The first charge read, “That you Dennis Ukpabi and Tega Oghenedoro between 1st – 13th February, 2017 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of Federal High Court, conspired together to commit felonies, namely, knowingly and intentionally sending intimidated, hatred, insulting and needless anxiety messages and thereby committing an offence punishable under section 27 (1) (b) of Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc. Act 2015).”

Another charge read that the accused sent offensive messages to Desalu, Busola Awosile, Nyenke and Adeyemi Odubiyi, which are said to be ‘’punishable under section 24 (1) (b) of Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc. Act 2015.’’

Dennis Ukpabi and Tega Oghenedoro however pleaded not guilty to the charges. But the prosecution counsel, Mr. J. Oloruntoba, asked the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.

Frantic efforts were made by lawyers representing the two defendants; Mrs. Kitan and Mr. Inibehe Effiong, to persuade the court to admit them to bail. Effiong, who is an associate of Oghenedoro, informed the court that the defendants were accosted by the police and arraigned surreptitiously without proper and adequate notice. Effiong, a self-styled human rights activist, was also his lawyer in the 2014 extortion case with Niger State government.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, asked the defendants’ counsel to bring a formal application for bail and promised to hear it expeditiously.

The judge remanded them in Ikoyi Prisons.

http://jalupon.com/court-remands-serial-blackmailer-in-prison-over-attack-on-sterling-bank-staff/

For an entrepreneur, their joy knows no bounds when they secure land and capital, two very important ingredients needed in setting up a business venture. These two components, when obtained, set the wheel in motion for other essential factors of production.

Setting up a business enterprise in a state should, normally, be a laudable achievement for a businessperson and more importantly, a source of pride to the state where the venture is domiciled in. After all, governments all over the world are in business to protect lives and properties and improve the welfare of their citizens. It is also the government’s responsibility to encourage investment in their territory and protect already established businesses, by ensuring there is a considerable ease of doing business.

By guaranteeing a conducive environment for businesses to thrive in, business activities will amplify tremendously as such “friendly state” will likely become a beehive events and receive tonnes of proposals from different private organisations to either set-up in their state or collaborate with them.

However, despite embarking on an aggressive campaign to position itself as the leading state for investment in the country presently, backed by its old famed description as the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, the Lagos state government by its recent actions, has apparently forsaken to abide by its vision of projecting the state as the numero uno for business activities in the country.

In recent weeks, the Lagos state government has embarked on a demolition spree of citizens’ places of business, in places such as Isolo, Mile 2, and Iponri, all in the name of restoring sanity to the state’s physical environment and securing the lives of Lagosians.

While the state might justify with cogent reasons on the need to get going with its new-found love for wanton destruction, carrying out such activity with dreadful impunity, destroying people’s livelihood without recourse to the plight of the victims, especially during this period of a crunch economic recession, depicts how the state government indeed caters for the well-being of its citizens, the same people who elected them into power.

The Lagos state government bulldozer was, unfortunately, in action yet again on Friday, February 3, 2017, as it demolished a gas station, Olupese Oil, situated in the Oshodi area of the state.

Like a thief in the middle of the night, the government’s demolition machine moved to the petrol station just after 11 pm on that fateful day, flattening the entire place to rubbles. Properties destroyed include five dispensing pumps, four generating sets, and the freshly installed canopies. Aside the destruction, the station’s supermarket was looted by touts, its underground safe was broken and emptied, while its fifth generator, which could not be moved, was completely stripped.

In addition, all major documents, computers, and other electronic devices belonging to the oil company were buried in the debris.

Speaking on the incident, Administrator, Olupese Oil, Chief Abdul Abayomi, questioned how the government could embark on such a disastrous exercise, despite a court order restraining the state government from conducting any demolition activity.

A visibly distraught Chief Abayomi said the land had been in existence since 1979 and was allocated to Meshack Babatunde Adeyemi, a retired soldier of the Nigerian Army by the Federal Military government at that time.

According to Abayomi, the initial titleholder of the land got the relevant approval from the Ministry of Works to build a petrol station on that land in 1992, which was in existence even before the construction of the Agege Motor Road, and also got a Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) licence.

After the death of Adeyemi five years ago, the children of the late soldier leased the land to Abayomi to ensure continuity of the business. Upon completing all agreement formalities, Abayomi subsequently refurbished the station and remodelled it to a modern gas station.

However, despite the petrol station being in existence for over three decades, the Akinwumni Ambode-led government since its inception in 2015, had insisted that the petrol station must give way for unspecified reasons. Empowered by the Land Use Act of 1978 (as amended), which vested ownership of all lands in a state to the state governor (except lands already occupied and reserved for the federal government), and the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law of Lagos state, which was enacted in 2010, the state government began harassing the management of the petrol station and occupants of other buildings on the land to vacate the area and threatened to demolish the buildings.

A huge blow befell the other occupants of the land, including a bank, when the state government last year issued them a seven-day notice to vacate the land and consequently appeared suddenly at night-time on a particular day and demolished the structure without prior warning.

The petrol station, perhaps, thought that they had finally been spared of the arbitrary rascality of the state government with their structure still standing, but alas, they got a notice from the government informing them that they were coming back for the station’s demolition.

Aware of the imminent danger posed by the demolition threat, Abayomi, through his lawyers, M.O. Obiora and Associates, had approached the State High Court seeking an injunction to halt the planned demolition by the state government. Fortunately for him, his prayer was granted by the court, who issued an order restraining the state government and their agencies from carrying out any demolition activity on the station.

Nevertheless, despite the legal litigations (including a suit filed by the lawyer of the Adeyemi family in another court) ongoing and a court injunction issued, the Lagos state government, in defiance of the law, decided to go on with the demolition.

Narrating the circumstance of the demolition, Abayomi said; “They were there after 11 pm in the night, the people had closed and the information we got was that after they got there, they broke the door and allowed touts to go in. They looted everything there, including the supermarket, they broke the underground safe and carried all the money.

“So, when we got there, all the pumps; about five service pumps that we used for dispensing, the generators; two of them being used by the supermarket, two being used for the station, four of them were carted away, the fifth one which they couldn’t carry, they stripped it down. That is how to tell you how wicked these people can be.”

Stating that the state government was aware of the litigation, Chief Abayomi wondered why a lawfully elected government would flout court orders and act with such impunity, despite being custodians of the law. He also questioned whether a law can retroactively decide a case that has been on for over three decades before its enactment.

“They said there was a suit whereby the Lagos state government sued the Federal government that any unused land from what they gave to them from the federal roads should be reverted to them. They won that case in 2010. Meanwhile, don’t forget that this one has been on since 1979, 1992, 1998, long before the current dispensation. Do you make a law retroactive?”, he queried.

“We appealed so that they won’t take advantage and go and demolished. They were served the papers by our lawyers and it was not only given to the ministry of justice, it was served to the Commissioner of Physical Planning, Abiola Anifowoshe. He was served and a copy was given to us and they said they should not do anything to jeopardise the process. But what did we see?”

Quantifying the economic impact of the station’s demolition, Chief Abayomi disclosed that the equipment destroyed were worth several millions of Naira and that it would be extremely difficult to purchase such items back, considering the volatile foreign exchange rate as all the products are imported.

In his words; “The losses in terms of equipment is a colossus. To erect the destroyed canopies, you will probably need about N6million, because it is very expensive. Now, look at the pumps; they are double-sized pumps, they are about N3.5-N4 million each. Look at the generators. So, you know how everything has skyrocketed in terms of prices.

“The asset loss in total is about N100 million, in addition to the supermarket there, even the buildings and other facilities and equipment, it would be hard to quantify them. I am not even talking about business, what we have lost in terms of revenue. It’s so expensive to set up a station now. That place, we set it up almost anew over four years ago

He also queried how the employees of the station, over a dozen plus people, will fare, especially in this period of recession, taking into consideration that their livelihood had been snatched from them in a heart-wrenching manner.

“Now look at all these people who were working there; one of them just got married, one of them, his wife just had a baby. That is where they have been for several years. If you see the way they are now, running around just to survive. It is very pitiable. And we paid so much for a lease for that place and you now see the loss of income, it’s bad. Everything that we had there is gone because after they (demolition team) left, it was a free-for-all for area boys.”

“We are talking about recession, people striving hard to survive. Is this how you help people and businesses survive in this period?”

Chief Abayomi berated the Lagos state Commissioner of Physical Planning, Abiola Anifowoshe, over his behaviour prior to the demolition of the station, claiming that he ignored to site relevant documents backing up the establishment of the station on the land. He also questioned the motives of the commissioner and the state government for the destruction of a property that had been approved over 30 years ago.

“Even if you have anything to do, all you need to tell is ‘okay, come and update certain documents.’ I carried all the relevant documents to the Commissioner of Physical Planning, he said he’s not interested, we are demolishing. We now went to court, knowing fully well that they would do everything with impunity”, he said.

Probing further, Abayomi asked; “Can you see it disturbing anything? That land was up to the middle of the road. It was the road that came to meet the land in development, it was the road that shoved part of the land. The question here is; did this station constitute a danger to the public? And the federal government had done something in the past years, must you now destroy it for a law that you enacted in 2010? Does it mean that every building that was in place before that time must be demolished because the Lagos state government has now been given the right over the land?”



Giving his views on the issue, a lawyer, Barrister K​abir Akingbolu, said the state government can take possession of any land in the state, regardless of the time-frame of the enactment of a law.

He, however, stated that if a property was demolished without prior notice from the state government and a subsisting court order issued by a competent court of jurisdiction, halting the demolition process is in place and was served to the respondents (state government), then such action is “illegal.”

“Government can take over a land at any time, it does not matter when the law comes into enforcement”, he said. “The law can take its course at any given time and the matter in question, if it has to do with road expansion, a market, or a school, the government can repossess a land, so far it would be used for public good and not for a private venture.

“But if there is a subsisting court order, then it is illegal what the government has done and the court will declare it as so. If the victims challenge the action of the state government in court, the court will issue a contempt of court order to the Lagos state government and the particular ministry involved. The court can also issue an order to restrain the government from taking further action on the property until the case is concluded.”

Barrister Akingbolu also stated that the state government could have lots of questions to answer if the victims have not been adequately compensated.

He said; “In terms of reclaiming the land, the government has ​done ​

nothing wrong, but the question is: has the government compensated the people whom they have asked to vacate the land or demolished their property. And if they were compensated, were they adequately compensated? Those are some of the questions the government will need to provide answer to.”

For now, the legal battle continues in the courts, while the livelihood of several persons and the prosperity and legacy of a business from which the state government enjoyed massive royalties from has been severely crushed.

http://d8d.4bf.myftpupload.com/citizen-abdul-abayomi-seeks-justice-over-midnight-demolition-of-olupese-oil-by-lagos-state%E2%80%8B/

Members of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants Undergraduate Club (CIMA UC), University of Lagos (UNILAG) chapter, were recently hosted to an “Open day at First Primus” by the Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, First Primus West Africa Limited, Otunba Seni Adetu, at the company’s head office in Lagos.

The event, which had a large number of students in attendance, was conceived by the parent body of the club, CIMA, to reach out and provide quality mentorship for the youth, as part of efforts to invest in developing and inspiring a new generation of leaders for Nigeria.


Otunba Seni Adetu
A UNILAG alumnus, Otunba Adetu held the audience spellbound as he explained to them in details, various factors which could help shape up an individual’s personal and professional life. The encounter became much more interesting as Otunba Adetu used various events he experienced in his life as illustrations to drive home his point.

Here are eight lessons learnt from Otunba Adetu which could have an enormous impact in your life going forward.

1. Have a purpose in life: For one to be very successful, he or she must have a clear purpose and/or objectives and must have conceived well-defined ways to achieve such purpose.

2. Do not limit yourself to your educational background only: It is no longer at all what your first degree is about. Education is only a tool to create and open the mind for what is out there. Increasingly, we are seeing that successful people in different positions today did not necessarily possess the background of the profession at the first instance

3. Apply your skills smartly: At times, it is about application. Education enables you to open your mind to the possibilities of life, but what you choose to do and how you apply yourself to achieve it is what determines whether you are successful or not.

First Primus
L-R: Mr. Adekunle Adeshina, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Invent Media Limited; Otunba Seni Adetu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, First Primus West Africa; Dr. Noel Tagoe and Ms. Ijeoma Anadozie, Country Manager (now Associate Director), CIMA.
4. Do not depend on mentors to define your trajectory: Mentorship can only help advice you on the pathway to follow, but cannot change the world for you. It is only you that can define your future.

5. Stay focused: Leaders must always learn to stay the course in spite of challenges that would come along.

6. Less is more: Be specific in achieving a particular objective rather than being a jack of all trade and master of none. Fewer things, bigger impact.

7. Invest in your growth: Be knowledgeable not only in your field, but also be aware of your immediate environment and the society at large.

8. To be different, take risks: If you care to be different, you have to do something different. You have got to learn to take risks.

http://d8d.4bf.myftpupload.com/8-lessons-i-learnt-from-seni-adetu/

Full-fledged ICT service firm, SB Telecoms and Devices, has announced plans to host the second edition of its high-level management meeting tagged TAMS Summit.
The event, which will take place on Thursday, 18 May 2017, at Muson Centre, Lagos, will have as its theme; “Boosting Employee Performance Beyond Pecuniary Benefits.”
The summit, which was inspired by the success and acceptance of the company’s time attendance and human resource management solution, will at this edition focus on eliminating the inefficiencies impacting employee productivity while also emphasizing how employees can attain their potential towards achieving corporate goals and objectives.
The summit is expected to attract leaders of thought from reputable global institutions of learning as well as the public and private sectors of the economy, who will evaluate Nigeria’s productivity output, and proffer solutions to the problems identified in order to improve human capital efficiency across all sectors of the economy, thereby boosting the national productivity level.
Dr. Doyin Salami, Associate Professor at the Lagos Business School (LBS) will lead an array of panellists and discussants as the Keynote Speaker at the event. Mrs. Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi, Executive Director, Business Development, Punch Nigeria Limited, will be the Chairperson of the event.
This year’s theme was chosen based on key metrics gathered over the course of the previous working year from the TAMS software, a robust home-grown human resources information system developed by SB Telecoms & Devices. The cloud-based application allows organisations to centrally monitor employee attendance and productivity across multi-locations from any part of the world.
Among the traits of employees performance considered and measured by the software application include time management, competency, decision-making, industry knowledge and punctuality.
Speaking on the need for the summit, Chief Executive Officer, SB Telecoms & Devices, Mr. Afolabi Abiodun said; “There have been lots of complaints and reservations over the productivity output of today’s employees. A large number of employers are critical of the laissez-faire attitude displayed by their staff which negatively affects business performance and the company’s bottom-line.
“Therefore, the essence of this summit is for business leaders to share insights and discuss how to improve and boost employee engagement, so as to improve business performance in their organisations.”
The TAMS Summit, an annual event since 2016, will have as its highlight the presentation of the TAMS Ambassadors award to the most productive employees in Nigeria. The employees, who are selected from the TAMS Application Portal, are honoured as part of the company’s efforts to encourage productivity, punctuality and efficiency amongst workers in their organisations.

http://d8d.4bf.myftpupload.com/doyin-salami-aboderin-talabi-headline-2017-tams-summit/

Seni Adetu was recently appointed to the board of Fidelity Bank as a non-executive director. His invitation to the board did not come as a surprise given his pedigree in management and his achievement as a business executive. He is armed with a vast experience which straddles different markets including Ghana, Nigeria, East Africa and United Kingdom.

Adetu is credited with considerable expertise in commercial, financial and corporate governance best practices, which he gained from his work experience with Diageo in the United Kingdom (UK) and leadership development programmes with Coca Cola Company in the United States (US).

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/07/03/seni-adetu-quintessential-business-executive-joins-fidelity-bank/

Possibly, Nigeria's most formidable media specialist company has been born with the entry of Algorithm Media Limited into the media advertising industry. The company, which was recently unveiled at the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel, attracted a very rich collection of Nigeria's emeritus business leaders, Chief Executive Officers, marketing directors of blue chips as well as leaders of thoughts.

https://www.naij.com/1088435-algorithm-media-launches-pomp-pageantry-fetes-corporate-nigeria.html

SAN FRANCISCO, June 29, (THEWILL) – Fidelity Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Chief Seni Adetu, as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Adetu, the immediate past Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, brings to the bank’s board, 30 years of quality Private Sector experience having worked at the highest levels with John Holt Plc, Coca-Cola International and Diageo/Guinness Plc in different countries within and outside Africa.

He was at various times Managing Director of Coca-Cola, English West Africa based in Ghana (2001); the first African Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice Chairman of Guinness Ghana Plc (2006), Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Diageo East Africa based in Kenya (2009) and until December 2014, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc and Executive Chairman, Diageo Brands Nigeria.

Adetu has considerable expertise in commercial, financial and governance best practices, gained from his experience with Diageo in the United Kingdom (UK) and leadership development programs with Coca-Cola in the United State (US). A great marketer, renowned for championing innovation in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, Adetu was named Runner Up Forbes/CNBC Business Leader/CEO of the Year 2012 in East Africa.

Founder/Group CEO of First Primus W.A. Limited, an upscale Integrated Marketing Communications company, Adetu is a Leadership Coach and facilitates on the Chief Executive Program of the Lagos Business School. He is a Chemical Engineering graduate and an MBA holder (with specialization in Marketing), both from the University of Lagos. He is married with children.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/fidelity-bank-appoints-seni-adetu-as-director/

Seni Adetu who stepped down as managing director of Guinness Nigeria in 2014 after 3 years of re-engineering the multinational company will now run Algorithm Media, an affiliate of global media services company, GroupM in Nigeria as the Group CEO. Algorithm Media is one of the world’s biggest media communications company and it is set…

This content is for Standard Digital Monthly Subscription, Premium Digital Monthly Subscription, Standard Digital Yearly Subscription, Premium Digital Yearly Subscription, WSJ 5 DAY TRIAL and 30-Day Corporate Subscription members only.

https://www.businessdayonline.com/seni-adetu-becomes-algorithm-media-ceo-nigeria-unveils-office-week/

Chief Seni Adetu is the Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of First Primus W.A. Limited. Chief Adetu served as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director at Guinness Nigeria Plc from July 1, 2012 to November 2014 and Executive Officer until December 31, 2014. He served as Group Managing Director of East African Breweries Ltd since July 2009. He has 30 years of quality private sector experience having worked at the highest levels with John Holt Plc, Coca-Cola International and Diageo/Guinness Plc in different countries within and outside Africa. He served as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer at Diageo East Africa based in Kenya since 2009. He served as Executive Chairman of Diageo Brands Nigeria. He served as Managing Director of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL), a subsidiary of Diageo since September 2006 until June 2009 and Executive Vice Chairman since August 2006. He worked with Coca-Cola Company, where he enjoyed a highly successful 14 year career. While at Coca-Cola, he held various senior positions including Country General Manager and Marketing Director. His responsibilities covered various markets across Africa including Kenya and Ghana. He served as the Commercial Director for Nigerian Bottling Company PLC. During his time in Ghana, he led the integration of Guinness Ghana and Ghana Breweries Limited, creating a winning culture and driving a strong market share growth. He has considerable expertise in commercial, financial and governance best practices, gained from his experience with Diageo in the United Kingdom (UK) and leadership development programs with Coca-Cola in the United State (US). He has been an Independent Non-Executive Director at Fidelity Bank Plc since June 30, 2016. He served as a Director of East African Breweries Limited since August 28, 2008. He served as Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc since July 1, 2012 until November 13, 2014. He served as a Director of Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd until June 30, 2009. He was named Runner Up Forbes/CNBC Business Leader/CEO of the Year 2012 in East Africa. He is a Leadership Coach and facilitates on the Chief Executive Program of the Lagos Business School. Chief Adetu is a Chemical Engineering graduate of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He holds an M.B.A (with specialisation in Marketing) from the University of Lagos.

http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=53064044&privcapId=9794028

Seni Adetu was recently appointed to the board of Fidelity Bank as a non-executive director. His invitation to the board did not come as a surprise given his pedigree in management and his achievement as a business executive. He is armed with a vast experience which straddles different markets including Ghana, Nigeria, East Africa and United Kingdom.

Adetu is credited with considerable expertise in commercial, financial and corporate governance best practices, which he gained from his work experience with Diageo in the United Kingdom (UK) and leadership development programmes with Coca Cola Company in the United States (US).



He boasts of 30 years of distinguished private sector experience, having worked with various multinational companies at home and abroad. Adetu began his career in Marketing with John Holt Plc in 1986 and joined Coca-Cola International as Marketing Manager in 1992. While in the company, Adetu held various positions of increasing responsibilities in Sales, Marketing and General Management in several countries including Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.

In 1998, he became the first Nigerian and first African to be appointed Marketing Director for the Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria; and in 2001 became Managing Director Coca-Cola International for English West Africa (excluding Nigeria), based in Ghana.

Adetu joined Diageo Group, the parent company of Guinness in August 2006 and after a short stint in the UK office, again became the first-ever African Managing Director/CEO and Vice Chairman of Guinness Ghana Breweries Ltd, based in Accra, Ghana. In 2008, he led his team to becoming the “Company of the Year” for Diageo/Guinness of all the International businesses.

In July 2009, Mr. Adetu was appointed Group Managing Director/CEO of Diageo East Africa and East African Breweries Ltd (EABL). His tenure at EABL witnessed significant turnaround in the company’s business.

He returned to Nigeria from Kenya to lead Guinness Nigeria Plc as its Managing Director/CEO while doubling as Executive Chairman of Diageo Brands Nigeria.

Renowned for championing innovation in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, under his watch, the business recorded considerable expansion in its production lines and brand portfolio, leading to the launch into the market of products like Snap, Orijin Bitters and Orijin Ready-to-drink among others. While he superintended the business, Spirit and high octane brands in the Diageo group also recorded considerable market penetration in Nigeria.

In response to media enquiries, a press statement from Guinness Nigeria Plc in December 2014 announcing his exit explained that Adetu quitting his position at Guinness Nigeria Plc to assume bigger responsibilities at Diageo Group in the United Kingdom.

A thought leader in business management and marketing, Adetu is a frequent speaker at various high profile marketing and corporate governance functions.

He is a Chemical Engineering graduate of the University of Lagos and holds an MBA with specialisation in Marketing from the same university. Adetu is Founder/Group CEO of First Primus West Africa Ltd, an upscale Integrated Marketing Communications company. He is a Leadership Coach and facilitator on the Chief Executive Programme of the Lagos Business School. He is married with children.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/07/03/seni-adetu-quintessential-business-executive-joins-fidelity-bank/

Possibly, Nigeria's most formidable media specialist company has been born with the entry of Algorithm Media Limited into the media advertising industry. The company, which was recently unveiled at the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel, attracted a very rich collection of Nigeria's emeritus business leaders, Chief Executive Officers, marketing directors of blue chips as well as leaders of thoughts...

Read more: https://www.naij.com/1088435-algorithm-media-launches-pomp-pageantry-fetes-corporate-nigeria.html