Elektron Energy Development Strategies Limited (Elektron Energy) has partnered with Eko Electricity Distribution Plc. (EKEDP) to construct a 30-megawatts (MW) embedded natural gas-fired power plant worth $50 million in Lagos.

The Independent Power Plant (IPP) project is expected to supply uninterrupted electricity through dedicated 33kV and 11kV distribution networks exclusively to identified customers within the Victoria Island franchise area of Lagos State.

Regarded as the first of its kind because a natural gas IPP will be directly embedded into Disco’s distribution network for supply to identified end-user customers, the project has the potential to eradicate up to 1000 diesel generators within its coverage area, drastically reducing emissions and promoting a greener environment.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony held on Victoria Island on Tuesday, July 11, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, through his representative, Olusola Shasore, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said: “We understand that reliable steady power builds commerce, commerce builds capital and capital brings industrialisation and industrialisation brings employment to our youths, which is our area of interest.

“We are available to whoever is interested in bringing power to the state because we have to do everything we really need to do for Lagos to have power as the economic hub of the country. We are in very interesting times with the New Electricity Act and it can be very good times for us if we are very collaborative. We believe that it is the private sector that would drive this achievement for us.”

The CEO of Elektron Energy, Mr. Tola Talabi, acknowledged the presence of dignitaries such as Tariye Gbadegesin, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited, the co-equity sponsors of the embedded IPP; the Board and Management of Elektron Energy including the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr Jide Onakoya; the Board and Management of Eko Disco; the Debt Providers: FBN Quest, Bank of Industry (BOI), Infra Credit; and the technical partners, Wartsila.

He said: “We are excited about this project because we believe it will mark a significant turning point in the Nigerian power sector. It would be the first time that an embedded power plant would be built in partnership with a distribution company. We expect to and we look forward to commissioning this project in 18 months’ time.”

Mr Talabi added that the journey to the project started eight years ago and it is proof of the removal of the regulatory and legislative roadblocks that existed years ago, labelling the project a major milestone and turning point in the Nigerian power sector.

Principal and Chief Financial Officer of Elektron Energy, Deen Solebo, said the project would cost $50 million, with a construction timeline of 18 months in addition to the potential to eradicate up to 1000 diesel generators within its coverage area.

“VI Power is meant to be a 30-megawatt power plant that we will build on this site and it will serve maximum-demand customers who are commercial off-takers that have intense electricity needs fundamentally. We signed a power purchase agreement with Eko Disco last year and a connection agreement which allows us to jointly manage with Eko Disco the distribution network in the Victoria Island power area and also to help regulate the billing and revenue collection from the customers,” he said.

Solebo noted that the site of the power project belongs to Eko Disco, adding that the partnership with the Disco is quite extensive. He said: “It effectively allows us to fulfil one of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)’s policies of encouraging embedded generation power in the country. This is the first of its kind that has seen daylight in this country and we hope this can be an example of how you roll them forward.”

Solebo also said the project has two phases: a distribution aspect that involves more than five dedicated feeder networks which allow power to be taken directly to the customers and the building of the Independent Power Plant (IPP) itself.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited, the co-equity sponsors of the embedded IPP, Tariye Gbadegesin thanked the Board of Elektron Energy for releasing the initial capital, while commending Eko Disco for their foresight on the project.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Lagos, Elektron started as an energy trading outfit and morphed into an energy infrastructure platform company engaged in developing and operating prime energy infrastructure projects in West Africa, with a key focus in its home market, Nigeria. Elektron also considers strategic opportunities in complementary energy ventures that leverage the company’s expertise and relationships to yield outsize returns.

Elektron’s business model is based on a staged development plan to create value by combining its indigenous knowledge and execution capabilities in consultations with strategic, technical, regulatory and financing players.

The firm has devised comprehensive strategic roadmaps across the power, oil and gas infrastructure verticals; leading to a near-term project bank of four viable projects representing approximately $150 million of total assets. Elektron also owns Alausa Power Limited (“ALPL”), a special purpose vehicle that operates a leading 10.6MW IPP in Lagos State.

There are strong indications that the federal government is favourably disposed to raising the minimum wage to as high as N200k per month as demanded by the organised labour in the country.

However, state governors are urging for caution while Anambra State governor Charles Soludo has been asked to chair a Technical Working Group (TWG) to resolve the issues and its various dimensions.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the matter was discussed at the last month’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting and it was there that the Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission made a presentation on how the federal government can meet up with the demand of N200,000 per month minimum wage.

Sources, who spoke with Empowered News Network, revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is specifically and personally convinced that the demand of the organised labour is not unrealistic pointing to his campaign promises as a proof of his readiness to handle the challenge.

Recall that President Tinubu as president-elect also said on Workers Day on May 1 that “In the Nigeria, I shall have the honour and privilege to lead from May 29, workers will have more than a minimum wage. You will have a living wage to have a decent life and provide for your families.”

At the NEC meeting which the president inaugurated in June, the Salaries & Wages Commission costed the financial implications of the said minimum wage increase and showed how the federal government could pay it, with a certain recommendation that it was well within the capacity of the federal government. But at the meeting the state governors who make up the membership of the NEC raised questions over the proposal.

Leading the governors at the meeting was Anambra State governor, Prof Charles Soludo who argued that before adopting the presentation to significantly raise the national minimum wage, it would be important for NEC to first understand where the money would come from, how much would come and what states would get.

Part of the expectations and planning is that with the new foreign exchange policy more cash would be available to be shared by the federal and states governments under the FAAC monthly distribution. In which case according to informed sources there would be enough surplus cash to enable the significant raising of the minimum wage from N30,000 to N100, 000 monthly.

Similarly, the savings from the fuel subsidy would further mean more cash inflow to the federation account.

At the June NEC meeting, a sub-committee was formed to review the situation as was publicly announced, composed of governors led by Kebbi State governor with six other governors among the members. They are the governors of Anambra, Benue, Kaduna, Bauchi, Cross River and Oyo states with each representing the six geopolitical zones.

In the sub-committee are also the director-general of Budget Office of the Federation, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Accountant General of the Federation and the representative of NNPCL. Others included representatives from the organised labour (TUC and NLC) and Ms. Rukayyat El-Rufai, according to a statement from the Office of the Vice President who is NEC’s chairman.

The sub-committee at its meeting soon after the NEC last month, formed a Technical Working Group, TWG, with Governor Soludo as chairman to interrogate the issues around raising the minimum wage understanding that it is both the federal and state governments and not just the federal government that would be responsible for the payment of the new minimum wage.

Under Soludo’s leadership the TWG has met at least thrice last month; on the 24th, 27th and 30th respectively.

In one of its major resolutions the TWG resolved that negotiations with labour must be two-tracked between the federal government in one hand and the state governments in another hand.

Later this month the NEC would meet to receive the report of the sub-committee and take a final decision on the national minimum wage which would then be forwarded to the president as an advisory.

It was further gathered that what is most likely is that at the very least federal government workers would be receiving the huge minimum wage increase, while the Soludo TWG would determine the fate of the states’ workers.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-cultural organisation has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergence over the sit-at-home order in the Southeast.

Ohanaeze said declaring a state of emergency would send a strong signal to the Southeast governors, who would now be compelled to find a lasting solution to the order.

DAILY POST recalls that a Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, had severally declared sit-at-homes in the Southeast.

The order by Ekpa had aggravated the crisis in the Southeast, a situation that had led to an attempt to cripple the economic activities of the region.

Reacting, Ohanaeze’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the body would not allow Ekpa to destroy the economic activities of the Southeast.

Speaking with DAILY POST, Isiguzoro said: “A desperate moment needs desperate action. We want to warn again that Ohanaeze will not fold its arms and allow miscreants to destroy economic activities in the Southeast.

“If possible, where this sit-at-home is happening should be declared a state of emergency. This is what Tinubu would do that will make the Southeast governors sit up and find a lasting solution to the problem.

“Ekpa has declared a second Biafra War, which Igbos are not ready to fight. Igbos are supporting Tinubu and would assist in ensuring that this rebellion is squashed.

“Ekpa’s action is an attempt to divide Igbos, and we wonder why Peter Obi and the rest are not talking. We hope this is not a conspiracy against the president.”

The Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, on Wednesday, urged the Lagos State Government to officially recognise and declare August 20 as Isese Day holiday in the state.

The traditional rulers, who spoke at the inauguration of the state Council of Obas and Chiefs for another tenure of five years, said it had become important for the state government to recognise August 20 as Isese Day in the spirit of democracy and freedom of religion.

Speaking on behalf of the council, the Onikate of Ikate Kingdom, Oba Saheed Elegushi, said, “It is a demand that has been on the table of the governor for so long.

“We, the traditional institution, celebrate the yearly Isese Day on August 20, and we’ve written to the (Lagos State) House of Assembly, which is still pending before them.

“We should have our holiday on August 20 to celebrate Isese Day. That’s why we are begging the governor for approval because we’re in a democracy, and we should be able to practise our religion, irrespective of who we are.”

Oba Elegushi added that since the Christians and Muslims have their holidays, “it is our right as traditionalists to have our own day as well, which is August 20.”

The Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, Oba Owolabi Adeniyi, who affirmed that Oba Elegushi spoke for the council, stressed that Isese Day was to traditionalists what Christmas and Eid-el-Kabir were to Christians and Muslims, respectively.

Earlier, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in his speech when inaugurating the council, urged the traditional rulers to continue to partner with the state government to ensure the security of lives and property of citizens in their respective domains.

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state has vowed that the state and its residents will not obey any illegal sit-at-home orders.

Soludo stated this following the state government’s directive that, henceforth, residents should ignore the sit-at-home order by unauthorised individuals or groups in the state.

The directive was contained in a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Christian Aburime on Thursday.

According to the statement, the decision was necessitated by a recent order to sit at home given by Simon Ekpa.

The state government described the order as illegal, as it urged residents of the state not to comply with such directives from non-state actors or blame themselves for such compliance.

The statement partly reads, “Such directives should be completely ignored by the citizens of Anambra and, by extension, the entire South East.

“As for the imposition of sit-at-home orders by unauthorised individuals or groups, this is a clear violation of the law.

“Anambra State will never observe any sit-at-home order. Our markets, schools, businesses, and other social activities will remain open.

“Anambra State will never be a breeding ground for anarchy, fear, or lawlessness."

Former Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor and President Ugwumba Leadership Center for Africa, Uche Nwosu, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu used the declaration of state of emergency on food security as a platform to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.

Nwosu in a statement, also lauded Tinubu for his decision, saying that it was the right call.

The statement read in part: “The recent declaration of a state of emergency on food security, pricing and sustainability by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is no doubt a welcome development.

“The President by this action has demonstrated his understanding, and appreciation of the impact of the removal of subsidy on Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS), on Nigerians, especially the economy of households.

“The current food inflation in the country has been a cause of concern to stakeholders, as hope have in most recent times heightened that the administration would quickly find immediate, long lasting, and innovative solutions to the hardship experienced by citizens as a result of this.

“But by prioritizing urgent intervention through the declaration of a state of emergency in this area, Mr President has left no one in doubt that he is a hands-on-leader who follows developments across the country everyday.

“He has further shown that he is not unmindful of the rising cost of food and how it affects the citizens.

“I therefore agree with the following thematic areas of focus contained in the President’s speech, which underscored that ‘As a direct and immediate response to this crisis, a number of initiatives will be deployed in the coming weeks to reverse this inflationary trend and guarantee future uninterrupted supplies of affordable foods to ordinary Nigerians. As with most emergencies, there are immediate, medium- and long-term interventions and solutions’.

Nwosu further commended the administration’s intention to deploy some savings from the fuel subsidy removal into the Agricultural sector focusing on revamping the agricultural sector, as well as to immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.

He said, “I join President Tinubu to urge for synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is produced all-year round.

“Denying me what to eat for seven days is nothing but wickedness.”

Residents of Enugu State have lamented the negative impact of the frequent sit-at-home order by non-state actors in the South-east region of Nigeria.

They made their feelings known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Enugu.

The residents, among whom are traders, artisans and legal practitioners, said their various means of livelihood were being drastically affected.

‘I’m managing to survive’
A trader at Ogbete Market, Jude Uwazurike, said his business was gradually decreasing by the day as a result of the frequent closure of the market.

He said: “I sell clothes (abada) at Ogbete Market and I can say without mincing words that I was doing well in my business before now.

“However, as I speak, I am just managing to survive because this issue of closing shop every Monday and sometimes they just order people to remain indoors for days is no longer a joke.”

He said that he used to travel to Aba, in Abia weekly to buy goods but lamented that he rarely traveled these days due to lack of sales.

“The truth is that after these lockdowns, people tend to be famished, tired and withdrawn for the rest of the days,” he said.

Mr Uwazurike appealed to the relevant authorities to do something by either releasing Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), or in the alternative, rejig the security apparatus in the region.

Nnena Okpo, a dealer in perishables at the Holy Ghost Market, said her business had almost collapsed due to sit-at-home.

Mrs Okpo said she was losing hope about the situation in the South-east, unless steps were urgently taken to change the situation.

“It is no longer funny, the whole thing looked like a joke when it started in 2021 but today you can count a number of businesses that are still standing strong.

“I deal with perishables. Apart from Monday’s sit-at-home order by IPOB, now someone stays in Finland and gave a directive for seven days lockdown, not minding what people go through,” she said.

She said it had been difficult to survive because of the perishable nature of the goods.

“I have to eat from the business and watch the rest perish. I see my goods, my money rotting, and there is nothing to do,” Mrs Okpo said.


Legal profession affected too
A lawyer, who did not want his name mentioned in the report, said that the lockdown in Enugu State and the entire South-east was taking a toll on the legal profession.

According to him, many people thought that it was only entrepreneurs that suffer the consequences of the sit-at-home.

“The truth is that, we in the legal field suffer it the more. Litigants also suffer as a result of postponement of cases.

“It may interest you to know that each time there is disruption of activities in the public space, it affects the courts too, even when some cases require urgent attention,” he said.

‘This is wickedness’
A bus driver, Emeka Agbo, decried the situation, describing the perennial sit-at-home orders as dangerous.

“We know that we are fighting a cause but I think some people are really going too far by impoverishing the people,” he said.

Declaring seven days sit-at-home was inviting hunger into his family, he said.

“I don’t have any other work doing than to drive from Obollo-Afor to Enugu and come back and the management pays me my little commission which I take to my wife and children.

“But denying me what to eat for seven days is nothing but wickedness,” Mr Agbo said.

HYDERABAD: Three Nigerian drug peddlers and a Hyderabad resident were arrested in a decoy operation in Bangalore and cocaine, MDMA worth 1 crore were seized from them.

The operation followed arrest of two persons - Thrissur resident M Sanjay Sunil Kumar and Manikonda resident T Bhanu Teja Reddy - who disclosed they bought drugs from Nigerian nationals in Bangalore, said CV Anand, director of Telangana State Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TS-NAB).

Nigerian nationals in the net included Agbowo Maxwell Nnabuisi, Okeke Chigozie Blessing, Ikem Austin Obaka and P Sai Akesh, but they are yet to disclose how they sourced the drugs.

"The kingpin, Maxwell, came to Mumbai in 2011 on a medical visa. After a few months, he moved to Bangalore and changed his identity. In 2012, Blessing came to Mumbai on a business visa and moved to Tripur in Tamil Nadu. A decade later, Blessing touched down in Bangalore and began staying with Maxwell. Austin too came to India on student visa and took shelter in Bangalore in 2021," said CV Anand. After reaching Bangalore, Maxwell created a fake passport in the name of Kweku Essuman Kwame. Using the fake passport as document, he rented a house in MS Nagar in Bangalore and took an internet connection and used it as a hub for peddling drugs along with his friend Mazee," police said. The African used virtual phone numbers to avoid detection.

"Maxwell and Mazee opened a bank account in Coimbatore, in 2020. They would ask their customers to credit money in bank account to supply the drugs," Anand said, adding 4 crore was deposited in the account in six months. Police officials are analysing transactions to trace other people involved in the offence.

The police official said, the accused followed 'dead drop' method - a pre-arranged hiding place for deposit and pickup of items obtained through espionage. "Maxwell would share the location and photograph of the area to customers," police said. Later, the duo met two other persons and offered to assist in peddling. All the four persons were arrested.

By Selamawit Mengesha

July 8, 2023

The central banks of Ethiopia and Nigeria have swapped USD 100 million in blocked funds as both countries struggle with severe shortages of hard currency.

The currency deal involves swapping revenues of Ethiopian Airlines from Nigeria and earnings of Dangote Cement in Ethiopia, as the two companies struggled to repatriate profits amid forex shortages in both countries.

The swap arrangement enables Ethiopia to access funds blocked in Nigerian banks, while Nigeria gains access to money held up in Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Airlines is the largest foreign carrier operating in Nigeria, with extensive flight networks spanning major cities like Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

The airline benefits from strong demand from Nigerian travelers going abroad but much of its revenue has been blocked as Nigeria struggles with critical shortages of foreign exchange, making swapping the last resort.

Dangote Cement has been a major player in Ethiopia’s construction sector for over a decade. The company has the capacity to produce 2.5 million tons of cement yearly.

However, as Dangote became unable to repatriate its profits in Ethiopian currency, money began piling up within the country, according to company sources.

With funds stuck in Ethiopia, the central bank finally offered Dangote a currency swap proposal, allowing it to exchange its excess Ethiopian birr for USD held by overseas firms operating in Ethiopia.

Officials say the currency swap allows Ethiopia to access funds blocked in Nigerian banks – including large amounts owed to Ethiopian Airlines – while Nigeria gains access to Ethiopian funds through Dangote Cement, a major Nigerian firm operating in Ethiopia.

Sources at the Central Bank of Ethiopia confirmed it had reached an agreement with its Nigerian counterpart to conduct a “temporary swap of foreign currencies.”

Aviation sources say Ethiopian Airlines exchanged USD 100 million of the USD 180 million in blocked funds in Nigeria for birr from Dangote Cement.

“The National Bank will pay us the equivalent swapped amount in birr,” Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tassew told The Reporter, adding there are no plans to swap the remaining amount.

Sources say Dangote still has over USD 200 million unrepatriated from Ethiopia.

Nigeria has faced a critical shortage of foreign currency reserves recently.

The central bank of Nigeria has had to ration dollars to reduce the strain on its reserves, which fell from a peak of USD 62 billion 15 years ago to around USD 36.6 billion in December. This followed a drop in crude production in Africa’s largest oil producer due to rampant theft, vandalism and declining investment.

Ethiopia’s foreign exchange shortage has reached critical levels, making it difficult for the country to import essential goods like pharmaceuticals and industrial inputs. Ethiopia’s forex reserves are insufficient to cover even one month of imports.

The dearth of hard currency has also discouraged much-needed investment in Ethiopia, forcing the National Bank of Ethiopia to introduce reforms aimed at easing the constraints facing investors.

The central bank has now begun providing guarantees allowing investors willing to invest in key sectors through public-private partnerships with the Ethiopian government to repatriate their profits.

‘I Curse The Day I Joined Labour Party Because Of Peter Obi,’ 74-Year-Old Woman Lambasts Ex-Anambra Gov, Party For Abandoning Her After Being Shot During Election

July 6, 2023

A 74-year-old retired military officer, Chinyere Obi, has slammed Labour Party and its candidate in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi for allegedly abandoning her after being shot by political thugs in Imo State over her commitment to the party.

Chinyere, a retired Colonel and a card-carrying member of the Labour Party, who spoke to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, regretted that neither the party nor Peter Obi reached out to her after was shot in the leg while campaigning for the party’s presidential candidate, Legit reports.

The septuagenarian narrated how she sold her Honda Pilot SUV to fund her medical treatment after the incident, noting that she did not expect the party or Peter Obi to pick up her bills but to show solidarity.

She said, “I had to sell my Honda Pilot Jeep for N1.5 million in June to be able to treat the gunshot wound. At my age, 74, I am selling my things to heal completely.

"As a retired colonel, I have my pension and entitlements. I wasn't even asking for money my anger is that nobody reached out not even one single person came to the hospital at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) to say sorry.

"I fought and campaigned for Obi, for the youths so that Nigeria can change. I have no need for anything, I am a British citizen and my children are all British citizens. I have nothing to lose or gain, I spent N5 million buying rice, visiting people, women across the country."

Shedding more light on how she was attacked, 74-year-old Chinyere said the problem started when she tried to protect a Labour Party’s polling unit agent in her hometown in the Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State.

According to her, on election day, some unidentified political thugs invaded her polling unit and threatened the Labour Party polling unit agent and she tried to intervene.

"The next thing I heard," she said was “pooh-pooh! It was gunshots on my leg."

She noted that she is diabetic, adding that the shooting could have led to the amputation of her leg but "nobody from Labour Party, not Abure (referring to LP’s sacked national chairman – Julius Abure) or even Peter Obi sent a word or visited.

“It was only two people who sent me words from the Labour Party. I regret, I curse the day I entered the Labour Party. I was in PDP (Peoples Democratic Party), and when Obi joined Labour Party, I followed him."

However, she urged President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts to end insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the southeast region.

She stated that she was confident in the capacity of President Tinubu and was sure he would end the hardship in the country.

The schools in Imo state, on Monday, could not open for school activities, following the threat of attack by enforcers of the one-week Sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Imo.

This is coming about two years after residents in Owerri, stopped observing the IPOB sit-at-home order.

It was gathered in Owerri, from different streets that schools were shut down, based on the directives by Simon Ekpa-led IPOB.

Some of the places where schools were affected by the IPOB sit-at-home include but are not limited to Egbu, Wethedral, World Bank, Owerri-Onitsha road, Owerri -Aba, and Owerri-Port Harcourt roads among others.

A school proprietor, along the MCC/Uratta road, who did not want her name mentioned said the schools decided to shut down because of a letter said to have been written to them by IPOB, “that schools in Owerri, have refused to obey the IPOB sit-at-home, and failure to observe it will result to severe punishment on defaults.

“As a result of this, some of us communicated with other school proprietors and we agreed to stop our students from going to school on Mondays for now. Until security assures us of protection. We don’t want attacks simple. For over a year now, I think up to two years we have been opening for school activities. It is like this threat I think is like is serious.”

Another owner of a school, along Owerri-Aba road, was of the view that, “I think we have do away with this sit-at-home of a thing. How come it is coming back again, I got information that this sit-at-home is not from original IPOB people. These people doing this should know that they are destroying the Igboland. You can’t bring war to your own fathers land. By doing this, our education sector is suffering it.”

However, other sectors affected were the transportation companies traveling outside Owerri, some of the major markets in the state, banking institutions among others.

PUBLISHED BY JACO MARITZON 21 JUNE 2023



During the annual conference of the African Private Capital Association in Cairo this past May, venture capital investor Idris Ayodeji Bello was asked in a panel discussion to single out a startup from his portfolio that excites him the most. Bello highlighted a Nigerian company named Touch and Pay (TAP).

As the managing partner of LoftyInc Capital Management, Bello has made some shrewd bets in the past, including stakes in Andela, a job placement network for software developers, and payments company Flutterwave, both now valued at over a billion dollars. Bello’s nod to TAP sparked my curiosity to learn more about this company.

To get an inside view, I arranged an interview with the co-founder and CEO of TAP, Olamide Afolabi. I connected with Afolabi over the phone while he was in the US meeting investors to raise $10 million for his company. Here are the key takeaways from our conversation.

The business model in brief: TAP has developed a product called the Cowry card. This contactless solution simplifies commuting in Lagos and several other Nigerian states by enabling seamless payment for bus fares. Commuters merely tap the card on entering the bus, and the fare is automatically deducted, no internet connection needed. Top-up points for the card are placed at bus stations. Additionally, those with stable internet access can opt to use the company’s app for their payments. TAP takes a 3% commission on each processed transaction.

Early days: During their university years, Afolabi and his techie friends have been “obsessed with solving problems”. They took a stab at various startups, from enhancing life for those with cardiovascular disease to developing a system to manage hospital appointments. However, these ventures eventually ran out of money.


In 2013, during their final year at university, Afolabi, alongside future co-founders Michael Oluwole (now chief growth officer), and Kabiru Yabo (chief operations officer), stumbled upon an idea. They spotted an opportunity in the cash-only bus fare system of Lagos, where fights over change were a daily drama. With bus fares usually at 50 or 100 naira, and cash machines only dispensing larger denominations like 500 or 1,000, the problem was clear. The young entrepreneurs believed that a contactless card, similar to those used for hotel doors, could do the trick. “This technology must work offline,” Afolabi insisted. “It mustn’t require the internet.”

But even after their light bulb moment, they discovered the bus industry wasn’t quite ready to hop on board. “Sometimes the technology is ready but the market is not ready,” Afolabi muses. So, they decided to field test their tech on their own turf – in shops catering to students on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), located in Osun State. This closed-loop environment gave the team a chance to fine-tune their technology. From there, they branched out to other areas like providing payment solutions for hospitals and helping several state governments with cash-based tax collection, which was often a target for theft.

However, juggling all these standalone projects with a team of just eight started to overwhelm the founders. Thus, in 2019, they decided to hone in on a sector they had identified years before: transportation, with its market potential in the millions. Consequently, all other uses of their tech took a backseat as they steered towards a new, singular focus.



Big break: The turning point for the business came in 2020 with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Lagos State Government, aiming to combat the virus, sought a contactless payment method for its bus rapid transit (BRT) system to reduce contagion risks linked to cash and ticket exchanges. A selection of European firms threw their hats in the ring, but it was TAP’s Cowry card system that secured the deal. Afolabi credits their win to an understanding of local market nuances, such as inconsistent internet access.

Since then, TAP has extended its bus transport solutions beyond Lagos, branching out into Kano, Ogun, and Oyo states. Afolabi suggests a key to the company’s growth has been the absence of upfront costs for stakeholders. TAP takes care of the top-up points and card readers at terminals and on buses, eliminating most financial risk for potential partners. “If it doesn’t work, they don’t lose anything,” he explains.

Informal buses – a seven million opportunity: Afolabi sees a significant growth opportunity in signing up the multitude of informal buses in Lagos, known as danfos. While government buses serve around 300,000 daily riders, danfos dwarf this number, catering to an estimated seven million passengers each day. These yellow buses are typically owned by individuals with small fleets of five to 10. Owners usually rely on bank loans to buy these vehicles, and the Cowry card system could give banks reassurance about loan repayments. The system allows for an automatic repayment process: part of the fare from each trip goes straight to the banks. For example, out of a 100 naira fare, 20 naira might be directly transferred to the bank.

These informal buses, however, can’t use the same fixed card scanning device installed on the BRT buses. Afolabi says the company is currently busy developing a cheap handheld device that could be used to collect fares on danfos.

Money matters: TAP’s initial funding came from the founders’ wallets, and a network of family and friends. However, when the user count hit the one million mark, they sought to raise money from outside investors.

When the founders initially reached out for funding, they met reluctance from several venture capitalists, primarily due to TAP’s dependence on the state government. “Oh, this is government business. We don’t want to touch it,” Afolabi mimics initial investor concern.

But as the user base catapulted to three million, the sceptics started to rethink their position. In 2022, TAP’s fortunes turned further when it was accepted into Y Combinator, the US-based entrepreneurship bootcamp famed for moulding companies such as Dropbox, Airbnb, Stripe, and Reddit. According to Afolabi, this eased the fundraising process significantly.

Despite the recent global downturn in VC funding, primarily attributed to a surge in interest rates, Afolabi claims TAP remains largely unaffected: “VCs are still very open to profitable businesses. And luckily for us we are one of those profitable businesses.”

The micropayments frontier: Afolabi identifies a host of sectors where TAP’s micropayments could be utilised. The initial plan? Zeroing in on stores adjacent to bus terminals. “While people are waiting for the bus to come, they can use the card to buy a cup of coffee,” he explains. The CEO underscores the limitations of conventional payment systems in handling microtransactions due to steep fixed fees. Using a regular bank card for a purchase as low as 100 naira simply doesn’t make sense, he argues, when the transaction fee accounts for 20% of the entire cost.

Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

June 30, 2023

Scores of traders, predominantly widows on Friday, protested alleged plot by leadership of Onitsha South Local Government Area headquarters, Anambra State, to eject them from Oduigbo section of the Ochanja Central market.

The protesters, carrying placards with various inscriptions accused Council chairman, Emeka Orji of collaborating with chairman of the market, Chief Bonaventure Muo to eject them in the guise of building modern shops.

Speaking to reporters at the council headquarters’ entrance, leader of the protesters, Chief Chukwudi Eke appealed to Governor Chukwuma Soludo to come to their rescue.

He said: “The market chairman, Chief Muo and the council chairman, gave us two days to vacate the market or they will use caterpillars to demolish the over 300 shops.

“They said Sunday and Monday would be used for the demolition and asked us to vacate the market before they come up with their weapons of destruction.

“There was a time government came and told us that the market was dark that there should be light in the market by renovating it.

“We told them that we can do that by ourselves to their taste but because of interest they have in the market to have shops, they now want to eject us.

“We plead with Soludo to come to our rescue as no other person will understand our predicament except him as Nwa Mgbafor.”

Spokesperson of the widows, Mrs Ifeoma Emeka, lamented that widows that constitute majority of the traders in the market were being treated like slaves.

“80 percent of the traders here are widows who irk their living from here. The market leadership should not see us as slaves but people who are catering for their families as bread winners since the death of their husbands.

“The shops they want to demolish are modern shops and we are ready to renovate them by ourselves if asked to do so,” she pleaded.

Council chairman, Emeka Orji, when contacted, declined comment on the issue but the Ochanja market chairman, Chief Muo, said he was working on government instructions.

“The Government wants to restore sanity in the market and ensure those in the streets are brought into the markets. What the Government is doing is for their own good.

“We want to avoid accidents and street trading which is constituting nuisance to the state. We are not sacking them rather to better their environment,” he stated.

In their separate contributions, Chief Calistus Ahanonu, patron, Angus Ekemezie, youngest patron, Oyeka Abazu, stakeholder and Mrs Pauline Ejezie, urged Governor Soludo to come to their rescue.

*Kamulu socialite Rachael Kanini "Kaniss" and her Nigerian lover Omodollar were allegedly kidnapped on the afternoon of Sunday, June 25

*Just when their families hoped to be reunited with them, their lifeless bodies have been found in a thicket

*The assailants chopped the duo's bodies into pieces and stuffed them in bags before tossing them near her parents' home in Nguluni

The Kamulu community is in mourning after the bodies of a Kenyan woman and his Nigerian boyfriend were discovered in a thicket.

Human rights activist Jackson Njeru told TUKO.co.ke that Rachael Kanini "Kaniss" and her man known by only the name Omodollar were kidnapped by unknown assailants.

Bodies had been chopped into pieces

The disturbing incident, which occurred on Sunday, June 25, took a tragic turn when their lifeless bodies were discovered dumped near her parents' home in Nguluni.

"Their bodies had been chopped into small pieces and stuffed into two sacks before being tossed around Kamulu," Njeru said.

Given that the kidnappers remain at large, it is believed that they employed a sophisticated and well-coordinated operation which ensured they left no traces behind.

The discovery sent shockwaves through the community, prompting an outpouring of grief and condolences from friends, family, and fans.


Motive behind death still unknown

The motive behind the abduction remains unclear, but speculation from members of the public about ranges from a targeted attack on their personal lives to business to jealousy. As of the time of filing this report, the bodies had been taken for post-mortem examinations to determine the cause and time of death. Police have also launched investigations into the brutal murders, hoping to gather leads that will bring the culprits to justice.


Police ask public to share information

Meanwhile, the Kamulu community continues to mourn the loss of the two vibrant individuals with whom they spent memorable moments. The precious memories they left on the minds of those they interacted with will endure as a testament to the preciousness of life and the urgent need for safer communities.

As investigations into the incident continue, police have called on members of the public with information that could help solve the mystery to come forward.

Sirajudeen Ugwu delivering an Eid Elkabeer sermon to Igbo Muslim community in Alor-Agu, Igbo Eze South LGA, Enugu state

2023 UTME: UNILORIN, UNILAG, LASU, others emerge most preferred Nigerian universities (FULL LIST)

LASU is a new entrant on the list as it had never been on the list of the top 10.

By Qosim Suleiman June 24, 2023

The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the Lagos State University (LASU) have emerged as the most preferred tertiary institutions chosen by candidates who sat the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

While UNILORIN ranked first with 73,749 applicants, UNILAG ranked second with 60,606 applicants, and LASU ranked third with 55,964.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) gave the information on Saturday during an ongoing policy meeting chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejoh.

The University of Ilorin has consistently been the candidates’ most preferred institution for over three years.

UNILAG, which took the second position in 2020 and 2021, fell to the third position in 2022. It has, however, regained what is seemingly its traditional second position in the current admission process.

However, LASU is a new entrant on the list as it had never been on the list of the top 10.

Another new entrant in the top ten list is the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna State, which has now been ranked the ninth most preferred institution with 41,323 applicants.

Full list with the number of applicants:


University of Ilorin, Kwara State (73,749)

University of Lagos (61,606)

Lagos State University, Ojo. Lagos State (55,954)

Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State (53,235)

Unversity of Benin, Benin City, Edo State (48,026)

University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State (43,660)

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State (41,959)

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State (41,759)

Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Kaduna State (41,323)

University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State (41,134)

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has rewarded the Lagos State University (LASU) record-breaking graduating Law student, Aminat Yusuf with a sum of N10 million.

Sanwo-Olu rewarded Yusuf who obtained a CGPA of 5.0 with the money on Thursday at the 26th convocation ceremony of the institution at the Ojo-Iyana Iba area of Lagos State.

The governor announced a personal donation of N5 million and another N5 million from the Lagos State government for Yusuf who broke a 40-year-old record at LASU.

A student of the Faculty of Law in LASU, Yusuf emerged the best graduating student for the 2021/2022 academic session with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0.

Her feat has not gone unnoticed as a Lagos monarch, the Oniba of Iba Kingdom, Oba Sulaimon Adeshina Raji gave her N2 million and promised her full sponsorship through Law School.

The Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, had said last week that Yusuf will be rewarded with N500,000 cash prize.

Mrs Olatunji-Bello noted that the university would graduate 10,183, of which 282 students obtained First Class in different fields.

She explained that while Ms Yusuf tops the first-class graduates for the 2021/2022 academic session, Feyisayo Lopez from the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine emerged as the best for the 2020/2021 session with a 4.91 CGPA.

“The government is supposed to be getting ₦4 billion from IGR monthly but we have been struggling to make about ₦2 billion or less.”

By Agency Report June 22, 2023

About 50 per cent of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accruable to the Anambra State Government is lost to leakages and activities of revenue thieves.

Christian Madubuko, executive director in charge of Operations at the Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Wednesday.

Mr Madubuko, who is the leader of AIRS revenue mobilisation team, said the state was making just about ₦2 billion monthly out of the ₦4 billion potential profile.

He said the government had discovered the diversion of state taxes through the fraudulent configuration of a retail banking agent which had been blacklisted.

He said investigation was ongoing to identify the beneficiaries of the fraud with the aim of bringing them to book, adding that the police, State Security Service and other intelligence agencies had swung into action.

Mr Madubuko said that no fewer than 20 illegal revenue collectors had been arrested and handed over to the police, and that they had been making useful confessions that would lead to the apprehension of those they were working for.

He said those involved in the “sabotage” were “enemies of government” who would be prosecuted at the State Revenue Court.

“The leakage we were having with the POS operators was a deliberate design by some internal people we entered into agreement with, to consciously configure the system for diversion of revenue.

“The amount is humongous but generally, the government is supposed to be getting ₦4 billion from IGR monthly but we have been struggling to make about ₦2 billion or less.

“Everybody is now a revenue collector, the communities are involved, even the markets. The sad part is that they collect this money and put it into their private pockets.

“The digitised system of revenue collection, designed by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, is still effective. We want to eliminate physical payment of taxes, these revenue thieves must go out of business, we will not allow them to frustrate this government,” he said.

Mr Madubuko said the AIRS was working to maximise IGR collection without inflicting additional pain on the masses.

He expressed worry over the complaints of intimidation and extortion by some people under the guise of enforcing traffic laws.

“The complaints are everywhere, we are aware that some people are going about molesting the people they are supposed to be protecting.

“We will embark on training of these people and those who collect money from people and put them into their pockets will be arrested and prosecuted,” he added.

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has denied media report (not in LEADERSHIP) that it has approved the increment of salaries of political office-holders, judicial and public office holders by 114 per cent.

In an exclusive discussion with LEADERSHIP, RMAFC Public Relations Officer, Christian Nwachukwu, said President Bola Tinubu has not given approval for the increment of salaries of public servants.

Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a Federal Commissioner in the Commission, had made the salary increment remark when she represented RMAFC chairman, Mohammad Shehu, at the presentation of the reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, in Birnin Kebbi, on Tuesday.

Tanko-Ayuba reportedly said that implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages was effective from January 1, 2023, a claim that has been strongly denied by the Commission’s spokesman.

“Not my chairman. Not my chairman. My chairman has never made any statement on it. And I have not made any statement on it. No statement from chairman, no statement from me. So, I don’t know. I heard one of the Commissioners said it. I don’t want to be quoted,” the RMAFC spokesperson told our Correspondent while denying the Commissioner’s assertion.

“No approval yet. There is no approval yet. I don’t know the source of that story. Everything is under the process. It has to come as a Bill for Mr President to assent.

“The President has not given assent. Until the President gives assent, you cannot take it as if it has taken effect. You know that. You are a journalist.

“I don’t want to be quoted wrongly. The President has not given assent to it. It is still under the process,” Nwachukwu said over a phone chat with this writer.

Asked if the National Assembly has begun work on the proposal, he said: “it will be sent to National Assembly. Whichever way, whether it has been sent or not, the President has not assented to it. All those legislative process has to be completed; finally, it will land on Mr President’s table for assent. That has not been completed.”

When our correspondent asked if that means that the story making the rounds on salary increment was not true, Nwachukwu said: “just take it the way you understand it so that you don’t quote me anyhow.”

Asked whether the RMAFC has sent the executive bill through FEC to the National Assembly for deliberation, Nwachukwu simply said: “everything is under the process.”

Nigerian Police Arrest Hotel Owner In Anambra, Rescue Nine Girls Used As Sex Slaves


The police said the girls confessed to have been taken from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States.

The Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State command has arrested a hotel proprietor in the state and rescued nine girls used as sex slaves in the facility.

According to the police in a release on Monday, the police said the girls confessed to have been taken from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States.

According to DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, the police command spokesperson, the case has been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department Awka SCID, for comprehensive investigation and the owner shall be charged to court afterward.

He said, “Following the information received from Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare yesterday, June 18, by 6pm, police operatives stormed a hotel in Awka and rescued 9 girls within the age bracket of 15-23years, used for sex slaves and arrested the proprietor of the hotel.


“Meanwhile, further interrogations/confessions of the rescued girls revealed that the respective persons that brought them to the brothel lured/entice them on the assurances of giving them jobs to alleviate poverty/needs of their parents and dependents.

“They further confessed to being taken from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States. Also, the Police Command is in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare to make sure the girls are taken care of and safely returned to their parents/guardians.

“The Command has condemned the act and frowned at such persons who take advantage of vulnerable individuals to make money and describe such places as a den where criminals take refuge. We urge the good people of Anambra to continue to provide the police with information about such places as the joint operations to weed such harbour has commenced.

“The case has since been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department Awka SCID, for comprehensive investigation and shall be charged to court afterward.”

OVER 150 traders of Progress Market Extension, trading at Haruna, Niger and Ifejika Streets, Odoakpu Onitsha, Monday called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo, of Anambra State to prevail on the Chairman Transition Committee, Onitsha South Local Government Area, Mr Emeka Orji, to halt his planned demolition of their legally acquired shops.

The traders also told the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, not to allow the Police Area Command Onitsha, the Commander 302 Artillery Regiment Onitsha and the Commander Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp, NSCDC, carrying out the alleged illegal demolition.

The traders vowed to resist any attempt to demolish their shops by the Council area authority, it alleged wants to disposes them of their legally acquired shops on the pretest of decongesting the shops on the drainage system, with the intention to give same to the highest bidder, following the rising business profile of the area.

The Onitsha South Local Government Authority had in a letter to the traders dated June 15, 2023 signed by Mr. P . Onuachala, Special Duties Adviser, for Onitsha South Local Government Chairman, given the traders 48 hours told owners / occupiers to dismantle the shops to safe their goods and materials from demolition/enforcement action.

However, the traders in reply to letter through their lawyers, Chief Ikenna Egbuna, SAN, and Mr. C.M. Obijagwa, Esq, respectively, entitled Re “Final Notice to Remove shops at Progress Market Extension near Haruna Street Odoakpu Onitsha, said their shops were not built on the drainage system where the state government is carrying out expansion work, neither are they obstructing the ongoing construction of a bridge in the area.

The traders also in their letter through Mr. Obijagwa, copied to the Governor, the Police, Army and NSCDC, told Governor Soludo, the Commissioner of Police, the Army Commander in Onitsha and NSCDC Commender in the state that the State Government and the contractor handling the projects marked out and demolished the structures in the market built on drainage system and the ones obstruction work in the area.

According to the letter neither the state government nor the project contractor have informed our clients of any further demolition, as they have already demolished some stalls that are on the drainage system, we wonder why the Onitsha South council authority wants to carry out further demolition if not for selfish end.

The traders therefore, appealed to the Governor, the Police, Army and NSCDC to call the Onitsha South LGA authority to order, while asking the security agencies they are planning to use for the job to avoid involving in any act that will cause brake down of law and order in Onitsha.

“We are therefore, asking Onitsha South Council boss to give peace a chance in our market, we are paying all the necessary levies and taxes to the State and local government and we are ready to stop any body trying to dispossess us under any guise of our market shops.”

In another letters by Chief Egbuna, SAN, the traders said, “We got approval of both the Onitsha South Local Government and Anambra State Government to construct our shops after the Town Engineer and HOD, Works and the then Unit Head, Environmental Health, in the council area had given their approval for construction of the shops, so we wonder why anybody will be planning to dispossess us our shops on the pretest of decongestion of drainage.

The traders provided the Onitsha South Local Government Shop Construction Approval letters for Progress Market Extension, dated September 5, 2013, May 12, 2015, and Application for reconstruction of 14 shops dated February 5, 2018, just as they gave newsmen, the Council Area, Confirmation of the Ownership of Shops letter dated July 24, 2020, issued by the LGA authority to some traders including, Mr. Edozie Orji, Facemore Nigeria Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Idoko & Leonard Okorie, Mr. Eric Uwaoma, Mr. Christian Orji, Mr. Agu Onyeka Joseph and Mr. Monday Nwokoye and seven others.

Chief Egbnuna, SAN, told the Council Transtutoon Committee Chairman that he had to write him before taking any personal legal action against him, to let him known that the traders are in receipt of Clearance/Approval letters for construction dated 12th May 2015 and other documents from the LGA and the State government granting them permission to construct their shops.

“May we bring to your notice that the subject matter of your letter is subject of litigation in Appeal No. CA/AWK/263/2021, which Onitsha South LGA testified in the High Court 1 Onitsha. We are surprised that the Respondent in that Appeal is sponsoring the your Council Area to demolish our clients market shops.

“He is trying to use Onitsha South Local Government to obtain a remedy that he knows is not attainable to him in Court.

Be reminded that every construction in the market were done with the approval of the Council Area and the State government. You will be in contempt of Court if you dare carry out the demolition, and we will have the option of proceeding to court against you in your personal capacity.”

Tea pickers in Kenya are protesting the automation of agribusiness and other challenges faced by workers.

Around ten tea-plucking machines worth $1.2 million have been destroyed in the past year in attacks on Ekaterea Tea Company.

A government task force has proposed a human-machine tea-picking ratio of 60:40 and a reduction in the number of imported tea-harvesting machines.

The automation of tea harvesting increases the global competitiveness of Kenya’s tea and helps reduce the cost of production. Analysts say the recent opposition to mechanization will not stop the adoption of machines where necessary.

In Kericho county of Kenya, tea pickers are engaging in a massive protest over the automation of agribusiness and other challenges faced by workers.

According to a local report, around ten tea-plucking machines worth around $ 1.2 million have been torched belonging to Ekaterina Tea Company (formerly Unilever)- producers of Lipton over the last year in different attacks.

This recent spate of protests has resulted in the death of one protester and several injured. Earlier in March, a local government task force proposed a human-machine tea picking ratio of 60:40. The task force also wants a reduction in the number of tea harvesting machines imported into the country.

The Disagreement between Tea-pickers and Producers
Speaking to the press, a task force member Nicholas Kiruis Kirui said tens of thousands of jobs have been lost to mechanisation in the past decade. In his words “We did public participation in all the wards and with all the different groups, and the overwhelming sentiment we were hearing was that the machines should go”

However, a top official of one of Kenya’s major tea producers noted that mechanisation was critical to the company’s operation and how competitive Kenya tea would be in the international market.

Analyst Reports
According to a study, some machines can replace around 100 people and one machine reduces the cost of harvesting tea from 11 cents to 3 cents.

Analysts say automation will not stop and will continue to spread beyond agriculture to other industries across Africa. According to the managing director of the African Commodities Exchange AFEX in Kenya “We find the disruption caused by the integration of technology and mechanization seem initially threatening, however, it is important for all stakeholders (agricultural organisations, farmers, processors) involved to see these as increasingly imminent and unavoidable”

Kenya’s Tea Industry
Kenya is a major player in the global tea market. In 2021, it exported tea worth $1.2 billion. Only China and Sri Lanka exported more in the period.

17th June 2023

By Ayoola Olasupo

A former deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has dismissed claims that he is looking for appointment under President Bola Tinubu, saying he is too old for such.

He noted however that if he was approached or offered such, he would only assist in nominating competent candidates from his party.

George, who had been an ardent critic of Tinubu, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Thursday that he ended his rift with the President, not for appointment, but for peace to reign, and in deference to those who intervened in the matter, at the behest of Tinubu.

He stressed that after some senior indigenes of Lagos State and a delegation from the All Progressives Congress visited him to end the longstanding dispute and solicited his support for the Tinubu government, noting that he could never have desired anything more at his age.

He stated, “On this, people are only talking rubbish and they need to shut up. This man (Tinubu) is just starting and we said my party was still in court. They said we should let bygones be bygones. In the Bible, it is very clear that vengeance is only with God Almighty and you don’t continue fighting when everybody has persuaded you that it’s enough.

“All those saying I want an appointment don’t know what they are saying. What exactly do they want to happen to the young ones coming up? I said I have forgiven him. We had an issue and people settled it for us and I have forgotten about it.”

Asked whether or not he would accept an appointment from the government if offered, he stated, “I will give him people that have the knowledge from the party having been a manager of the party for years. If he says he wants me to help him get someone, there are millions of young people who still have all the energy to run around and not me.

“It is not for me, because I am not looking for a job. But if he calls me, we will discuss it before the party leaders, put heads together and nominate from our side somebody who is still young, agile, has the knowledge and can add value to this country.”

He said he could not congratulate or visit Tinubu at the villa while his party, the PDP, was still in court challenging the outcome of the presidential election. This, he said, would amount to betrayal of his party.

Guinness World Records: Ekiti chef, Dammy announces move to cook for 150 hours

After successfully completing her 120 hours of cooking in Ekiti State, Damilola Adeparusi, popularly called Chef Dammy, has disclosed her next line of action for the Guinness World Record (GWR).

The 22-year old chef, who spoke with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Friday, said the concluded 120-hour cook was not registered GWR, but added she is open to exploring other opportunities and experiences.

While acknowledging the support of stakeholders within and outside Ekiti State, the 300-level Mass Communication student of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), noted that she is determined to break the world record with the 150-hour cooking marathon she is planning to do soon.

She said, “I know the question that has been surrounding the minds of many people online and offline is what is next for Chef Dammy after the 120-hour cook-a-thon? What will become of Chef Dammy after the world has known her and she has been put in the spotlight? Well, Chef Dammy is open to exploration! I am open to new opportunities and new experiences in life. Now that the world knows what I am capable of doing. I think it’s high time everyone started giving me a chance to explore in diverse ways and capabilities.

“Finally, I know there have been many speculations about me not registering this just-concluded cooking, but my team and I have decided to embark on this new challenge next month.

“After the support I have received from fans, well-wishers, and many highly notable individuals in the society. I, Adeparusi Damilola popularly known as Chef Dammy and my team have decided to hold another cook-a-thon programme next month.

“This time, it will be held for a 150-hour, and it will be duly registered with Guinness World Records. Chef Dammy is coming back!“