The March 8th Initiative, a brainchild of the “Friends of Prof” is organised to inspire and promote communal, entrepreneurial and public-spirited endeavours within Nigeria in honour of the birthday of His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON. This year, the March 8th Initiative expanded in terms of reach and scope. First, the Entrepreneurship Programme was reorganised into 4 categories providing more opportunities for young Nigerians between 18 and 35 years old. For this year’s program, the organizers received a total of Thirty-Three Thousand and Twenty-Eight (33,028) applications across the four advertised categories.
1. My Big Idea Business Challenge (N100, 000) - 4,100 entries 2. My Business Support Category (N250, 000) – 10,522 entries 3. My Catalyst Support Challenge (N500, 000) -8,334 entries 4. My Bold Innovation Challenge (N1, 000,000)-10,072 entries
The selection process which was done by an independent team of Evaluators drawn from Nigeria and the diaspora analysed the shortlisted entries based on the eligibility criteria and the viability of the business proposals. Applicants drawn from the 36 States of the country and the FCT with the most innovative business ideas across the four categories have been shortlisted to benefit from the 2021 March 8th Initiative Entrepreneurial Programme. The list of the winners will be published on the March 8th Initiative website on the 1st of October, 2021.
In addition, the March 8th Initiative recognised health workers nationwide who, in an extremely difficult time, continue to exhibit compassion, diligence, hard work and professionalism in carrying out their duties. The initiative received a total of 1,520 nominations for the Health Grant Reward, and after a thorough evaluation of the nominations, Health workers drawn from across the country have been shortlisted as Beneficiaries of the Health Reward Grant. The list of the Beneficiaries will also be published on the March 8th Initiative website on the 1st of October, 2021.
Similarly, the March 8th Initiative undertook a nationwide Ophthalmological intervention to provide succour in the form of surgeries and other therapeutic care for those suffering from cataract and other eye defects. This Intervention kicked off with the Southwest and Northwest geopolitical zones. Working with the National Eye Centre and the State Ministries of Health, the March 8th Initiative carried out free Eye Screenings, Treatments and corrective Eye Surgeries for thousands of people suffering from cataract and other eye diseases in the Northwest and Southwest geopolitical zones. The Eye Care train has since moved to other geopolitical zones.
If crypto is for long-term, invest but if for short term, avoid. Kukuma face properties at least that one no de crash. Meanwhile, do they offer long term payment on their lands/houses?
iyawomii: My Greatest Regret, How Gambling Ruined Me
Dear Nairalanders, read my story which I will summarise and don't repeat my mistake.
I was not born rich but I have always been a hustler. In 2006 when I was 30, I had opportunity to travel to Latvia, from there I entered Germany where I started hustle. While in Germany I was sending money to my wife (then girlfriend), who judiciously kept them for me. I finally returned to Nigeria 2016 for my 40th birthday.
On my return, I had made over 25 million naira. My wife advised me to buy a landed property, which I initially agreed. We contacted several real estate agents including one called Landwey in Lagos. After agreeing on formalities, I refused to make the bold move to effect purchase, instead I postponed it, which was foolish of me.
I foolishly bought luxury cars, rented bigger apartment and felt like I have arrived. I invested 5 million in importation business but was duped by my most trusted friend. In 2018, I couldn't maintain my lifestyle due to the fact that I didn't had funds flowing in.
I made the greatest mistake by playing virtual games on betting shops. Within 5 months, I sold almost all my properties still playing virtual and losing.
In 2019, I finally lost everything, I relocated with my wife and 3 kids to a suburb as I couldn't pay the high rent where I was.
My Greatest Regrets: 1. Refusal to make purchase of the landed property as advised by my wife, notably that of Landwey, despite being convinced about it.
2. Living life of opulence when my resources weren't multiplying.
3. Wasting 4 years of my life playing virtual games.
Though I have forgiven myself for the wasted years, my advice to people is to use whatever that comes their way wisely.
Meanwhile, tribute to my wife for standing by me even when I failed her repeatedly
easrael: My Mother Died in 2016 and only 1 Thing Saved Me and My Siblings
What I am about to write about is something that has stayed on my mind for 5 years.
My Mother’s Death
My mother died in 2016 as a police officer in Lagos. We travelled all the way to Ondo state to bury her. After her burial, many of the family members promised us that we would be taken care of with my 5 siblings because our father was not available.
Aftermath
After we got back to Lagos, our family members stopped picking our calls, nobody came visiting, my sisters and brothers had to drop out of school and stopped going to school. We had to put them in a public school.
After 3 months, a friend of my mother visited us and after everything, he asked me if I knew that my mother had a land? Land? I was shocked and I inquired further and found out that my mother had land that we could sell because it has now appreciated.
Our Savior To cut the long story short, we sold the land and ever since, I have opened a hair selling business that we are using to feed the family.
My Question
Why do parents buy land and not tell their children?
Later someone will say Nigerian women doesn't bring anything to the table.
AishaYesufu: The Owlet To Reinvent Digital Marketing In Nigeria With New Websites, CEO Olusheinde Kolawole
Fast growing online marketplace, Owlet, has launched new websites; the-owlette.com and the-owlet.com , to change the face of digital marketing.
The organisation, which seeks to help millions of entrepreneurs expand their business, reach, visibility, and sales through two groundbreaking platforms, stated that, "The-Owlet is a social media marketing agency that specializes in social media management services for resellers. It bridges the social media gap between clients and their prospective customers, harnessing expertise on social media to engage customers with content, maintain the pages, and promote products to increase revenue. Business owners looking to expand through social media can depend on The-Owlet to curate a social media strategy for their business with the aim of increasing reach/visibility and sales."
The company further noted that, "The-Owlette has a simple mission, to provide an easy, accessible online market to buy and sell goods and services. This means that customers can do everything from buying a local grinding machine to hiring a web developer for their latest project, hire a furniture maker or purchase their next car.
The platform also connects freelancers to people who can hire them and provides an easy method for consumers to purchase their products of need. The-Owlette has been commended nationwide for providing an opportunity for young Nigerians to develop a side hustle by placing their products for sale and skills for hire".
A statement from Olusehinde Elijah Kolawole, the Chief Executive Officer of Owlet, noted that, “Owlet was created with a simple vision to connect businesses to freelancers and empower people to live their work dream. We empower people worldwide to live their work dream building their business from the ground up and becoming financially and professionally independent.
Over two million Nigerians have been empowered through our platforms and our aim is to continue to connect businesses to a community of expert freelancers who are available to hire by the hour or project, provide flexibility to work when it suits you, outside the archaic 9-to-5 day, and enable people to live their work dream. We are committed to innovation and excellence to drive more Nigerians to gain financial and professional freedom.”
This innovative and easy-to-navigate digital market, can be described as the “Uber” for online businesses which has come to stay and further expand the frontiers of opportunities for business sellers, investment seekers and social media influencers. Now, with just a smartphone and a decent internet connection, you can buy, sell and improve visibility for your business from the comfort of your private space, at any time".
With the 3 Months extension of the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, indications have emerged of top Police Officers jostling to replace him at the expiration of the 3 Months extension.
The Inspector General Police was due to retire on 2nd February, 2021 but got his tenure extended for 3 Months by the appointing authority, the President.
The 3 Months extension will expire in May, 2021 when a New replacement is expected to emerge.
The new Police Act assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in September, 2020 stipulates that a person to be appointed Inspector General of Police shall be a senior police officer not below the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).
It also says such a person must have an academic qualification of not less than a first degree or its equivalent in addition to professional and managerial experience.
While others have gathered sufficient experience, skills and competence needed for the job by merit, others have resort to cheap propaganda and unhealthy sentiments to get undue sympathy.
A report from dailytimes.ng dated 29th March, 2021 written by Aruga Joe Omokaro indicates that Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Moses Jutoboh from Bayelsa State, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Dasuki Galadanchi from Kano State and Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Ciroma from Yobe State are eyeing the position to be possible replacement if the extension of tenure of the present IGP terminates.
As for CP Bala Ciroma, his rank by virtue of Provision of the Police Act will hinder him and he has not attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategy Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Plateau State which is a requirement for the IGP position.
The appointment of an Inspector General of Police is at the discretion of the President and based on merit not State of origin of the officer involved. Other existing appointments from the State of a prospective officer cannot hinder his/her appointment as IGP as long as he is competent, has the capacity and meet the requirements of the Police Act 2020.
If the next IGP is to be from the same State with a serving Service Chief, no constitutional provision is being contravened as some persons are insinuating.
The appointment of a deserving officer and the retirement of others has no effect on the actualization of the mandate of the Nigerian Police as it is being circulated by propagandists.
The President must apply wisdom considering the security challenges being witnessed in the Country and it behoves on him to make a good choice of someone who will bring both his/her operational and field experiences to bear to achieve the mandate of the Nigerian Police.
Someone who has been a DPO, Area Commander and has served in the operational department of the Police Force should be chosen to man the very sensitive security outfit. This will make him/her ready to confront the daunting challenges considering the operational and field experience gathered over time.
Available records from research conducted have it that DIG Moses Jutoboh who is also jostling for the position has never been a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Area Commander and lack the required operational and field experiences to carryout the duties of the office of an IGP creditably well.
The President should be cautious in his choice of the New IGP and ensure that someone with operational and field experiences, good moral standing and capacity is appointed as the next IGP since he reserves the exclusive power to do so in conjunction with the Police Service Commission.
Sentiments should not be attached but the appointment should be based on meritocracy not mediocrity or sentiments being fronted by certain persons.
A patriotic officer who can deliver should be appointed the IGP upon the expiration of the extended tenure of the present IGP.
The President should not be cowed into appointing an Officer without the needed operational and field experiences as IGP.
He should as much as possible avoid those propagating hate, divisiveness, disaffection, disunity and other primordial sentiments in his choice for a possible replacement of the present IGP.
Over the years, friends and associates have come together to reflect upon the sterling qualities that define Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s personal and leadership style and have for his traditionally low-key birthday celebration chosen to support social impact causes that are close to his heart.
It will be recalled that as part of the events lined up for Prof Osinbajo’s birthday last year, 100 young entrepreneurs received business-defining grants of N1 million each that helped grow and advance their businesses, among other incubator support services from close friends and associates of ‘Prof’ as he is fondly called under the auspices of ‘The March 8th Initiative”.
These “Friends of Prof’ conceptualized ‘The March 8th Initiative” to inspire and promote communal, entrepreneurial and public-spirited endeavours within Nigeria in honour of his birthday.
In a statement, the Group which organizes the annual March 8th Initiative stated that for this year’s celebration, the Initiative is expanding its reach and scope with a view to imparting a broader spectrum of Nigerians.
First, the Annual Entrepreneurship Development Programme has been reorganized into four categories providing more opportunities for young Nigerians between 18 and 35 years old, giving one-off business grants, ranging from N100,000 to N1,000,000 to small businesses in Nigeria. The four categories cover varying stages of small business growth as follows: Big Idea Business Challenge, Business Support Challenge, Catalyst Support Challenge and the Bold Innovation Challenge.
Secondly, in addition to the Entrepreneurship Development Programme, the March 8th Initiative will recognize health workers nationwide who, in the face of a global pandemic, demonstrated exemplary courage, compassion, diligence, hard work and professionalism in carrying out their duties. Individuals are requested to nominate any health worker who has shown these qualities for a reward of N1 Million under a Health Grant Reward Category that acknowledges their invaluable service to our communities.
Additionally, the March 8th Initiative is undertaking a nationwide Ophthalmological intervention to provide succour in the form of surgeries and other therapeutic care for cataracts and other eye defects.
The Group stated that entries will open at 12.00 a.m on Monday, the 8th of March, 2021 and close at 11:59 p.m on Sunday, the 14th of March, 2021. All entries except those for “My Big Idea Business Challenge” must be submitted at www.march8th.ng
Nigerians have been consequently implored to visit the website to nominate the deserving health worker of their choice, as well as to apply for any of the grant categories that is applicable to them.
I wonder what would make someone compare both phones. Though Vision 1 is a good phone, it can't compare to p36 pro
PRYCE: Post was made since June though but for the sake of those with same dilemma currently,
The vision though more affordable, I'll advise you go for the i-tel P36 pro LTE, cos it has 5000mAh as compared to 4000mAh for the i-tel Vision. And a better Camera setup.
God bless you. I don't understand the hate for itel..by a few persons that think they are tech intellectuals. I don't know what gives them the guts to think that they can dictate to people the phones to buy with their own money.
Meanwhile, the brand is growing despite the hatred by the children of anger
So you mean someone is gullible for having preference? If not for transcion phones how many people would be using Android phones in Nigeria? Currently, itel... is blazing, I could easily use 30k to buy s16 (quality phone), but can I use same amount to buy non transcion brands? Pls stop sermonising us. Minimum wage is still 30k
Smartphone manufacturer Itel has announced the launch the A48 and A25 Pro smartphones in India. Both the smartphone are priced at Rs 5,999 and Rs 4,999 respectively. Alongside, the company also launched the Vision 1 phone at Rs 6,699 and the A23 smartphone for Rs 3,799.
thesilentman: Hello Phone gurus out there! I really respect you guys and what you do. Actually,it's been a while i step into the phone market so i just wanna know now in order not to have 'buyer's remorse' at the end of the day.All i have for that is 40k. Thanks All.
Going by comments, I think your best bet would be one of the latest itel phones
Politics › The March 8th Initiative Announces Winners Of 2021 Business, Health Grants by madamgrace(op): 3:16pm On Sep 27, 2021
