Emmanuel Ijewere, the former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), is dead.
Dare Muyiwa, the senior manager of the corporate communications directorate of ICAN, confirmed his demise to TheCable on Friday.
“Yes, he is late,” he said.
TheCable understands that Ijewere gave up the ghost on Thursday, after a prolonged battle with a terminal illness.
Before his demise, Ijewere, one of Nigeria’s most prominent businessmen, had a wide range of interests and experience in banking, finance, and agriculture.
He was the 32nd president of ICAN, leading the accounting body from 1996 to 1997, and also served as the president of notable organisations such as the Institute of Directors (IOD), and the Nigerian Red Cross.
Born in 1946, the former accountant studied in Lagos, Ijebu-Ode, Cameroon, and the United Kingdom (UK).
He began his accounting career in 1965 working at Coopers & Lybrand, and later established Ijewere & Co., a chartered accountancy firm in Nigeria, in 1979.
Since then, the firm has grown into one of the nation’s most reputable native accounting companies and tax advisory services.
Ijewere also served as chairman and director in many companies, including Best Foods Group, Emson, Nigeria Agribusiness Group, Drum Resources Nigeria Limited, Apel Capital & Trust Limited, Countrywide Direct Mortgage Company, Kerildbert Holdings, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Gemini Pharmaceuticals, among others.
A the national level, he was the pioneer chairman of the Agriculture and Food Security Commission and also the director of the defunct modified value-added tax committee in 1993.
In addition, Ijewere was a member of the national economic forum (NEF), the international investment council (HIIC), and the agricultural transformation implementation council (ATIC), under the chairmanship of ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
He also served as a resource person on agriculture to the transition committee of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ijewere was the president of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NAGB), the umbrella organisation for Nigerian agriculture, until his death.
An all star game is usually held as part of the programme. Previous editions have featured Nwankwo Kanu, Jude Ighalo, Abu Azeez, Onome Ebi, Rasheedat Ajibade, Tobi Bakare, Stephen Odey and other stars.
This year's event took place at Campos Square Mini Stadium on Lagos Island on December 26th. Here are photos and videos of the event.
Emzor hosts Asisat Oshoala to grand homecoming, supports Football tournament for girls
December 27, 2023
Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, Nigeria's leading private indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing group, has honoured Nigerian female international soccer star and record sixth-time CAF African Women’s Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, by hosting her to a grand homecoming reception in celebration of her rare feat.
Emzor also supported the Barcelona striker with the sponsorship of the 8th Annual Asisat Oshoala Football Competition for Girls – a pet project initiated and owned by Asisat to offer a veritable platform for young girls with an interest in football to hone their skills and showcase their talent. The preliminaries of the football tournament were staged on December 24, while the finals were held on December 25.
Speaking during the welcome reception held on Christmas day, December 25, 2023, in Lagos, the Group Managing Director/CEO, of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, represented by Uzoma Ezeoke, Executive Director of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, described Asisat as a motivation and a good role model for young people to emulate. She also commended her for making Nigeria proud with her numerous awards chief of which is her record sixth-time CAF African Women’s Player of the Year award.
She said Emzor celebrates Asisat for her remarkable achievements, and for being a good example of the resilient, can-do spirit that propels Nigerians to success anywhere they found themselves, affirming that the company was proud of its association with the iconic international football star.
"On behalf of all of us at Emzor Pharmaceutical, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on achieving the rare feat as the record sixth time CAF African Women’s Player of the Year. Your exceptional talent, unwavering dedication, and outstanding sportsmanship has not only brought glory to yourself but has also elevated our nation's standing in the African continent and the international stage," she said.
Continuing, Mrs. Ezeoke stated, "Your remarkable performance exemplifies the values of excellence and perseverance that we hold dear. Your commitment to your craft and the positive impact you have made on the global sports ecosystem is a true inspiration for aspiring footballers, especially our girls.
"This homecoming reception serves as a recognition of your unparalleled contributions to the world of football. We are immensely proud to have you represent our country, and we look forward to witnessing your continued success in the future. Without any doubt, your achievements have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the history of our organisation and the global football community,"
Mrs Ezeoke stated further that Asisat’s feat as a record holder of six times winner of CAF African Women’s Player of the Year was a booster for young girls who are passionate about football even as she restated Emzor’s unwavering commitment to sports development in Nigeria.
Highlighting Emzor’s support for football in Nigeria, she stated that as a wellness company, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries has been a major supporter of the national teams - the Super Eagles since 2014, and the Super Falcons since 2016. It also supports individual players who own initiatives and platforms through which they give back to society. Asisat Oshoala is one good example.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Kunle Faloye, Emzor Pharmaceuticals' Marketing Manager, said the occasion was a special one to honour Oshoala for her accomplishments as a good face of the brand.
"Today is a special day as we gather to celebrate our esteemed national ambassador and also our brand ambassador. Asisat Oshoala's passion, dedication and commitment to excellence are aligned with our brand values, and they make her endearing and exceptional to the Emzor family. This homecoming reception is therefore our own little way of appreciating her for doing Nigeria proud. Thank you all for being here to share this momentous occasion with us," he said.
Asisat Oshoala in her response thanked Emzor Pharmaceutical for the honour donned on her and stated that the support she received from Nigerians and the company was part of the incentive for her success.
"I thank Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and everyone of you for this incredible welcome. It's an honour to be back home, surrounded by the support of my family, constituency, the football community, friends, associates and well-wishers. This award - CAF African Women’s Player of the Year for the record sixth year - is not just mine; it belongs to each one of you who believed in me. Let's continue making history together. Thank you!"
The high points of the homecoming reception included the presentation of a customised jersey emblazoned with Six CAF African Women’s Player of the Year to the football icon.
Among the dignitaries that graced the event were representatives of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Asisat Oshoala Foundation, Asisat Oshoala Academy for Girls, sports celebrities, media representatives and well-wishers.
Oshoala won the biggest individual awards at the CAF Awards 2023 capping the record sixth African Women’s Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in the Moroccan city of Marrakech on Monday night, December 11, 2023. Apart from her emergence as the Most Valuable Player at Namibia 2014 African Women’s Championship (AWC), where she equally won the Silver Boot award for scoring four goals, Oshoala was named the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, beating star players including Spain’s Veronica Boquete, German Nadine Kessler, Scot Kim Little and Brazilian Marta to the honour. The Confederation of African Football (CAF), later crowned her effort with the African Women Player of the Year award.
Asisat Lamina Oshoala, a holder of the national honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) was born on October 9, 1994. She currently plays professional football as a striker for Spanish Liga FC Barcelona and the Nigeria women's national team, Super Falcons. Widely regarded as one of the greatest African female footballers of all time and one of the best in the world, she is one of the most celebrated African female footballers of all time, having won African Women's Footballer of the Year a record six times.
About Emzor
Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is a private indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing group founded in 1984 by Dr. Stella C. Okoli, OON. From a humble beginning as a retail chemist’s shop in January 1977 and rising to become one of Nigeria’s most respected, indigenous multi-billion naira pharmaceutical companies today, Emzor's pipeline of over 140 high-quality pharmaceutical products and medical consumables include analgesics, vitamins, haematinics, antimalarials, antitussives, antibiotics, anti-helminthic, anti-histamine, antacid, and cardio-protective drugs.
We are a wholly owned, indigenous Nigerian company and we choose to remain that way for the betterment of our country and its people. Our choice to manufacture drugs locally has the dual aim of providing affordable, value-rich healthcare to our people and building employment and manufacturing capabilities in the region.
Since 2016 the Asisat Oshoala Foundation has held football clinics for girls in secondary schools in Lagos State. Winners and most valuable players at the event are given cash prizes and an opportunity to school and play football abroad. The foundation has also provided exercise books, school bags, writing materials and sanitary pads to the girls and taught them how to perform CPR.
This year's edition of the event took place at the Femi Gbajabiamila Sports Complex at the Abalti Barracks in Surulere on December 25th. Emzor used the event as a welcome home ceremony for Asisat Oshoala after she won a 6th African Footballer of the Year award.
Here are pictures of the event.
1) Deji Omotoyinbo, Asisat Oshoala, Toyin Ibitoye and Godwin Enaghena.
2) Uzoma Ezeoke of Emzor, Asisat Oshoala and Aisha Falode
naptu2: I think this is a really good opportunity to look at things from the other side.
Lagos State environmental agencies have been in the news recently because they've been carrying out regulatory enforcement. We've heard stories about places that have been shut or demolished, we've heard the side of the owners of those places and we've heard the side of the government. There is one side that has been missing in all of these.
You see, in most cases the government doesn't just go to shut down or demolish these premises. In most cases government action is as a result of complaints from members of the public. Complaints like the one below.
And just as the owners of the shut or demolished properties are not happy with government, many of the complainants are also not happy with government.
As has often been said, government doesn't just go to demolish or seal places. They usually do this only after a lot of warnings have been ignored. Those warnings are also a problem for the complainant. I'll give you some examples.
The government recently demolished some structures that were built on the Ikota canal and it is still going to demolish more structures. It was proven that the government has issued several warnings to the owners of those properties since 2019.
I told you that I saw tweets by someone that was complaining about those structures. He said that they had also warned the owners of the structures many times. He said that they experience flooding in their area because the owners had blocked the canal. He tweeted before and after pictures of the area.
Now imagine that you are that complainant above and you have complained to the government since 2019 and nothing has been done because the government was warning the owners and giving them time to voluntarily remove their structures. Imagine that you have been suffering the floods every year, but government has done nothing about your complaints, how would you feel?
I remember when the former head of LASEPA gave details of their processes. He said that they don't just shut places down for noise pollution. They first advise them, that is, tell them what the problem is and how they can solve it, then they come back later to monitor the situation (or the complainant can complain again), then they issue a first warning if the situation is still the same, then a second warning and then they seal off the property.
Some Nigerians have no patience for that.
I was advising someone to contact LASEPA a few years ago, when another person butted in and said that LASEPA doesn't do anything. He said that they are only there to collect money for regulations.
Yet I know many people that have had their problems solved satisfactorily by LASEPA. I guessed that the guy had a complaint and didn't have the patience to follow through and I was right.
A very good example is that girl that reported a church. She made a tweet thread about it and I converted it into a Nairaland thread. She didn't just report the church once. She reported them and they started praying against her, then she reported them several more times and they eventually had to change the location of their vigil because LASEPA was on their case.
This is a screenshot of someone reporting an abbatoir. He was responding to a tweet by a government official about the fact that the market management at Alaba Rago organised a cleanup campaign after seeing what has happened to other markets in Lagos.
naptu2: What you are asking for already exists both at the federal and state levels.
Unfortunately I'm in transit at the moment, so I'm going to compose this post entirely from my memory, but I'll provide more information when I get to my destination.
The law that created the Nigerian Environmental Safety Regulatory Agency (NESREA) empowers it to set noise limits. Individuals and organisations must comply with this limit or they will be made to pay fines for every day that they contravene the regulation and they can also be jailed. Unfortunately I can't remember what the limit is.
In Lagos State, LASEPA has set a limit of 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night. I watched an episode of Sunrise Daily (between 2005 and 2009) in which the then commissioner of environment, Dr Muiz Banire talked about noise pollution.
He said that he tested the generator in his home and discovered that he was contravening the law and he had to get it soundproofed. He said that citizens could complain to LASEPA and LASEPA would initially issue a warning to the defaulter to reduce the noise being emitted. Then they will conduct inspections to see if their warning is being complied with and lastly, they will seal the property if the problem continues.
I've posted a long list of example of action taken against churches, mosques, bars, factories, hotels etc. and ways in which you can contact LASEPA. I'll search for them when I get to my destination or you can use the Nairaland search bar and type " Naptu2 Lasepa "
naptu2: Lasepa has taken action against lots of churches, mosques, music stores, hotels, bars and factories that have been engaged in noise pollution and there are many nairaland threads about those incidents, so I'll encourage you to complain, because the system works.
naptu2: The Lagos State Government has held several meetings with religious leaders, club owners, etc. over the past 22 years to educate them about Lagos State laws on noise pollution and to tell them what they can do in order to comply with the law.
● Churches have been advised to remove external speakers and the big churches with powerful internal speakers have been advised to soundproof their halls.
● Nightclubs, bars and other such entertainment venues have been advised to soundproof their halls.
● Mosques have been advised not to use external speakers during prayers.
etc.
In recent times the traffic law enforcement agencies have also had issues with nightclubs that hold special events at Christmastime, but do not have enough parking space for their patrons and they end up parking on the road and obstructing traffic. The government has advised them to provide adequate parking space for their patrons.
A similar situation occurred in 2019 when a woman reported a church that was holding noisy vigils.
Maya lives in me @enitioluwafe
This church behind my house is moving their vigil to another venue outside our estate. According to them, 'one child of perdition kept on reporting to LASEPA'. I own this title if it makes us sleep soundly at night in our abodes. This battle has been won at last. Thank you Jesus.
Politics › Former ICAN & Nigerian Red Cross President, Emmanuel Ijewere Is Dead by naptu2(op): 12:45pm On Dec 29, 2023
