₦airaland Forum

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered all civil servants in the state to stay away from work on Monday, May 4.

The PUNCH reports that the 5-week-old total lockdown imposed on the nation’s economic capital terminates on Sunday night, May 3, and the new phase of gradual easing starts on Monday, as ordered by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

But the governor in a statement on Sunday evening asked all its civil servants not to resume work immediately, noting that the delayed resumption is a deliberate attempt to prevent overcrowding in the state. He, however, added that emergency workers and those on essential duties would be allowed to work on Monday.

Sanwo-Olu said, “In amending the work guidelines earlier issued, which stopped members of the public service from Grade Level 1 to 12 from going to work; we have had to review this position and we are extending the directive to all civil servants, regardless of level. All civil servants must stay away from work on Monday.

“On Tuesday, only officers from Grade Level 15 and above have express permission to come to work. All other essential officers that may need to be at work will be informed by the Accounting Officer of each Ministry as may be required.

“From Monday on, there will be a curfew from 8 pm to 6 am and all movements within these hours are prohibited, except for people on essential services, which are agro-products, petroleum products, relief materials, and food supplies.

“We want to use this as a demonstration of our commitment to the gradual easing of the lockdown. We do not want people to rush out tomorrow and see the easing of the lockdown as an attempt to believe that the spread of the pandemic is all over.”

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Saturday night, of the total 2388 coronavirus infections reported in the country, 1068 cases were recorded in Lagos with about 30 attendant fatalities and 247 recoveries, the highest by any state in Nigeria.

The PUNCH reports that Sanwo-Olu recently launched the #MaskUpLagos campaign to sensitise the about 20 million population of the state on the need to wear face masks while in public places, observe social distancing and practice good hygiene as part of collective efforts to curb the spread of the lethal virus.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/breaking-dont-resume-on-monday-sanwo-olu-orders-civil-servants/

VISION, PERSEVERANCE NEEDED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR — ESTHER LAWSON

The Creative Director of EBL Media, Esther Lawson, tells OLAJIDE SAMUEL about her business

Q: What led you into this line of business?
A: I started out consulting for my friends who participated in online competitions. From there, I started managing social media accounts for businesses and referrals started coming in. I have handled campaigns for people such as Funnybone, Saco, Beejay Sax and non-governmental organisations. I currently work with a multinational and an international NGO, among other clients.

Q: What interested you in digital marketing?
A: I love seeing people win and I have always had a passion for helping friends grow their businesses. Owing to my literary background, I love writing and enjoy coming up with creative captions because I understand that effective communication is the key to getting the attention of one’s target audience. I realised I had functioned as a consultant to a degree for my friends and this led me to learn more about digital marketing. With recommendations from friends, I started consulting for business owners and brands.

Q: What does it take to run a successful social media campaign?
A: I believe once your goals are solidly laid out, a clear understanding of your target audience is another major factor that ensures a successful social media campaign. Setting a smart goal helps to ensure that the tactics employed to reach the goals down the line do not deviate from the result to be achieved, and a clear understanding of one’s intended audience will ensure one knows where to find them and how to communicate with them.

Q: What are the common mistakes brands make when it comes to social media presence?
A: I think the three most common mistakes brands make are— diving straight into the promotion without taking the time to set smart goals, not researching their target audience, and not knowing how to strike a balance between constant advertising and creating valuable content their audience will appreciate them for.

Q: What are the major challenges facing young entrepreneurs like you?
A: I’d say being undermined by those not necessarily in the digital marketing field when important decisions need to be made on important projects and lack of resources available to encourage entrepreneurs and get proper devices.

Q: What should young people do to achieve success in a career or business?
A: Being a successful entrepreneur takes a lot of work, vision and perseverance. So, I would say, have a clear vision at all times. Believe that you can succeed and you would find your way through different obstacles. But if you don’t, you would find excuses. Also, learn to take calculated risks. Be willing to take action. The world is full of great ideas but success only comes through action.

Many entrepreneurs point to mistakes as being their best teachers. When one learns from one’s mistakes, one would move closer to success even though one initially failed. There is also a need for one to work with the right people. Who one is with is who one will become. I believe one of the fastest ways to change oneself is to be around people who are already the way you want to be.

Q: Do you experience age discrimination in the course of doing your job?
A: It is to be expected in a culture where one is not taken seriously and trusted to be responsible and capable enough to handle one’s business. Some clients register their doubts and tread carefully at first but they quickly learn to let me do my thing.

Q: What do you regard as the high point of your career?
A: My greatest professional achievement was handling public relations for a concert, Beejaysaxlive, for two consecutive years. I was hired to handle PR across all social media platforms and I designed and implemented it without any guidance. The second time I handled the show, it was sold out.

Q: What are the most important business lessons you’ve learnt over the years?
A: Believe in yourself! As a young entrepreneur, you should believe in yourself because all successful and prosperous business tycoons believed in their products or services right from the start. If they didn’t, who else would? Self-doubt can hold one back from taking calculated risks that would have otherwise paid off because one is afraid of negative feedback.

If Larry Page had listened to naysayers, we probably wouldn’t have Google today.

Q: How do you like to dress?
A: I dress according to whatever occasion I’m attending. I am very strict and particular about what I wear. I wear what suits my body because I believe it is important to present myself in a respectable manner.

Q: What kind of book do you love to read?
A: I love to read financial literature and self-development books.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/vision-perseverance-needed-to-be-successful-entrepreneur-lawson/

NONNY UGBOMA, ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES, CHARTING HER PATH TO ACTUALISATION
Nonny Ugboma has shown how much difference a single individual can make. She has spent the last 17 years at MTN Nigeria, ending up as Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation (MTNF), an organisation committed to serving and executing sustainable projects under mother and child health, youth empowerment and arts and culture causes.

As the Executive Secretary of MTNF, she has strategic oversight over MTNF activities and investments of over N120 billion in Education, Health and Economic Empowerment nationwide in 850 sites across 36 states and the FCT, leading the team to receiving over 80 awards and endorsements.

She aligns CSR objectives with business’ strategic objectives and implements interventions that benefit both the organisation and the host communities. She leads diverse teams and manages stakeholders at different levels of businesses, society, government, beneficiaries, customers, media & civil society. She developed several tools to guide project selection as well as processes, procedures and policies for selection of beneficiaries including the Cost effectiveness, Relevance, Impact, Visibility and Marketability (CRIVM) model. She also develops multi-platform communication plans for all projects for maximum media leveraging of MTNF projects.

Nonny is a shared value enabler. She is passionate about finding creative solutions to societal problems, contributing to public policy, and empowering young people to build their skills, towards social development and prosperity globally; with clear implications for the future of the African Continent.

Her dynamic professional and personal career of over two decades cut across financial services, telecommunications, technology and social enterprise, including work in audit and financial advisory, and with hi-tech firms in Silicon Valley before joining MTN Nigeria’s business intelligence.

Apart from her work with MTN Foundation, she was a non-executive director, Asharami Energy (A Sahara Group Company) from Dec 2014 To November 2019 and member and Chairman, Board Audit & Risk Committee and member, Remuneration and Governance Committee on the board of R.A.K Unity PLC, a subsidiary of the Sahara Energy Group.

She is a public speaker, panel moderator and guest lecturer at the Lagos Business School. Nonny is a mother of two young men, a fitness buff, and an active volunteer with the youth ministry at her local church.
Now, on a sabbatical, pursuing a Master of Public Administration (MPA), Innovation, Public Policy and Public value, at the University College, London, Nonny is keen to see an end to societal decay and inequality through enactment of mission-oriented policies, public-private partnerships and creation of public value across all geography and class towards a sustainable future.

She has an MSC in International Management, Kings College, University of London; BSC (HONS) in Accounting and Financial Analysis, University of Warwick, Coventry, England and attended Our Lady’s Convent Senior School, Abingdon, Oxford, England for her O’ and A’ Levels.

MTN Foundation was incorporated in 2004 to drive MTN Nigeria’s (MTNN) various CSR initiatives commissioned in May 2005. It is funded by up to 1% Profit After Tax from MTNN for projects, over N21bn has been committed to MTNF projects to date, over 550 MTNF project sites in 36 States including the FCT, key focal areas developed in response to wide stakeholder engagement, and they are in partnership with Government/multilateral agencies.

When Nonny joined MTN Nigeria in April 2003 as Business Planner and Financial Analyst in the Business Intelligence unit of the Marketing division, before moving to the Foundation as a pioneer staff responsible for the Education and Health portfolio (a portfolio manager in 2004/2005), she certainly knew she was destined for great things and was clear about her desired trajectory.

By 2009, she became the Executive Secretary of the MTNF Foundation. “MTN is an amazing company that truly cares about the various communities where it does business because every country where MTN operates has a Foundation.

We started off focussing on three main portfolios including: education, health and economic empowerment in response to wide stakeholder engagement and recently the focus areas have morphed into causes: Youth Empowerment, Arts & Culture, and Child Health and National Priorities initiatives.” She said.

On finding fulfilment with her job, Nonny said “The most fulfilling part of the job is seeing the spread of activities and the number of people the Foundation was able to affect. One of the key success factors of the Foundation is the public private partnership model used in implementing over 800 initiatives across the country.”

Interestingly, working with different stakeholders across the country and listening to different views on possible ways to address different societal issues got Nonny thinking about going back to school to review and reassess the concept of public value especially in the developing world context. “I started on this ‘rethinking development’ path back in 2015 when MTN Foundation celebrated its 10-year anniversary. I decided that I had to remove myself from my familiar territory and routine to be in a study environment in order to learn new things and uncover new insights about old things.”

Nonny later shared her thoughts with her mentors “Two very inspiring human beings” she calls them, who over the years have encouraged and helped her put her plans in motion, which she timed to align with those of her sons, and voila, exactly 25 years after she completed her first Master’s programme from King’s College, London, she began another Masters programme at a rival school, University College London, where she is now studying Master of Public Administration in Innovation, Public Policy and Public Value.

“MTN, as a company that supports personal development, graciously approved my one-year study leave/sabbatical to build myself. Truly amazing, wouldn’t you agree?” she asked me and continued “This one-year leave of absence from work is essentially to renew my knowledge base and prepare me for the future ahead. I have always been an advocate for self-development and improvement. I moved from finance and numbers into the corporate social investment space by self-development and by curiously learning from experts in the field.” Ugboma said.

I asked her what keeps her going daily and her response was truly motivating. “One of the things that keeps me going every day is my resolve to always look out for solutions to socio-economic challenges, so everything I am learning involves me deep diving into historical analysis of problems because context matters especially when it comes to development. Interestingly, I am part of the first cohort of the course at the Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose and the Director of the course is renowned Economist, Dr. Mariana Mazzucato.”

Ugboma calls Mariana a rock star “Mariana is a rock star. She is also an author of two amazing books, which I strongly recommend called ‘The Entrepreneurial State’ and ‘The Value of Everything’. The course has an innovative curriculum that fundamentally challenges the dominant free market economics thinking, which predominantly focuses on cost in assessing the activities of the public sector and it presents a case for using value instead. In other words, it assesses contribution of the public sector from a public value perspective and not from cost incurred point of view.” she revealed.

For Nonny, “The bottom line is that the state is responsible for the development of advanced economies so for me, I am interested in learning how this can be translated into the developing world context. If the advanced countries implemented certain policies to insulate their economies at critical times of their development, so what do we need to do to leapfrog or catch up? How do we organise our public sector to attract the best brains and avoid brain drain into the private sector as well as avoid brain drain into other advanced countries? So many questions and lots of possible answers”

From her responses, it was easy to tell that Nonny is certainly having a ball in her current career path. She however shared her core findings with me “One major key learning for me is the use of mission approach to resolving societal problems and grand challenges we face in our countries. The mission approach requires the state to play a leading role whilst working collaboratively with different sectors towards achieving a joint mission. In other words, the state’s role needs to move away from fixing market failures to shaping markets.” She insisted.

Furthermore, Ugboma believes that throughout history, shaping markets has been the role of the state in advanced economies, so it really shouldn’t be any different for developing countries. According to her, “How many people know that most of the technology used in smart phones today were funded and developed by the American state? Our African states need to, therefore, start picking willing partners of development.

Another opportunity for Africa to employ mission approach to innovation is by focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The beautiful thing about the SDGs is that they are a major departure from their predecessor, the aid-focussed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that positioned Africa as a subservient continent in constant need of help from the West.”

The interview came to an end as she quoted Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

SOURCE (abridged): https://businessday.ng/women-hub/article/nonny-ugboma-enthusiastic-about-future-opportunities-charting-her-path-to-actualisation/

Women in Business: Aisha Babangida, Founder, WenA ( Women Network Alliance)
Aisha Babangida is a humanitarian leader and experienced founder with a demonstrated history of working within philanthropy and helping underserved communities throughout Nigeria. She is the Chairman of the Better Life Program for the African Rural Woman, taking over after her mother, who worked previously as the chairman and founder.

In addition to the Better Life Program, Aisha has also started and worked with numerous non-profit organisations, only fuelling her passion to do more for the people of her country. Aisha loves being able to provide women and girls with educational opportunities and life skills in order to better prepare them for the future.

In addition to her passion and commitment to philanthropy, Aisha Babangida is also passionate about finance and business. She has continued to advocate for female empowerment by working to increase women’s rights, and provide them with resources that can help transform their lives and great community. Through her work and outreach, Aisha Babangida realized the importance of microfinance and banking for the Nigerian economy.

In 2016, she founded the Egwafin Microfinance Bank, which helps those in Africa get the access they need to funding and financing that they may not have had access to otherwise. According to her, Microfinance acts as a means to target wealth inequality and work towards bridging the gap. Because the poor or impoverished don’t have access to resources, their skills go underutilized, because they themselves are underutilized.

“Microfinance, commonly referred to as microcredit which is actually a subset within microfinance, acts as an opportunity for people who may not otherwise receive approval for a loan or credit to still obtain financial services. The concept was built around the idea of inclusion and access for all. In order to participate in growing economies, people need access to funding no matter their income bracket.” She says.

In 2018, Aisha Babangida founded Women Enterprise Alliance, which helps entrepreneurs through investing in profitable early stage companies, small & medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria and across Africa. She founded the organisation as a way to help improve the resources that entrepreneurs need to thrive when first starting their own company. Overall, Aisha Babangida has become known for her leadership in the community, as well as her skills in non-profit organisations, negotiation, corporate social responsibility, business planning, and analytical skills.

Aisha is passionate about financial inclusion for women and how it can change their lives and communities. “Women represent between 60 & 79% of Nigeria’s rural labour force but are 5 times less likely to own their own land than men. Women are also less likely to have had a decent education. Microcredit and financial inclusion organisations create some of the best opportunities for these women to gain valuable capital that can pay off long-term upon obtaining the necessary resources.

While these programs are geared towards those with an entrepreneurial spirit or business opportunity, they also have programs intended to support those who don’t conform to this mold yet still have more basic necessities in order to sustain or improve their standing.” Says Aisha.

Aisha is the founder of Tasnim Foundation, a charity based organisation providing scholarship to young girls in rural areas to encourage the girl child education. They also provide medical equipment and some medications to hospitals in order to improve public health. Through the program, Aisha Babangida provides succour for displaced citizens. As part of her mission to expose children to more education opportunities, the foundation is building small schools in rural areas and rehabilitating orphanages.

Aisha recently hosted past First Ladies and the present First Lady of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Aisha Buhari, to mark the 10th anniversary of the demise of her mum, former First Lady, Maryam Babangida

SOURCE: https://businessday.ng/women-hub/article/women-in-business-aisha-babangida/

This series of articles focusing on women in business is meant to encourage everyone (especially young vulnerable girls) to believe in their own potential to achieve greatness via brains, character and hardwork.

These women are positive role models that will inspire a new generation of girls to strive for the peak of achievement in their chosen fields of endeavour.

Feedback is welcome. -- Prof2007

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FOCUS ON WOMEN IN BUSINESS: NKASI OBIM NEBO (PhD)
Nkasi Obim Nebo (PhD) was recently named Nigeria’s winner for the Commonwealth Points of Light Award by Her Majesty, The Queen of the United Kingdom. Points of Light are outstanding individual volunteers – people who are making a change in their community. Every weekday, the Prime Minister recognises an inspirational volunteer with the Daily Point of Light award.

UK Points of Light was developed in partnership with the US programme and launched in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street in April 2014. Since then, hundreds of people have been named Points of Light by the Prime Minister, highlighting an enormous array of innovative and inspirational volunteering across the length and breadth of Britain.

“I am greatly honoured and so touched to receive the Commonwealth Points of Light Award in recognition of my work. To see that every pregnancy is by choice; that every woman has access to clean and safe childbirth void of infections and bleeding; that every girl child has access to a hygienic menstrual supply is where my motivation comes from.

I am dedicating this award to all my incredible colleagues at ‘PeachAid Medical Initiative’: they are midwives, doctors, pharmacists, radiographers, lab scientists. The many hours they put into this work, irrespective of where we go to, is the reason we are saving many lives and achieving results. We will not stop until we’ve reached every vulnerable young girl, and every pregnant mother in the rural communities across Nigeria with our life-saving services.”

Nkasi is a Maternal Health Advocate and a humanitarian worker experienced in reproductive health and family planning. She believes that no woman should die while giving life and that every pregnancy should be by choice, and well planned. She is the Founder/Director of PeachAid Medical Initiative.

PeachAid Medical Initiative (PMI), is a community based humanitarian Organisation, fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (RC 80566), and the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria. They were established in July 2015. Their work is centred on reproductive health and family planning (their thematic areas).

They distribute menstrual cups to women who are internally displaced and cannot afford pads and tampons. They conduct free antenatal care services to give every pregnant mother in the poor rural community access to at least 1 antenatal care visit, even though about 4 or more is recommended throughout pregnancy by WHO. This service gives mothers the opportunity to see their babies in the womb, and know their sex and present conditions.

They distribute birthing kits so every woman will have a safe and clean delivery wherever they decide to give birth, without bleeding to death. They train local birth attendants extensively; advancing their knowledge on maternal issues and afterwards, set up a channel that monitors their activities. They also create access to an unlimited supply of different types of contraceptives.

Their aim is to help reduce the high rate of maternal death at the rural communities and Internally Displaced Person Camps (IDPs) by bringing health closer to the people in these communities. They also aim at improving both the standard of reproductive health care service delivery and access to contraceptives options at the Primary Healthcare level in rural communities across Nigeria.

In this space, she oversees all the projects carried out at PMI. She works to continually develop an effective distribution line that will see women in rural communities’ access their lifesaving supplies, irrespective of their location at childbirth.

So far, she has reached about 37,000 women and over 4,000 men and has connected with about 400 traditional birth attendants since the year 2015. Her work has been further developed through more than a decade of engaging in medical intervention activities. She has a Doctorate degree in Healthcare Ministry, and other professional certificates in Emergency Medical Services, Epidemiology, emergency obstetric and newborn care, immunization essential, and maternal survival.

SOURCE: https://businessday.ng/women-hub/article/women-in-business-nkasi-obim-nebo-phd/

OWEN OMOGIAFO, PROOF THAT IF YOU DARE, YOU CAN RISE
Owen Omogiafo is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc where she is responsible for driving positive transformation in Transcorp Hilton Abuja and Transcorp Hotels Calabar. Prior to joining Transcorp Hotels Plc, Omogiafo was the Executive Director, Corporate Services at Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp). Transcorp is Nigeria’s leading conglomerate with investment in Power, Hospitality and Oil & Gas.

A Harvard trained executive, Owen is a certified Change Manager (Prosci Institute, USA) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, UK. She holds a B.Sc. in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Benin and an M.Sc. in Human Resources from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria and a member of the Board of Avon Healthcare, where she sits on the Board Finance, Investment & Risk Committee and Board Audit & Governance, in a Non-Executive capacity.

GROWING UP
Growing up was very interesting. I was born and bred in Benin City, at a time when the word “neighbour” really meant something. I grew up in an environment that had a mix of tribes, religions and income brackets. We interacted with everyone, treating one another with respect, consideration and there was a strong sense of family. We were raised on the principle of “A good name is better than riches” and that guides me till today in all my engagements.

Q: Transition at the various points in your career till where you are now and what the experience taught you?
A: From my initial roles as a Human Resources Director to my pivotal career moment of being appointed the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and subsequently, Deputy CEO (DCEO) of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, this has been my story. I was able to raise my hand and say that I can do it when each opportunity presented itself, and thereafter, justified the confidence of those who said go ahead by delivering on the job. When I was appointed MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels, a year ago, it was because I had proven myself in the previous roles I occupied.

The lesson I take from these transitions is the one that has gone a long way in guiding me through various decisions I’ve made. Be prepared and be ready to speak up on your preparedness. I was raised to be daring and adventurous. As my dad would say when we were kids, “if you ask, you have a 50/50 chance of getting a yes/no, but if you do not ask, it is 100% no”.

Q: What are your roles as MD/CEO and how do you carry it out effectively?
A: As MD/CEO I see myself as the Chief Staff Motivator and Chief Client Relationship Manager.
This mindset defines how I work with others to drive positive transformation in the company. One of my smart employees was beginning to let the ball drop at work, I refused to believe that she was just being lazy. So, I went ahead to have a conversation with her with the hope of getting to the root cause of the problem, turns out that she was dealing with years of fatigue from issues relating to housing.

We solved the issue togther involving her stakeholders and the transformation was phenomenal. At the core, developing and executing the groups strategic objectives is paramount. Therefore, building and managing an effective management team to oversee and drive the company’s financial performance, investments and other business ventures is critical.

Q: Transcorp Hilton Abuja recently completed an upgrade, can you expand on this and what it means to you?
A: We commenced the Transcorp Hilton Abuja upgrade in 2015 and concluded it in 2019. We transformed all 667 rooms in the hotels and the meeting rooms to meet world-class standards. The financial investment in the hotel was significant at over $100m. Keep in mind that it was during the timeline of the renovation that we had the devaluation of the Naira against the dollar, with attendant cost implications for us a business.

Despite the challenges in the economy at the time, showcasing the strengths of the group we belong to, we were able to successfully complete the renovation and today, the Transcorp Hilton Abuja is one of the best Hiltons in the world both in infrastructure and service standards. Transcorp Hilton Abuja is a hallmark of pride for Nigeria and Nigerians, hosting world leaders such as Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, George Bush and Hilary Clinton, to mention a few. Following the successful completion of the renovation, amongst other criteria, the hotel was discharged from the Post-privatisation monitoring by the National Council on Privatisation recently.

This renovation affirms my belief in Africapitalism, the philosophy of the Transcorp Group which states that the private sector has the power to transform the continent through long-term investment in key sectors of the economy. That we have come this far driven by this philosophy, gives me hope that our Nation can be transformed when we all contribute our quota to its development.

Q: What is your take on gender equality?
A: It is as important as breathing. I am fortunate to be part of a group that has gender equality ingrained in its values and actively pursues it. We just do not talk about gender equality, we live it and I am proud to say that more than half of our leadership are women.

Q: Can you tell us more on the Corporate Social Responsibilty projects of Transcorp Hotels?
A: Transcorp Hotels Plc focuses on creating social impact and environmental sustainability wherever we are. This shapes the various projects we work on at our hotels.

In Abuja, we have the Business Empowerment Program for Women (BEPW). This provides women with skills in sewing and training opportunities that ensure they are financially and economically included. After the training period, these women are provided with resources such as sewing machines to kickstart their entrepreneurial journey. The women also repurpose old hotel linens into string bags which the hotel buys back from them for use in various areas, further contributing to their financial empowerment.

In Calabar, we have empowered the elderly and impacted on individuals in correctional facilities through various outreaches. In support of the environment, we recycle used soaps into renewed soap bars and empower women and children in rural communities with them as seed grants to start their soap trading businesses. We partner with social enterprise establishments that recycle waste from the hotel into other useful materials and started the gradual phasing away of plastic at the hotels by switching plastic straws and stirrers with paper straws and wooden stirrers.

Q:How important is the business of hospitality and how can it contribute to the economy of any nation?
A: Hospitality and tourism are global driving forces for any country’s economy; they contribute to the transformation of a country not only by the income it generates for the Nation but also by the number of employment it creates and more.

Taking a look at Dubai, I see an economy that was transformed by hospitality and tourism. They shifted their focus away from oil which was already dwindling, and focused on developing tourism centres and hotels. Today, oil contributes just 7% to its economy. This goes to say that tourism and hospitality can sustain a Nation and can transform Nigeria. We are hopeful that with the new visa on arrival policy for all African countries introduced by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, we will see great progress in making Nigeria a tourist destination for our African brothers and sisters.

Q: How is Transcorp Hotels promoting tourism in Nigeria?
A. Domestic tourism is growing in Nigeria with an increase of local tour companies. According to research, it’s estimated that between 2018 – 2028, travel and tourism will contribute 4.3% to the country’s GDP (N3.61 billion) year-on-year. This will definitely mean an increase in activities and products by responsible tourism and hospitality bodies.

To this end, we launched the Weekender package at our hotels, offering special rates and tour experiences to encourage inflow of guests looking to tour the cities we operate in. The introduction of our country-themed nights at our restaurants has given many a reason to stay back even after conducting their businesses in Abuja.
In addition, we have ongoing tourism stakeholder engagements where we advance the cause of tourism development in Nigeria.

In November, we partnered with the Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN) in hosting its 5th Nigeria Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition which brought together various tourism stakeholders. In July, we also hosted the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum which brought together thousands of attendees from 54 African countries.

Q: What is Transcorp Hotels looking forward to achieving in 2020?
A: We will continue to derive value from our existing assets, whilst operating them efficiently, and at the same time explore new lines of business. Overall, we will continue on the pathway of being the leading hospitality brand in Nigeria, with a view to planting our flag across the continent. As part of our initiatives of creating more value for our guests, we will be launching a world-class spa at the Transcorp Hilton in 2020 and increasing our conference capacity.

Q: When you travel to other countries and see how their level of expertise in the hospitality business, what comes to your mind?
A: My travels across the world reinforces the belief that the 5-star rating of Transcorp Hotels is well deserved. It, however, also gives me the opportunity to realize improvement ideas for my hotels. I recently visited Tokyo and I was exposed to new and innovative ways to delight our guests. Another thing I have learnt through travelling to various countries is that we have great room for growth in the hospitality sector in Nigeria, in a manner that generates greater interconnectivity within the tourism value chain.

Q: If you could change anything in the tourism sector, what will it be?
A: If I could change something, it will be to have a ministry that is dedicated to Tourism. Nigeria is such a beautiful country and we need to have policies focused on unlocking value for us via the tourism route. We should take a cue from Dubai and our African counterpart Kenya, who have ministries dedicated to improving and expanding this key sector.

Q: How do you balance family and work?
A: One thing at a time. I guard my time jealously, to ensure I am able to meet the demands on me by eliminating time wasters. I am blessed to have a very supportive husband and family structure and to enjoy a similar support structure at work. I do believe that trying to separate the concepts of work and family from each other creates a strain, Instead I attempt to merge both and derive my balance from doing so.

Q: How important is mentorship? How has it helped you and how are you doing the same?
A: On this, I will say the need for mentorship cannot be overstated, especially for young people in their foundational years. Having a mentor at this stage helps guide your thinking, provides you with a “Devil’s advocate” who tells you the hard truth about situations/decisions and also provides you with resources such as access to their network. As a mentee, you also have a role to play in this relationship by being open, seeking feedback, actively prioritizing your personal development and following through on the commitments you have made to your mentor.

I can say that I have benefited from such relationships as they helped form the foundation of who I am today. I had several mentors at every stage in my life, right from my university days till now. I am fortunate to have one of Africa’s best products, Tony O. Elumelu, CON, the Chairman of Transcorp and Heirs Holdings, as a mentor. He is passionate about the development of Africa and lives it through his various long-term investments in key sectors of the economy. He has been very instrumental in creating a purpose I now hold so dear, “contributing my quota to the development of Africa” and through his principles of Leadership tagged the TOE Way, I am able to be a better version of me. I also believe in paying it forward, people had roles to play in my getting here, so I am also playing roles in mentoring others.

Q: What is that thing that looked unsurmountable and you were able to conquer?
A: This is a tough question to answer as I have had several challenges, which, glory be to God, I was able to surmount. I do not subscribe to crying over spilt milk. If something bad has happened, think about the most practical and pragmatic way of dealing with it and move on. It helps to have clearly defined goals, as when you have these, you see challenges as mere obstacles to your path of success.

Q: What day in your life is it that you can never forget and why?
A: Having lived a very rich and eventful life, despite my age, it is difficult to answer this question. I have had quite a number of life-changing moments, from being told at the tender age of 29 that my pap smear showed signs of Cervical Cancer, to losing a much-longed-for child and on the other side of the spectrum having such mind-blowing successes of having a rainbow baby at the age of 38 and being appointed CEO at that same age. Life is a mixed party and we celebrate each day, being grateful to have family and friends through who, God’s love upon us is clear.

Q: Final words?
A: I hope my story will inspire other women to just go for it, to never shrink themselves and to put out a hand for the next woman… or man, because at the end, we will be remembered by the number of lives we touch and the impact we were able to leave on this earth. Thank you.

SOURCE (abridged): https://businessday.ng/women-hub/article/owen-omogiafo-proof-that-if-you-dare-you-can-rise/

Toyin Umesiri is an entrepreneur and the convener of the Trade with Africa Business Summit. After over a decade working in corporate America; at Fortune 1 (Walmart) and Fortune 150 (Whirlpool Corporation), she made the big leap to full-time entrepreneurship to follow her passion for Africa. Toyin is the Founder/CEO of Nazaru.

Nazaru LLC. is a U.S. based company focused on driving increased trade with Africa. They have grown out of the desire to see Africa emerge as a global economic force. Nazaru is positioned to support and help grow exports, particularly to the United States under the African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA).
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Umesiri is passionate about empowering women and she has had the opportunity to serve on various leadership committees that advanced women’s agenda. In 2016, she was published in a book called ‘Leading Women’ and was also featured as a leading and inspirational woman in technology on the platform.

For over a decade, Toyin has led multiple multi-year, multi-million dollar projects across the supply chain, manufacturing, procurement, global sourcing and merchandising and this has allowed her to know what it takes to run a large business end to end. She also led the team responsible for designing the global sourcing and supplier management solutions at Walmart.

Toyin is ever inspired by the story of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, who she describes as a visionary leader that focused on serving the needs of rural America over 50 years ago. “The company he founded, on strong business principles, then grew to become the number 1 company in the world. My experience at Walmart has taught me what vision, hard work, humility and teamwork can accomplish.” She said.

As CEO of Nazaru, she leads a U.S. based company that drives increased U.S. commercial interest in Africa by not only fostering Business to Business (B2B) dialogue that leads to mutually beneficial arrangements but also showcasing Africa’s exporters and brands.

On starting Nazaru, Toyin made an emergency trip to Nigeria in 2015 after her father passed on. She recalls that that decision to come back home at that time changed her life completely. She says so because while in Nigeria, she wrote a mini-biography of her father which gave her deeper enlightenment on how he lived his life and selflessly served his community in various impactful ways.

After the trip, she made up her mind “to be of greater service to my generation” Umesiri said. She had no idea how this great passion to effect positive changes in Africa will happen, but after 2 years of research, it became clear and she knew exactly what to do. Returning to Arkansas, she made a commitment to be a blessing to Africa. “Being naturally situated in the global headquarters of Walmart, it was there that I first ignited my dialogue on Africa”. Umesiri disclosed.

In conversations with various stakeholders and business executives around the world, it was evident to Toyin, that there was a huge gap in information available about Africa. This knowledge dissemination is now informing the type of work she does through Nazaru LLC and the event ‘Trade with Africa Business Summit”.

She calls her organisation Nazaru because, according to her, she needed a deep symbolism that resonated with her findings, and Nazaru has its roots in the scriptures (John 1:46) and is short for Nazareth. The question raised in that scripture “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” and Philip answered, “Come and see”, was indeed a prompter for Toyin, who understands that in regards to Africa, “There are many who still do not think much of Africa, but we can prove them wrong. Africa is filled with hard-working men and women, young and old, focused on positioning themselves for a better future.” Toyin stated.

SOURCE: https://businessday.ng/women-hub/article/women-in-business-toyin-umesiri/

The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us some financial lessons we would have preferred not to learn. Here are 7 personal finance lessons that we can learn from the ongoing crisis, which could make the next downturn a little less painful.

1. EMERGENCY FUNDS ARE NOT WASTED ASSETS
Many financial advisors consider emergency funds to be wasted assets, but the Covid-19 crisis has shown the wisdom of having adequate emergency funds. If there is a pay cut, a delay in salary, or job loss, an emergency fund can help you tide through difficult times.

The rule of thumb for creating an emergency fund is to have at least 3-8 months worth of bare minimum expenses in your kitty. Going forward, building an emergency corpus should be seen as essential, even as we focus on investment and earning handsome returns post Covid-19.

2. SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS ARE UNRELIABLE
Panic selling as a result of uncertainty is spooking markets around the world. Therefore currently, you might see around 25% to 30% fall in your equity portfolio. Thus, if you are not having an emergency fund in place and decide to use your investments, this might further prevent you from attaining your investment objectives.

Investors with emergency funds in place are encouraged to continue disciplined investing through systematic investment plans (SIPs) and stick to their asset allocations. A consistent, long-term investment strategy over time is what will build wealth.

3. HAVING AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF INCOME IS NOT A LUXURY BUT A NECESSITY
Putting all your eggs in one basket is never a good thing, and same goes for trusting that your 9-to-5 will always be available to you. This is where an alternative source of income will come in handy. It will help you meet these necessary expenses and tide over difficult times.

There is no magical limit as to the number of extra income streams you should create. An alternative source of income need not be additional work with a regular job. Extra assignments over weekends, a part-time job in the evenings after work, or home-based work are good ways to earn that extra income.

4. ARRANGE YOUR INVESTMENTS IN DIFFERENT KITTIES
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and attendant forced lockdown imposed by national and sub-national authorities will vary considerably across different industries and asset classes. Diversification premium is an investment cure for coronavirus. Having a mix of assets across sectors and geographies is the best way to ensure that one spell of volatility (as in this pandemic) does not take your portfolio down.

5. IF YOU DON’T MEASURE IT, YOU CAN’T MANAGE IT
As Covid-19 infests income sources, many families are now forced to closely consider how to spend every available naira. If you have lost your job or now receive a reduced paycheque, how long will you be able to meet your basic needs?

Budget, a listing of income and expenses, is the most basic and effective tool for managing your money. Every budget must start from the same place: figuring out how much you’re making and how much you’re spending each month. By figuring out where your money is going, you’ll be more aware of where you need to cut back to have enough money for the things you need and the things that are important to you. It is vital to your financial health and everyone should do it.

6. HEALTH IS ALSO WEALTH
If there’s anything the COVID-19 virus made us realize, it’s that our health remains our most valuable asset. What good is your wealth if you don’t have a strong and able body to enjoy it? The community quarantine gives you an opportunity to focus on your physical and mental health by reducing your stress and possibly your workload.

As we all know, the penetration of health insurance is very low in Nigeria. However, in such a pandemic-like situation, health insurance helps you to cover any medical cost without disturbing your investments. Even if your employer provides health insurance, it’s always better to have your own insurance. This is because the health insurance offered by your employer won’t be in effect in the event of a layoff/job loss.

7. THE BEST-LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN OFT GO ASTRAY
The year 2020 was earmarked to be the ’20-plenty’ year. The United Nations labeled it a year that would usher in a decade of ambitious action to deliver peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. On a personal level, COVID-19 has affected many facets of life–from career changes and family vacations, to renovation projects, business plans for expansion and growth, retirement plans, etc.–all have been altered, set back or permanently impaired.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of the day that we neglect to take time to do the things that we know will bring true wealth as we look back on our lives. The pandemic has provided the much-needed break from our busy schedule to sit back and reflect on life and career or business choices. For many, living a rich life includes a rich family life that involves connection, sharing, closeness, and love. Building a healthy family culture is paramount.

Staying financially secure is a crucial step in getting through your daily life, and this challenging time has once again instilled this lesson. Tough times do not last, but tough people do. In times such as these, let’s try our best to remain optimistic and positive.

This too shall pass.

Article was written by Oluwaseun Oguntuase

SOURCE: https://nairametrics.com/2020/04/29/seven-early-lessons-on-personal-finance-from-the-covid-19-pandemic/

BETWEEN SAVING, INVESTING, SPECULATION, TRADING & GAMBLING

It is necessary to cultivate certain habits and avoid others that would affect our future income under economic uncertainties.

1. SAVING
This means setting aside money from earnings, for future purchase or to safeguard against emergencies. Ideally, it is money that is easily accessible with little or no risk. It is a basic and essential skill/habit because it helps create capital, which can fund productivity. An individual or society that spends more than what it earns will eventually meet its Waterloo.

As political, economic and financial activities develop (especially for the worse), it becomes difficult to save, particularly in an inflation-ravaged economy. A critical question to ask is what currency is ideal to save in, considering depreciation in value of currencies over time. Should one save in Naira, Dollars or Euros, and what proportion is ideal?

When you've saved a considerable amount of money, the next action is to put it to productive use so more returns can be generated and wealth ultimately created over time.

2. INVESTMENT
This is the process of making your money work for you by allocating capital to a venture with hopes of securing the principal and gaining additional interest. However, with investment comes risk and the possibility of loss of capital, depending on what asset an individual invests in and prevailing economic conditions.

If the stock of a non-performing company is purchased, an investment thoroughly analyzed at inception can go bust, while enormous returns can be delivered if a company exceeds expectations.

3. SPECULATION
This is the buying of an asset or financial instrument with hope that the price will increase in future. It could also be the process of capitalizing on government-caused distortions in markets.

While an investor is mainly concerned with the fundamental value of his asset, a speculator is only concerned with market price movements. For example, a speculator doesn’t really care if a company is performing well or not, he only cares about whether or not he can make a profit from trading a financial asset.

There are two types of speculators:

A. Bullish speculator: Expects prices of securities to rise, therefore positions himself.
B. Bearish speculator: Expects prices of securities to fall, therefore sells quickly to make profit in order to repurchase at lower prices in future.

Speculators can help improve the welfare of an economy as they are willing to take on greater investment risk than the average investor especially in times of uncertainty. They also add liquidity to markets. However, through their activities, speculators can cause asset prices to be pushed beyond reasonable levels which can lead to economic bubbles and busts.

4. TRADING
A trader is a short term market player who sits in front of the computer trying to buy low and sell high all day, often scalping for fractions just to make a gain. There are certain perspectives trying to compare activities of traders and gamblers, showing how similar they are.

5. GAMBLING
The word gambling leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths as they often imagine greed and reckless spending.
To gamble means to play games of chance for money or to take risky action in hope of a desired result (money or material gain).

SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRADING & GAMBLING
Let's compare them...

I. AFTER A LOSS: Trader learns & moves on; Gambler blames others e.g. Football team.
II. AFTER A WIN: Trader learns & moves on; Gambler personalizes win & praises self.
III. POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT: Trader-YES; Gambler-NO.
IV. PASSION NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS: Trader-YES; Gambler-NO.
V. RESEARCH TIME INVESTED: Trader-MUCH; Gambler-LITTLE or NONE.
VI. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT: Trader-DRAINING; Gambler-DRAINING.
VII. ATTITUDE: Trader-I MUST WIN; Gambler-IF I WIN, I WIN.
VIII. HIERARCHY OF NEEDS: Trader-MONETARY, EDUCATIONAL; Gambler-PSYCHOLOGICAL, MONETARY, EDUCATIONAL..

SOURCE (abridged): https://nairametrics.com/2020/03/17/between-saving-investing-speculating-trading-gambling/

Do you agree with this meme?


SOURCE: https://www.stelladimokokorkus.com/2020/04/funny-meme_30.html?m=1

The Okavango Delta in northern Botswana is a place like nowhere else on earth. It’s a vast swampy inland delta where a river disappears instead of emptying into an ocean.

The Okavango River arises in the Angola highlands in the north, carrying rainwater from the mountains. It takes a couple of months for this water to reach the Kalahari, flooding the desert and turning it into a watery paradise that attracts all kinds of animals from kilometers around and creating one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of wildlife. The floodwater drives millions of termites from their shelters in the large mounds and they become prey to birds, reptiles and small carnivorous mammals.

Termite mounds are a unique feature of the landscape across most of Northern Botswana, but it is in the Okavango Delta where they appear massive. This is because of the shallow water table, which forces the termites to build their nest above the ground (rather than below) to prevent the nest from being flooded. When the floodwater comes in, these mounds become tiny islands of refuge for the wild animals.

Termite mounds can be very complicated and large. Inside the mound is an extensive system of tunnels and conduits that serves as a ventilation system for the underground nest. In order to get good ventilation, the termites will construct several shafts leading down to the cellar located beneath the nest. The nest itself is a spheroidal structure consisting of numerous gallery chambers.

Aside from the termites themselves, the nests are home to a symbiotic fungus that enriches the soil by elevating the levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. The National Geographic writes:

"In a symbiotic relationship dating back millions of years, the termites exit the mound through long foraging tunnels and return with their intestines full of chewed grass and wood, which they defecate upon their return, and other workers assemble these 'pseudo-feces' into several mazelike fungus combs.

"The termites then seed the comb with spores of fungus, which sprout and dissolve the tough cellulose into a high-energy mixture of partially digested wood and grass. For the termites, the fungus functions as a sort of external stomach, but the fungus gets the better deal. Ensconced in elaborate termite-built combs and constantly tended, the fungus receives multiple benefits, including food, water, shelter, and protection."

The redistribution of termite worked soil often changes the physical and chemical properties of the land, such as improving the ability to retain water. Researchers have found that sorghum and maize plants grown on soil enriched by termite mounds grow between three and eight times faster, and also show correspondingly greater yield. Ironically, termites are also considered pests. They destroy crops and seedlings and cause significant losses. Some termites attack wood and furniture.

Termites are a part of Botswana’s everyday life. The tiny winged insect is a popular food, eaten for its high protein and fat content. They are also used to feed domesticated fowl and chicken. Termites are used as medicine to treat wounds and to treat the sickness of pregnant women. Sometimes pregnant women will eat the soil from termite mounds itself, believing it helps in the development of the fetus. A practice known as geophagia, it often turns into addiction leading to adverse health effects.

SOURCE: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/12/the-termite-mounds-of-okavango-delta.html

DO YOU KNOW THAT THE TOWN WITH THE GLOBALLY HIGHEST BIRTHS OF TWINS IS HERE IN NIGERIA?

To be able to boast about 158 sets of twins for every 1,000 live births is not a small feat. Igbo-Ora is one of the most extraordinary discoveries in Nigeria. While Europe boasts about 16 twins for every 1,000 births and the United States about 33 per 1,000 births, statistics from a study by British gynaecologist, Patrick Nylander, between 1972 and 1982, recorded an average of 45 to 50 sets of twins per 1000 live births in the southwest.

The town, a mere 80 kilometers from Lagos, is a sleepy town in Oyo state with a simple way of life, made up of mostly farmers and traders. It is considered the Twin capital of the world, and has a stone plinth that boasts of it. Because more twins are born in Igbo-Ora than anywhere else in the world, walking through the town might make you feel like you are seeing double. Almost every house has at least one set of twins.

THE SOURCE OF THE DOUBLE BLESSING
Production and birth of two children from the same pregnancy is still relatively uncommon. Because one cannot predict if a woman should expect twins, it is also considered a special phenomenon. However, Igbo-Ora makes one think there might be a secret to getting twins after all.

The high number of twin births has also been observed in Kodinji, India and Candido Godoi, Brasil. While there are speculations that the births might be due to genetics, research has suggested that the multiple births could be related to the eating habits of women in the region.

Cassava is quite popular in the Yoruba diet, as it can be eaten in many forms such as Amala, Garri, Fufu, etc. This is in addition to the many stews peculiar to the Yoruba people. Research carried out at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital points to a high level of a chemical found in the peelings of a particular cassava and yam tubers.

This was also found in the women. According to a 2001 BBC interview, a consultant gynaecologist who had seen many of the multiple births at the hospital says "These substances are usually linked to the release of more than one egg, which usually leads to twin pregnancies. That means that there is possibly an environmental factor that encourages the high level of this chemical substance.

"Research has shown that the tuber food of the Yoruba women, especially the peelings, contains a very large amount of these chemical substances. These women have a disproportionately large amount of the chemicals in their system and this encourages release of more than one egg. There is enough reason to believe in this theory."

However, the leader of the Igbo-Ora community has linked the births to the soup they eat with these tubers saying, “We eat a lot of the okra leaf or Ilasa soup. We also eat a lot of yam and these diets influence multiple births.”

In an interview with Battabox, when asked what could be the reason for her birth of twins, one of the mothers in the community says, "It is the work of God... and the food I eat, like Amala with Ilasa soup."

Though no scientific explanation or evidence can prove that yam consumption can cause multiple births, could Ilasa soup be the reason for the high rate of twins in Igbo-Ora?

SOURCE: https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/food-travel/igbo-ora-why-does-the-twin-capital-of-the-world-have-so-many-twins/sl3n1sp

The Alaska State Fair held annually in Palmer, 42 miles northeast of Anchorage, is not your regular agricultural show. Here farmers from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley routinely display vegetables and produce of gargantuan sizes — a 63 kg cabbage, 30kg cantaloupe and 16kg broccoli are just a few of the monsters that have sprung forth from Alaska's soil in recent years.

"Some things [are so big], you can't even recognize what they are," said the fair's crop superintendent Kathy Liska.

WHY DO VEGETABLES GROW SO BIG IN ALASKA?
It's because of the sun. Alaska typically has a very short growing season, only 105 days, on average. For comparison, California’s growing season lasts nearly 300 days. However, the Alaskan growing season does not have long dark nights. The state is located close to the north pole where it enjoys up to 19 hours of sunshine each day, during summer and at the peak of the growing season.

The extra hours of sunlight allows Alaskan crops to just keep growing and growing. Even through the growing season is months shorter than the rest of the country, Alaska’s gardeners grow some of the largest vegetables in the world.

The photosynthetic boost also makes the produce sweeter. Alaskan carrots, for instance, spend nearly 3/4th of the day while the sun is available making sugar, and only the remaining 1/4th of its time is spent turning that sugar into starch. Plants like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, radishes, turnips, potatoes, beets, carrots, spinach, and lettuce all grow very well here.

Farming in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley originally began as an experiment in the 1930s to increase agricultural output of the country during the Great Depression. More than 240,000 acres were set aside for farming and farming families from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan were brought in colonize the land. But the lack of infrastructure and unavailability of basic supplies discouraged the settlers and by 1940, over half of the population had left the valley.

In 1965, only 20 families were left. Although the colony was not a booming success, it did become stable enough to provide dairy and farming. It did not significantly increase the population of the area, but it did develop the Matanuska Valley as the primary agriculturally productive region within Alaska. The extraordinary growing season and the giant size of its vegetables have now become the area's trademark.

SOURCE: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/10/alaskas-giant-vegetables.html?m=1

State Governors have formally requested that President Muhammadu Buhari in the next Presidential Pronouncement on COVID-19 announce an Inter-State lockdown but allow free movement within states to ensure a uniform and coordinated policy on the pandemic at national and subnational levels.

The governors, under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in a letter to the Presidency Friday advised that the interstate lockdown should exclude movement of essential supplies like food and beverages, medical and pharmaceutical supplies, petroleum and agric products, while restrictions be put on large gatherings and Assemblies internally.

Recommendations by NGF which includes imposition of overnight curfews, lockdown of flights and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public, follows a prior teleconferencing meeting between the governors and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last Wednesday.

President Buhari is expected to address the nation Sunday evening, two weeks after he extended lock-down on key states; Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. Since his last address, the reported Covid-19 diseases in Nigeria has risen over 5,000% and spread to more states in the country.

As of Friday, Nigeria has reported 1,095 cases of the disease now in 28 states, including Abuja.

SOURCE: https://businessday.ng/lead-story/article/state-governors-write-buhari-to-announce-interstate-lockdown-internal-free-movement/

A bride-to-be dressed up in high heels and a face mask for a supermarket hen party during the coronavirus lockdown. Katiusca Mariani had planned to meet her pals in Rimini, in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, but her plans were ruined by the Covid-19 outbreak.

In order to stick with new social distancing rules, she came up with the idea of celebrating in a supermarket in Milan. Katiusca and her friends wore face masks, gloves, dresses and high heels for the celebrations.

She told local media: “We did not want to stop seeing each other, even if the trip was delayed, we wanted to find a way of remembering this day. “We queued, waiting for our turn to pay for our groceries and respecting all the rules. The only difference is that everybody took a bottle of alcohol and cheered.

“Once inside we did the grocery shopping together and took some pictures to remember it. The supermarket staff were very kind and two workers came up to us and doing a kind of arch they made me walk through the arch, as if I was in a church.”

Instead of reprimanding Katiusca, the supermarket workers thanked her for brightening their day. Her wedding is set to take place on June 27.

SOURCE: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/bride-throws-coronavirus-lockdown-hen-21910935

It’s two days straight and the crazy Western Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil price remains below zero, for the first time ever. Prices fell not just below zero but to negative $40 per barrel.

There is a major reason for this price drop.

WHY NEGATIVE?
Since the world went into COVID-19 induced lockdowns, demand for crude oil has fallen drastically. Crude oil derives value when it is refined and sold. However, with movements restricted and most factories shut down, there is little to no demand for refined crude oil.

Very limited vehicular movement means people don’t have any need to fuel their cars or bikes. Demand from major factories has also plummeted, as customers have no need to place orders for non-essential items. Thus, refineries are left with piles of unrefined crude that they have no immediate use for, shutting out any need for immediate use of crude.

The result is that crude oil traders find themselves with shiploads of undelivered crude which they need to store somewhere. However, to store the crude in tank farms, they now have to pay higher. Several reports tracked by Nairametrics point to oil traders effectively paying buyers to take the crude off their hands as it is cheaper than paying to keep them in expensive storage facilities.

SILVER LINING?
The price fall could, therefore, be a temporary issue and could reverse once the lockdown eases in countries across the world. For example, the WTI crude oil price to be delivered in June trades at about $11 on Tuesday (it fell to about $6.5 in intraday trading before rising again) compared to the zero price which was widely reported for May contracts.

BUT IS NIGERIA AFFECTED?
Nigeria’s flagship bonny light remained stable, trading at just about $20 on Tuesday, but fell to $14.75 thereby compounding Nigeria’s revenue woes.

SOURCE (abridged): https://nairametrics.com/2020/04/22/why-crude-oil-price-went-negative/

US main oil prices crashed below zero dollars for the first time in history as a triple threat of record-low demand, oversupply and low storage facilities for crude oil pushed the price to its lowest ever on Monday 20 April, 2020.

West Texas Intermediate, the US marker, lost more than 250% on Monday to trade as low as -$40.32 a barrel in a day of chaos in oil futures markets, FT reported. Brent slid almost 10% to $25.78 in an apocalyptic day for oil, making nothing of OPEC+’s plan to cut supply by at least a tenth of global supply

SOURCE: https://businessday.ng/energy/oilandgas/article/us-main-oil-drops-below-0-for-first-time-in-history-brent-slumps/

Chidi Nwaogu, a Nigerian entrepreneur, has been named a winner of the Migration Entrepreneurship prize by the Human Security Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

This announcement was made during the first online edition of the annual Seedstars Summit, where Nwaogu emerged a winner alongside 10 others in that category. The Seedstars Summit, which was held online from 31 March to 3 April in response to the coronavirus pandemic, had according to organisers, more than 1,000 online attendees. The event was also said to have reached and engaged more people than ever before, especially in emerging markets.

When a call for start-ups was announced, it was indicated that the aim of the project is to support socially driven business models in countries and regions prone to strong migration movements. Entrepreneurship by and for migrants and refugees has the potential to create shared benefits for the foreign born and local communities alike by contributing to livelihoods and social cohesion. The ultimate objective is to improve human security for the individual by promoting freedom from fear and a life in dignity in a sustainable manner.

The eligible ventures must create promising business opportunities locally and offer innovative solutions alleviating the pressure for people to take dangerous routes leaving their homes. The solution can be aimed for society at large thus aimed at migrants and the local population, and be implemented in the originating, host and transitory countries.

Migration entrepreneurship prize was awarded to entrepreneurs with social business models in countries and regions prone to strong migration movements, offering innovative solutions that reduce the vulnerability of migrants.

Chidi Nwaogu, a tech entrepreneur and software developer is the co-founder and CEO of Publiseer, a digital platform that says it has helped nearly 5,000 independent and underserved African writers, musicians, and filmmakers, earn above the minimum wage and live above the poverty line from the sales of their creative works.

For his contributions to the growth of the tech ecosystem in Nigeria, Nwaogu has won the 2018 African Entrepreneurship Award, the 2019 Africa 35.35 Award for Entrepreneurship, the 2019 Young Leaders Award for Media and Entertainment, and the 2019 Bizz Business Excellence Award. He also made the shortlist for the 2019 Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award.

30 year old Nwaogu is an Acumen Fellow 2020 (West Africa), Halcyon Incubator Fellow 2019 (Washington DC), Westerwelle Fellow 2019 (Berlin), AfricanPLP Fellow 2019 (Cairo), and Yunus&Youth Global Fellow 2019 (New York).

SOURCE: https://businessday.ng/enterpreneur/article/nigerian-entrepreneur-named-among-migration-entrepreneurship-prize-winners/

The Yoruba World Congress (YWC) on Monday rubbished the several empathies for Abba Kyari, late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. The body labeled Kyari as Nigeria’s de facto President and suggested that he was the one controlling the nation’s affairs.

YWC President, Prof. Banji Akintoye, in a statement issued by Adeyemi Adeleye, the Director of Communication, drew the attention of Nigerians to the enormous powers the late CoS wielded. “Our position is that Nigeria is being run as a Banana Republic; a country in which the structure of government depends on the whims and caprices of the leader of the government.”

The Yoruba leader described as outrageous and unacceptable that appointed office-holders were subjected to the absurdity of having to go through the Chief of Staff to see the President. “We are talking of high public officials such as governors, ministers, ambassadors, top federal career civil servants, National Assembly members and, to our collective embarrassment, the Vice-President.

“A Chief of Staff is no more than the head of the president’s kitchen cabinet, the president’s collection of personal staff, that has no superiority to the structural pillars established by the constitution of Nigeria. Abba Kyari’s unconstitutional position as de facto president in recent times, coupled with an elected President who is periodically nowhere to be found, has seriously deNoodd the legitimacy of government in our country.”

Akintoye said this manifested the seizure of government by a cabal belonging to a small section of the country, perpetuating impunity, and spiteful disregard for the respect due to the other sections and nationalities of Nigeria. “We have a Vice President who has been boxed into a disrespectful corner simply because he does not belong to the self-appointed owners of our country,” he added.

Akintoye observed that majority of Nigerians and the international community have been watching in disbelief how Africa’s most populous nation is being run like the personal estate of a small cabal. The YWC advised Buhari and the presidency to free itself of powerful people and allow the federal government to run as it should, in order to ensure that the masses get the dividends of democracy.

Do face masks offer protection against the Coronavirus? Check this picture and give your opinion...

One of Brazil's most wanted criminals has been arrested in Mozambique after spending more than two decades on the run, officials say. Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos, known as Fuminho, is accused of running drug trafficking operations for one of Brazil's most powerful gangs.

The 49-year-old was arrested in Mozambique's capital, Maputo, on Monday in an international sting operation. It was carried out by Interpol, US drug officials and Brazilian federal police. Fuminho, an alleged leader of the São Paulo-based First Capital Command (PCC) drug gang, is accused of shipping tonnes of cocaine around the world.

"The prisoner was considered the largest supplier of cocaine to a gang operating throughout Brazil, as well as being responsible for sending tonnes of the drug to several countries," a statement from the Brazilian police said.

Fuminho was arrested at the Montebelo Indy, a luxury hotel in Maputo, along with two Nigerians, officials in Mozambique said. He arrived in the southern African country in mid-March, police spokesman Leonardo Simbine told reporters on Tuesday. "We are still investigating whether there are other gang members in Mozambique," he added. "He does not operate alone, he is part of a gang."

Police seized a fake Brazilian passport, a quantity of cannabis, more than a dozen mobile phones and a car during the operation. Fuminho was also accused of allegedly financing a plot to free the PCC's leader, Marcos Willians Herbas Camacho, from jail.

Camacho, who is known as Marcola, is serving a sentence of more than 200 years in a maximum-security federal prison in Brazil's capital, Brasilia.

It is not yet clear whether Fuminho will be extradited to Brazil to face trial. The PCC is believed to be the country's largest and most powerful drug gang. It has been at war with the Rio de Janeiro-based Comando Vermelho (Red Command) since 2016, when they ended an uneasy working relationship after the PCC moved to infiltrate drug smuggling routes controlled by Comando Vermelho.

The feud has spread to prisons across the country where members of the rival gangs are held.

SOURCE: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52288303

The Queen won't be holding any special occasion to mark her 94th birthday this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace today announced at the Queen’s request and for the first time during her 68-year reign, there will be no gun salutes in the royal parks this year.

The aide said: “Her Majesty was keen that no special measures were put in place to allow gun salutes as she did not feel it appropriate in the current circumstances.” A social media post will mark the day on Tuesday, but any calls or video calls with family will be private.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport have written to government buildings giving the standard advice on flag flying protocol but included the following in their instructions: “In the current circumstances we are not expecting everyone to be able to follow this advice and you should continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines as set out by the Government.”

'As has already been announced, there will be no Trooping in June and there are no plans currently for any alternative marking of her official birthday.'

The Queen praised the actions of millions of Brits saving lives by staying at home over Easter declaring “Coronavirus will not overcome us”. In her first-ever Easter message, the Queen stressed the importance of maintaining the lockdown, saying 'by keeping apart we keep others safe'.

With the outbreak making church services impossible, the Queen delivered what was believed to be her first Easter address, which had the resolute message: 'We know that coronavirus will not overcome us.' The Queen will mark her birthday privately in Windsor, where she has been with her 98-year-old husband Prince Philip since leaving Buckingham Palace on March 19.

SOURCE: https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2020/4/coronavirus-queen-cancels-birthday-tradition-for-first-time-in-68-years-amid-uk-lockdown-2.html

Governors in the south-west have agreed to shut their borders and make wearing of face masks compulsory, to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the region. Governors of the 6 states in the region reached the decision during a virtual meeting.

Rotimi Akeredolu, chairman of the south-west governors forum, disclosed the development in a statement on Friday.

“That entry points of our six states be closed forthwith to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

“The state governors agreed that people involved in essential services or dealing in medicine, water and consumable items in particular traders and market men/women should endeavour to wear face masks while outside plying their trade, to minimise the spread of the deadly virus.

“The governors further agreed that wearing of face masks would be made compulsory for everybody coming out of their homes effective from Friday, April 24, 2020 in their respective states.”

The presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 had blamed the spread of the virus on interstate travel, saying it has led to community spread of the disease.

SOURCE: https://www.thecable.ng/covid-19-south-west-govs-to-make-wearing-of-face-masks-compulsory

1. For your glory by Tasha Cobbs.
2. Victory belongs to Jesus by Todd Dulaney.
3. Everlasting God by William Murphy.
4. You're doing it all again by Todd Dulaney.
5. No Other God by Dr Tumi.
6. Hosannah by MOGmusic (YouTube).
7. Hallelujah by MOGmusic (YouTube).
8. Elohim by MOGmusic (YouTube).
9. We fall down by ChrisTomlin.
10. I'm blessed by Charlie Wilson.

More to come...

An unexpected fallout of the Covid-19 Lockdown are the reports of an upsurge in crime, specifically in certain parts of Lagos and Ogun States.

Hunger is no excuse for engaging in criminal activity or violence. If your area comes under attack by hoodlums/thieves, here are some GSM numbers to call:

(1). Coordinating DIG, Special Intervention Team: DIG Peter Ogunyanwo 08033893226.

(2). Control Room, Lagos Police Command 08127155132, 08065154338, 07055462708.

(3). Control Room, Ogun Police Command, 08081770416, 08081770419.

Have a safe lockdown guys!

Although health experts around the world advise people to isolate themselves to minimise chances of getting infected with the novel coronavirus, one German mayor did the opposite, deliberately contacting the virus so he could then be immune to it.

Berlin District Mayor Stephan von Dassel sparked controversy in Germany last week after admitting to consciously contracting coronavirus from his partner to self-immunise and be able to work while others were off sick.

Even though his decision went against the general consensus of public health experts, most of who recommended social-distancing to avoid the virus, von Dassel claimed that he saw his deliberate infection as a ‘contribution’ towards the long-term goal of flattening the curve of the infection. He did admit that he underestimated the virus, though.

The Berlin official went on to tweet a link to a statement published by Berlin Mitte office from von Dassel, which stated that he was quarantined for 14 days after his partner tested positive for coronavirus. He added that living in close proximity to someone infected, catching the virus himself would have been ‘almost unavoidable’ anyway.

“Since infection with a common home quarantine for 14 days is hardly avoidable despite all precautionary measures, I consciously accepted to catch it quickly,” von Dassel concluded.

“I was ill longer than I thought. I got infected almost on purpose to develop immunity and thought I’ll be a bit sick for three days and then I’ll be immune — I can’t catch it and won’t pass it on to anyone, but it was a lot worse than I imagined,” von Dassel told public broadcaster RBB.

The mayor’s statement sparked a heated debate online, with many accusing him of being irresponsible by consciously ignoring general guidelines during the pandemic and putting others at risk. However, von Dassel continued defending his actions, adding that perhaps his original statement was not as clear as he would have liked.

“Perhaps my statement on the radio today was misleading. But my behaviour was and is responsible. I was, am and remain in quarantine, until I’m no longer infectious,” von Dassel said on Wednesday.

SOURCE: https://punchng.com/german-mayor-willingly-contracts-coronavirus-from-wife/

INCREDIBLY, it has been 6 years since the Chibok schoolgirls’ embarrassing abduction by Boko Haram jihadists from a territory that was then under a state of emergency.

It is a grim milestone that their families, Nigerians and humanity never imagined when the tragedy occurred on April 14, 2014. But here we are with its agony, lamentations and angry reflections on the failure of governance that led to it. A moment like this, therefore, calls for sobriety and soul-searching by the government, whose primary responsibility as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, is the protection of life and property.

The world was shocked when a total of 276 girls were violently seized from their school in the dead of the night, while they were preparing for the Senior West African School Certificate Examinations. Interestingly, 57 of the girls managed to escape when the trucks conveying them temporarily broke down. It was a benevolent fate, which the country did not capitalise on; a perfect storm under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, helped by its earlier denial, tentativeness and incompetence.

However, the coming of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in 2015 offered hope, radiated in his inaugural speech: “But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.”

Such optimism has been raised twice since then. In 2016 October, 21 of the girls were freed; and in May 2017, another batch of 82 increased the tally. It was a pleasant surprise, against the backdrop of the avowal of the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau to sell the girls “in the market.” The sight of some of the freed girls carrying babies when they were hosted at Aso Rock confirmed their sexual exploitation by the jihadists.

With 104 of the girls out of the evil den, the common belief was that the release of others was imminent. For the #BringBackOurGirls” group that was in the vanguard of the campaign for their release, the hope that the regime would fulfil its pledge was renewed.

Unfortunately, that confidence has collapsed with the seeming lack of enthusiasm by the government to secure the freedom of the remaining girls. The countdown of their days in captivity that used to grace the front pages of newspapers has since disappeared.

The banner of the #BringBackOurGirls is evidently flagging, partly because of police harassment of the campaigners. But resilience and inimitable communal spirit thrive on this kind of struggle. With another of the girls escaping with her child and the jihadist husband a few years ago, a total of 105 girls are still unaccounted for. The indignities they continue to bear diminish Nigerians as a people.

But all is not lost. In February, Shekau in a video, called for a swap of his fighters in government’s custody with the remaining girls. He said, “… the only way to have those girls back is for our men in prison to be released.” This window of opportunity should be seized with both hands to close this ugly episode in the country’s history.

In the wake of the release of 82 of the girls was the allegation that the Federal Government swapped them with some Boko Haram commanders. Though the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, flatly denied it, evidence globally indicates that this practice has become an acceptable counter-insurgency strategy.

The United States has sometimes taken advantage of the option despite its advertised policy of not negotiating with terrorists. In 2015, it swapped 5 terror suspects for Bowe Bergdahl, a US Army Sergeant held captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2009. Israel has also made such compromise deals. In 2011, it released 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for a single Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas. This is revealing; a country should go to any length to save a citizen’s life in danger even outside of its shores.

Critically, at issue here are the lives of 105 girls enslaved by depraved minds, some of whose parents have died from the trauma; others have succumbed to debilitating illnesses on account of the tragedy. There were local and international channels that facilitated the release of the other girls. Why were those outlets allowed to close? The situation bespeaks the government’s lack of total commitment to the cause.

The 2016 and 2017 breakthroughs, according to a former senator involved in the swaps, were the outcome of a series of meetings and negotiations held in Sudan, the Swiss Embassy in Nigeria, Bern and Geneva in Switzerland. He also identified the lead negotiator as Mustapha Zanna, lawyer to the Borno State Commissioner, Buji Foi, identified as a Boko Haram member and who was killed during a confrontation between the extremists and security forces in 2010.

All channels should be reactivated immediately and new ones explored, to ensure that the remaining girls are freed. Foreign offers of assistance were made in the past, some of them dubious. It is for this reason that the government should go about it with circumspection.

Nigeria should put undue arrogance and false nationalism aside and seek maximum foreign assistance in whatever form to achieve the objective of freeing the remaining girls and crushing Boko Haram. This war cannot be fought forever. Chad’s recent routing of Boko Haram in its area of Lake Chad, in a military offensive personally led by President Idris Deby, is a lesson for the country.

With renewed energy, deployment of intelligence, equipment and absence of compromises, this rogue army can be wiped out. But while this macabre drama lasts, it presents a “sober reality check for all of us” a former US Assistant Secretary of State, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, once said.

https://punchng.com/unbelievable-chibok-girls-six-years-in-captivity/