₦airaland Forum

Afro dancers put up a superlative performance on Episode 5 of the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality TV show aired last Saturday on GloTV, Globacom’s streaming app.

The exciting show kept viewers glued to their seats as they watched talented young men and women slug it out for a chance to win mega millions and represent Nigeria at this year’s Battle of the Year world championship in Japan.

Fans who missed it on GloTV can watch repeat broadcasts on DSTV AFMG urban (Ch. 153) on Sunday at 3p.m; NTA (Ch. 251) on Sunday at 8p.m; DSTV AFMG Show case on Tuesday at 5p.m; AIT on Tuesday at 9p.m; and Africa Magic Family on Tuesday at 10p.m.

The contestants clearly understood the assignment because as Judge Pinky Debbie said, they were not “just looking for exciting dance steps”. To win, the contestants must go the extra mile to show versatility, be entertaining, have mad skills and be full of energy.

The judges got what they were looking for as they travelled across the six venues for the qualifying and elimination rounds. Unlike with break dancing, the first episode of the Afro dance stage was a no-holds-barred and thrilling episode with dancers going the extra mile to make the cut.

In Abuja, Angel brought her celestial dance steps to make mince-meat of her competition leading one of the judges to note that “Angel came on stage and blessed us with her moves.”

Angel was not the only female to show that when it comes to Afro dance, there are no female or male dancers, just dancers, period.

In Port Harcourt, Joy exuded mirth and confidence as she went to battle against Vibe and Teddy Kodak showing that she came battle-ready as she made quick work of her opponent.

In a contest that exemplified the power of dreams and self-belief, Progress Dance showed that though he might be a school drop-out, dropping out of the competition was not on his agenda as he beat off competition from Afro Dance Vibes.

After going to pray in church, DcVorious went on stage and decimated the opposition to keep alive his dream of winning and setting up a business for his mum.

In Episode 6, we will see how the winners and qualifiers in the Afro Dance category fare when they meet other winners and qualifiers in the next round with judges Poco Lee, Izzy Odigie and Pinky Debbie helping pick winners.

But their decisions, while valid, will not be final. Viewers can decide who makes it to the finals by voting for their wild cards.

Viewers and fans who can dance also stand a chance of winning N200,000 weekly just by sending in a video of themselves dancing along to the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria theme song.

Last week, winners from the first week of the fans’ challenge received their cash prizes. The lucky fans were picked from social media and had the highest number of views. The four lucky winners are @justonesunmi, @vicdel, @yomilyt01 and @henrynathan11.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, sacked Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and his Deputy, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe from office.

This is following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the total number of 393, 042 votes governor Umahi secured during the March 9, 2019 governorship election in Ebonyi state, belonged to the PDP and same could not be legally transferred to the APC.

According to the court, having defected to the APC, both Umahi and his deputy, not only jettisoned the PDP, but also the votes that belonged to it.

It held that going by the outcome of the governorship election, the office of the governor and deputy governor in Ebonyi state, “belong to the Plaintiff and no other political party”.

“There is no constitutional provision that made the ballot transferrable from one party to the other”.

It held that the PDP is bound to retain the votes and mandate that was given to it by electorates in Ebonyi state, as both governor Umahi and his Deputy could not validly transfer same to APC.

The court, therefore, ordered both Umahi and Igwe to immediately vacate their positions.

It ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately receive from the PDP, names of persons to replace Umahi and his Deputy, or in the alternative, conduct a fresh gubernatorial election in Ebonyi state in line with section 177(c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The court further restrained both Umahi and Igwe from further parading themselves as governor or deputy governor of Ebonyi state.

The judgement followed a suit the PDP lodged before the court.

More details soon…

…calls on women-friendly VP to declare for Presidency


The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is 65-year-old today, on a day the world is celebrating women; the 2022 International Women’s Day with the theme, #BreakTheBias.

To honour the ‘God fearing man, on his day, a female support group, ‘S.M.A.R.T WOMEN FOR PYO’, has called on the V P to use the opportunity of the double celebration to declare his intention to run for the highest office in the land.

While noting that Osinbajo has the qualities, the required experience and the credentials to step into the shoes of President Muhammadu Buhari, the group said Nigerian women across all divides are ready to roll out their machinery in support of the VP ’, because of his ‘He for She’ posture amongst other qualities.

According to the co-conveners of the group, Bunmi Oke and Folake Aina, it is time for Osinbajo to speak out as the women are ready to roll out the drums in his support. Speaking via a statement jointly signed in Lagos, the duo expressed the desires of Nigerian women in ensuring that the VP makes an open declaration in order to put paid to speculations about his ambition.

The statement reads: “Not many people are surprised that the birthday of the quintessential Vice President of the most populous black nation in the world falls on International Women’s Day, this is so, because any discerning mind knows that the coincidence is fate as decreed by the Most High God.

“This is a clear indication that God reigns in the affairs of Yemi Osinbajo, whom many believe is divinely connected. Indeed the accomplished Professor of Law, who was Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Lagos State, is notable as one man, who is embodied by the fear of God.

“No doubt, Osinbajo is one man who has stood for the interest of women in all ramifications and the 2023 election appears to be payback time for the man of the people”, the group explained.

Oke and Aina further noted that the S.M.A.R.T WOMEN FOR PYO is a coalition of professional women in all areas of endeavours; socio-political, young and old, cutting across all religious divide while adding the group is made up of notable women across the Nation and in Diaspora.

The group also recalled how Osinbajo was saddled with the disbursement of Trader Moni and Market Moni projects of the Federal Government meant for the support of market woman across the nation, noting that the Vice President did not only go round the nooks and crannies of Nigeria distributing funds to market women, he also ensured that he assisted them in their trade and businesses on behalf of the Federal Government.

“Osinbajo did not only disburse the funds with unrivalled passion, he encouraged market women to see it as an opportunity for them to escape from poverty and move to the next level.

“This group appreciates the role of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, we recall how he supported the wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, and his own wife, Dolapo, in taking up the issue of gender bills recently, at the National Assembly.

“Nigerian women will give Osinbajo resolute backing because he is one of the few Nigerian political office holders that will not turn electoral victory into an opportunity for wealth accumulation.

“We believe strongly in the candidature of Professor Yemi Osinbajo, he is people-focused, he is a leader with the right acumen, and he has the intellectual capacity and the experience that qualifies him to take Nigeria beyond the next level,” the statement reads.

Adekunle Adebiyi, the Chief Sales and Distribution Officer of MTN Nigeria, has resigned, Sahara Reporters reported.

Adebiyi’s resignation is coming after allegations of sexual harassment and unwholesome practices were levelled against him.

A source told our correspondent that Adebiyi stated in his resignation letter that he is leaving the telco to go and pursue other endeavours.

But another source stated that he was pressured to resign because the allegations against him could dent the image of the telecommunications giant.

Some aggrieved workers under the aegis of ‘The Anonymous Whistle Blowers’, had accused Adebiyi of being a sexual predator.

He was alleged to have used his position within the telco “to sleep with young female staff.”

In a series of emails and documents sent to MTN Group’s headquarters in South Africa between April 2021 and February 2022, some female employees of telecommunications company, who hid their identities and only described themselves as ‘The Anonymous Whistle Blowers’, accused Adebiyi of being a sexual predator in the habit of using his position in the company to sleep with young female employees.

They also accused him of threatening such women with sacking if they fail to give in to his demands.

The aggrieved employees also alleged that Adebiyi had been using his position to plant family members and friends in key units of the telecommunications company even when such persons clearly lacked the requisite educational qualification and skills to occupy such roles.

The whistleblowers also accused the Chief Sales and Distribution Officer of inflating contracts, receiving kickbacks and inventing false sales figures to deceive the company’s management and continue to keep his coveted role.

According to the employees, Adebiyi, despite his gross misconducts and acts of corruption and sabotage against MTN Group, had the full backing of MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, and other top officers in the company.

In some of the emails sent to Nerisha Singh, General Manager, Forensic Services, of MTN Group, by ‘The Anonymous Whistle Blowers’ and seen by SaharaReporters, the aggrieved employees said, “We are writing because the man, Adekunle Adebiyi, who heads sales, is a dangerous threat to your company. We wish men like Adekunle Adebiyi will not destroy MTN Nigeria. You left a monster and sexual predator to continue in office but after one year, we can no longer be silenced by his continued intimidation.

“Many of us became victims of his boastful abuses and direct punishments. Three persons resigned in S& through his intimidations and threats. Kumar Abubakar, a resourceful Senior Manager, was fired by him and Amina, his GM in the North, on trumped-up charges because Kumar knows all their fake and forged gross connections, numbers and sales figures. They know he would expose them to forensics.

“Sales conferences are always his grounds for his sexual escapades where he uses his front and power to lure young innocent MTNNers levels 1, 2, 3, vulnerable girls into sex.

“Your sexual harassment policy is not protecting levels 1, 2 or 3 or young girls. They are victims of Adekunle Adebiyi’s sexual harassment. They can’t talk or report him because they will lose their jobs. We have many cases reported to close friends instead of HR because they don’t trust HR.

“His bribery and corruption with NIMC Nigeria, collecting money from vendors through his fronts and flooding MTN Nigeria with his family and friends as SIM registration agents have continued.

“Adekunle is a bad egg. His corruption is beyond imagination. One of our anonymous members shared a message from him to a finance staff member compelling them to pre-pay a vendor for a big contract, so he can collect his bribes upfront.

“He gives contracts to vendors abroad at higher costs because of money they want to collect as bribes. Procurement staff and Finance team know this but could not report until some of them joined this “whistleblower” group. Yet they are still afraid because our jobs are threatened by these men who work for Adekunle.

“Check the employments of his many relatives, especially of Ekundayo Fatoki, Customer Acquisition Manager. He failed interviews but Adekunle and his cohorts brought him in re-conducting the interviews two times or more times. The two ladies he sexually harassed are now afraid, too, to come with proof because our jobs are not safe. We are scared and our lives are at risk. Adekunle and his cohorts are powerful and can exterminate us if they have to.

“Two board of directors are his men. Cyril Ilok, head of forensics, is his womanising and drinking partner, who will never allow all the petitions from the staff to go through investigations.

“He takes bribes from vendors and settles his “boys and girls” in all the units he carries out fraudulent activities, including procurement. Four years ago he fired Daniel and Bukola because they know his secrets about fraudulent activities in all the procurements deals for MTN.

“The people had videos of when his fronts collected the money as bribes unfortunately, they were threatened and fired. The two former staff members are still alive if you want to investigate.

“He virtually uses his fronts and his friends to pitch all the works for customer acquisitions, supplies of MTN airtime and merchandising from the time he was acting as sales and distribution executive till now, money running into billions of naira.

“He can continue to tell lies to Enzo Scarcella, the Group Chief Consumer Officer, his team or Jens in South Africa or even the COO in Nigeria; we know he is a fraudulent man with figures.

“He has boasted to vendors and trade partners as long as Cyril Ilok and Karl Toriola are in MTN Nigeria, nothing will happen to him.

“As at today, MTN Nigeria has over eight court cases of former trade partners Adebiyi removed or terminated their appointments in manners that left a lot to be desired.

“Fire or remove Adekunle Adebiyi before you pay another fine or get into Nigeria’s murky waters.”

The whistleblowers further alleged that Adebiyi used proceeds of his corrupt dealings in MTN Nigeria to purchase a house in Manchester, United Kingdom, and also build a multi-million naira state-of-the-art school for his wife in Lagos.

“How much does he earn as an executive in MTN that he bought a house in Manchester, UK, including the big school he built for his wife in Lagos,” the aggrieved employees added.
Responding in an email to the allegations made against Adebiyi by the employees, Singh said, “We assure you of our prompt attention to all the concerns raised and that the matters raised will be fully investigated.

“On the sexual harassment complaints raised; MTN is committed to providing a safe environment for all its employees free from discrimination on any ground and harassment at work, including sexual harassment. MTN operates a zero-tolerance policy for any form of sexual harassment in the workplace. All complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and treated with respect, sensitivity and in confidence.”

The whistleblowers also accused Adebiyi of “inflating contracts, receiving kickbacks and inventing false sales figures to deceive the organisation’s leadership and continue to keep his coveted role.”

Also, another set of aggrieved workers under the aegis of ‘Anonymous Concerned Staff of Sales and Distribution Division’ have in an email sent to the leadership of MTN Group in South Africa and MTN Nigeria, alleged that Adebiyi, General Manager of Northern Regional Operations, Amina Dambatta, and some other senior officers of the organisation are involved in shady deals.

The email partly reads: “We, the concerned staff of Sales and Distribution Division in the Northern region of Nigeria, write to bring to the attention of MTN Group and MTN Nigeria Communication Plc’s Board, Management, Risk and Compliance division about key conflict of interest, fraudulent activities, sexual harassment and threat of dismissal that has continued to be pervasive in the Northern region. Due to fear of victimisation, staff in the North are too afraid to speak.

“The General Manager, Northern Regional Operations, Amina Dambatta, runs a cabal made up of her, Abdulhamid Hassan (Senior Manager in Sales and Distribution) and Hamza Ibrahim (recently appointed Senior Manager in Sales and Distribution). Amina and her cabal including Adekunle Adebiyi, Chief Sales and Distribution Officer, have interests in some trade partner companies in the Northern region. This makes her compromise, thereby placing other partners at a competitive disadvantage.

“Here is an example: in the Sokoto area, Munifaz, Gobir Jega and Amali are three dealerships in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states and they are all owned by the same person and Amina has interests in all three.

“She and Adekunle Adebiyi facilitated the granting of dealerships to the same person under three different names, disguising themselves as different persons against MTN conflict of interest policy. The owner of this company has also not declared to MTN that he is the owner of these three competing companies.

“Nobody ever questioned why Amina and Adebiyi approved for one person to own three different dealerships without it being declared to MTN Nigeria for transparency.

“This conflict of interest that Amina and Adebiyi have is the reason why Gobir Jega and Munifaz got away with fraud. Their staff defrauded MTN Nigeria to the tune of N17 million and N13 million respectively but they were treated with a mere slap on the wrist.

“Amina insisted on giving a waiver of 50% on the total amount to be recovered. How can a waiver be granted in fraud recovery? When that was not approved by Legal, Amina recommended a payment plan of 10 years.

“Why would someone defraud MTN and they are given 10 years to pay back when they should be delisted/dismissed and asked to pay immediately? Why are they being retained as dealers?

“Another area of conflict is that BENJEE is the trade partner in Sokoto and Kebbi states and this is owned by Amina and Kunle Adebiyi. The same people also own Nagwari Ltd., a customer acquisition partner in the three states.

“The entire S and D staff in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara are aware of this but they are too afraid to speak up as they are constantly being threatened with disciplinary hearing or redeployment to states with security challenges. Nobody wants to be redeployed to such states, so they stay mute.

“These trade partners where Amina and others have interest earn tens of millions each month. They earn more than other partners and they don’t contribute as much as the others in terms of gross connection, revenue etc.

Why the unfairness?

“Other partners in the region feel there isn’t a level playing field as preferences are given to the dealers and CAPs that Amina and Adekunle Adebiyi and Abdulhamid have interest in. The other partners cannot run to Amina because rather than being an unbiased umpire, she sees them as competitors because they are competing with CAPs and dealers where she has a stake.

“This conflict of interest is not declared, so it is hurting the business. Some of these dealers are making plans to report this conflict of interest and corruption issues to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

“Another complaint we want to make is in the area of gross connection. The partners and CAPs where Amina has interest engage in fraudulent gross connection activities. This is called kitchen activation. They buy SIM cards at N50, register them using a few people, load N3 to do chargeable activity and they will automatically earn N180 for each SIM. They do this with thousands of SIM cards daily and when they are done, they earn millions for gross connection. A month or two after, these SIM cards will be seen as having churned out of the network. Then they go back to the same circle, earning millions for fraudulent practices.

“All managers and above that resigned or took VSS in S and D in the North in the past three years left because they questioned these practices and were victimised.”

…laud NNPC for transparency



Northern youths under the aegis of Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), have berated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some civil society groups for sponsoring baseless conspiracy theories and underhand tactics for political gain and discrediting the leadership of the of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), following the discovery of the methanol-blended petrol products.

The group also commended the NNPC and NMDPRA for demonstrating transparency, promoting accountability and also for their pragmatic response in ensuring that Nigerians have sufficient supply of petrol despite the disruption in some parts of the country.

The off-spec petrol, according to the NNPC, was imported into the country by four oil marketers through four premium motor spirit cargoes under the NNPC’s Direct Sales Direct Purchase arrangement.

In a statement signed by the speaker, Mohammed Salihu Danlami, and made available to journalists on Sunday, the group said that while it stands with Nigerians in this trying moment, no group(s) or individual(s) should take advantage of the situation for political gain and personal aggrandizement.

According to the group: “At a time such as this, citizens come together when there are genuine efforts to remedy the situation as has been shown by the federal government to assist in ameliorating the condition and urge the government to be more measured and quick.

“Sadly, the reverse seems to be the case in Nigeria when the main opposition political party, PDP, wishes to harvest from the common suffering of Nigerians through baseless conspiracy theories and underhand tactics that the present situation is to force Nigerians to accept a new price hike.

“Having critically reviewed the situation and received commitment from the federal government, we are persuaded to state that a new price hike for a litre of fuel is out of the table for now.

The group however noted that the Russian-Ukraine war has spiked oil prices across the world.

“We all should take cognizance that while the government was moving quickly to redress the imbalance arising from the off-spec imported fuel, the Russian-Ukraine war started and this has led to dire global ramifications.

“Since the Kremlin invasion, oil prices have spiked across the world. For instance, in the United Kingdom, a litre of fuel sells for as high as N841.2k (£1.49). Fuel price tracking outfit, RAC Fuel Watch, notes that petrol price per litre is £1.49, while diesel sells a little higher at £1.53. The simple maths show that to fill a 55-litre petrol car is at N46,000.

“It bears stating too that given the rise in crude oil prices in the global market, the cost of refined products will naturally go up. It is therefore abracadabra politics for the main opposition party and their hire-for-protest civil society friends to suggest otherwise when market forces interplay are obvious.

“Furthermore, we should remember that at the moment, the country’s refineries are undergoing rehabilitation, therefore, we depend solely on imports for PMS supply. So with the high demand of crude and refined products across the world, embargoes against Russia and disruptions in shipping, the expectation that the supply chain would have been fully restored by last week was not achieved as expected,” it added.

While commending the Mele Kyari-led NNPC for its resilient efforts in addressing the unnerving situation and restoring normalcy, the group said: “For the avoidance of doubt, it was the NMDPRA that alerted the country of methanol above national specifications in imported petrol, and proceeded to say that efforts were on to remove the contaminated products from circulation on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.

“Also, the group managing director of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, in subsequent statements and an appearance at the House of Representatives outlined efforts at remedying the situation.

“To underscore the seriousness of the situation, the NNPC and other relevant agencies have embarked on petrol distribution surveillance (PDS). The aim of the PDS is to ensure the seamless evacuation of products from mother vessels to depots and trucking from depots to other inland depots as well as retail stations.

“Information available to Arewa Youth Assembly also shows that there is at present, daily monitoring of trucks out from depots to all 36 states of the nation with focus on demand and existing stock available in the retail stations in these states. The task is being complemented by the deployment of personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) to effectively monitor truck out and prevent any diversion of products along the way. Besides these, there has been engagement with critical stakeholders in the petroleum value-chain like MOMAN, DAPMAN, IPMAN, PTD, NARTO and NUPENG to ensure products are distributed seamlessly and efficiently.

“For the main opposition and other entities working to cause public disaffection and incite the Nigerian people especially the youths, you shall find none as cannon fodder for your altruistic agenda,” it said.

The group further called on Nigerians to resist fuel racketeering, panic buying and engaging in acts inimical to economic and security interest.

…to take intervention among underprivileged widows to next level



If indications from two separate but related events that were held last December are anything to go by, then one of Nigeria’s most vulnerable groups may be on the verge of experiencing better times.

The events, hosted in two separate states/regions and separated by a 20-day interval, held at a time when self-splurging by many young Nigerians was at octane levels, and saw young men and women behind an NGO that caters to the welfare of underprivileged widows and their vulnerable children, passionately putting the widows’ needs above their wants.

The NGO, CBA Foundation, its dedicated and passionate staff, supporters and donors came out in their numbers on two dedicated days in December to give widows in selected communities in Lagos and Anambra a treat during the festive season. The Lagos outreach benefitted, in a unique way, widows in six communities in Ibeju-Lekki, namely: Badore, Iberekodo, Museyo, Magbon Alade, Okunola Ilado and Magbon Iga.

CBA Foundation seized the opportunity of the outreach to launch a new initiative it tagged Social Enterprise Initiative. The Initiative, which is aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of all efforts to protect and promote the welfare of widows as well as their children, is to cater to the financial, mental and physical health needs of beneficiaries. The Initiative is to provide comprehensive support, including health interventions, skill acquisition, business set-up, food and drinks, clothes and shoes, and general support for all affected widows.

The Founder/CEO of CBA Foundation, Mrs Chinwe Bode-Akinwande explained the reason for the Foundation’s shift to the new Initiative: “We have been doing outreaches and it has been non-stop, but the essence of this Social Enterprise Initiative is for the widows to have something that will sustain them even for a longer period, something that will give them hope, knowing that they have a sustainable source of livelihood and activities that remind them that they need to keep going.”

Continuing, she reveals when the idea for the new initiative began: “When the lockdown came last year [2020], we realised that there was a need again to have something sustainable for these women. With the Social Enterprise Initiative, we identify the skills they need to possess, and what they are passionate about, we also empower them with the necessary training and then set them up with all they need for the business. At the end of the day, they won’t have to wait daily for the CBA Foundation to give them food or clothing.”

Mrs Bode-Akinwande noted that the Initiative had been informed by a rigorous analysis of the data in their database, gathered over the years on widows whom they have reached out to and the support they have been receiving from both individual and corporate donors. She said that they had dimensioned all the critical issues from widows with critical needs, where the Foundation needed to begin its interventions, to widows who needed to be set up in business and to several widows’ children who needed to be reinstated back in school.

She also remarked that plans were underway at the Foundation to take the skills acquisition training further, beginning with adire-making (tie and dye). She announced that the Foundation would have a line of products that would be its adire pattern, displaying its unique signature. When sold, a percentage of the profit would be ploughed back into the Foundation as a constant stream of income.

The idea, the Foundation CEO stressed, would inspire the widows who show a keen interest in adire-making as they would be involved and exposed to its value chain which is essential to optimising their execution after their training. So, the adire-making training followed with tutorials on the step-by-step processes involved in it, materials needed and how to identify them, necessary safety precautions, various tie and dye techniques, packaging and distribution and how to make a living from adire-making.

For widows with impaired vision at the event, they were able to have free consultations with an ophthalmologist, get free eye tests and free reading glasses, courtesy of a partnership between FirstBank and Vision Spring. What followed when beneficiaries had the free reading glasses fitted and could see clearly were scenes similar to ones where people had experienced supernatural miracles. The ecstatic joy was palpable.

Take 59-year-old Hassanat Oyewunmi, for example. Tears of joy rolled freely from her eyes as she remarked that her farsightedness challenge had been addressed. She confessed excitedly that she felt “better, much better now with the glasses, and I can even see everyone clearly. It is good to know that we are not forgotten.”

Olabode Sadiat, 62, could not contain her joy as she wore her glasses and pointed in the distance, while indicating that she could see everything in her line of sight. She had suffered from a blurry vision that made reading her Bible difficult. “Nothing is more painful than not being able to read your Bible,” she had noted following the medical intervention.

The widows also received food, drinks, clothing and other materials that were distributed during the outreach. They were also given a final charge by Mrs Bode-Akinwande in which she reminded them that they were not alone and could always count on the support of the CBA Foundation.

In all, 165 widows across the six communities of Ibeju-Lekki benefitted on 4th December 2021 when the Lagos outreach was held. The Anambra outreach, on the other hand, benefitted 75 widows from four communities in the Nnewi area of the state. The outreach in Anambra was held on 24th December 2021.

Food items and financial empowerment constituted the bulk of the support CBA Foundation gave the Anambra widows to celebrate the festive season. The Anambra initiative has enjoyed tremendous support from a donor who has been consistent over the past four years. The Founder of the Foundation expressed gratitude to the donor while remarking that the outreach was being embarked on “at this festive season, so the widows can at least have something to eat and share with their loved ones.”

She continues: “We give hope to the hopeless. We are driven to support underprivileged widows to have a positive outlook on life despite the problems they experience by losing their loved one, mostly the breadwinner of the family.”

Both Lagos and Anambra outreaches were in some sense CBA Foundation’s way of giving underprivileged widows a “December to Remember” treat. Of course, that treat would at best be modest compared to how people who were not in any known vulnerable categories took care of themselves and themselves alone. Even with the best of intentions, CBA Foundation could only work with donations received from donors and supporters at a time of the year when most (young) people were dedicating more resources to the self-splurging that December has come to represent.

While it may not be in one’s place to dictate to others how they should spend the money they have worked so hard to make, one cannot help but try to point them to ways they could better dispense their hard-earned cash that would be in their enlightened self-interest. Or what sense is there in spending on oneself so lavishly and ostentatiously as though spending was going to go out of fashion at any moment only to provoke the have-nots to make one the target of their misdirected anger in a society that is largely dysfunctional?

A similar question should be addressed to the government and public officials: What sense is there in expending huge public resources on projects that have no direct bearing on the welfare of vulnerable groups when it only widens the gap between the haves (including public officials) and have-nots and exacerbates the conditions that heighten security concerns among the haves? At what point will the government, public officials and the privileged class start acting in their enlightened self-interest by committing genuine efforts to narrow the gap between those who have and those who can only wish?

It is high time public officials and the privileged began building strong coalitions and partnerships with groups and organisations that have been working to protect and support as well as advocate for the vulnerable for years now. They must begin to key into and support the organisations’ laudable initiatives that show great potential in helping to narrow the frightening gap.

CBA Foundation’s Social Enterprise Initiative represents one of such laudable initiatives. It is a well-thought-out initiative capable of transforming the existing arrangement for care and support of vulnerable groups such as underprivileged widows and their children and taking their welfare to the next level. The Government, individuals as well as corporate organisations must join hands with the Foundation if the Initiative is to have any chance of success.

Through its avowed commitment to “touching lives, giving hope…” not in mere words and empty promises but genuine and visible action on the ground (see ample examples captured on its website: www.cbafoundation.org), CBA Foundation has already demonstrated its readiness to do more with more support.

It has shown that it is living true to its #CareIsAction DNA and can thus be trusted with more support. The Social Enterprise Initiative, therefore, enlists all to send an email at: cbafoundationng@gmail.com to partner with the Foundation in the drive to take the welfare of underprivileged widows to the next level where its long-term sustainability is guaranteed.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), has recorded a trading surplus of ₦37.50billion for the month of September 2021.

Representing a 352% increase from the ₦8.29billion surplus in August 2021.

Details of the figures contained in the September 2021 NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) indicate that the rise in trading surplus was largely due to the increased earnings of NNPC’s Upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

Trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue in the period under review.

Thus in September 2021, NNPC Group’s operating revenue as compared to August 2021, reduced by 29.87% or N191.90billion to stand at N450.45billion. Similarly, expenditure for the month decreased by 34.87% or N221.11billion to stand at N412.92billion.

Expenditure as a proportion of revenue in the month under review stood at 0.92%, compared to last month’s 0.99%.

The report also shows a total Crude Oil and Gas export receipt of $348.63million in September 2021 as against $224.29million in August 2021.

Receipts from Crude Oil amounted to $8.38million while Gas and miscellaneous receipts stood at $55.25million and $285.00million respectively.

Total Crude Oil and Gas export receipt for the period of September 2020 to September 2021 stood at $2.03billion

In the Downstream sector, to ensure uninterrupted supply and effective distribution of petrol across the country, a total of 1.39billionn litres translating to 46.31million litres/day was supplied for the month of September 2021.

For the month under review, 21 pipeline points were vandalized, same as recorded in August 2021. Port Harcourt area accounted for 5%, while Mosimi Area accounted for 95% of the vandalized points.

In the Gas sector, a total of 208.35billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month of September 2021, translating to an average daily production of 6,945.15million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

For the period of September 2020 to September 2021, a total of 2,862.36bcf of gas was produced representing an average daily production of 7,250.16mmscfd during the period.

Period-to-date Production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and NPDC contributed about 57.51%, 21.20% and 21.29% respectively to the total national gas production.

Out of the 204.73bcf of gas supplied in September 2021, a total of 129.74bcf was commercialized, consisting of 33.18bcf and 96.51bcf for the domestic and export markets respectively.

This translates to an average total supply of 1,106.00mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 3,218.57mmscfd to the export market for the month.

The 74th edition of the MFOR highlights NNPC’s activities for the period of September 2020 to September 2021.

President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hon Iju Tony Nwabunike has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for confirming the appointment of the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Muhammed Bello Koko.

In a letter of congratulation to Mr. Koko personally signed by Hon Nwabunike, the ANLCA helmsman stated that the experience, exposure and track record of Mr. Koko gave him the plump NPA job, saying ANLCA will consistently support the new NPA boss for the betterment of the Nigerian port in the interest of the country.

Nwabunike said: “Our noble association, ANLCA, being a body of customs brokers has consistently followed your activities within the eight months period you led the NPA in acting capacity and we are convinced that President Buhari made the right choice in your person.”

As part of its commitment to inspire, connect and empower women to attain their full potentials, Nigeria’s leading financial institution, Access Bank Plc will be hosting a conference in commemoration of the annual International Women’s Day.

The conference which will take place at The Eko Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday March 10, 2022, is aimed at furthering the discussions around how women across all life stages can thrive through stereotypes to attain full potentials.

Panelists will explore how to use gender-enabling institutions for Women economic empowerment and how to build generational sustainability for Women in the future.

Top female keynote speakers to feature at the conference include- Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General, World Trade Organization, and Honourable Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, while Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the president on Ease of Doing Business, IK Osakioduwa, Top Nigerian Radio and TV on-air personality and a host of other panelists will be moderated by CNN News Anchor, Zain Asher and top Nigerian Talk show host, Toolz.

There will also be a fire chat session with International Nigerian French song writer and performer, Asa.

To attend and join other Women to unwind, rejuvenate and network in a relaxed environment while you get serenaded with music from guest artistes during the conference, please click HERE to register.

Access Bank Plc. is a leading full-service commercial Bank operating through a network of more than 600 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 12 countries and 31 million customers. The Bank employs 28,000 people in its operations in Nigeria and has subsidiaries in Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom (with a branch in Dubai, UAE) and representative offices in China, Lebanon and India.

In July 2014, Access Bank unveiled the “W” initiative to accelerate a new and stronger wave of hitherto scanty female entrepreneurs in Nigeria. In addition to financial inclusion, the “W” initiative is a one-stop center of all of Access Bank’s women empowerment offerings.

Some of these include capacity building programs exclusive to women, mentoring programmes, and maternal health services, all aimed at helping to build a bigger, stronger, and more sustainable society. Under the “W” initiative, participating women and their families have access to a wide range of opportunities. Part of these privileges includes access to loans and credit facilities; access to the ‘W’ community in which they can get insights concerning family matters and finance matters.

In addition, ‘W’ community also provides Women with access to information about several value-adding special offers for the home, including specially discounted offers as well as freebies on health, beauty, and fitness.

As a major player in the Trustees business, FCMB Trustees Limited has launched e-Wills, an automated system that makes the process of writing of Wills easier and more affordable.

Commenting on the importance of Wills and the commitment of FCMB Trustees to provide the very best solutions, the Managing Director of the company, Samuel Adesanmi, said:

“Writing a Will is essential because it helps distribute assets to the right beneficiaries. Therefore, people who die without a will leave unnecessary work, complications, and costs for their family and friends. It can also protect the estate left behind and facilitate the distribution of assets in case of death.”

FCMB e-Wills offers a platform where Clients can create their Wills online. The draft Will be reviewed for the Client to print and then sign and also, where required, FCMB Trustees will offer assistance through its team of external solicitors to probate the Will.

FCMB Trustees equally offers Codicil services, a service that allows clients to amend/update an existing Will.

The robust FCMB Trustees e-Wills portal is designed to store important files and data in the event of death and can be accessed anytime by designated persons, even if they are in another country. The files are also encrypted, restricting access to unauthorised persons.

Additional value-adds of the solution are estate administration (as Executors and Administrators), confirmation of the value of the assets and debts of the estate, disposal of assets, payment of obligations, taxes, and other liabilities, access to legal advice from retained external solicitors, and paying out the estate according to the Will.

FCMB Trustees Limited is a member of FCMB Group Plc, a purpose beyond profit financial powerhouse, led by Ladi Balogun as Group Chief Executive. The Group is committed to COVID-19 recovery, income equality and poverty reduction by easing credit constraints to disadvantaged individuals and small businesses.

The FCMB Trustees’ e-Wills solution aligns with Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focused on promoting peace, justice and strong institutions without which women and children will suffer untold hardships.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has insisted that an APC Chieftain and businessman, Prince Benjamin Apugo has a case to answer over allegations of theft and contract fraud.

Prince Apugo is standing trial before an Ikeja Special offences Court, Lagos alongside the former acting General Manager of the National Theatre, Mr Yusuf Atai Ahmed and two other companies: Bencap Nigeria Limited and Technoexportstroy Nigeria Limited on a 9-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The APC Chieftain is to open his defence following the ruling of a Lagos State High Court that dismissed his application for a no-case submission filed in a suit number: ID/949C/14.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo had on February 8 ruled that the prosecution, having called nine witnesses who testified against the defendants, presented overwhelming evidences against the defendants which they must answer to.

The EFCC Counsel, Mr E Pereagbe, told the court that the offences committed by the defendants contravened Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2003.

According to the Petition dated March 6, 2012 titled ‘Abandonment of Contract for the Fencing, Construction of five gates and Sand-filling at the National Theatre after Payment’, the anti graft agency alleged that the defendants defrauded the National Theatre in the sum of N467,737,014.

However, the last prosecution witness, Ariyo Muritala, who testified in November 11, 2021, told the court that the defendants were alleged to be involved in a contract fraud that was initiated through the office of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation.

The witness, an operative of the EFCC who has a 14 years working experience with the agency, testified that in 2009, a contract sum of N299, 707, 828 was awarded for the purpose of construction of five gates, reclamation of the National Theater premises and the fencing of its perimeter.

According to Muritala, who holds a BSC and a professional qualification as a Chartered Accountant, “The charges against the defendants was sequel to a petition by Kabir Yusuf, the General Manager of National Theatre and an initial petition dated July 6, 2011 and a further one dated March 5, 2012.

While led in evidence by the EFCC Counsel, E. Pereagbe, the witness said: “Techno Expository Nigeria Limited and Bencap Nigerian LTD of which one of the defendants, Prince Benjamin, is the alter ego and Mr Yusuf Atai Ahmed, a former Manager of the National Theatre, were alleged to be involved in a contract fraud.

“Upon receipt of the petition after its adoption and in the course of investigation, I had course to meet with the defendants, during which their statements were taken under word of caution and other investigation activities were conducted.

“Letters were written to banks, especially Union bank where Bencap Nigerian Ltd’s account was domiciled and the supposed disbursement were made for the contract, which upon physical verification were found not to have been carried out as it should be.

“Infact, one of the initially engaged consultants, AN Design Consult, approved the release of the initial mobilization fee of 15% of the contract sum. And the 4th defendants mobilized to site but it was later discovered that in between this period, the 4th defendant expressly communicated that Bencap Nigerian Ltd should be its Financial Manager for the purpose of the contact through which disbursement of contract sum shall be made as the contract progresses.

“For some reason my Lord, the then Acting General Manager, Yusuf Atai Ahmed, upon request for unsubstantiated variation in subcontracts sum, disengaged the initial consultant and brought in one Board design as the new consultant, who without any commensurate physical work on site, approved for variations and payments running into N334, 229, 760 which was way above the initial contract sum that was initiated through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Orientation, Tourism and Culture.

“Further to which at the said initiator of the contract, requested another Ministry of the Federal Government, the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development to do an actual assessment of the work on ground and give estimate as to the work on ground, in the light of the disbursement of over N300 million that has been made for barley a N200 million plus contract. And the Ministry through its experts came up with an estimate of about N55 million worth of work on ground, a staggering variant”.

The witness further testified that he visited the site amidst the list of ministries that were involved.

“When we visited the National Theatre, we found out that there were abandoned trucks and some machineries that were left. Some of them were sunk into the swamp that was supposed to be sand filled which formed part of the projects they abandoned and there was no visible sign of work ongoing as at that time.

“This further corroborated the findings from the interview with the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development as to the estimate of N55m worth of job done.

“My Lord, the main emphasis is the fact there is no commemorate work on ground to suggest and justify the amount that has been disbursed which shows that monies were collected without any work on ground. Only one of the 5 gates was done aside the fencing, the sand filling required, it is very clear and this was further collaborated by the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development upon their visitation to the site and concluded that what was on ground was barely worth N55 million and way past what has been disbursed. So, money was been taken from the Federal Government without the work being done,” he said.

During cross examination by the one of the defence lawyer’s, Mr O. O. Amuzie, the witness was asked if he knew how much was disbursed for the contract and he replied, “as at the period in question, over N344m has been disbursed for a contract of N299m.

“Techno Expository was paid N344, 220, 760 million. The first payment was made in October 16, 2009 while the second payment was made in January 5, 2010”.

When asked by the defence counsel how the money was paid to the defendant, the EFCC investigator said: “The funds were released in trenches. There was N40, 460, 556, N90m, N35, 244, 458, N8, 000, 000, N54m, N20m, N34, 000, 522 and all these payments were in 2010”.

The EFCC investigator further said that he was aware that payments were made for the construction of five gates, inclination of National Theatre and perimeter fencing for which the payment has been made and the contract was not carried out even two years after while the construction should have been for 38 weeks.

“The main issue is that money was paid while the work was not done. Therefore what I investigated was not a breach of contract but a contract fraud,” the witness said.

Prince Benjamin Apugo has until March 4 to defend himself.

Episode 4 of the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria airs this Saturday and there will be a dramatic switch from BBoys to BGirls as the female contestants take their turn in the qualifying rounds.

But the switch notwithstanding, viewers will be in for the same heady cocktail they have come to expect on the Glo sponsored reality tv show; mesmerizing dance moves, dance floor drama, and the joys and pains of victory and loss respectively.

The focus in Episode 4 is on Break dancing girls, aka BGirls and they bring fire to the dance floor. From Abuja, all the way to Lagos the ladies make clear that when it comes to break dancing, men do not have exclusive preserve.

Show host, Do2Tun shares the same sentiments as he quips in the intro: "If you ever doubted the talent of the BGirls, after this episode you will be a believer."

Log onto GloTv, Globacoms streaming app at 8 pm on Saturday to find out what happens when BGirl Angel steps on the dance floor to do battle with BGirl Cindy in the Lagos qualifiers.

Witness the palpable relief as BGirl Vibe is told she doesn't have to do a final battle against BGirl Cruxy in order to make it to the Lagos finals. Then listen to her express her appreciation to Glo for providing her a platform to launch her career. "Whether I win or not, taking part in Glo Battle of the Year is already a big step."

Aside from the BGirls, viewers will be treated to head-turning popping moves by poppers from the six venues as they battle to make their way to Lagos.

As with all competitions, there will be winners and losers but the judges' decisions are not final. You, the viewer, have the power to alter those decisions. All you have to do is visit www.globotynigeria.com to vote for your favorite contestant who didn't make it past the regional qualifications.

And for those viewers who can bust a move, Glo is spreading the cheer. Post your dance video on social media – Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook- add the hashtag #GloBattleOfTheYear and tag a glo social media handle and you and your fellow dancers could win N200,000 weekly.

So, download GloTv, keep watching, keep dancing and start winning.

A Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Bamidele Olusegun has told a Coroner magistrate presided by Mikhail Kadiri that staff of Dowen College were indicted in the first legal advice issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the ongoing case of late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.

The CSP, however, said he couldn’t recall if any witness he interrogated during his investigations told him that the deceased was injured on the 14th of November 2021.

CSP Olusegun, who said he was serving with in the homicide section of the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti section in 2021 made this disclosure while being cross-examined by Mr. Femi Falana, SAN in the ongoing inquest into the controversial death of 12-year-old student of the Dowen College student, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.

The Police witness told the court that he received a report from the DPP dated December 30, 2021 which was called interim legal advice recommended that the staff and the should be prosecuted for alleged negligence.

The witness also told the senior lawyer that he received another legal advice dated January 4. He said: “We sent one dated December 23, this was the last report we sent.

Falana further showed the witness the interim report dated December 30, 2021 and while reading the last paragraph, the witness said: “There are sufficient facts to establish this offense against Mrs Celina Uduak, Valentine Igboekweze, Hammed Ayomo Bariyu, Adesanya Olusegun and Mr. Adeyemi and Dowen College.

The witness further affirmed that he conducted a thorough investigation on the matter. He said he was aware that the police protested that they were not allowed to conclude investigation on the matter.

When the witness was showed a protest letter written to the Chief Judge of Lagos State by the Police, on the development of the investigation, the witness identified the letter.

A portion of the letter that was read by the witness in the court stated that: “It came as a rude shock that the investigation was not allowed to be carried out”.

He also said the suspects were not brought back to the station for the conclusion of the investigation.

Olusegun also said: “During investigation, one of the suspects informed me that the deceased was bullied. Another one also told me that he was taken to the third floor to be tortured”.

The witness also affirmed that the deceased sister told her that he was also bullied sometimes in October and that the boy who allegedly bullied him was not punished for the act.

“She also confirmed to me that they bullied his brother because they wanted him to described her private parts.
“I wouldn’t know if the deceased was taken to the sick bay in October when he was bullied”.

He also confirmed that a female parent of the school also reported a case of bully against her son by some students at Maroko police station.

He, however, said he could only speak to Benjamin Favour because the school was under lock during his investigation.

Narrating his involvement in the investigation, the police witness also said: “On 3rd of December, a petition forwarded to my office was assigned to me and the school was already closed down then.

“On 6th December, we were at Maroko police station, where we met the Principal, and the suspect. We took them down to Panti and obtained statements from the accused and the other management staff.



“We proceeded to a Yaba Magistrate’s court to get a remand order and the house masters was detained with us while the children were remanded at Oregun correctional home.

“The deceased father’s statement was taken on 9th of December while the Lagos State Attorney General and the Lagos State Commissioner for Education were put on the phone during the interview with the parties.

“I recollect that I went to Warri to bring the corpse to Lagos and I had an interaction with the doctor, the consultant pathologists.

“We arrived in Lagos January 13 with the corpse of the deceased while the autopsy was performed the next day before then, letters were dispatched to the parties asking them to be in attendance or send representative during the autopsy. I later proceeded to Abuja to speak with one of the witnesses.

” I also recollect that we visited the school on fact-findings and it was opened to us. I remember that the doctor at the school hospital, Dr. Moji confirmed that she attended to the deceased between December 21st and 22nd.

“She confirmed to me that she asked the nurse to massage the deceased legs and that paracetamol was also administered on him.”

When asked if the school has CCTV cameras, he said: “Absolutely No”, there was no CCTV cameras in the school.

The Glo Battle of the Year episode 3 aired on Saturday, February 19, 2022, and the show didn’t disappoint. In episode 3, we saw twists and turns as some of the fans’ favorites missed out on automatic qualifications to the finals.

Here are 6 main highlights from episode 3 which was about the regional Bboy and Locking finals.

1. After his fierce semifinal battle with Victor Vic, Bboy Off fainted backstage and was asked to withdraw from the competition by the medical team. The 6ft dancer discussed with the medical team and with fire in his eyes, Bboy Off went on stage and gave his best but Lil Vic just had something special as he was crowned winner in Abuja. This meant Lil Vic would go up against the best dancers from the other regions in the finals scheduled to hold in Lagos in April.

2. Girl power is truly a Superpower! CFly, Port Harcourt-based Locking dancer lost out in the automatic qualification after Christiana Gift defeated him in the Locking finals, to emerge the only female Locking Dancer in the competition. Still in PH, one of the fans’ favorites, Jared Lee Jarrell is known to many as Bboy Midnight, defeated Lil Monster in the PH finals in a battle many termed “the battle of David Vs Goliath”.

3. In Kaduna, 2014 BOTY Nigeria winner, Bboy Trixx who defeated his younger brother in the semis, competed against Bboy Lym, and as always, the Champ being the Champ, Trixx came out tops and will fly Kaduna’s as well as his family flag at the finals in Lagos; definitely, his brother would be proud of him. The Kaduna Locking finals had Spinoza go up against Sammy with Spinoza winning the duel effortlessly and so booked a spot in Lagos for the semi-final and finals.

4. Charming and charismatic, 21 years old, Bboy Prym made it to the Enugu regional Bboy finals but couldn’t secure the automatic ticket to the finals after losing to SixGod. It was rather sad to see one of the favorite dancers in this particular season lose out at an automatic final spot. On the other hand, Noel defeated Binary in the Locking finals to advance to the finals in Lagos.

5. After defeating giant slayer, Bboy Famous in the Lagos final, attention needs to be paid to Lil Dan who is certainly looking like the real deal. Now we know why Lil Dan was eager to show us his dance medals and we must confess, he actually has a lot of them. Locking Mike defeated Benedict in the regional Locking finals in Lagos to join the other 4 contestants,

6. There is a piece of good news and this is the fact that the audience has the opportunity to become part of the voting public and bring back their favorite contestants as Wildcards. For the Bboy category, there is an option to bring back at least 2 of Bboy Off, Bboy Jerry, Bboy Lym, Bboy Prym, Lil Monster, or Bboy Famous to join the 6 boys in the finals. You can vote via www.globotynigeria.com. Also, download the Glo TV app on www.myglotv.com to get access to excess entertainment.

…charges new monarch to be accessible, receptive, responsive

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday, presented staff of office to the newly crowned Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo, Oba Lawrence Jaiyeoba Adebajo, enjoining him to be accessible, receptive and responsive to the yearnings of the Ijebu Igbo people.

The governor equally urged the monarch to continue to champion all efforts that will enhance peaceful co-existence with other royal fathers within Ijebu Igbo and its environs in order to justify the mandate and trust repose in him by the Ogun State Government.

Abiodun, who stated these in his speech at the coronation ceremony of Oba Adebajo, noted that the ancient town which witnessed 28-year interregnum, would begin to witness upward swing with the installation of the new Orimolusi.

While describing the event as “symbolic testament reflective of the time past and a new beginning in community spirit and selflessness”, the governor expressed optimism that the monarch, with his pedigree, would espouse development of the town.

He congratulated all the sons and daughters of Ijebu-Igbo who had painstaking waited for almost three decades for the new monarch, and the entire people of Ijebuland on the coronation which according to him, has opened a new phase in the traditional lives of Ijebu Igbo people.

Abiodun also commended Prof. Ademola Adedeji-led 11-member kingmakers/warrant chiefs, for carrying out a process that was open, transparent and credible, expressing assurance that the monarch would be guided by the laudable and enviable legacy of honour of all his predecessors.

While noting that “this is the third interregnum the stool of Orimolusi had witnessed; the first one was between 1887-1889, the second happened from 1905-1928 while this one lasted from 1994-2021”, the governor added that “all of us must have learnt one or two things in the intervening period and realize that together we can achieve more.

“For instance, we have learnt that the delay in the appointment and installation of the new Orimolusi was as a result of the differences among the various contestants which led to litigations that started from the High Court and stretched up to the Supreme Court, which delivered judgment in the appeal on 7th May, 2021. I thank God that at the end of the day, the voice of the people is the voice of the Judiciary and God. I also wish to state unequivocally that there is no victor, no vanquished in the entire episodes leading up to this installation. We are all winners. We must do everything possible to put the town’s interest first”, he stated further.

He lauded other contestants to the stool of the Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo and their supporters for proving to be men and women of honour, and accepting the selection of Oba Adebajo as the new Orimolusi, enjoining every indigene and residents of Ijebu-Igbo to embrace peace and co-operate with the new monarch.

“I know that the new Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo possesses the requisite skillsets, experience and exposure required to steer the ship of Ijebu-Igbo. Let us, therefore, see today’s ceremony as an opportunity to come together and move Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebuland, and, by extension, the entire state, towards attaining more socio-economic development.

“Kabiyesi, as a father, you are expected to be accessible, receptive and responsive to the yearnings of your subjects at all times.  You are to note Kabiyesi that you should continue to champion all efforts that will enhance peaceful co-existence with other Royal fathers within Ijebu Igbo and its environs in order to justify the mandate and trust repose in you by Ogun State Government. Kabiyesi, by your appointment, you have become a member of the Ijebu Traditional Council and Permanent Member representing Ijebu Traditional Council at the Ogun State Council of Obas.  Kabiyesi, I urge you to regard this appointment as a call to greater duty and responsibility.  I implore you to extend magnanimity in victory to all and sundry in Ijebu-Igbo and reconcile all contending parties.

“On our part, we have continued and will continue to prioritize the welfare and wellbeing of traditional rulers because they play a pivotal role in the sustaining the rich cultural heritage of our people as they are custodians of our value systems, norms and mores. We consider them indispensable partners in the Building Our Future Together Agenda of our Administration and integral part of our Security Architecture”. Abiodun stated.

The governor, however, expressed worries by the slide in the moral ethos and the palpable mindlessness that accompany the get-rich-syndrome in the society, particularly among the youth, declaring measures would put in place to nip the menace in the bud

“I am always traumatised beyond words when I hear of our youth’s involvement in the spate of killings and dismembering of human beings for ritual purposes. I am particularly scandalized these young ones – teenagers – are being fingered as perpetrators of these dastardly acts. Let me use this opportunity to solicit the support of our Traditional Rulers, Parents, Teachers, Heads of Various Institutions of Learning, Community leaders, Religious leaders and indeed all of us, to always preach and act as a good moral compass and mentors to our children and youths. Money should not be the sole determinant of success. Integrity should count more. But, let me also warn that we shall deal decisively with anyone involved in any heinous crime in accordance with the relevant laws. There is no compromise on this. Ogun State is known over the years for being at the vanguard of ‘Omoluabi’ ethos. I wonder when this malady l became the norm!

“Let me reiterate that our administration has continued and will continue to espouse programmes and policies that engage the youths positively. We are doing everything possible to ensure that Ogun remains a trailblazer in youth development, human capital empowerment, economic growth and prosperity. We are committed to providing necessary technical, logistic and institutional support to security agencies and for our youths to actualize themselves through provision of jobs, creating a conducive environment for them to learn trades and become net employers of labour, as well as other avenues and opportunities to be gainfully and prosperously engaged without resorting to crimes.

“Let our elders, parents and guardians do their own to inculcate the right attitude into their wards to help the moral fibre of our society. We all owe it a duty to stop this scourge by whatever legal means possible. I can assure you that we will fight this menace with everything at our disposal. We will not be identified by this notoriety. Our culture frowns at this and we must bring propriety back into the psyche of the children who we will leave the future behind for. For us, we have emplaced security measures in schools and all the villages, hamlets and towns to ensure zero-tolerance for ritualists. We will trail them, apprehend them, investigate them and make them serve as examples for those harbouring such sinister routes to wealth acquisition,” Abiodun submitted.

6 BBoys and 6 lockers emerged regional finalists in episode 3 of the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show which aired on GloTV, the company’s streaming app on Saturday February 19, 2020 with repeat broadcasts on NTA and AIT.

With their victory, the regional winners will head over to Lagos where they will take part in the semi-finals and finals of the competition.
The show opened with mild drama in Abuja as BBoy Off, was almost sent off the competition after he had a fainting fit just before his battle with Bboy Vic. Medics wanted him sent home but an emotional Off had assured them that he could go ahead. Alas, his difficulty breathing and the toll from his fainting spell cost him the prize leaving Lil Vic to proudly announce that “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Bboy Whirlz made easy work of BBoy Jerry as they battled for the top position in Benin. For Whirlz, who dedicated his victory to his mother, his win was proof perfect that he is qualified to lead the Dance Guild of Nigeria as president.

If you have seen the movie 12 years a Slave then you will understand why BBoy SixGod was ecstatic after he humbled Prym to take the prize in Enugu. After 7 years as a dancer, the dark skinned and well-toned dancer could finally brag that he is not just a dancer but an award-winning one.

In Port Harcourt, Lil Monster’s efforts proved too little to defeat the exceptional and introverted Midnight in a keenly fought battle while Bboy Trixx proved himself to be a man of skills as he kept dipping into his bag of tricks to bamboozle his opponent. At the end of the duel, the two time champion showed that Bboy Lym was no match as he was crowned king in Kaduna.

Bboy Famous’ dreams of victory and helping out with the family came to a screeching halt as he was vanquished by his hard fighting opponent, Lil Dan who showed his mettle as he came into the finals with an injured knee and yet triumphed.

Six lockers emerged across the cities and will also be making their way to Lagos for the finals. A stand-out locker was Christiana Gift who emerged winner in Port Harcourt.

Two new judges, Frank Okwara and Locking Si’on were introduced alongside others like Bboys JC Jedor, Big Flow and Gidnasty. More judges would be unveiled in Episode 4 as the show progresses to the Afro dance category.

Meanwhile viewers can decide whether any of the finalists can come back to the competition. All you have to do is go to www.globotynigeria.com and vote for the dancer you want saved.

Viewers can also win N200,000 by participating in the fans challenge just by making a video of them dancing to the Glo BOTY theme song, uploading on any platform on social media using to the hashtag #GloBattleOfTheYear and tagging Glo. The top four videos with the highest engagements get to win N50,000 each.

The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union (PTD) have announced the suspension of the proposed strike action following the intervention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC).

The decision to suspend the strike was reached on Thursday night after a meeting was held with the two unions, and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) by the management of the NNPC led by Mele Kyari. group managing director/chief executive officer.

NARTO had last week threatened to withdraw haulage service should the Federal Government fail to urgently address the rising cost of operation that its members are facing.

Top on the list, according to the union, is the ever-increasing cost of diesel, which petrol tankers run on and which is part of the determinants of freight charges. The cost of diesel presently is N430 per litre.

The association’s National President, Yusuf Lawal Othman, had in a statement, stated that his members now find it difficult to remain afloat because of the high freight rate, which is regulated and paid in arrears.

He insisted that members would be advised to ground their haulage tankers if nothing was done to address the matter, describing the business environment as scorching and unbearable.

“Our people have parked their trucks and more people are going to park theirs,” he had said.

The NNPC Ltd had in a bid to address some of the concerns raised by the unions commenced the rehabilitation of various road projects under the tax credit scheme

The Corporation expressed interest to invest in the reconstruction of selected federal roads in order to sustain a smooth supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.

The road construction project estimated to gulp N621bn is being executed under the tax credit scheme in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s executive order 7.

We are petitioning the IGP

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has reacted to what they termed shinanigans being carried out by expelled members of the association.

Accusing the Nigeria Police, Zone 2 of being culpable and backing them to carried out illegally attacks on innocent citizens at the ANLCA’s secretariat without hearing from both sides.

The association also said they are investigating the matter and will petitioned the Inspector General of Police for the show of shame the police is involving themselves in a matter that is in court.

For the second time, the Nigerian Police Zone 2 have carried out alleged illegal sealing up of the ANLCA National Secretariat located at Amuwo Odofin part of Lagos State without either a valid court order or serving the accused with any right to state their side of the story, while matters are in court.

The association at a press briefing on Thursday, while reacting to the recent attack on the national secretariat of the association for the second time in less than eight months by alleged hoodlums led by expelled members of the association in company of some Policemen has cried out of victimization by the NPF.

The Vice president of the association, Dr. Kayode Farinto speaking during the briefing stated that the NPF goofed for not carrying out due investigation before being used to carry out the illegal act on the ANLCA national secretariat.

Speaking earlier the National Secretary of the association, Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila, informed the media that the attack on the ANLCA National secretariat was carried out without any court bailiff from the court, nor any notice from the police, noting that the sealing of the secretariat is illegal. He informed that the attacked on the secretariat was carried out while some members of the NECOM where at the National Assembly on the invitation of Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Customs & Excise Hon. Leke Abejide, to come speak on the new CBN policy on e-invoicing, he said the hoodlums were allegedly led by expelled and court sacked acclaimed board chairman, Taiwo Mustapha with the help of the police.

Mukaila informed that the Police were deceived with a court order obtained in 2019 purportedly trying to unseat the Tony Iju led present NECOM. He however said the order was challenged in court after 14 days stating that the case is in court and as such cannot be used as a ground to seal up the secretariat.

Mukaila further informed that the hoodlums burgled the gate and beat up members of staff they met at the secretariat including Corp members serving their father’s land in respective department at the ANLCA secretariat with cane, also punturing tyres of packed vehicles in the watchful eyes of Policemen.

Explaining further he said “We were told they came with three policemen from Festac Division and multitude of hoodlums who came with daggers and all sort, they cut off the padlocks, they destroy the main car entrance gate, went into the main entrance destroy whatever they can destroy and they deflated all the car tyres and beat up all the people they met including the Youth Corpers, the end result is what everyone now knows that Taiwo Muatapha led the gang that purportedly tookover the secretariat without any warrant from the police or court.

“And I want to state that there is no court bailiff present in that premises because if any court is coming to enforce any judgement with the police, the bailiff of the court ought to be there.

“After that, they left and position those three Policemen and truck loads of Soldiers there. On our arrival from Abuja at about 8.00pm, we (I and VP) move straight to the Area Command of Festac unfortunately the Area Commander has closed, but we met some officers who were able to give us hint that the court order that was gotten in August 2019 purportedly trying to unseat the Tony Iju present NECOM that was challenged in court after 14 days and the case is in court is the same order Muatapha purportedly presented to the Inspector General of Police as being valid and that the order is still enforce

“So the IG ordered the AIG Zone 2, the AIG then ordered the Area Commander Festac Division, the Area Commander then ordered the DPO to enforce that order. But today we’ve been with the Area Commander and the DPO to proof our case that the order is a spent order, so it is not supposed to be in the interest of Police without inviting the other party .

“The interesting truth about the order is that the plaintiff, Obokun Freight Forwarder told their counsel that they aren’t interested in the case anymore rather they want out of court settlement.

“We have the certified true copy of that proceeding of the court where their lawyers pronounce that they want out of court settlement and that the judge is giving us four weeks to seat together.And as we speak tomorrow was supposed to be the meeting with the counsel for the reconciliation as agreed.

“And a man who is not party to the suit led thugs to the secretariat to beat up NYSC corpers and women with cane and I have presented the case at the DPO office in Festac.

“The parents of the corpers they beat will report to the police station tomorrow so that Mustapha can give reasons what the offense of those children before they were beaten up,” he questioned.

St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, has today unveiled the bold new artwork Still Standing by Nigerian-born artist, Victor Ehikhamenor, on display in the crypt from 17 February to 14 May 2022.

The specially-commissioned mixed-media work which has been has been acquired by the University of Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum, forms part of 50 Monuments in 50 Voices, a partnership between St Paul’s Cathedral and the Department of History of Art at the University of York to invite contemporary artists, poets, musicians, theologians, performers and academics to showcase their individual responses to 50 historic monuments across the Cathedral.

Based in Lagos, Nigeria, and Maryland, USA, Ehikhamenor is renowned for his broad practice comprising painting, sculpture, photography, and unique works on paper. His richly-patterned works use symbolism from both traditional Edo religion and Catholicism, reflecting on the confluence of African and Western cultures. Still Standing combines rosary beads and Benin bronze hip ornament masks to depict an Oba (King) of Benin.




Still Standing has been commissioned and curated by Dan Hicks, Professor of Contemporary Archaeology at University of Oxford and Curator at the Pitt Rivers Museum and Simon Carter, Head of Collections at St Paul’s Cathedral. The installation responds to a brass memorial panel to Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson (1843-1910) installed in the Nelson Chamber of the Cathedral’s Crypt in 1913. As the panel notes, Rawson had a long career in the Royal Navy, which culminated in his commanding the Benin Expedition of 1897, 125 years ago.

St Paul’s is a national landmark and the cathedral church for the Diocese of London. It houses over 200 monuments to significant figures throughout the ages, many made by the finest sculptors of the day and installed by the public. Among the people represented on memorials around the cathedral are giants of the arts, sciences, politics and military, from Admiral Nelson to Florence Nightingale. The memorials and sculptures were made by some of the finest artists of the day from John Flaxman to Augustus Rodin.

50 Monuments in 50 Voices launched on 1 December 2021 to present a weekly series of audio, visual and musical works responding to the Cathedral’s monuments from 1796 to 1916. Encompassing the Napoleonic wars up to the First World War, the series features memorials of eminent Victorian philanthropist Maria Hackett, the Duke of Wellington, and polar explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott, amongst others. Forthcoming voices include comedian Frank Skinner, and musician and presenter Cerys Matthews, alongside a range of participants from different creative, intellectual, social, cultural, political, and theological backgrounds.

The Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Reverend Dr David Ison says, “When they visit St Paul’s, many people are struck by the vast number of monuments and memorials to past figures. The 50 Monuments in 50 Voices project invites responses to these memorials and the people they commemorate, from an array of different perspectives. As part of that project, the installation of Victor Ehikhamenor’s artwork contributes to the ongoing task of understanding the complexities of these monuments in 21st-century Britain.”

Artist Victor Ehikhamenor says “History never sleeps nor slumbers. For me to be responding to the memorial brass of Admiral Sir Harry Holdsworth Rawson who led British troops in the sacking of the Benin Kingdom 125 years ago is a testament to this. The installation Still Standing was inspired by the resolute Oba Ovonramwen who was the reigning king of Benin Kingdom at the time of the expedition, but the artwork also memorializes the citizens and unknown gallant Benin soldiers who lost their lives in 1897 as well as the vibrant continuity of the kingdom till this day. I hope that we, the descendants of innumerable uncomfortable thorny pasts, will begin to have meaningful and balanced conversations through projects such as 50 Monuments in 50 Voices.”

Professor Dan Hicks, co-curator of the installation, said, “Installed on the 125th anniversary of the attack on Benin City, this specially-commissioned work opens up a unique space for remembrance and reflection. Still Standing reminds us of the ongoing nature of the rich artistic traditions of Benin, of the enduring legacies and losses of colonial war, and of the ability of art to help us reconcile the past and the present.”

Professor Jason Edwards from the University of York and project lead on the Pantheons project says, “As well as detailing Rawson’s involvement in some of the most controversial military campaigns of the Nineteenth Century, including the Second Opium War in China and the destruction of Benin City in Benin in 1897, his bronze, brass, enamel, and marble memorial, by the little-known Army and Navy Company, is a significant artwork in its own right. Examined closely, its complex iconography includes English oak leaves and acorns, raven heads, Arabic script, a fort with a moat, Corinthian pilasters, dolphins, the Royal Humane Society silver medal, a jaunty naval officer, and a kangaroo, indicating Rawson’s last post as Governor of New South Wales. But, as the Pantheons project and Cathedral recognise, the monument only partially tells a difficult story, which must, today, be supplemented with other voices, other key perspectives”.

Specially commissioned for this installation at St Paul’s, with generous support from Art Fund, Still Standing will find a permanent home at the University of Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum, which holds one of the most significant collections of Benin royal artworks.

For more information and to view the weekly contributions to 50 Monuments in 50 Voices, including Still Standing by Victor Ehikhamenor, visit the Pantheons project website at https://pantheons-st-pauls.york.ac.uk/ and on the Pantheons project Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels.

Globacom’s latest empowerment initiative, Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show premiered on Saturday night on GloTV, the company’s mobile streaming app to glowing reviews and overwhelmingly positive sentiments online.

The first episode focused on the audition and elimination rounds and one of the stand-out performers was BBoy Prym whose dexterity was applauded in the comments section while Episode 2 was drama filled as crew members and siblings battled one another to get ahead.

As we countdown to Episode 3, this piece looks at what the show means from a numbers standpoint.

October 13, 2021 was launch date: The Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show was launched on October 13, 2021 with a call for entries. The company describes the response as massive and overwhelming.

“Since we kicked off the “call for entry” phase of the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria competition, we have been amazed by the response we received. The array of Nigerian talents we have seen has been nothing short of exceptional and we are excited to show the world the quality of dance talents and entertainment Nigeria has.”

Auditions were held in 6 venues across 7 dance categories: Dancers and their crews came out in large numbers to take part in the auditions and elimination rounds which held in six different cities – Abuja, Kaduna, Benin, Portharcourt, Enugu and Lagos.

There were tears of joy and pain as many saw their dreams atrophy before they had fully formed, but win or lose, it was clear that whether breakdancing or krumping or locking they all had mad skills.

1 episode down, 12 more to go: Did you miss the premiere episode on February 5, 2022 which ran on GloTV, Globacom’s streaming app? Well, don’t beat yourself up.

The Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show will run for another 12 weeks so there is plenty of time to play catch up and enjoy all the exciting dance floor actions. Check out highlights that are posted daily on social media or click on GloTv and watch again and again.

13 Judges will help pick winners: As contestants battling it out for a chance to win mega-millions in the Glo Battle of Year Nigeria reality tv show, there will be 13 dance icons, award winners and experts in their various fields drawn from across the world to help decide who stays on and who drops off.

The judges include Menno from the Netherlands, BGirl Manuela from Germany and BBoy Poxxy from Cameroun. Others are BBoy Gidnasty, Locking Si’on and Izzy Odigie from Nigeria/USA. The rest are Nigerian based JC Jedor, Poco Lee, Pinkie Debby, Frank Okwara, Big Flow, MaxBuck and Dunamis from Nigeria.

1,542 entries received from around Nigeria: Auditions are necessary for separating the chaff from the wheat but sometimes, especially as was the case with the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show, it gets pretty hard making that distinction but some had to progress while others had to drop off. In all, 1,200 dancers took part in the auditions with 168 (28 from each city) progressing to the next rounds.

Over 200 men and women involved in the production: For a massive production stretching over 6 cities with the semi-finals and finals billed as live recordings in Lagos, the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show is a massive undertaking providing employment to hundreds of Nigerians.

Over 200 production crew members are working on the show from camera men to sound men, events coordinators to logistics managers, editors to graphics designers, security to medical personnel. This is a massive undertaking with Globacom as sponsor.

How much is involved?: At Globacom it’s all about empowering Nigerians so it’s never about the money but it is important to take a look at what Glo must be shelling out to produce this 13 episode reality tv show through which the company hopes to empower young Nigerians who want to make it to the top as dancers.

There is the cost of production, of paying crews, buying air time for broadcasting the show on terrestrial and cable tv then the mega millions that winners will go home with. Add it all together and you are looking at something hoooooooooooge as they say on the streets

We’ll handle erring PMS suppliers, House C’ttee tells Nigerians

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Hon. Abdullahi Mahmud Gaya has assured Nigerians that his Committee will handle companies who imported methanol-blended Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.

The Chairman was responding to a question from one of the Committee members in that regard.

Hon. Gaya spoke during an engagement with Management of the NNPC organised by the Committee on the current fuel situation in the country.

While briefing the Committee, the CEO/GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari explained that the situation came about as a result of the discovery of methanol in the PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria under the subsisting commercial contract operated by NNPC and its partners.

According to the CEO, the reason why tests did not reveal methanol presence was because Nigeria’s specifications do not include methanol.

“We are a law-abiding company. There is no way we could have known about the methanol presence. The only way we could have known about it is if our suppliers, in good faith, made the disclosure to us. In this particular instance, the discovery was made by our inspection agents who noticed the emulsification at the filling stations and brought it to our attention. Subsequent investigation revealed that the four cargoes which are all from the same source also contained methanol-blended PMS,” the CEO added.

He said NNPC then moved swiftly to trace all the affected products and quarantine same.

While assuring the Committee and Nigerians that measures have been put in place to accelerate fuel supply and distribution in the country, the NNPC CEO said the company had placed significant orders of over 2.1billion liters of methanol-free PMS to ensure the queues vanish in few days.

He pledged that NNPC would co-operate with the Committee and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to get to the root of the matter.

The NNPC CEO also expressed deep empathy with Nigerians on the current situation and assured that adequate measures have been put in place to maintain supply sufficiency and prevent future occurrence.

There is palpable anxiety in the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), over the feud between the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola and his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

We gathered that members of the party in the state were worried that the lingering distrust between the two leaders might cost the APC the state and possibly open the gate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win the state in this year’s election.

Competent sources in the state told Sunday Telegraph that although the feud may not stop Oyetola from getting the second term ticket of the party, since he has the backing of the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the battle for the soul of the state might be lost to the PDP without Aregbesola’s support.

A party leader in the state said: “Listen! In  2018, when we had Aregbesola with us, we nearly lost the state. We beat the PDP by less than 1,000 votes. That tells you how strong the PDP is in the state. Now consider if Aregbesola supports another party because he is fighting with Oyetola.  What do you think would be our fate?

“You see, currently, Aregbesola controls about 60 per cent of the APC members in the state, while Oyetola has about 40 per cent. Do you think that Abuja would help us? Are you also aware of the silent battle between Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Tinubu over the presidency in 2023? I think we are in for trouble, if our leaders do not stop the feud.”

 It was further learnt that the machinery of the party is split into two different camps, with some prominent leaders pitching tent with either Oyetola or Aregebsola.

For instance, while a former Governor of the state, Chief Bisi Akande, five House of Representatives members and the Senator representing Osun Central in the Senate, Alhaji Ajibola Bashiru, are said to be supporting Oyetola, the Senator representing Osun West, Senator Adelere Adeyemi Oriolowo, one House of Reps member are among those in Aregbesola’s Osun Progressives.

A member of the Aregbesola group, who spoke on anonymity, said that as things stood, the party was in danger in Osun. He said that even with the cabinet and the board members around the governor, the APC was not guaranteed victory in the state, unless the right thing was done.

“We know he might get the ticket because of Asiwaju’s influence. That’s not a problem. But can the cabinet members and the board deliver him, without Aregbesola’s support? I have my doubt. Remember the late Governor Abiola Ajimobi controlled the entire party in Oyo State but the APC lost the election. You know it is easy in politics for people to tag along with you while you are in office. But election time is entirely different. All the programmes we put in place have been abandoned by the Oyetola government. The Freedom Park is now bushy while the schools we built have been defaced and are being abandoned with negative propaganda.”

But a top member of Oyetola’s cabinet said the governor would not want to dignify Aregbesola’s camp with any response. He said that the facts on the ground do not support any of the above claims. He added that the governor enjoys the support of major stakeholders, party leaders, civil servants and other electorate in the state, and the next election will further consolidate Oyetola’s popularity.

Episode 2 of the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria reality tv show airs this weekend and viewers are in for lots of drama, amazing dance moves, head scratching and many wait-what-was- that moments.

BBoy dancers who made it through the audition/elimination stages are battling it out in the quarterfinal stages and they all bring their A-game.

Commenting on the premiere episode, Globacom sponsor of the Glo Battle of the Year Nigeria said “the response has been overwhelmingly positive. We are getting downloads of our GloTv app and heavy traction on social media. This is proof that young Nigerians are invested in seeing how these talents are being empowered to achieve their dreams fame, fortune and global domination.”

Episode 2 of the show bears out the saying that all is fair in love and war as two brothers battle it out in Kaduna in a delightful case of sibling rivalry; two members of the same dance crew go head-to-head in Lagos; a past winner of the Battle of the Year Nigeria is almost vanquished in Kaduna while in Benin a coup almost leads to the toppling of the president of the dancers association.

With mega-millions at stake and an opportunity to represent Nigeria at the Battle of the Year Nigeria competition in Japan, participants are not slacking as they bust moves and turn acrobatic tricks.

But according to one of the judges, JC Jedor moves and tricks are good but the qualities that determine who wins are “energy, precision, skills and clean execution plus a battle ready mindset.”

And for all those looking forward to the battles, you now have more options as you can watch the show on GloTV, the company’s streaming service on Saturdays at 8pm as well as Dstv- AFMAG Urban on Sundays 3pm & Mondays 4pm, AFMAG Family/ GOTV on Mondays by 10pm and AFMAG Showcase on Tuesdays by 5pm on NTA on Sundays at 8pm and AIT on Tuesdays at 9pm.

May the best Bboys win!

Poised to increase direct foreign investment into Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has embarked on visits to Egypt and Ethiopia.
The governor during investment tour met with the Ethiopian Minister of Industry, Ato Melaku Alebal, in Addis Ababa, and sought for area of investment and collaboration between Ethiopia and Ogun, particularly in the area industry and trade
Abiodun, in company of Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, also evaluated the benefits of and possible collaboration opportunities in the Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZs) which are a product of the African Development Bank.
While meeting with the Elsewedy Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Egypt, the governor, accompanied by the State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser, Dapo Okubadejo and his Agriculture counterpart, Samson Odedina and Afreximbank president, Dr Benedict Okey Oramah, said the meeting with the group with significant investment opportunities across Africa and Europe, was to seek partnerships with it.
He explained that the meeting was also to facilitate Elsewedy’s investments into Ogun State in healthcare, industrial park development, real estate, intelligent transport systems network and management, tolling systems and in power sector.

“The group is the largest producer of prepaid meters in the world. After this meeting, the investment team would be hosted in Ogun state to further evaluate and structure these investment opportunities, after which the President & CEO Elsewedy Group Ahmed El Sewedy who was on ground to receive us, would come to Ogun state to sign a document in these areas and execute relevant definitive transaction agreements on these investments
“Our team also met with Peter Emil, the Chief Business Development Officer – Áfríkà for Wadi Degla Holding, a Cairo-based multi-business conglomerate that is into real estate, telecoms, and sports services.
“While the meeting lasted, we discussed some key investment opportunities available in the areas of creative arts, entertainment and sports development.
“As the Wadi Degla Holding explores the African market – especially in Nigeria – it is our strong belief that the Gateway State would be given utmost consideration due to the existing ease of doing business and other socio-economic development considerations which place us at a vantage position in the country,” Abiodun stated.
The Elsewedy group, which is the largest producer of prepaid meter in the world, is expected to pay a return visit to Ogun state soon, so as so to further evaluate and structure the investment opportunities.
The President and CEO Elsewedy Group assured that he will be in Ogun State to sign an MoU in this regard.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited posted a total of $224.29million receipt from crude oil and gas export in August 2021 as against $191.26million in July 2021.

A breakdown of the figures captured in the August 2021 NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) indicates that export of crude oil amounted to $7.77million while gas and miscellaneous receipts stood at $65.26 million and $151.26million respectively.

Total crude oil and gas export receipt for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at $1.84billion.

In the Gas Sector, a total of 233.57billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month of August 2021 translating to an average daily production of 7,534.67million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

For the period of August 2020 to August 2021, a total of 2,890.67bcf of gas was produced representing an average daily production of 7,303.61mmscfd during the period.

Period-to-date production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) contributed about 57.51%, 20.88% and 21.62% respectively to the total national gas production.

The report also indicates that out of the 208.64bcf of gas supplied in August 2021, a total of 131.35bcf was commercialized, consisting of 40.22bcf and 91.13bcf for the domestic and export markets respectively.

This translates to an average total supply of 1,297.54mmscfd to the domestic market and 2,939.31mmscfd of gas to the export market for the month.

Total gas supply for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at 2,792.28bcf out of which 537.51bcf and 1,245.93bcf were commercialized for the domestic and export markets respectively.

In the Downstream Sector, a total of 1.532billion litres of white products were sold and distributed by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a downstream subsidiary of the NNPC, in the month of August 2021.

A breakdown of the figure indicates that petrol accounted for 99% of total sales, while Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, accounted for the rest.

Total sale of white products for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at 20.032billion with petrol accounting for 99.81%.

In terms of value, a total sum of ₦203.43billion was made on the sale of white products by PPMC in the month of August 2021.

Total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at ₦2.619trillion with petrol contributing about 99.76% of the total sales with a value of ₦2.613trillion.

In August 2021, 21 pipeline points were vandalized representing 50% decrease from the 42 points recorded in July 2021.

According to the report, Port Harcourt area accounted for 10%, while Mosimi Area accounted for 90% of the vandalized points.

The August 2021 MFOR, the 73rd in the series, highlights NNPC’s activities for the period of August 2020 to August 2021.

In line with the Company’s commitment to the principles of accountability, transparency and performance excellence, the NNPC Ltd. has continued to sustain effective communication with stakeholders through the publication of the MFOR on its website, in national dailies, and on independent online news platforms.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company plc (GTCO) says it has completed the acquisition of 100 percent shareholding in two subsidiaries of Investment One.

The subsidiaries are Pension Managers and Investment One Funds Management.

Investment One Financial Services Limited was incorporated in 2008 as GTB Asset Management, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.

In 2012, the GTB divested its GTB Asset Management Ltd in line with a 2010 CBN directive.

In a corporate filing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on Monday, Erhi Obebeduo, GTCO’s group company secretary, said One Pension Managers will function primarily as a Pension Fund Administrator to the general public.

Investment One, formerly GTB Asset Management Limited, is a diversified business that provides various financial and investment services in Nigeria.

Segun Agbaje, group chief executive officer of GTCO, said the acquisition is in line with the evolution of the Guaranty Trust brand in becoming a fully-fledged end-to-end financial services company to every African and African business.

“With over 30 years of being a trusted banker to millions of Nigerians and expertise in capital allocation to generate the highest yields for our customers and shareholders; the Pension Fund business is a natural fit for the Guaranty Trust brand,” Agbaje said.

“Also, our bias for the highest standards in corporate governance will ensure transparency in how we manage the funds under our management, which will ultimately make us the preferred Pension Fund Administrator, not only in the Nigerian market but also in Africa.

“Whilst evolving as an organisation, we remain committed to our founding values of excellence, hard work and integrity, as we continue to build a Proudly African and Truly International brand for millions of people in and outside of Africa”.

He expressed delight at the acquisition of Investment One Funds Management, saying it would position GTCO as a provider of full financial services and products to its customers.

“We are excited about our foray into the wealth management space, as it provides us with the opportunity of becoming a one-stop-shop for financial services and products that will empower our customers through the course of their lives,” the CEO said.

“We will focus on replicating our digital-first customer-centric retail strategy to create distribution channels for wealth solutions that we will offer, to both institutional and retail clients.

“As a dominant leader in financial services, we are positioned to add significant value to the asset management business in Nigeria and compete favourably with the largest global wealth managers in the areas of disclosure, corporate governance and regulatory compliance”.

According to the statement, the new subsidiary would provide GTCO with the platform to provide technology-driven funds and investment management services designed to meet the unique investment needs of retail and corporate investors.

The company said it had obtained all regulatory approvals for the acquisition.