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Folarin Kehinde

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Zamfara: Gunmen Abduct 4, Demand New Naira Notes As Ransom

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Gunmen have abducted four people in the Kolo Village in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

According to a report by The Channels, the terrorists had earlier demanded N10 million as ransom, but after negotiations, they agreed to collect N5 million.

Sources in the area disclosed that as the villagers were trying to get the money through communal efforts, the abductors sent a message on Tuesday saying that they would not release the kidnap victims until the release of the new naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

“As we were trying to gather the money demanded by the terrorists, they sent another message that they would not collect old naira notes,” the source said.

“They said that they would keep the abducted persons in their camps until next month – December – when the new naira notes would be in circulation.”

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Assassination On Peter Obi Foiled In Ibadan

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The fear that the 2023 presidential campaign may result to “Obituary” rather than a celebratory “Obidient” presidential campaign may have come to fruition at the campaign stop at Ibadan in Oyo State, South West Nigeria.

According to available information – which appear sketchy – a man dressed in black suit and a red tie resembling an undercover security personnel was arrested at the campaign rally of the Labor party presidential candidate. He was reported to be standing suspiciously at the entrance way to the campaign grounds armed with a “dagger”.

He stood suspiciously along the pathway where the Labor party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi is expected to pass.

The man has been handed over to the authorities.

Stay tuned

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Uniport Alumni Abuja: Jonathan, Briggs, Stakeholders Urge Nigerian Varsities To Produce Entrepreneurs

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Stakeholders in the political, academia and business sector have converged in Abuja on Monday at the inaugural gown to town symposium 2022 organized by the University of Port Harcourt Alumni, Abuja Chapter to charge a way forward that seeks to produces more entrepreneurs as university graduates.

With the theme,” Graduate marketplace readiness as a tool for economic growth” participants noted that looking for white collar jobs after university has gradually kept most Nigerian university graduates poor and unable to cater for their needs long after graduating from the university.

Speaking at the symposium as the Keynote speaker, governorship candidate for Abia state under the Labour Party, Dr Alex Otti decried the poor state of Nigerian universities. Citing the 2022 Times ranking for universities, Otti adding that Nigerian universities were “moving in the wrong direction.”

According to him, Nigerian tertiary institutions has failed to produce graduates with the competencies to face the real world, saying many of today’s Nigerian graduates who enters and remain in the labour market has failed to find employment in the nation’s slow growth economy, universities should be an entrepreneurship incubators with a vibrant start-up culture where young people not only gain knowledge of their respective courses but also forge relationship and birth ideas that leads to establishment of businesses that ultimately create jobs.

He said beyond training and releasing graduates, they should be inculcated the entrepreneurial mindset to prepare them for the main world where their intellectual capability can indeed guarantee survival and excellence.

He expressed dissatisfaction on government investment on the teachers that are teaching the students, “how much does the government commit to the academic projects, how often do they assess lecturers and sponsor them on academic development, Lecturers are even owed salaries for months and even years, how will they inspire their students, how are the management and chancellors sell their school, do they do research?”.

He stressed that Nigeria universities has failed us so far, adding that the Nigerian University are being listed in the lower ranking in Africa and the world.

Also, the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a former vice-chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Emeritus Professor Nimi Briggs, and others have called on Nigerian universities to produce graduates that will create jobs.

Jonathan who was represented by Dr Stanley Lawson, the ex MD of Apex Bank Group, in his brief remarks said graduates must be trained to develop their experiences, saying there is a kind gap between learning and research and preparing the product of these universities for the outside world,” he said.

On his part, Briggs said universities are expected to produce manpower, research, identify new ways of doing things and impact the environment in which they find themselves.

“We are reminded that universities are established with great expectations. They are seen as huge assets. It is expected that universities change the environment in which they are in. They are expected to produce manpower, research, identify new ways of doing things, impact the environment in which they find themselves.

“Looking at all these, it is no wonder that universities are currently being challenged to justify their existence. There are ways in which universities can justify their existence. Instead of churning out graduates who end up roaming the streets, we can ensure that graduates are sufficiently endowed.

Also speaking, the chapter president, UNIPORT Alumni Association, Abuja, Phil Okoroafor, noted that the association decided to convene the gown-to-town symposium in other to enhance the marketplace readiness of graduates of the institution.

“Our gathering today is our first step in the direction of our relevance to our esteemed alma mater, the University of Port Harcourt. Envisioned as an annual event, the ‘Gown to Town’ symposium is designed as our modest contribution to the efforts towards enhancing the marketplace readiness of graduates of our esteemed alma mater.

“Our objective, as expressed in the simplicity of the name we have given the symposium, is to help bridge the gap between academia and industry through programmes that will promote entrepreneurship and creative thinking among our graduates.”

She however urged young people to take every time available to them as an opportunity to learn something new that will increase their market value upon graduation.

In a good will message, National President, UNIPORT Alumni, Pastor Ule Williams congratulated the Abuja Chapter on a successful outing adding that the National Association is elated.

‘‘Our alumni Association bothers on how we can network, integrating every alumnus/Alumnae, every chapter every class/ year on our platform of operations to see to the realization of what our dreams are. If, we take count from 1981 when we had our first set of graduates up till now we have over 40,000 members, so if every year we are able to put N1000 aside we will be able to raise N40m to assist our Alma mata and equally carry out one or two projects. By this simple crowd funding means ,Alumni presence/contribution will be visible and strong at every point. With the example a chapter like Abuja has shown it means our dreams can be achieved, that is our outlook.

‘‘I urge our young bees here to take relationships very seriously, we are in the year of entrepreneurs, white collar jobs will come but we need to take advantage of what is presently available to us. The critical realities are before us and we need to put into practice all that we have been thought, I believe that when we do this we will have a strong association, strong members, that will at every point in time contribute, that is our wish, that is our dream and let it become our reality

‘‘Once again, I congratulate the Abuja Chapter lead by Phil Okorafor’’ he said.

The symposium also involved a panel session with Award winning television anchor, Nancy Illoh Nnaji, Prof Yakubu Ochefu, Achinivu Okorafor and Bosun Ayeni as Moderator.

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CBN Bleach New Naira Design – Nigerians React

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Reactions have continued to trail the unveiling of new Naira notes by President Muhammadu Buhari.

LEADING REPORTERS had reported that the president on Wednesday unveiled new N1000, N500 and N200 as earlier announced by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

Reacting to the images of the Naira notes currently making the rounds on all social media platforms, some Nigerians expressed disappointment on the new look.

Several tweeps who took to their handles, tackled the Federal Government for only changing the colour of the Naira notes, saying they expected more changes.

Former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani who took to his Twitter handle to express his opinion, said “If it’s Naira colour,the CBN should have just engage Snapchat”.

Below are other reactions compiled from Twitter.

@DelawGrafix: Instead of the full color design they only remove magenta from 1000 and leave black, yellow and cyan. Then 500 they remove black and leave little magenta, yellow and cyan. 200 has just magenta all through. They didn’t redesign any currency here oo kai naija my country.

@EssienTruth: What’s this? Is this the redesign? Making it look blurry and archaic? Ofcourse, it’s suicidal to expect anything good or exceptional about this government.

@DelawGrafix: Instead of the full color design they only remove magenta from 1000 and leave black, yellow and cyan. Then 500 they remove black and leave little magenta, yellow and cyan. 200 has just magenta all through. They didn’t redesign any currency here oo kai naija my country.

@EssienTruth: What’s this? Is this the redesign? Making it look blurry and archaic? Ofcourse, it’s suicidal to expect anything good or exceptional about this government.

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BREAKING: Buhari Unveils New Naira Notes

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has unveiled the redesigned N200, N500, N1,000 naira notes.

Buhari unveiled the new notes on Wednesday at the the Federal Executive Council.

The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele said on Tuesday that the redesigned currency will be unveiled by the President at the Federal Executive Council meeting.

He said, “For information, indeed we are no longer waiting till December 15th to unveil and begin to release the new notes. By the special grace of God, tomorrow which is the 23rd of November 2022, the President has graciously accepted to unveil the new currencies and the new currencies will be unveiled tomorrow at the Federal Executive Chambers by 10am.”

The CBN governor also insisted that the deadline to withdraw the old notes on January 31, 2023 will hold.

The CBN had in October announced the redesign of the N100, N500 and N200 notes.

Details later…

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BREAKING: Buhari Unveils New Naira Notes Wednesday

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

President Muhammadu Buhari will unveil the new naira notes on Wednesday, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has announced.

Addressing journalists at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, Emefiele said the unveiling will hold by 10am.

He said it will take place at the Council Chambers during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Emefiele said the CBN will not extend the January 31, 2023 deadline for final introduction of the new naira notes.

The CBN Governor thanked Buhari for always defending the apex bank, the Senate for supporting it and the security agencies particularly the EFCC for seeing to the smooth transition of the programme.

Emefiele also announced another interest rate hike to 16.5 percent while retaining other parameters.

The reason for increasing interest rate, he said, is because the decision of the CBN to tackle inflation has started yielding positive results as a result “tightening rates”.

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Opinion

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Comrade Philip Shuaibu: Unbundling the Betrayal Question!

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Money and power are two toxic and very inflammable elements that can usher a man from a supposed humble background into a world of mouthed recklessness, super bloated ego, over damning pride and inexcusable foolishness.

No wonder there’s a local saying that one can’t readily predict a man until he’s handed a money vault and at the same time, robed with power and authority! Such is the case of Comrade Philip Shuaibu, a once upon a time adopted kid of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; erstwhile governor of Edo state and immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.

I watched disgustingly for the umpteenth time on a national television station wherein the Deputy governor of Edo state; just like an ostracized ostrich attempted to downplay and devalue the immeasurable roles and qualitative inputs of his former mentor in his uninspiring life. The heart of man is indeed very wicked!

Firstly, let it be stated in clear terms that I have never been an antagonist of the Deputy governor, but when men of goodwill and strong character continue to conceal truth and turn blind eyes to facts and realities on ground, lies and falsehood will abound. This is the sad reality in the political dismemberment and superiority fight between the disowned father and the disowned son!

Many of us grew up to know Oshiomhole as a social crusader and a dogged fighter especially in his days as the NLC boss when he was even referred to as an alternate President to former President Olusegun Obasanjo because of the absolute trust Nigerian workers and a larger percentage of the voting masses reposed in him at the time. He was resilient, dutiful, vociferous, fearless, dependable and not an easy nut to crack at all! His voice has always been heard by anyone who cared to listen both locally and internationally.

That was the reason why people like us stuck out our necks, and campaigned vigorously for him when he indicated interest to contest the number one political seat in our dear state of Edo, and the testaments of his stewardship abound in all nooks and crannies of the state even up till now as against the infrastructural emptiness and governmental decadence that now pervade the state due to Obaseki/Shuaibu’s hollowness, shallowness, cluelessness, callousness and incongruous recklessness. Edo is on a reverse gear as we speak!

Philip Shuaibu on the other hand; an acclaimed adopted son of Oshiomhole, whose true identify and biological linings have remained grossly unknown and one whose chromosomal circle and genetic history have been a subject of research, is sadly now the privileged child priding himself as the political Lord of his foster father and one who pressurized him to contest the governorship election in 2007 instead of the latter taking a shot at the number one seat of the International Labour Organization (ILO). What a fallacious inuendo!

Let it be firmly stated that Shuaibu’s voice was not at anytime a resonating voice in the political affairs of the state, neither was he also relevant in the minutest term whether politically, socially or otherwise in the period under review. Apart from his uninspiring stint as the former partial President of The National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS), he was just a random guy like me, until Oshiomhole decorated his life and gave him a platform!

How this funny character has now claimed to have brought Oshiomhole into the political firmament of Edo state remains a cartoon series to me.

There’s an addendum that I call consequential retributive justice; and such a weighty consequence awaits Philip Shuaibu and his
likes, no matter how long it takes! You cannot wish a good man evil and expect to reap sweet berries.

Conclusively, let me even accept the fact that oga Shuaibu brought Oshiomhole into politics, and sacrificing so much for him thereafter; while his new found lover and boss; Governor Godwin Obaseki also contributed immensely by organizing a fundraising event for Oshiomhole in the months leading to the gubernatorial election. The question then is; Did he, Oshiomhole repay the duo with ingratitude, wickedness and interloping distrust? None that I know of!

REASONS:

  1. For the eight years Oshiomhole served as governor, Philip Shuaibu was never left idle! As Majority leader in the House of Assembly, he was more powerful than even the Speaker of the House because Oshiomhole created that avenue. He boasted of so much powers and privileges which saw him having loyalists here and there. From the House of Assembly, Oshiomhole catapulted him to the House of Representatives to represent Etsako Federal Constituency. He had barely done two years in the Green Chambers when Oshiomhole withdrew him back to fly the deputy governorship ticket, with Obaseki as the governorship candidate then.
  2. For the eight years Oshiomhole served as governor, Obaseki served as Special Adviser to the governor on Economic matters as well as the Executive Chairman of the State’s Economic team; a position that was more lucrative than the office of the Secretary to State Government even though he was a coopted member of the State Executive Council. His new office saw to the resuscitation of his hitherto bankrupt Afrinvest Ltd, an investment company which he served as a major shareholder.

That was the consultancy firm that Oshiomhole engaged throughout the duration of his administration in executing some of the major contracts that he undertook including the Edo specialist hospital, all in a bid to patronize his friend and supposed (benefactor). Fast forward to 2016, the unknown taunted technocrat was favoured by this same Oshiomhole to succeed him even though he was the least on the party hierarchy as a possible successor, where we had the likes of forceful governorship materials like Oshiomhole’s deputy at the time, Dr. Pius Odubu and his super commissioner for works; Barr. Osarodion Ogie.

All entreaties and advices to Oshiomhole by political pundits and future readers for him to see reasons why he; Obaseki was a very terrible, unreliable, untrustworthy and rotten product to sell to the larger populace, fell on deaf ears as Oshiomhole was hell-bent on making him his successor after all, at least to pay him back for the kind gesture that was rendered to him by the accidental economist if there truly existed any. The rest is history!

Philip Shuaibu has now hurriedly forgotten his base, pitching tent with Obaseki to continually denigrate and assassinate Oshiomhole’s character with the hope that Obaseki in return will support him to become the next governor after their uneventful and failure ridden administration!

With too much money and governmental power at his disposal, Philip Shuaibu is now ‘The god of war’ who’s ever ready to crush his former father and render him voiceless as far as the politics of Edo is concerned. The real betrayers have therefore been exposed! And the corresponding consequences are very dire…..

Nelson Iyore writes from Lagos, Nigeria

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SMEDAN Trains 90 Entrepreneurs in Cross River

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Director General of the Small, Medium and Entrepreneurship Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Olawale Fasanya over the weekend said about 90 entrepreneurs received equipment and vocational training in fashion, leatherwork in Cross River State.

Fasanya also said that because of the agency’s determination to address the challenges confronting the MSMES in the country, SMEDAN was implementing the one Local Government-One Product in one hundred and nine (109) Senatorial Districts of the country.

The DG of the agency said this during the Cross River State Entrepreneurship Conference with the theme ‘Economic Growth Industrialisation, Job Creation and SMES Catalyst’ as part of activities marking the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 in the state.

Fasanya, who was represented by Fortune Etu disclosed that the small business sub-sector was a critical aspect of the Nigerian economy which is the catalyst for economic growth.

He stated that small businesses collectively account for majority of the Enterprises in Nigeria and also create the highest number of jobs.

The guest speaker and business mogul, who is into oil and gas, Nsa Ekpeyong while addressing business students from the University of Calabar and Cross River State University former (CRUTECT) and existing Entrepreneurs in the state, urged them to make use of the opportunities provided and be focused on what they do.
Narrating his experience, Nsa told his audience to create value for themselves and make positive decisions to succeed in what they want to achieve.

Bola Omodele, who also spoke, commended Governor Ben Ayade for his Industrialisation policy by providing the platform for the state industrial revolution.

According to him, most Nigerians are looking for opportunities in the wrong ways.

He said that Cross River State was an agrarian community and urged the would-be entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the governor by investing in agricultural value chain.

He cited the Cocoa factory in Ikom, the Calachika factory the Rice seedlings, among other investment initiated by the state government.

Other speakers who gave their personal experiences include Crystabel Ndubisi of the Calabar Chamber of Commerce and Special Adviser to the governor on Entrepreneurship.

Source:BUSINESSDAY

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‘Sacked NYSC DG Must Face Sanction’

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Concerned Citizens Forum (CCF) has called for strict punishment for the former director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen MK Fadah, to serve as a deterrent to other public office holders.

The group, at a press conference, in Abuja, demanded that Fadah return all his earnings as NYSC DG and salaries from the Nigerian Army from October 2020.

The national president/convener, Musa M. Attah, said the group stood by its earlier petition written against Fadah to demand his sack.

According to Attah, not only is the Brigadier General unqualified for the job, he displayed gross incompetence in the six months he was in charge.

“We find it shocking that rather than arranging for legal representation to help the disgraced general reduce whatever sentence would come his way from a possible trial in court, the group is alleging that people conspired against him to have him booted out of office,” Attah said.

“For history not to be distorted in favour of law breakers, it is pertinent to remind Nigerians, particularly the Yobe Elders Forum that President Muhammadu Buhari fired Brigadier General M. K Fadah owing to gross incompetence, which we reasonably believe stemmed from his lack of qualification to have occupied the post in the first place.”

“In addition, the criminal component of Fadah’s six month in that capacity has to do with his falsification and forgery of credentials, age falsification, evasion of the mandatory one year youth service and misrepresentation of facts as to his competence to be in the Nigerian Army and subsequently occupy the position of NYSC DG.

“Arising from the recalcitrance exhibited by Yobe Elders Group in attempting to paint a man who committed fraud as the victim, the Concerned Citizens Forum, which is the group that wrote the earlier petition to Mr. President to expose Brig. Gen MK Fadah for parading forged credentials, evading National Youth Service as well as age falsification, hereby warns the so called elders to immediately stop ruffling feathers or else we will release even more damaging information that would guarantee their paymaster a long residency in jail.

“They should take it that Brigadier General MK Fadah was responsible for his own downfall as he could have lived a controversy-free life as a storekeeper, herder, artisan, farmer, or any other occupation that does not require advanced credential or mandatory national youth service.

“Even after using the false credentials, falsified age, and non-participation in national youth service to secure a job in the Nigerian Army and attaining the position of NYSC DG, he could have at the very least developed the competence needed to thrive in that position. Instead, Fadah’s performance was so dismal in that position that he sent the scheme into decline in a matter of six months.

“We nonetheless have our demands in the interest of justice and fairness. We demand that Gen MK Fadah be made to refund all earnings and allowances he got as the Director General of NYSC, the same having been obtained fraudulently.

“We further demand that Fadah returns all salaries and emoluments he has received from the Nigerian Army since October 2020 having turned 60 years old at the time since he was born October 1960. The Nigerian Army must similarly adjust Fadah’s rank commensurate with his actual qualifications and compute his due cumulative salary on this basis while asking him to refund the deferential he earned with rank acquired with the forged credentials.

“As we insist that there must be consequences for Fadda’s fraud against Nigeria, the Concerned Citizens Forum shall continue to monitor the situation to ensure that he pays for his crime against Nigerians, especially those who comply with the law of the land. The NYSC Scheme is too central to Nigeria’s unity and social cohesion for a fraud to have led it even for six months.”

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Gender Based Violence, Illiteracy, Silencing Our Voices – Global Glow Tells FG

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Kenny Folarin, Abuja

As part of effort aimed at lending voices to the girl-child, a Mentee with Global Glow, Nigeria Reads, Samantha Umar has attributed Gender Based Violence (GBV), lack of basic education and host of other anomalies as factors surpressing the voices of the girl-child.

Samantha while speaking over the weekend in Abuja at the Summit hosted by Nigeria Reads and HAFAI, funded by Global Glow stated that gender based violence, lack of education, power discrimination and host of others if reduced will empower girls to be confident, speak out while they are girls hence know that they will grow to be confident women.

Samantha argued that girls are powerful and have all it takes to change the narrative of the nation if opportuned.

“To the government, girls are powerful , we have all that it takes to change the world and if given opportunity without limitations or barriers, Nigeria will change in aspect of governance, sport , the government should give girls access to education, education opens up the mind and make them enlightened to speak up”.

Also, Godwin Karen, Global Glow Mentee from Global Glow Nigeria stated that the regional summit bring girls from different parts of the world to comes together, build network and find solution to problems affecting girls.

Read Also: Butterfly Project Empowers 25 Girls On Skill Development, Financial Independence

Karen explained that climate change has adversely affected the girls due to drought and to trek long distance to get water whilst their education suffer.

She noted that to curb this, trees have been planted and they have been taught ways on how to curb climate change impact using the tree means of sustainability which is reduce, reuse and recycle.

Sustainability Consultant and founder, Green Planting Emmanuella Onyeka on her part explained the tree planting was to show the girls how planting can mitigate climate change, to show them that they can be involved, and to let the girls know that planting is one of the mechanism that can mitigate the impact of climate change.

Onyeka opined that If the challenges facing the girls are reduced, there will be social justice, equal opportunity for girls in terms of education, voting, access to proper healthcare, they will be able to speak up and their voices will not just be heard but their opinion implemented at all levels of government.

Highlights of the event include distribution of sanitary bags to the girls by President Rotary Club of Wellington, District 1145 United Kingdom Rotarian Folashade Demuren, , Group work, Games, Photograph and Dance.

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