Marriage Breakup: Mide Funmi Martin Reveals Why Things Fell Apart

It is now official that Mide Funmi Martins and her actor hubby Afeez are separated.  What is not however official is the reason the acting couple got separated.

Well, Mide just stated her own side as captured below. 

mediaReach OMD wins Young Lions Media, Nigeria Competition

 

 

April 9, 2016 - mediaReach OMD Nigeria wins Young Lions Media, Nigeria competition and will represent Nigeria at Cannes in June 2016 for the Young Lions Media – Global Competition.  By winning this 2016 edition of the competition, mediaReachOMD will be representing Nigeria for the 7th time at the Cannes, since 2008

 

The competition was open to under 30 years old media professionals representing various Media Agencies in Nigeria. 8 Teams participating this year were given a brief and had little over 24 hours to think, create and submit a media solution that answers the Media Brief.  Finally, based on the presentations to the jury, comprising of Media Communications and Creative professionals, the winning campaign is chosen according to criteria used for the International competition.

 

The International Young Lions competition, which will be held at Cannes in June 2016, gives the next generation of industry superstars the chance to prove themselves by creating campaigns during the Festival week, where more than 400 contestants from around the globe compete in seven categories (namely Media, Cyber, Design, Print, Film, Marketers and PR). The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the World’s biggest celebration of creativity in marketing communications. It is also the greatest opportunity of the year for industry professionals to network and learn about brand communications.

 

“Our global winning culture cascades into our local markets; we train our talent on an on-going basis, including regional webinars on weekly basis as a source of inspiration to be abreast of latest developments and raise the game.  Additionally, we have many local initiatives through which we encourage our people to produce works that deliver on objectives and help overcome current business challenges of our Clients”, says ToluOgunkoya, CEO, mediaReach OMD.

 

 

 

About mediaReach OMD

mediaReach OMD (www.mediareachomd.com) is the leading Media Agency in West Africa, having presence in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.  mediaReach OMD started its operation in Nigeria 17 years ago and has been consistently ranked No. 1 by RECMA (since report started for Nigeria in 2011).  In February 2016, OMD Worldwide was awarded most the Creative & Innovative Network of the Year for the 10thconsecutive time by the Gunn Report for Media, which is the industry standard for evaluating media creativity, innovation and effectiveness.  mediaReach OMD has also been instrumental in publishing the Media Facts Book annually, for over a decade with an objective to organize media information in the West & Central Africa region and make such easily accessible and useful to all.  mediaReach OMD continues to be a thought leader and the pioneer of various initiatives at the industry level, including syndicated and proprietary researches.

N190m Fraud: Oronsaye Concealed Bank Account, Witness Tells Court

The former Secretary, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, PCFATF, Jalal Arabi, on April 14, 2016 told a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja, that Stephen Oronsaye concealed the identity of the Access Bank account he opened in the name of the committee.  

Oronsaye, a former Chairman of the PCFATF is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a two-count charge bordering on abuse of office and obtaining by false pretence before Justice Olasumbo Goodluck.

The former Head of Service, HoS, is alleged to have used the account to receive N190 million, part of a N240million grant for the committee, received from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and converted same for personal use.

Arabi, who testified as the third prosecution witness, further told the court that the only legitimate account of the committee was domiciled in Zenith Bank.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Offem Uket, he added that the beneficiaries of a total sum of N63 million in the Access Bank account, were not members of the committee neither did they perform any task for the committee or on its behalf.

“The committee opened an account with Zenith Bank, and there are two signatories, myself as the secretary, and Oronsaye as the chairman,” he said. “Since 2009 till date, the committee only maintained the Zenith Bank account and we had only three inflows into it.”

He further told the court that he only got to know about the existence of the Access Bank account in July 2015 when he was summoned by the EFCC to answer questions concerning it.

Earlier during the court proceeding, Olubunmi Ojoko, the second prosecution witness, and a staff of Access Bank told the court that Orosanye issued cheques to various beneficiaries to withdraw from the said Access Bank account.

Justice Goodluck has fixed May 19 and 20 2016 for continuation of trial.

UBA CHAIRMAN TONY O. ELUMELU PLEDGES INVESTMENT IN EASTERN NIGERIA ……….Calls For Regional Approach To Development

During a keynote address at the 1st annual Enugu Investment Summit, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) Tony O. Elumelu presented a compelling case for a sub-regional approach to economic development for Eastern Nigeria. In doing so, he also pledged to invest more steadily in the region.

 

Elumelu called on governors of the five South East states to harmonise economic policies in order to spur economic development and provide an enabling business environment.

 

“The truth is that the public and private sectors must collaborate strategically to orchestrate the region’s development. We need the combined effort of regional leaders to create Eastern Industrial hubs; the existing state-by-state fragmentation won’t work in today’s economic reality,” he said.

 

Organized by the Enugu State Government, the 3-day summit, themed Beyond Oil: Fostering Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, affirmed Elumelu’s strategic steer, noting his mission of transforming the state into an economic powerhouse, and a preferred destination for investment.

 

This first edition of the summit is aimed at showcasing Enugu’s enormous economic potential. The summit will ultimately develop an economic agenda for the five South Eastern states, and promote integration and shared prosperity for South East Nigeria.

 

While urging Eastern governors to offer regional incentives, he also highlighted the responsibility of private sector individuals.

 

“"For so long, we have condemned our government for their inability to meet our developmental goals. We have shied away from playing our own role in making things work," he said. “But wealthy Africans should realise that in the 21st Century, wealth is no longer measured by the amount in your bank accounts. You should invest in industries and infrastructure."

 

Elumelu’s eponymous Foundation is currently investing in Enugu state through the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP). In fact, drawing on the success of the programme – in which 31 youths from Enugu State are among the 2,000 beneficiaries of the $10,000 seed capital provided through TEEP – he made a call to successful people in the eastern region of Nigeria to invest in the youths as a sustainable means of developing the African continent.

 

The summit attracted foreign and local investors including;  the Consul General of the Embassy of France in Nigeria, Laurent Polonceaux; the Nigerian Director of a French Group known as Proparco, Olivier Follin; the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Sean Hoy, as well as director of an Irish organisation, Sustainable Food Systems Ireland.

 

Others were members of a conglomerate made up of Chinese, Singaporeans and Nigerians known as Fit Consult/Yuanda Group, including Mr. Wang Yijun of Yuanda Group, Chief Loretta Aniagolu; Mr. Wang Xingjun, Mr. Jiang Xin, Mr. Ronnie Tan all of the Yuanda, Mr. Paschal Dozie of MTN, Samuel Onyeishi of Peace Mass Transit, Ugochukwu Chime of ECCIMA, among others.

We're Committed To Ensuring Safety, Effective, Efficient Water Transportation In Lagos, Says Speaker Obasa

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has assured Lagosians that the state government, particularly the state Assembly is committed to ensuring safety, efficient and effective water transportation in the state.
Rt. Hon. Obasa gave this assurance while speaking at a one day stakeholders' meeting organised by the ad-hoc committee set up by the state Assembly to investigate causes of incessant boat mishaps in the state and profer solutions for such. The event took place at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium in the Assembly complex, Alausa, Ikeja.
The Lagos Assembly Speaker stated that members of the House are worried at several cases of boat mishaps in the state which had led to loses of several human lives.
Rt. Hon. Obasa stated that it was as a result of the concern the lawmakers had over such unfortunate incidents that led to the invitation of the state

Commissioner for Transport, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transport and the General Manager of the state Waterways Authority to appear before the lawmakers on 16th February, 2016 for clarification on how to check the incessant boat mishaps in the state.
"I made it known at that sitting that a stakeholders' meeting will be convened to deliberate on how to put a stop to incessant boat mishaps in the state and that is why we are here today," he said.
According to him, the lawmakers and the state government cannot just fold their arms and allow things to degenerate hence the decision to take the bull by the horn and tackle the menace. "We are indeed concerned with the irreparable losses incurred by the families of the various victims of the boat mishaps. Our hearts go out to them and I pray that such incident will not repeat itself in Lagos anymore.
"On our part, we remain committed to ensuring that we don't lose precious lives to boat mishaps in the state again, hence the decision to convene this meeting which we hope will profer solutions to our efforts at putting in place safe, effective and efficient water transport in the state," the Lagos Assembly Speaker.
He advised participants that to realise the aforementioned aim, it behoves on all to cooperate and support government's initiatives at putting in place effective water transport in the state.
"We should not be aloof, we should be ready to make suggestions and be ready to participate in legitimate action to realise our aims and objectives. To ensure safety of lives and properties on our waterways is our collective responsibility and we must work together to achieve this," he said.

MTN FOUNDATION DONATES 10 PATROL VEHICLES TO LAGOS

AMBODE CHARGES CORPORATE ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPORT GOVT ON SECURITY

…As MTN Foundation Lauds Gov’s Strides

…Donates 10 Patrol Vehicles

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday urged corporate organizations in the country to key into the efforts of government at all levels to secure the lives and property of citizens, just as he said that development and businesses can only thrive in a peaceful atmosphere.

Governor Ambode, who said this while receiving 10 fully equipped security patrol vehicles from MTN Foundation on behalf of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSTF), said security, being an everyday issue, should not be left only for government, and that there was a strong need for the Organized Private Sector (OPS) to invest in security for greater economic prosperity.

According to him, the primary purpose of government is to protect lives and property and take care of people’s welfare, but that it was not out of place to encourage the private sector to support government so as also to protect their investments and businesses.

Governor Ambode, who said his administration since inception has not minced words in placing premium on the security and welfare of the people, restated his commitment to continue to ensure a secure, safer and prosperous Lagos.

He said: “A safer Lagos is a more productive Lagos and this administration is not mincing words in that area. We are running this administration on a tripod. The first is security of lives and property. Once we are able to do that, the environment becomes more visible for job opportunities to take place because you too will do your work and employ our people. 

“Those job opportunities and the productivity that we have gotten would give us the taxes we need to improve on our infrastructure. 

“You see, security is never enough. It is an everyday issue but the truth is this, we will keep our streets safer, cleaner and then we have a more prosperous Lagos and that itself will make more people to live in Lagos,” Governor Ambode said.

He thanked MTN Foundation for the massive investment in security and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, and charged other corporate organizations to emulate such gesture.

Earlier, Chairman of MTN Foundation, Chief Julius Adelusi Adeluyi said the donation of the security equipment was an eloquent testimony of the commitment of the organization to partner with government to ensure the protection of lives and property. 

Adeluyi, who said that Lagos had always been blessed with visionary leaders who work day and night to ensure that they get things done in the right way, said there was no doubt about the fact that the State always set the pace when it comes to driving the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

He commended Governor Ambode for the way he has handled the affairs of the State so far, saying it was obvious that the Governor was prepared for governance.

He said: “It is such a pleasure for me on behalf of the MTN Foundation to show my appreciation to Governor Ambode, a man who has risen to this position meritoriously and therefore gives no surprise to anyone.

“He is prepared for the job; he has been in the civil service for 27 years and he is very well prepared. He has gone to good schools around the world and I must say that the Governor is doing well and we know he will do better.

“We like to commend the Governor for efforts at driving the implementation of the Lagos State Development Agenda and there are many examples to illustrate this. For example, the Light Up Lagos Project which has been quite a success and the way you have made very good efforts to complete the various road projects outstanding and also created by you as well as the massive procurement of vehicles and equipment for the police and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to tackle security challenges. 

“That is why we are here to indicate to you that MTN, through the MTN Foundation, is ready to partner with you to make Lagos a greater State and to support your efforts,” Adeluyi said.

NIGERIAN NAVY ARRESTS 06 SUSPECTED PIPELINE VANDALS, DESTROYS ILLEGAL REFINERIES

The Nigerian Navy patrol team deployed from NNS PATHFINDER has arrested 06 persons suspected to be engaged in operations of illegal refinery and pipeline vandalism. The suspects who are now undergoing investigation were picked up from a large warehouse located at Ogbogoro Uzoba waterside around Choba in Port Harcourt Rivers State. The raid is in continuation of the Chief of the Naval Staff’s strong resolve to stamp out all forms of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal refineries and other unwholesome activities that have impacted negatively on the security and economic development of Nigeria.

The warehouse is suspected to serve as a storage facility for illegally refined products. Also discovered in the facility include 3 wooden boats containing     about 20,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO, 350 drums, several GP and metal tanks ranging from 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 litres storage capacity as well   as 7 pumping machines.

In addition, another Navy patrol team deployed from NNS DELTA discovered and destroyed 2 illegal refineries in Jones creek in Warri South West local Government Area of Delta State. The items also destroyed in the site. Include a Cotonou boat laden with about 66,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil, 4 GP storage tanks measuring 500 litres each. The GP tanks contain 2,000 metric tons of products suspected to be illegally refined AGO. Other items discovered at the site are 50 Jerry cans measuring 50 litres each containing 2.5 MT of products suspected to be illegally refined AGO, pumping machine, large metal tanks and a Cotonou boat.

In a related development, the Naval Patrol team deployed from NNS BEECROFT has intercepted a notorious gang which specialized in vandalizing and siphoning petroleum products from NNPC pipelines in the Atlas cove area. This time, the group ran out of luck as the naval team which was on routine surveillance patrol of the area discovered they were loading PMS from the NNPC Single point mooring at Atlas cove. On sighting the naval team, the suspects jumped into the water to evade arrest. In view of this, the patrol team confiscated the equipment they use for the illicit act including a wooden Cotonou boat laden with 245 empty drums measuring 250 litres each, 91 empty Jerry cans measuring 25 litres each, and 21 drums of 250 litres each loaded with stolen Premium Motor Spirit. 

LAGOS TO SIGN MoU ON 4TH MAINLAND BRIDGE BEFORE MAY 29- AMBODE

…Orders Police To Enforce Okada Restriction On Mile 12-Ikorodu Road

…Urges Street Urchins To Lay Down Arms For Rehabilitation, Empowerment

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday said the State Government will formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with investors for the construction of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge before the end of May 2016.

The Governor, who spoke at the First Quarter 2016 Town Hall Meeting, the third in the series, held at the Ikorodu Town Hall, Ikorodu, assured residents that once the MoU is signed, work would begin on the 4th Mainland Bridge, which according to him, would go a long way to boost the economy of Lagos East Senatorial District.

He said, “Many investors have shown interest in the actualization of our dream for the 4th Mainland Bridge which will run from Ajah to Ikorodu to Isawo and berth at Ojodu, Ikeja back to the Ibadan expressway. By the grace of God, we will sign an MoU and commence action before May 29”.

He said investors have equally shown interest in the redevelopment of the fish market to an international Fish Market and the redevelopment of inner roads in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki.

Governor Ambode said the intention of his administration is to ensure that no part of the state is left undeveloped, expressing optimism that the Lagos East Senatorial District which used to be the economic hub of the state in the then Western Region will regain its position.

“Over the years, the economic activities have continually dwindled resulting in urban migration, underdevelopment and unemployment.  It is with a view of revitalizing the economic activities of this zone that Government has identified the need for urgent intervention. 

“To this end, Government will be relocating the Mile 12 Market to Imota.  Work on this will commence next week.  Our vision is to make the East Senatorial Zone economically viable and liveable”, he said.

Responding to complaints on the menace of motorcycles, otherwise known as Okada in the State, Governor Ambode asked the people whether they would support a total ban on such mode of transportation in this age and time and in a city like Lagos, a question which was answered in the affirmative by majority of the stakeholders in the hall who raised their hands in support.

The Governor said: “I’m encouraged by this very transparent, credible, free and fair affirmation which I just got from the people. From the response, many of the people in this hall are in support of a total ban on Okada and since this is a government of the people, all the security agencies in Lagos including the Police, Task Force, LASTMA and others, to start with, are hereby directed to fully enforce the ban on Okada between Mile 12 and Ikorodu.

“We will not tolerate Okada on the road and I hereby emphasize that there is no more Okada on Mile 12-Ikorodu Road. Anyone caught flouting this directive will have their Okada impounded and we would prosecute such people as well before the court,” the Governor said.

Speaking on the need for the youths in the state to key into the programmes lined up for them by his administration, Governor Ambode urged street urchins and youths involved in social vices such as cultism to lay down their arms assuring that they would be empowered to be gainfully and productively engaged.

He said the plan of his administration is that youths, artisans and entrepreneurs in each of the Senatorial districts and divisions in the State would be able to access at least N1billon between now and June, and use same for their greater economic prosperity, and by extension that of the State.      

Governor Ambode, who also responded to pleas by residents in Ikorodu on the need for the expansion and rehabilitation of the road network, assured that government will explore the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative to transform the Ikorodu-Imota-Agbowa-Itokin-Epe Road into a standard 8-lane Road.

He also directed the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources as well as the State Electricity Board to look at the possibilities of providing electricity for Igbo-Olomu community, a suburb in Ikorodu, which has been without light for over 10 years.

Highlighting some of his administration’s strides in the last quarter, Governor Ambode said the State achieved major breakthrough in security, saying that since the launch of the N4.78 billion equipment, the state had won several battles against crime.       

    

He said the quick response in the rescue of the kidnapped girls in Ikorodu and the quelling of the Mile 12 riot were testimonies of the effectiveness of the security system in Lagos.

The Governor added that many criminals had so far been arrested since the launch of the security equipment, saying that he was ready to pay for information given that would lead to the arrest of hardened criminals.

“I am ready to pay monetary compensation for information on hardened criminals as we proceed to make Lagos crime-free. We are happy to report that crime rate has also reduced in the last three months,” he said.

Governor Ambode also used the occasion to appeal to residents to continue to pay their taxes, take ownership of projects in their domain and support the government to achieve the policies and programmes aimed at ensuring a safe and prosperous Lagos.

Kwara to Review Anti-Cultism Law

As part of efforts to check the menace of cultists in the state, the Kwara State Government is to review the State Anti-Cultism Law to include a minimum of 10 years and maximum of 14 years jail term for anyone found guilty of cult related activities in the state.

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Kamaldeen Ajibade said this while briefing journalists on the outcome of this month state's  executive council meeting.  

According to Barrister Ajibade, who dispelled insinuation that it had whittled down law against cultism in the State, assured that  "if the Bill is passed it would check the excesses of hoodlums in the state". 

On the issue of Share/Tsaragi, Barrister Ajibade said the Council agreed to harmonise the 2010 and 2016 white papers recommendations, adding that the Council took cognisance of various court cases in relation to the Share/Tsaragi conflicts and would be guided appropriately.

Ajibade assured stakeholders that the state executive council would review the recommendations of the White papers at a later date to ensure permanent peace in the communities.

Meanwhile, The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has approved the appointment of Comrade Bisi Fakayode as the Special Adviser, Labour Matters.

He replaces Barrister Gobir Hassan Ahmed who has been reassigned as Special Adviser, Judiciary Matters. The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sola Isiaka Gold, who announced the appointments, congratulated the new appointees and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Govt to Resolve Student Unrests on Campuses- … fact-finding panel to be Constituted

 

Apparently concerned by the recent unrest in some tertiary institutions in the country, the Office of the Special Assistant to President on Youths and Students’ Affairs (OSAPYS), has reached out to major stakeholders towards resolving the problem.

 

The Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students' Affairs, Nasir Sa’idu Adhama has disclosed.

 

According to him, his office has been in constant consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the institutions’ managements, students’ union leaders, the National Universities Commission, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the National Board for Technical Education towards addressing the incidence of unstable power supply which has reduced water supply and caused a hike in transportation fares at these troubled institutions.

 

Adhama said: "In the Interim, a high level powered fact finding team is being constituted to work with relevant agencies and affected institutions to ascertain the immediate causes of the crises and proffer solutions for academic activities to be restored at these affected campuses: UniPort, UniLag, Benue State University, Adekunle Ajasin University, among others."

 

Adhama who expressed condolence and sympathy on the loss of lives in some of the protests, however appealed to Nigerian students to maintain law and order in the pursuit of their legitimate rights.

 

He said: “The Federal Government remains committed to addressing the lingering power and energy challenges and needs the support and understanding of all Nigerians to achieve desired results.

 

While condemning destructions of public properties during some of the protests, he called on students to engage management in constant consultations as the best negotiating tool in addressing all current contentions arising from change in institution’s policies.”

 

"I wish to draw our student leaders’ and students attention to the three Cs’ of Consultation, Consolidation and Confrontation which they are familiar with. Reports so far gathered confirm poor consultation between students’ leaders and institution’s management before adopting confrontation as a solution to the plights of students at our campuses", he stated.

THE SPELLING BEE NIGERIA 2016 FINALS

 

The Spelling Bee is a competition designed to inculcate the basic imperative of effective communication, ultimately impacting improved spelling skills, development of poise, increase students’ vocabulary, pronunciation and accurate word usage and it is organized by Young Educators Foundation; an NGO that promotes literacy and education, and franchise holders of Scripps National Spelling Bee, USA.

 

The Spelling Bee Nigeria is targeted at students between ages 8 – 13. The 2016 edition began with the training the trainers’ sessions at 2 venues:Abuja and Lagos, where Scripps Certified Linguistic professionals took teachers through an intensive 3-day training. The 2016 edition will be having participation from 8 states and the FCT, Abuja namely Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Nasarrawa. 

 

PEARSON EDUCATION has just been unveiled as the official dictionary of the Spelling Bee Nigeria.

50 Spellers representing schools from the 9 participating States successfully made it to the National Final this year. They will arrive Lagos for the 3-day camp with their Chaperones on April 20, 2016.

Schedule of Event at the National Camp April 20 -23, 2016:

 

April 20, (2pm – 8pm):​Arrival and Registration of Contestants

April 21, (12pm – 4pm):​Celebrities & Literary Icons Mentorship session 

April 21, (5pm – 6pm):​Round 1 of the competition (Vocabulary Test)

April 22, (9pm – 5pm):​Final rounds of Oral Spelling 

April 23, (6am – 11am):​Departure of Contestants and closing of Camp

 

The Grand Finale of the 2016 Spelling Bee is schedule for April 22, 2016 at THE NECA Hall, Plot A2, Akin Balogun Street, CBD Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

 

The awards for this year’s winners are 1st Prize, an all-expense paid trip to the 89th Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC, USA as a guest, plus a scholarship Fund, whilst the 2nd Prize is an all-expense paid trip to Pearson Publishing House, Harlow UK and a scholarship fund.

 

BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS FLEEING SAMBISA FOREST IN DROVES

This is to inform the public that due to aerial bombardment and concerted efforts of the ground troops, and facing imminent annihilation, Boko Haram terrorists have been deserting Sambisa forest in droves trying to disperse to various parts of the country.

The cowards are running away from their  well noted enclave in Sambisa forest for their lives. Consequently it becomes necessary to inform the public, especially well meaning Nigerians, to be more vigilant and security conscious. The public are please requested to be observant and report any suspicious persons or group of persons to the military or any of the security agencies   to enable timely detection and apprehension of the fleeing insurgents before they mingle with the society and commit havoc. 

We would like to reassure the public of the confidentiality of the information provided and reiterate our commitment to the clearance of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists. 

You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to the public through your medium. 

GTBank empowers Female Entrepreneurs in Africa ……Reaffirms Position As A Leading SME Global Partner

Foremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, has partnered African-focused entrepreneurship accelerator, She Leads Africa (SLA) and the Work in Progress! Alliance (Oxfam and VC4Africa) to launch the She Leads Africa Accelerator, a 3 month program designed to identify, support and fund the next generation of Nigeria’s brightest female entrepreneurs. 

The initiative which is a new inclusion to the bouquet of mentorship sessions created by She Leads Africa, is geared towards shining a light on women who are driving Africa's growth through leadership, commerce and innovation. The event presents a veritable platform for young female entrepreneurs to acquire basic business skills and grow their businesses. In this year’s edition, participants will compete for N2,000,000 in cash prizes, media features in international news outlets, access to online resources and exclusive meetings with top investors. 

The 3 month SLA Accelerator will feature a 1-week residency program for budding entrepreneurs to acquire basic business skills with a key focus on growth, marketing and distribution. Upon completing the residency program, the participants will undergo a 3-week practical session to enable them implement their skills. The climax of the event will be a Demo Day where participants can pitch to domestic and international investors for a N2,000,000 cash prize. 

For the 3rd year running, GTBank has continued in its support for SMEs and empowerment of budding entrepreneurs such as Charae Robinson, CEO of Tastemakers Africa and Kasope Oladipo-Ajayi, CEO of OmoAlata Foods who emerged respective winners of the 2014 and 2015 editions of the She Leads Africa pitch.

According to Mr. Yasmin Belo-Osagie, co-founder of SLA, "We are delighted to be working with international partners such as GTBank and the Work in Progress! Alliance team in this year’s edition. GTBank has remained our lead sponsor for the last 2 years and we are excited to extend this partnership for a 3rd year.” He further stated that; “GTBank’s continued support for SLA as well as their innovative platforms, such as SME MarketHub, attests to their commitment to support SMEs in Nigeria.” 

Speaking at the launch of the event, Mr. Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank plc said; “The economic growth and development of our continent is largely dependent on how much we empower our women and invest in Small and Medium Enterprises. It is for this reason that we have created the SME MarketHub platform to fulfil the twin objective of facilitating the growth of small businesses and creating a unique platform for female entrepreneurs to thrive.”

Guaranty Trust Bank plc is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy since its inception in 1990. The Bank actively supports numerous programmes across Africa that significantly impacts education and youth development, healthcare, community development, arts and environment. 

Mahmood Ahmadu honoured with a Nigerian Economic Development Award

Years of total dedication to work and developing technology in Africa paid off for businessman, Mahmood Ahmadu on the 5thof April in faraway London when he was honoured with an award.

Mahmood Ahmadu received the Nigerian Economic Development Award in recognition of his efforts and success in developing one of Africa’s leading technology companies and successfully operating his business in over 17 international locations across 10 different time zones.

The award was presented at the just concluded international conference of the International Strategic Alliance Committee (ISAC) held on the 4th and 5th of April 2016 at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in Westminster, London. 

The special conference titled the Nigerian Mining & Agriculture Investment Summit, attracted high level local and international investors and business people interested in the hugely untapped opportunity in Nigeria’s Mining and Agriculture sector which is attracting much interest at the moment as the country seeks to diversify from her traditional dependency on Oil.

At the conclusion of the very well attended conference, ISAC hosted a glittering Gala Dinner to celebrate and honour some outstanding individuals for their contribution to national development amongst them was entrepreneur and businessman Mahmood Ahmadu.

Ahmadu’s Nigerian Economic Development Award was presented by the Israeli deputy Ambassador to the UK, MrEitanNa’eh.

In receiving the award, Mahmood Ahmadu who was all smiles thanked the organizers of the conference for recognizing him and honoring him with the award.

For more information on this award, you may visit: http://americanlivenews.com/2016/04/mahmood-ahmadu-honoured-with-a-nigerian-economic/

 

 

PICTURES: GOV. AMBODE COMMISSIONS LIGHT UP LAGOS PROJECT ON LAGOS- ABEOKUTA EXPRESSWAY (ILE ZIK – TOLL GATE, SANGO OTA)

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), unveiling the plaque to commission the Light Up Lagos Project (newly installed Street Light infrastructure) on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway (Ile Zik – Toll Gate, Sango Ota), on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. With him are Senator Olamilekan Adeola (3^rd right) and Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Dr. AbdulRazaq Balogun (2^nd right).