The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • 600,000 Oyo residents to benefit from Mevron job

    600,000 Oyo residents to benefit from Mevron job

    No fewer than 600,000 Oyo residents would benefit from Mevron Nigeria’s job opportunity through its ride-hailing in Ibadan and environs.

    Speaking with journalists in Ibadan at the launching of the programme, Mevron Assistant Product Operation Manager, Imo Silas said ten percent out of over six million population of Ibadan would benefit from it, adding that 1,000 people in Ilorin have benefited in less than one-year operation of the company.

    “We are providing a platform for people to make and earn money, that is why we create the platform and put it in the hands of users.

    “Drivers and riders need to have at least five years driving experience, you need to have good communication skills to relate with our customers because we are a service base company, we have clean vehicles and our inspection platform is until date,” he stressed.

    Mr. Haji Rehani Omary, the Business Development Head, Motor Business Service of Nigeria (MBSN), said: “The launch of MBSN and our sub-Saharan Africa wide partnership with Mevron will empower Mevron bikers and trikers across the continent by providing them with a clear and affordable path to high-quality vehicle ownership”.

    Regarding continuous support for Mevron and all other customers, Omary revealed that MBSN provides
    a range of after-sales and support services, including easy access to genuine spare parts, vehicle coupling training/service, and Biker safety training.

    Read Also:Oil theft: Nigeria gets safe oil transport route

    Other benefits could include basic vehicle maintenance training, advanced technical workforce development/ skill enhancement, and basic transport business management training, depending on customer requirements.

    Founder and CEO of Mevron, Mr. Olawale Lasisi, said the partnership reaffirms Mevron’s commitment to Africa by providing enhanced earning potential and better mobility for all. Our mission has always been to “build an Africa-owned mobility service we can all be proud of”.

    “In a bid to improve vehicle standards and safety across Africa, several safety enhancements have been made to all MBSN vehicles, including improved geofencing and tracking and mandatory routine servicing and inspections at the MBSN and Mevron Repair service centers.”

    Omotola Solomon, the Regional Manager for Mevron, said the current product, MevronBike and MevronTrike, are an extension of the firm’s service to provide mobility solutions through trusted motorcycles and tricycles in the city with safety, reliability, and convenience just a tap away.

    The business head of Simba, Mr Mahendra Pratap said Mevron are in partnership with Simba TVS to address transportation needs of Nigeria’s with the introduction of TVS motorcycles and tricycles into its fleet to ease local passenger commute and improve the lives of the people.

  • Penpe records unveils new signee Lyonsus’ hit single ‘make up’

    Penpe records unveils new signee Lyonsus’ hit single ‘make up’

    Penpe Records, a subsidiary of a Nigeria-U.S. International firm Penpe Inc with extensive investment in the import and export market, financial tech, prints, agriculture and entertainment, has unveiled its new signee called Lyonsus with a hit single “Make up.”

    CEO of Penpe Inc, Shittu Busari Penpe, expressed optimism in investing in Nigerian music acts with the ability to grow the home-based industry and sell the potential prowess of African music beyond the shore of the continent during the unveiling of real name Kabir Adeyemi Olasunkanmi and his hit single ‘make up.’

    He said: ‘’Make Up is an Afro pop song that expresses the critical situation of a love paradox that absolutely becomes a case of dilemma with a high tune through soothing lyrics and sensational chorus that will make listeners put it on repeat.”

    Read Also:Erigga begs Yahoo boys to ‘price’ items

    Speaking on the inspiration behind his new song, LyonSus said: “Make Up was a song that came into existence when I was with my ex girlfriend, a period when I had financial difficulties which lead her to misbehave and so one day I sat her down and told her to make up her mind, if she wants to go away, and that was the point where I felt yeah it’s time to hit the studio and pour out my feelings into making a song.”

    When asked what the future expectation is and what to expect from the new signee, the CEO of Penpe Inc, also known as Suspens said: “I hope to make my brand a household name in the Nigerian and African music industry and restore dignity and put smiles on faces of my fans through my sound and music craft.”

    The Publicist for Penpe Records, Mohammed Sulaimon Cyvilstre also shared a few noteworthy points about the record label, saying” Penpe Records believes in rejuvenating African music through passion and creativity.

    “Make up is available on all music streaming platforms and also, there is an ongoing Make Up your mind challenge on Tiktok, Instagram and other social media handles which is also another avenue Penpe records is investing in and rewarding talents that take part in the exercise.”

    Kabir Adeyemi Olasunkanmi started singing professionally in 2009 with the stage name LyonSus, as a songwriter and as an afro pop act and vocal coach. He is an indigene of Offa, Kwara State.

  • Winners emerge from Academic idols competition

    Winners emerge from Academic idols competition

    Winners have emerged from this year’s First Academic idols competition organised by Goodmus Learning Centre in partnership with First New Generation Citadel and their brand Ambassador, Mrs Idowu Philips aka Mama Rainbow.

    According to the Director, Goodmus Learning Centre and United Nations Ambassador for quality but affordable education in Africa, Dr. Adekunle Badmus, who spoke at a briefing in Lagos, the overall winner of the academic idol competition will enjoy a full scholarship to study his undergraduate programme in U.S, U.K or Turkey.

    The second best will enjoy 80 per cent scholarship to study in any reputable African university while the third position will enjoy 50 per cent scholarship to study in one of the private universities in Nigeria.

    “We deliberately chose private schools because we don’t want a situation whereby his education will be affected by govt. irregularities such as strike action,” he said.

    Adekunle, who spoke on the topic: “Educational empowerment scholarship and celebration of 16 years of sending students abroad for studies’ said the programme is a way of giving back to the society.

    CEO, Founder of First New Generation Citadel the parent Centre of Goodmus Learning Centre, Dr. Mrs Michelle Ukoh, said the next Academic Idol will involve all the 55 African countries and over 1.3 billion Africans students will battle to see who becomes the next Academic Idols.

    Read Also:Old Mutual introduces education plan for children 

    ”This pilot programme involved only Nigerian students but the next launch will involve all African students and will soon be announced. We believe education is the best legacy, but we also believe that poor education can never lead to best legacy.

    “We want you to know that there are stakeholders all over the world that are willing to invest but on your parts all you need is to continue to showcase to the world your good character, hard work, honesty and integrity,” Ukoh warned.

    Ukoh revealed with her career in the education sector spanning over 25 years where she rose through the ranks, she is ready to put in her very best.
    The overall winner, Miss. Anikwe Chioma, commended the laudable initiative of the institutions promising to put in her best.
    The first runner up is Miss. Bello-Oro AnuOluwapo with Master Gerald Anikwe as the second runner-up.

     

  • Erigga begs Yahoo boys to ‘price’ items

    Erigga begs Yahoo boys to ‘price’ items

    Rapper Erhiga Agarivbie aka Erigga has appealed passionately to internet fraudsters aka Yahoo Boys.

    Erigga, in a tweet, begged them to always bargain prices of goods especially “polo” shirts.

    He lamented the effect their failure not to bargain has on the common man.

    Read Also:Erigga asks about ‘Yahoo’ rulers’ penalty over EFCC’s warning to landlords

    According to him, their lifestyle of not ‘pricing’ goods puts immense pressure on the common man.

    “Yahoo boys, na beg we dey. Make una try dey price polo. The pressure don too much,” Paper boi tweeted.

  • Residents beg Sanwo-Olu over Orchid road, Okada menace

    Residents beg Sanwo-Olu over Orchid road, Okada menace

    Residents have decried the deplorable condition of Orchid Road, Lekki in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.

    They also lamented the unending menace caused by commercial motorcyclists popularly known as ‘okada riders’ in the area.

    The residents under the aegis of Lekki Conservation Estates Community Development Association (LECECODA) complained the recent downpour completely cut the community off the major highway.

    Read Also:Lagos to host biggest NAFEST ever – Sanwo-Olu

    A statement jointly signed by the association’s executives Osas Airen, Bode Akinwande and Ovie Daniels, noted that it had written the immediate-past government under Akinwunmi Ambode but nothing was done, “not even a palliative or rehabilitation work took place.”

    The community appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently rehabilitate the road to alleviate the suffering of the residents of the area.

    It added that the urgent rehabilitation of the roads would save lives and reduce the untold hardship being experienced by people in the area and further create an enabling environment for commercial activities to boom.

  • Annie Idibia reacts as Kenyan lady proposes to Nigerian lover

    Annie Idibia reacts as Kenyan lady proposes to Nigerian lover

    Actress Annie Macaulay-Idibia has offered an opinion after a Kenya lady proposed marriage to her Nigerian lover.

    A viral video captured the lady on her knees as she proposed to marriage to her Nigerian beau.

    The lady also accompanied her proposal with a brand new car.

    The video has since continued to stir reactions from social media users with many ladies arguing they’d rather mop the ocean than be caught in such a situation.

    Read Also:Annie Idibia denies unfollowing 2Baba

    Reacting to the video, the ‘Young, Famous and African’ reality TV star said she could give up anything for her man but going down on her knees to beg a man to marry her would never happen.

    “Ladies what do you think??? Well, ain’t nothing wrong in spoiling your man too o!!!! If I fit, I go buy plane for mine oo. Literally give everything and anything.

    “But to kneel down beg man to marry me….Ermmmmmm I dey come oooo,” 2Baba’s wife wrote.

     

  • Obi won’t win half of any Nasarawa council – Adeyanju

    Obi won’t win half of any Nasarawa council – Adeyanju

    Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju has reacted to the one-million-man march by Nasarawa residents in support of the Labour Party (LP) flag bearer, Peter Obi.

    On Saturday, August 7, a coalition of 56 support groups across the 13 Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State organised a one-million-man march to support Obi.

    The group carried several inscriptions which indicated their love and support for the former Anambra Governor and marched from the College of Agriculture junction along Jos Road to the U-turn linking Lafia main market along Makurdi Road.

    Reacting to the march, the ‘convener of Concerned Nigerians’ noted despite the ‘mammoth’ crowd who trooped out for Obi, he would still not win half of any local government in Nasarawa in the 2023 general election.

    Adeyanju also alleged the one-million-man crowd was hired

    Read Also:Buhari consents to acquisition of Exxon Mobil shares in US

    “Sorry to break your hearts guys but Peter Obi won’t still win even half of an LGA in Nasarawa after the rally yesterday.

    “You will be shocked that 90% of those who came out to protest yesterday did so because someone paid them and they won’t vote him. Vawulence dropped, bye”, he tweeted.

    Responding to his tweet, one Kelechi Chukwu noted: “Funny enough, when Obi eventually wins in 2023, this guy will say he was doing all he did to push Obi-dients to do more and not to relent in their efforts! He will definitely change the narrative!”

    Adeyanju, who retweeted Chukwu’s reaction, added: “Obi will only win here on social media. And I mean all the online polls.”

  • Climate Change: Delivering act 2021 objectives without “humongous bureaucracy”

    Climate Change: Delivering act 2021 objectives without “humongous bureaucracy”

    Recent moves by President Buhari to implement Climate Change Act 2021, Nigeria’s framework law to deliver green growth for sustainable economic development, are rubbing against bureaucratic infighting over the form and composition of the implementing mechanism the National Climate Change Council (NCCC) and its secretariat. The NCCC is chaired by the President with broad participation from government and civil society and is supported by a Secretariat headed by a Director General who is recommended by NCCC and appointed by the President. Because the NCCC is chaired by the President and Vice President and located within the presidency, it signals to the world that Nigeria is taking a whole-of-Government approach to low carbon development and is not merely delegating the issue to a line ministry. Recent pronouncements by the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, questioned both the ‘humongous bureaucracy’ CCA created and the composition of the NCCC. Such doubts as COP 27 approaches, may be misinterpreted as sending mixed signals to development partners interested in supporting Nigeria’s energy transition.

    Recently, the Minister vented his frustration at the unwieldy ‘humongous bureaucracy” of “state and zonal directors” in the NCCC’s secretariat. He went further adding that “membership of the council also inadvertently takes out commissioners of the environment as members of the Climate Change Council. The secretariat has no directorates to support functions of the director-general, no transitional provisions in relation to functions of the department of climate change and the Climate Change Council.” The minister then announced that he had set up a technical review committee within the Ministry of Environment to initiate “amendments of the Act”.

    An internal ministry of environment technical review committee to amend the Act is the classic bureaucratic response to a bureaucratic problem. The Act’s implementing structure appear designed to avoid capture by a single ministry and be nimble enough to respond to reform priorities across ministries departments and agencies and between the levels of government. While this may have drawbacks, the more pertinent question relating to structure and institutional transition is whether the NCCC and the secretariat can provide the framework for sustainable economic development achieved through low carbon means to occur across government and society. Here, the ministry of environment has specific inputs to make the climate diagnosis. The treatment plan or cure is actually provided by other stakeholders responsible for the policies, technologies and societal changes that make sustainable economic growth a reality. The treatment aspects of the CCA’s objectives and NCCC’s mandate involve inputs primarily from other agencies such as the petroleum, power, transport, water, works and housing sectors among others. The CCA and NCCC thus require a whole-of-government review, and not just a ministry of environment technical review.

    Read Also:How we’re tackling climate change, by Sanwo-Olu

    While, the Minister and the ministry are understandably territorial about the CCA and NCCC, the NCCC is unlike other councils or committees superintending particular sectors as with say communications with the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC). The NCCC and its secretariat are crosscutting institutions that resemble the defunct Office of the Senior-Special-Assistant to the President on Millennium-Development-Goals (OSSAP-MDGs) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). The BPE as secretariat to the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) closely resembles the NCCC and its secretariat. Both OSSAP-MDGs and BPE were created within the Presidency and operated on a whole-of-government premise rather than being hived-off from a parent-ministry – a kind of prodigal children as the Minister seems to think the NCCC and secretariat are.

    It is worth mentioning that the pioneering Director-Generals or leaders of both OSSAP-MDGs and BPE had successful non-civil service professional and managerial careers and brought that private sector drive, energy, can-do spirit and organisational discipline to the new institution. They also possessed the requisite stakeholder management skills to navigate social and political interests across all levels of government. This does raise questions, given the vast all-encompassing and existential challenge climate change poses, whether the Minister sees the proverbial forest from the ministerial tree.
    Seeing the forest from the ministerial tree generates the perspective needed to discern the internal inconsistencies in the Minister’s position. As it is difficult to reconcile the minister’s criticism of the CCA with his proud announcement, in the same breathe, “that just last week, Mr. President appointed the pioneer director-general of the National Climate Change Council.” If the deficiencies in the Act can prompt the minister to review and recommend amendments, why then announce the appointment of a Director-General when the CCA expressly says that such an appointment can only be made after the NCCC recommends a Director-General to the President? Such an appointment and announcement fits squarely into the problems the CCA has that the technical review committee should have also reviewed. It is even more irregular when the appointment is announced by the minister or the ministry rather than the Presidency, which usually announces such appointments. It is unclear whether the appointment has been announced by the President or presidency at all. These irregularities and inconsistencies will not have gone unnoticed by the international community, private sector investors and interested parties to Nigeria’s climate change objectives.

    In the end raising issues about the CCA while making unconfirmed pronouncements on staffing this close to the 27th Conference of Parties (COP 27) in November in Egypt sends the signal that Nigeria is not ready politically, institutionally or policy-wise to receive the investment required to transition to a low carbon economy. This ultimately defeats the very objectives of the CCA.

    If Nigeria is to achieve the objectives in the CCA, the Minister and Ministry of Environment will need to play their indispensable part by not going it alone, but by being in lock step with the entire government and people of Nigeria. We all go farther on the road to net zero when we go together.

    Omikunle specialises in Energy Law and Climate Change and writes from Lagos.

  • LSCPWB concludes 2022 Easter pilgrimage

    LSCPWB concludes 2022 Easter pilgrimage

    The Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSCPWB) has concluded its Y2022 Easter pilgrimage exercise with the arrival of the third batch of Christian Pilgrims from the holy lands of Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan.

    A statement on Monday by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Adepeju Adeyemi said the Christian Pilgrims arrived at the Muritala Mohammed International airport, Ikeja, Lagos at exactly 10:10p.m on Sunday.

    The statement read in part: “The Special Adviser to the Governor on Christian Religious Matters, The Very Revd. Bukola Adeleke, who was the leader of the Lagos Contingent whilst speaking on arrival at the Muritala Mohammed International airport, acknowledged God’s faithfulness regarding the success of the Y2022 Easter Pilgrimage.

    “He expressed gratitude to God for a successful journey on air and on the land noting that it was a spiritually refreshing experience.

    “He noted that intercessory prayers were offered for Nigeria, Lagos State, the first family and individuals with faith that the prayers have been answered.

    “He encouraged the pilgrims to continue in intercessory prayers for the State in particular and the country in general.”

    According to the statement, the Secretary of the LSCPWB, Mrs. Florence Yetunde Gbafe, who also arrived with the pilgrims, thanked God for journey mercies noting that the exercise was successful.

    Read Also:How Lagos State’s Project Zero is giving children a fighting chance

    Gbafe noted that about 500 pilgrims participated in the Easter pilgrimage in three batches, stressing that no hitches were recorded.

    The statement added: “It would be recalled that the easter pilgrimage to Israel and the Kingdom of Jordan started on the 3rd of July, 2022 with 140 intending pilgrims airlifted.

    “Some of the biblical sites visited during pilgrimage were River Jordan, Bethlehem, the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem, the Holy Sepulchre of Jesus Christ, the Capanaum.

    “‘Others were Mount Nebo of Moses, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth and Church of Saint John The Evangelist at Cana, where Christ turned water to wine among others.”

  • My uncle raped, impregnated me at 15 – Toyin Lawani

    My uncle raped, impregnated me at 15 – Toyin Lawani

    Celebrity designer Toyin Lawani has alleged an uncle raped her at 15.

    The CEO of Tiannah Empire made this revelation in a recent podcast on YouTube.

    Lawani said the horrible experience led to pregnancy which she aborted at five months.

    Toyin said she’s now able to talk about it openly because her parents are dead and they wouldn’t be hurt since they can’t hear it.

    “When I was 15 I got raped by one of my uncles but I couldn’t tell my mom and it was just so bad for me. You know when someone bullies you to the extent that you can’t talk.

    Read Also:2baba, Mr Macaroni, Toyin Lawani, others attend NEC Live 9

    “I opened up to one of my aunties who is late now and she took me to Ibadan where they tried to get rid of the pregnancy. The hospital was in Ibadan and the pregnancy was about five months because I didn’t tell anyone.

    “It was at the same time I had to get my admission in UNILAG. I fainted when I went to get my admission. My mom was in Hong Kong and when she came back the doctor told her your daughter was pregnant and we took it out.

    “The person was so close to my family which is why I’m so strict with my kids because I don’t trust anyone. I hated my mom so much for it because she wasn’t there and I was so young I didn’t understand until now that I have to do these same responsibilities for my kids I understand why she had to travel to Hong Kong, China and the rest.”