The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • SAN charges EBF to sustain vision of founding fathers

    By John Austin Unachukwu

    Chairman Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria in the Southeast, Chief Anthony Mogbo (SAN) has urged the Governing Council of the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) to sustain its founding fathers’ dreams.

    He spoke when EBF Governor  Soseipriye Williams led members of the Council on a working visit to Enugu State.

    Muogbo said: “The EBF was formed to unite all the branches of the NBA in the old Eastern Region of Nigeria towards achieving a common goal.”

    He expressed happiness that the Eastern Bar Forum “is still waxing strong” and thanked the Council for honouring him with the visit.

    Williams thanked the learned silk for his hospitality and prayed the Almighty to keep him in good health.

    Earlier, the Governing Council visited the NBA Enugu Branch Exco where its Chairman, Anene Ojinta, handed over the documents for the piece of land donated to the EBF by Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    The handing over ceremony was witnessed by the Secretary of Enugu Branch K. I. Onwusi, the Financial Secretary Joyce Okoche,  the Treasurer, Lovina Ngozi Eneh and others.

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    The EBF governor thanked the leadership of Enugu Branch for their “tireless effort in ensuring that the land is secured”.

    Meanwhile, the Quarterly General Meeting of the Eastern Bar Forum has been fixed for Saturday, November 16 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The meeting will hold at the NBA House,  Port Harcourt Branch, behind the Rivers State Judiciary Complex Bank Road, Port Harcourt.

    The meeting, the first to be hosted by the new Governing Council chaired by Williams, is set to be the last meeting of the Forum in the year.

    The Eastern Bar Forum is a gathering of lawyers from the 45 Branches of NBA in the Old Eastern Region Nigeria.

    It is said to be one of the largest, strongest and sustained fora of lawyers in Nigeria.

     

  • Ikoyi NCS, NGO to empower 550 ATIs

    By Adebisi Onanuga

    Sixty-four awaiting trial inmates (ATIs) of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Ikoyi, Lagos have graduated in paints making and painting under the Anchor Heritage Empowerment Initiative (AHI).

    They are among a total of 550 ATIs trained in various vocations  since January, last year  in six Custodial Centres of the NCS, namely Kirikiri Maximum, Medium and Femal Custodial Centres, Ikoyi  Custodial Centre, Mandella Custodial Centre, Ilorin and  Ile-Ife Custodial Custodial Centre.

    The programme in paints making and painting lasted one week and was part of the “Reformation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration” programme of the Ikoyi Correctional Service for the ATIs.

    Executive Director,  Anchor Heritage Empowerment Initiative, Bidemi Oladipupo, told  reporters at their graduation in Ikoyi that they decided to equip the inmates and others in the custody of the centre with relevant skills in order to increase their chances of integrating into the society when they eventually regained their freedom.

    Oladipupo said the male inmates were taught how to make paints, mix the colours and then paint, adding that they have were able to make ‘satin, text cote, emulsion, gloss, flex cotes paints. The women received training on how to make reusable sanitary pads, paper craft decorative works and gele tying.

    An elated Oladipupo said the inmates produced, mixed the paints with which they gave a face-lift to the buildings in  the six custodial centres where Anchor Heritage held the training.

    The Anchor Heritage director said they also partnered the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria to provide free legal service to distressed inmates and have secured the release of 58 inmates, paid the fine imposed on some by the courts  and representing over 100 others in various courts.

    A tour of the centre also revealed  other inmates receiving training in ICT, carpentry, tailoring, shoe making, catering services, electrical and electronics, barbing, laundry and dry cleaning, among others, in various workshops.

    Deputy Controller, NCS, Ikoyi, Tolu Ogunsakin said the NCS Act 2019, provided for custodial and non-custodial sentences.

    Read Also: ‘75,000 inmates currently in Nigeria’s correctional facilities’

     

    Ogunsakin explained that while non-custodial sentences provided for community services in which a convict goes from his home to work for the community, custodial sentence provided for remand in the centres.

    “When you come to custodial centre, you must learn a trade or acquire a skill that will make you useful, not just for yourself, but also for the society when you come out so that you are not a burden to anybody,” he said.

    Ogunsakin said the inmates had access to education and were taught by teachers provided by NGOs and the graduates among them.

    He said 180 inmates wrote the last General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination. He added that some of those wrote the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination scored over 246 and that there were also those who bagged PhD at the centre.

    “We teach them various subjects, the NGOs send teachers to teach them too while the graduates among them contribute to teaching other inmates. This way, they become useful to the society when they go out of this place,” he said.

    try can become a better place for all”, he added.

  • Institute, Enugu govt to boost arbitration in Southeast

    By Robert Egbe

     

    The Enugu State Government and the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb) are exploring ways to boost arbitration in the Southeast.

    Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and a NICArb delegation met last Thursday in Enugu to discuss the development of arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a sustainable medium for dispute resolution in the region.

    Ugwuanyi received the delegation alongside Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Simon Ortuanya and Chairman, House Committee on Works, Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chima Obieze.

    They NICArb team comprised Vice President and Governing Council member, Dr. Michael Ajogwu (SAN); Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Shola Oshodi-John; and an executive delegation from NICArb, Enugu Branch.

    Read Also: Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi: The challenges ahead

     

    Ugwuanyi, who commended Dr Ajogwu’s fatherly role in the state, renewed his commitment to dispute resolution, peaceful co-existence and governance.

    Mrs Oshodi-John noted that Ugwuanyi “supported the establishment of the Multi-Door Court House in Enugu State, and has been instrumental in ensuring the resolution of age-long disputes, including the Oruku and Umuode crises, which came to a halt with His Excellency’s intervention”.

    Ugwuanyi, she added, is “reputed for being the chief promoter of peace in the state and across Nigeria”.

    The parties agreed to work together to grow arbitration and ADR in the state.

    Mrs Oshodi-John used the opportunity to invite the government to its 40th Anniversary Conference and Investiture, which holds on November 14 and 15, at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The conference is themed “Building a culture of arbitration and sustainable institutions in West Africa”.

    Mrs Oshodi-John added: “The 40th Anniversary Conference and Investiture provides a forum for the intellectual discussion of key issues affecting Arbitration in West Africa.

    “It is focused on yielding practical solutions, necessary to encourage the adoption of Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the West African Sub-region.

    “The conference promises a line-up of renowned regional and global speakers who are experts in the chosen subject areas and will feature panels made-up of technical experts and breakout sessions for intensive exploration of the chosen subject areas.”

  • Pastor’s trial for alleged $1.6m fraud resumes Dec 10

    By Robert Egbe

    An Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, has adjourned till December 10, the trial of an oil marketer, Ayodeji Oluokun, for alleged issuance of dud cheques valued at $1.6 million.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo fixed the date following the absence of prosecution counsel Ocholi Atta, last Thursday.

    Atta, from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was said to have been transferred out of Lagos State.

    According to the EFCC, Ayodeji, is an Assistant Pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) City of David Parish, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    He is standing trial alongside his firm, Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Ltd, on a two-count charge.

    The defendants were arraigned by the anti-graft agency on January 21, 2019.

    The EFCC in a charge marked ID/8509c/19 alleged that the defendants, sometime in 2014, approached the management of GOSL Nigeria Ltd for two loans of $1million and $666,666.

    The loans would enable him carry out operation activities in his firm’s oil field in Bayelsa State.

    The Commission said Oluokun assured GOSL that he would repay the money within a year.

    Read Also: Alleged fraud: EFCC forced me to return N650m, ex-minister tells court

    He failed to do so. Rather, Oluokun allegedly issued two post-dated Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd cheques dated June 26, 2014 for the sum of $1 million and $666,666 respectively.

    The EFCC said when GOSL presented the cheques at the bank for withdrawal, they were – on several occasions – returned due to insufficient funds.

    The offence, according to the prosecution, contravened Section 1(1)(b) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, 2004.

    Oluokun pleaded not guilty and secured bail.

    The charges read: “That you, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun and Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on or about 26th June, 2014, at Lagos issued a Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited Cheque dated 26th June, 2014 for $1million only payable to GOSL Nigeria Ltd, which when presented for payment was dishonoured on the grounds that no sufficient funds were standing to the credit of the account on which cheque was drawn”.

    “That you, Ayodeji Ibrahim Oluokun and Peak Petroleum Industry Nigeria Limited, on or about 26th June, 2014, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division issued a Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited Cheque dated 26th June, 2014 for $666,666 payable to GOSL Nigeria Limited which when presented for payment was dishonoured on the grounds that no sufficient funds were standing to the credit of the account on which cheque was drawn..

  • ‘Innovation key to economic development’

    By Damola Kola-Dare

     

    The President, Institute of Productivity and Business Innovation Management (IPBIM), Mr. Remi Dairo, has urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of being creative and innovative to drive economic development in the country.

    He made this plea during Innovation Meetup seminar which had the theme: “Playing in the Global Space from Naija”, held at Eko Innovation Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    According to the IPBIM boss, networking, technology and global partnerships as well as thinking out of the box would help boost the country’s innovative talent and improve her economic fortunes.

    Dairo said: “I know as Nigerians we are very innovative and creative. But sadly, such innovation and creativity are not properly harnessed for economic development. This is so because there are no support systems and enabling environment.

    He noted the Institute exists to drive productivity and innovation and help people do things differently with a “Disruptive Mindset”.

    Read Also: Obi decries poor investment in education

     

    “I saw the need for productivity.  There was a gap to be filled.  I decided to bring about a change in peoples’ attitude towards work.  I discovered through experience that most people are lax at their workplace when their boss is not around.  So, the whole idea of IPBIM is to drive productivity and innovation through technology.”

    Also speaking at the event, Mr Olayinka Oni, Chief Digital Officer Sterling Bank, noted that being innovative and technology-compliant are very crucial to our progression as a nation. He stressed the importance of technology in all facets of human endeavour while noting that in the 21st century “technology is the game-changer”.

    According to Olayinka: “Technology can impact all aspects of human endeavour.Every sector of the economy can be improved if technology is well utilized. It  is the game-changer in this 21st century.”

    In his lecture entitled: “Accelerating Innovation and Entrepreneurship Globally”,Axel Schultze,President, World Innovation Forum stated that innovation and entrepreneurship are a driving force towards the development of underdeveloped countries.

    He said: “Innovation is about how you spin your brain to process ideas and information. Its importance cannot be overemphasised.That is why underdeveloped countries need to be innovative to encourage entrepreneurship which aids development.”

     

  • Olukoya calls for creative skills

    By Jane Chijioke

     

    The Chancellor of Mountain Top University, Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya has proposed that universities should begin teaching students principles of creativity to enable them excel in life.

    He made this call at the first international conference on entrepreneurship organised by the university, where he underscored the importance of creativity as a requirement in entrepreneurship.

    The three-day conference had as theme:  “Entrepreneurship and sustainable development”

    Olukoya noted that with creative skills, students would be able to execute productive ideas that would solve myriads of problems in the country.

    “When you look at it closely, entrepreneurship is just a small department in creativity.  If you study entrepreneurship, it would sustain you but when you introduce creativity into it, it will make you excel. There is a difference between doing something and also excelling in that thing. Creativity is when you have new ideas.

    It is also being able to reset old ideas into new concepts. When you introduce creativity in what you do, it makes it better. I recommend that apart from the entrepreneurial skills, universities should start teaching principles and dynamics of creativity because most problems can be solve by that.”

    Corroborating him, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Elijah Ayolabi explained that entrepreneurship was  the engine of economic growth and sustainable development. This he noted informed the conference to sensitize students  on the importance of entrepreneurship, to make them think out of the box, be business minded and create job opportunities.

    He decried the myriads of economic, social and environmental challenges stating that the  unemployment rate which rose to 23.10 percent  in the last quarter of 2018 and  80percent of the country’s estimated 190million population live on less than two dollars per day, showed  a high level  of poverty in the country.

    Read Also: Nigeria, US partner to boost creative industry

     

    Lamenting that most graduates are trained to seek for jobs that not available rather than being trained to be self reliant,  he said that there are plethora of opportunities for youths to deploy innovative skills to be successful in a seemingly not favourable environment.

    “Government also needs to wake up to its responsibility and be able to create an enabling environment for the young ones to thrive.  Look at Nigerians, wherever they are, they always excel but at home they can’t do well. This is because the environment is harsh and inconsistency in policies. Government need able to empower youths interms of funds to create and run their businesses.” he added.

    The Chairman, LOC, Dr Adedeji Adelekan advised universities to incorporate entrepreneurship in their curriculum for students to benefit from all through thier period of study.

    Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer,  Ovation Media Group, Dele Momodu shared his experiences, challenges and achievements, charging the students to always prepare to face setbacks and prove their worth at all times.

    “A star is as good as his last performance. Meaning that you must perform all the time. Your journey into entrepreneurship more often than not start  from joblessness. That was how I started,” he said.

  • Foundation to empower 100 women in five years

    By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

    A new foundation, the Cecilia Esenwa Foundation (CEF) is searching for 20 Nigerian women with any level of skills to empower yearly for the next five years.

    Speaking at the Foundation’s formal launch last Friday at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos, its founder, Mr Chris Agbaje, said the women to be selected from all parts of the country would benefit from training that would imbue them with soft/technical skills and business acumen to make a difference in their communities.

    “Each year we will identify 20 women from north and south. We have an ad-hoc staff of 40 people who will identify the women. We are not looking for inner-city women; we are looking for women anywhere they are to empower them,” said Agbaje, adding that education, religion or ethnicity would not bar any woman from being selected.

    Agbaje said he started the foundation in honour of his grandmother, Madam Cecilia Ezenwa, whose strength, wisdom and lifestyle had great influence on him and many others.

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    He said: “A woman who did not let her lack of education stop her from acquiring one. Being one of the wives of a school principal, my grandmother improved herself constantly and encouraged women around her to do the same, even as they became support systems in an era that favoured patriarchy. She became a voice for those who had none and a rallying point, excelling in trade and ensuring that women keep up with whatever skills they learnt.”

    Apart from empowering women, CEO/Director of Operations, CEF, Halima Nuradeen, said the Foundation would also collaborate on issues of drug abuse and mental health among youths and women.

    She noted that this was necessary as  “With all these we also have to look at issues of drugs/substance abuse and mental health issues among women. A lot of us might not know but the number of women with mental health and drugs/substance abuse problems is on the rise.

    We can curb these menace by empowering these women, giving them a something to look forward to, this will be of great help, we can reduce the rate of depression (mental health issues) and also the indulgence in drugs/substance abuse,” she said.

  • Infinix introduces S5 smartphones

    Infinix Mobile has introduced the S5 smartphones to the market.

    At the unveiling in Lagos, its Managing Director, Benjamin Jiang, said it is a device with the biggest Infinity-O display. S5 has the best price in the range of N75,000, one of the few devices with a 32MP AI front camera, the only device with AI quad rear camera offering the best memory options – 4GB RAM+64GB ROM and 6GB RAM+128GB ROM.

    S5 is expected to empower users with excellent smartphone experience in its price range whilst enabling them to do the most.

    “At Infinix, we’re committed to bringing the latest technologies to young consumers in global emerging markets, keeping them trendy and up-to-date, whilst empowering them to be out standing in their communities. The launch of the S5 is a great manifesto of our brand purpose, as well as the mission of the S series for great selfies and placing consumers at the center of attention. With so many ‘bests’ in this price range, we’re confident that our customers will be able to stand out from the crowd.

     

    Read Also: Infinix unveils Hot S4

     

    Also, Director Africa and the Middle East-MediaTek, Rami Osman, said the device is powered by MediaTek Helio P22 processor giving consumers the latest smartphone features and great technology at an affordable price, like support for 32MP In-Display selfie camera and 4 AI rear cameras.

    “The power-efficient Helio P22 allows MediaTek and device makers to bring ‘New Premium’ devices to market and reshapes expectations of what an affordable selfie camera smartphone can deliver,” he said.

    He said one of the key highlights of S5 is its 6.6-inch HD+ Infinity-O Display, which makes it the biggest display for smartphone under N70,000 in the market.

    The Infinity-O Display adopts a slimmer, bezel-less design, which allows S5 to achieve a 90.5per cent screen-to-body ratio. “With a 20:9 screen aspect ratio which follows the current cinema screen trends, S5 will provide users with a brilliant viewing experience. Immerse yourself in video streaming, gaming and image capturing,” he said.

  • NAPPS woos private sector firms

    By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

    The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) Southwest Zone has started a conversation with private sector firms to provide services to schools at reduced cost in a bid to lower the cost of private education.

    Speaking at a Roundtable Discussion Conference organised by the zone at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island Tuesday, Deputy National President of the association, Chief Yomi Otubela, said reducing the cost of education would enable more children go to school.

    He said with over 37,000 schools under NAPPS educating 60 per cent of primary and secondary school children pan-Nigeria, private sector companies that partner with the group on affordable services would be able to leverage on the numbers while playing their parts as socially responsible organs of the society.

    He said: “Private education in Nigeria comes at a cost, and (the cost) is increasing day by day.  There are some schools where the cost of rendering standard education to Nigerian children is becoming unbearable especially in this harsh economy.  We have come to synergize with the private sector to have services and products sold to our schools at reduced prices.  We in turn we intend to drive traffic to these companies with little or no marketing expenses on their own part.”

    Otubela who is vying for the position of NAPPS President also said it was necessary for non-government stakeholders to be concerned about the country’s out-of-school crisis and contribute to addressing the problem.

    The proprietor of Lagooz Schools, Agege, said while NAPPS members are being encouraged to offer scholarship to less privileged children around them, the private sector could help by providing ancillary support to the children.

    Read Also: Buhari woos German investors on infrastructure

     

    He said: “I am looking at even our members, owners, operators of private schools education giving out full time scholarships. What could make this hard is that these children have got to eat when they are in our hostels; those who are in day school, take lunch.  (Among) these companies are those into FSP (Fast Selling Products), foods, and drink items.  We can provide free tuition for a child; they can give us lunch, breakfast, dinner for those in the hostels.

    “For those who are into real estate, they can give us some blocks of classrooms; those who are making furniture can provide furniture to support us. Hence, we can then take these children out of the streets and give them not only education but standard and quality one for that matter.”

    NAPPS Southwest Zonal President, Stephen Abitogun, a lawyer, also urged the firms to support the association’s cause.

    Firms present at the event which had as theme: “Defining Developmental Policies for the Advancement of the Private Education Sub-Sector in Collaboration with the Organised Private Sector:” included: UBA, First Bank, Nestle, LAPO, AIICO, school compass, WAEC, Emirates, Caleb University, and many others.

  • Senate demands special funding for judiciary

    By John Austin Unachukwu

    The Senate has demanded a special intervention fund to enable the judiciary function efficiently and effectively.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele, noted that unless this was done, judicial corruption would be difficult to combat.

    Senator Bamidele, who spoke during the Upper Chamber’s screening of Justice John Tsoho and Justice Benedict Kanyip last Monday, said the judiciary needed rescuing.

    Justice Tsoho was nominated for the position of Chief Judge of the Federal High Court while Justice Kanyip was nominated for the position of the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), following the retirement of the former President of the Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo from service.

    Their names were forwarded to the Senate for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari before he travelled abroad.

    Responding to the justices’submissions during the confirmation hearing, Bamidele said the judiciary was vulnerable to compromise because it was underfunded.

    He noted that democracy could not grow or survive in any country with a compromised judiciary.

    Read Also: Senate probes N5.5b Kagara Dam project

     

    Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central in the National Assembly, said: “The problem at hand is that the judiciary is corrupt and it is time for Nigeria and Nigerians to rise and rescue the judiciary with adequate funding.

    “As it is with the nation’s judiciary today, even if saints are appointed from heaven to serve as justices and judges in our courts, it is only strength of character that can prevent them from being corrupt and dispense justice as required.

    “Extra-budgetary provisions will help the judiciary to function properly.”

    The lawmaker commended Buhari for increasing the budgetary allocation for the judiciary on  yearly. But he said the increments fell short of what was required.

    “Within the last four years, the budgetary provision for the judiciary has been experiencing marginal increases under the present administration, but it is not yet Uhuru.

    “The special intervention fund must come first before a consistent increase on an annual basis,” Bamidele said.