Category: Society

By Oladapo Sofowora

During his prime days as Governor of Abia State, the Senator representing Abia North at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Orji Uzor Kalu, is a toast of many politicians in Nigeria, most especially, within the south-east region. He made a feat by not just becoming the youngest governor in Nigeria at age 39 but going on to serve two terms between 1999-2007.

Years ago, if a soothsayer had told him that he would be in jail to celebrate his 60th birthday, the astute politician would have debunked the vision vehemently. He would believe that he is a strong politician with a powerful pedigree.

His affiliations with the ruling All Progressive Congress party leadership and his filial relationship with President Buhari are evidence for his reasons not to believe.

With all these factors, he could not escape the wrath of the law. Kalu was convicted by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on Thursday, December 5, 2019, and sentenced to 12 years in prison for defrauding Abia State using his Slok Holding to divert N7.65 billion.

On Tuesday, April 21, the astute politician and Chairman of Slok Holdings sauntered into the league of sexagenerian amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Observers had thought favour seekers and political associates would have remembered him by showering encomium for reaching such a milestone on earth.

Alas, he was forgotten in a hurry as nobody placed an advertorial to celebrate him apart from his immediate family.

If he was not in prison, newspaper advertorials and wishes would have been flying around the media space. Many cows would have been slaughtered with choice wines flowing ceaselessly, friends and political associates would have been lodged at 5-star hotels.

His constituents would have flooded his country home at Igbere, Abia State to celebrate with him. His friends would have opted to throw a high-octane 60th birthday soiree for him in Lagos, Abuja, London, New York, and Dubai. To his chagrin, he has been deserted by favour seekers, some friends, and even associates.

A close source divulged that Orji Kalu is currently learning the hard way. By the time he serves his jail term, he would decipher his true friends from his enemies. Many observers are of the opinion that a good and kind-hearted man like Kalu deserves to be celebrated even in trying times.

By Oladapo Sofowora

One of the few businessmen in the country who have had their names crested on gold, is Leo Stan Ekeh, the Chairman, Zinox Group. Not only known for business excellence, but reaching out to those around him with love has also made him an angel in human form.

He has scored many firsts in the past and he still continues in that trend, in fact, he is born a leader. Naturally, he has been placed far above his contemporaries and competitors. Like a man who sees the future, Ekeh is a man with great foresight. A rare feature that has helped him grow in everything he had ventured into.

Undoubtedly, today the Imo State-born billionaire is one personality whose love for fellow human beings is second to none. This is because he gives out freely without attaching undue attention.

It was gathered that in a bid to ameliorate the impact of the lockdown occasioned by the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in most states in Nigeria, the Zinox Group, through its ingenious initiative has been committed to feeding over 7000 Nigerian families for two weeks through its staff spread across the various states in Nigeria.

To this end, the management of the Zinox Group which includes concerns such as Zinox Technologies Ltd; TD Africa; Task Systems Ltd; TD Plus; TDiLife, among others; as well as the Konga Group – with its growing subsidiaries such as Konga Travel; KongaPay; and Kxpress, among others – has decided to use its staff across all its network of branches to disperse the food across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria to reach the under-reached and under-served populations.

The initiative, a brain-child of the Group Chairman, was borne out of the lockdown hardship and suffering he witnessed during his personal visitations to various rural locations and suburbs around town; after donations to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), some churches and states.

Consequently, the Zinox Group has set up a special palliative fund running into millions of Naira from which all employees across Nigeria will have their accounts credited. Every full-time staff in each of the respective companies in the Zinox Group and Konga – from the security man to members of Executive Management – is expected to use the funds received to adopt a minimum of three families; which it will support with essential food items to last them through the next two weeks.

Junior staff in all the companies across Nigeria are expected to nominate and donate the Zinox Group’s special palliatives to at least three needy families around their vicinity while mid-level executives are expected to reach at least five families each, and members of Executive Management will be expected to donate to at least seven families within their locality.

By Oladapo Sofowora

First Bank Chairman, Ibukun Awosika is a jolly good fellow. She has always had every reason to smile. Regardless of the situation or dilemma, she is going through, she has never allowed it to weigh her down.

She is always happy with herself. However, the Chairman of Sokoa Chair center is not having the best of times lately. She lost her octogenarian dad, Abdulmoshood Adekola, on Monday, April 20, 2020, to the cold hands of death.

Pained about the demise of her father, who had remained a pillar of support since their mum’s passing away in 2001, Ibukun took to her social media account to pay a worthy tribute to her dad.

Announcing the exit of her dad with a picture of him, the leading female exec wrote a long tribute to celebrate her dad’s life and times on earth.

In the tribute, the mother of three revealed some sweet memories they both shared as father and daughter that helped shape her life. She recounted how her late father taught them virtues like; discipline, the value of hard work, astuteness, dedication, love, and of all keeping close contact with the creator.

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She wrote, “Thank you, daddy, for teaching us the value of hard work and about living a decent honorable life. Thank you for the courage to let us all express ourselves in our own way. Thank you for being unconventional enough to let me pursue my own goals in seasons when it was not popular to do so.

Thank you for teaching my siblings and I that we could pursue our goals without any consideration for our gender. Thank you for teaching us the humility of loving all men. Thank you for teaching us contentment.”

The Chemistry graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state added that her father died a fulfilled man after giving his life to Christ when he turned 60, despite being a born Muslim.

She wrote, “Thank you for showing me the courage of conviction by having the audacity to give your life to Christ at 60years of age and serving God as an usher in church for so many years.

Thank you for standing as our diligent single parent for 19 years since mum passed in 2001. I thank God today for every day of your 87 years of life. Glad that heaven has truly gained a good soul today. Love you, my daddy. Enjoy heaven.”

The families of Adekola and Awosika are yet to announce the late pa Adekola’s burial arrangement following the lockdown order as a result of coronavirus.

By Oladapo Sofowora

Talking about one of the few people placing Nigeria on the world map, Dr. Akintunde Ishola Ayeni popularly known as Yem-Kem has always been at the forefront of globalizing the local, using our rich roots and leaves for the healing of humanity.

He is one of the few trado-medical practitioners who has re-invented the trado-medical system of healing by infusing some modern touches using capsules to package trado-medicine and distributing it around the world

At a point, many thought he was out of business. His admirers are of the opinion that he had recoiled back into his cocoon after reducing his presence on the media space alongside his company’s 48 branches across Nigeria to 7.

A source divulged that; “To be candid, Dr. Ayeni is doing fine in business. Before now, he was formerly into trado-medical consultation across Nigeria before fully delving into the manufacturing of drugs with a big factory in Ogun State. This made him keep a low profile while many thought he went off the social radar.”

Since the breaking of the deadly COVID-19 virus in Nigeria, the Pathfinder Hotel boss has been charged with the duty of finding a lasting trado-medical cure to the deadly virus. He and his team went into research in partnership with the Arole Oodua, Ooni of Ife, HIM Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

A source avered that; Yemkem is getting closer to proferring a lasting solution to the virus with our local herbs. In a few months from now, the company will announce its result to the general public. “Dr. Ayeni is currently working on an herbal formula to find a lasting solution to the pandemic.

The vaccine will boost the immunity to fight against the virus. He and his team are close to getting a result and working closely with NAFDAC in the trial phase and getting a certification from the board.

In the next few months, the vaccine would be ready for human consumption. All he seeks is a partnership with the Government so as to enhance a smooth partnership that works.”