Terra, the household name in the fast moving consumer goods segment has continued to satisfy consumers with their array of product offerings like the Terra seasoning cubes.
As part of building consumer loyalty the brand unveiled the “Unwrap Joy” campaign to help their consumers celebrate life’s small but profound moments, inviting people to share their personal snippets of happiness.
The response was overwhelming, with social media alight with stories of joy and cherished memories. Building on this success, Terra introduced the “Unwrap Memories” campaign, which focused on the nostalgic connections that unite people.
This campaign encouraged sharing of vivid, meaningful memories, creating a beautiful tapestry of past and present that deeply resonated with participants, forging heartfelt connections, and celebrating enduring bonds.
Now, Terra is ready to embrace the next chapter of this journey: “Terra Unwrap Your Smile.”
The campaign’s central theme revolves around the idea that smiles are hidden in the everyday moments of connection that we sometimes overlook. Whether it’s smiling at a random stranger, sharing a home-cooked meal with family, or bonding with friends over a delicious dish, Terra Seasoning Cube aims to remind us that joy can be found in the simplicity of life’s daily rituals, despite life’s challenges.
“In these challenging times, it’s easy to forget the simple joys that sustain us,” said Probal Bhattacharya, Chief Marketing Officer, TGI Group.
“But at Terra Cube, we believe happiness is a shared experience, even amidst adversity. Our ‘Unwrap Your Smile’ campaign invites you to rediscover the power of a smile – a spark that ignites joy and connection. Whether it’s a shared meal with loved ones or a heartfelt laugh with friends, let’s come together to create a world where smiles are as contagious as laughter and as enduring as friendship.”
The campaign has taken off with the same spirit of joy and appreciation that had defined its predecessors. Terra is inviting people to share their smiles, their laughter, and their moments of genuine happiness.
This isn’t just about capturing a fleeting grin but about unwrapping the deeper, more enduring smiles that came from shared experiences and heartfelt connections.
As the stories of smiles and laughter roll in, it is clear that Terra had struck a chord once again. People are not just participating, they are also truly engaging and embracing the idea that a smile is something that could be unwrapped and shared.
Through it all, Terra remained steadfast in its commitment to appreciating and celebrating the essence of human connection.
Each campaign, from “Unwrap Joy” to “Unwrap Memories” and now “Unwrap Your Smile,” is a show of the brands belief that in every challenge and every moment, there is always something to smile about. In this journey of unwrapping joy, memories, and smiles, Terra continues to touch hearts, inspire hope, and bring people closer together.
Terra Seasoning Cubes are made up of wholesome, carefully sourced essential ingredients specially designed to meet the discerning Nigerian consumers’ needs in every meal, offering great taste, flavour, and aroma for that unique cuisine experience.
Chairman, Nigerian Health Commissioners’ Forum and Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Oyebanji Filani, in this interview with Dele Anofi, speaks on the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Federal Government’s commitment towards solving the myriads of health challenges facing the country.
The Federal Government has deployed some funds from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to States to kick-start its Health Sector Renewal Rejuvenation agenda; would this not end up like several others before it, where the nation had nothing to show for it?
The BHCPF is meant for primarily two things. One, it goes directly from the federal to the states and from states to the facility through the state primary health care development agency. At the facility level, facilities utilise that resource for operational expenses. So essentially, the facility needs to go and get commodities from the drug management agency warehouse. They can use part of that money to do it. If they need to do an immunisation campaign, they can use part of that money to do it. If they need to repair maybe a broken bulb, they can use part of that money to do it. So essentially, that money goes directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria account of the Federal government to the CBN account of the State and from State CBN accounts to Primary Health care facility accounts. So it’s a very separate mechanism, from a public financial management perspective, very separate accountability lines for how the funds are deployed. That’s on the one hand. The second part of the Fund also goes from the CBN account of the Federal to the CBN account of the State or goes through the State health insurance agencies. And the State health insurance agencies then use the money to pay for services of Nigerians living in different states.
In my state for instance, we have about 35,000 people covered under the BHCPF, who can access a wide variety of primary health care services and to some extent some secondary care services, already paid for. And this is what obtains across the entire country as well. I must say that the funds disbursed recently are not the first tranche. The first tranche, about N25billion, was disbursed to states in January 2024. At the outset, maybe about 16 or 17 states because everybody needed to set up accounts, but now all states are in. Only one primary health care facility per ward qualifies, even though a state could have up to 600, 700 facilities and up to three or four per ward. Now, with the Minister’s current push to expand geographical access, which is what we’re pushing for, is to ensure that more facilities are now covered. So we’re moving away from a little under 10,000 facilities, which equates to one PHC per ward, to about 17,000 facilities across the country.
You mean the disbursements are getting to their right destinations across the states?
At the facility level, of course; let’s not forget that these are facilities whose primary responsibility is to deliver services. We also have to continue to find ways to support them to ensure that some of the administrative requirements for how the retirement of these funds are done are properly done. That’s the process in which we are in. So, there’s a lot of good that has happened with the BHCPF. But I’m cautiously optimistic about the next phase, because we’re now moving to BHCPF 2.0, where facilities will get more money to be able to deliver more services; and that’s not only at the local government level, but also at the state level. Because that’s something that commissioners are very interested in, that we can adequately track. And that there is a performance management that allows us to monitor and evaluate the use of these resources.
The Federal Government is very upbeat about Universal Health Coverage; do you think we are on the right course?
The UHC is an aspiration, a goal that we aspire to. By definition, it means that everybody has access to all the care that they need, and that the care is of the right quality, without them losing their financial dignity. In Ekiti State where I come from as an example, we have achieved what I consider to be UHC of a set of services, primary care services, because everybody in Ekiti State, 3.6 million people in Ekiti State, have access to a suite of explicit, defined primary care services. And a number of states are also moving in that direction. It will take a while, because the more services you add to the bundle of the package, the more expensive it gets, and the government has to be able to mobilise the resources for that. So for instance, if your current suite of services includes malaria, family planning, antenatal, delivery, under-five childhood illnesses, which typically forms about 75% of disease burden in Nigeria, to add things like non-communicable diseases will require significant amount of more resources, and the government has to be able to mobilise that. You mobilise that area through government public funding, or you’re finding ways within the formal sector to be able to mobilise some levies or taxes, right? So there’s a resource mobilisation conversation that needs to be had to enable us to get everybody to have all access. That’s one more point. There is a conversation on how, if you mobilise all of those resources, pull it together to achieve the necessary allocation efficiencies to get it going? And then how do you purchase the services? So, things still depend on the bundle of the UHC on the table. If the bundle is the basic health care provision, with the additional resources that are being mobilised, with lesser conditions around the ability for enrollment, there’s a high possibility that we can meet that target if we are all committed to the process. And I think His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, has shown significant commitment to health. I remember in December, I was at an event where he said health is back on the front burner. He’s putting a significant amount of resources to support health. I’ve seen a lot of States as well who are doing similar things. In my state, for instance, my governor has committed a significant amount of resources to ensure that we can improve health outcomes. Some of those resources include not just expanding the health care workforce, we now pay the same amounts that the Federal Government pays for clinical health workers in our state. We’re committing more to recruiting more health workers. We’re committing to improving our drug management agency to be able to get the right commodities and ensure that those commodities are in the facility. We’re providing significant resources to improving infrastructure and equipment availability in our facilities. So there’s a lot of resources going into that space, and the coastal states are also doing similar things. What we all, together, states and federal, now need to do is to coalesce all of this, to focus on ensuring that everybody is able to get access to good quality care.
How effective do you think the recent Presidential Executive Order on drugs and pharmaceuticals would be on drugs and medical devices importation, manufacturing and cost in Nigeria?
Again I must give kudos to the President because, one, it means that those commodities can come in at a far cheaper rate than they used to. And that those rates are then translated to how the manufacturing agencies in Nigeria are able to deploy their resources. But then the cost savings are passed on to Nigerians like you and I, because if a drug used to cost, say, N100, given that the cost price of that drug was based on the APIs, and those APIs were taxed in any case by about 10-15%, then all of that comes down. So we’re going to see, hopefully in the coming months, maybe early next year, some reduction in the medical inflation in Nigeria. So in that regard, I think His Excellency has done an extraordinary job.
Secondly is the work that the Bank of Industry (BOI) is doing, ensuring that we can create a resource pool and availability of funding that the pharmaceutical manufacturing agencies can tap into at a much lower rate than what would be obtainable within the banks at the moment. That ensures that they can use that for their operational expansion or for some of their working capital. Closely related to that is some of the work that the Presidential Advisory on Private Sector Initiative, Dr. Mukhtar, is also doing. So there’s quite a bit that we’re doing in that regard. On the question about whether we want to curb importation of medicines? I think to the extent that we completely eradicate fake drugs coming into the country, absolutely, yes, we should do that. It’s the right thing to do, and we must commend NAFDAC so far for taking that direction. However, we don’t want to set ourselves up by saying that drugs of good quality should not come into the country because it has negative implications for even the pricing of drugs or the availability of key drugs that we may not be able to manufacture in Nigeria. An example is vaccines. If you say we shouldn’t bring in any pharmaceuticals, then it means that almost 95% of the vaccines that we use in the country will never come into the country. So we need to be mindful of that. The same goes for what we consider orphan drugs. So, drugs for, say, things like cancer, for example, we don’t necessarily produce them in Nigeria. So we do not want to put a ban on the importation of drugs. We just want to encourage that as much as possible, insofar as it meets the NAFDAC criteria and that they are made with the highest ethical standards and pharmaceutical standards in the world.
Do you think we are doing enough within the private sector and the public sector to curb medical tourism?
If you look over the last 5-10 years, you would see that there is a shift in healthcare service delivery, particularly within the private sector in Nigeria. We’ve seen a number of facilities spring up. In Ekiti State where I’m from, Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, arguably one of the biggest health facilities in Nigeria, is comparable to some of the best hospitals you see anywhere in the world.
In Lagos, we have a number of private tertiary health facilities. Yes, you could argue that they speak to high-end elite, but the reality is that they are able to provide the sort of care that you probably get outside of the country. In that regard, I think the private sector will go where the money is. Even though health is social, they must have done their analysis and recognised that there is some opportunity to make some sense. That is ongoing and I think it’s important. The other thing that I think is important is if you look at dental care across the country, this is no longer anecdotal, but a lot of people come in from outside of the country, from the U.S. and the U.K. to come to Nigeria to get their teeth done.
The reason for that is that it’s far cheaper and the quality is about the same. Where you pay $4,000 or $6,000 or $7,000 for a procedure in the U.S., people get a similar procedure here for a fraction. There are green shoots of reverse medical tourism, but that doesn’t mean that there’s still no medical tourism going out. People go for different things. People go to seek care either because they have a personal doctor outside of the country, as an example. I think that as we continue to build the system, because it’s indeed an ecosystem, as we continue to create an enabling environment for private businesses to thrive, we’ll have more of the affable and multi-specialist hospitals. We’ll have more of the state-of-the-art facilities of this world who then come into the country. We’ll have more of the dedicated cancer centers or cardiology centers or renal centers who are able to offer comparable treatment to what you see outside of the country.
To some the medical workers migration from Nigeria otherwise known as the japa syndrome look like a death knell for the country’s health system, do you agree?
Essentially, people move for different reasons. People move for economic reasons, some move for family reasons; we’ve seen a lot more of that in Nigeria for multiple, myriad reasons. But also, as a responsible government, at the Federal, but also importantly at the State, we’ve taken stock of this. I give an example as the Chairperson of the Commissioners Forum, last year, we had to commission an assessment of human resources for health in the country. And off the back of that assessment, every state is taking the right step to ensure that we can mitigate this challenge. During the National Council on Health, the Commissioners Forum sponsored one member to focus on human resources for health, which led us to recognise one of the key issues- that we needed to expand the production of health products within the country. Our sponsor was approved alongside other members that the Coordinating Minister had put in place. And between last year and this year, almost every school, whether it’s the health institutions for medicines, for pharmacy, for nursing; all the health technology institutions have seen their intakes doubled. So that means that in the coming years, we’ll have many more health professionals who are being produced. But production is one thing, it’s also important that when they are produced, we are able to absorb them accordingly.
The Federal government already makes a certain level of payments in terms of wages but the Federal government can’t absorb everybody. That’s why the states are striving to ensure that we are also able to provide a more enabling financial environment for health workers, recognising the fiscal space and which institutions will reach the work. In my state, as an example, His Excellency, Mr. Oyebanji, has done a phenomenal job ensuring that we are able to match what the federal pays, and that allows us to not only attract, but also retain health workers that will continue to drive the state’s health agenda direction. And I’m aware that a number of my colleagues are also going through that direction. However, after producing and ensuring that they are better motivated in terms of the professional environment in which they work, the infrastructure to enable them to perform has to be available and up to date. The system must be conducive for work and that’s something that we, as governments, should also account for. And I don’t think that there is any state in Nigeria that you go to today that you’ll not see where my colleagues are ensuring that we have many more facilities with the right set of equipment, infrastructure and enabling systems to allow things to thrive. The goal is that all of these translate to improved, increased utilisation that translates to better health outcomes because that’s the essence of it. And in terms of the work that we are doing as a country, we can always improve. That’s the way it works but I think we’ve seen an uncommon commitment from His Excellency, the President, to ensuring that we move in the right direction for health. Just last week, they set up the advanced strategy for a new $3 trillion stabilisation plan. And within that, over 10% of the 350 million is a huge signal to how he recognises the role of health in productivity, and from productivity to economic development. Beyond that, he has a good team in place in the Coordinating Minister and the Minister of State, Professor Ali Pate and Dr. Tunji Alausa, who are helping to drive and shape the narrative at the federal level. But it’s something we always say, there are no federal individuals. We all live in the states, right? And that’s why the role of the Commissioners continues to remain important; we, as colleagues, must be able to hold one another, accountable for results, and that we have a mechanism for peer learning that allows us to see the best of one another and to see how well we can continue to thrive. The goal for us is not one or two states doing well. The goal is to ensure that six plus one do well; because if that six plus one do well, then everybody in Nigeria has better access to quality care and they can go about their duties as individuals who are contributing to the society in a meaningful way.
In this encounter with Gboyega Alaka, two siblings: Ediyanga and Itoro Okopide tell stories of their deep passion for tourism, souvenirs and beauty.
They are siblings; and they incidentally have the same passions – travel, culture, beauty and love for souvenirs. And so it’s no wonder that they – Ediyanga Okopide and Itoro Okopide, have both teamed up to found a souvenir and beauty shop, Eami’s Place. Located in highbrow Victoria Island, precisely opposite Silverbird Galleria on Ahmadu Bello Way, Eami’s Place is exquisite store that serves the thirst of lovers of exquisite gift items, souvenirs, wines and gorgeous women’s hairs.
Itoro, the younger of the two sisters, describes the new place, officially opened penultimate Saturday amidst pomp, as “a souvenir store that stores iconic pieces from around the world; Africa, Asia, Europe.”
“Everybody that loves unique items is our target. We have items that cut across all audiences. We have vintage wines from South Africa from as far back as 2017, 2018 that make up our gift boxes; we have Arabic pieces; we also have pieces from Europe and bundles from Asia.”
Itoro, who is quick to point out that her elder sister, Ediyanga, is the founder of the place, also explains that the hairs, which are sourced from Asia, ‘come in different colours, shapes and styles.’
“Our unique units are expertly styled by our stylists in charge; we sit down, create designs that suit women; we also have different wig styles that are unconventional.”
And for these reasons, she states that people had been showing interest in the digital promotions they’d been running online.
“This is also the first time we’re launching the hair beauty section. And we believe it’s going to go well,” Itoro said confidently.
She will go on to explain her passion for hair further: “Hair is beauty. I have always loved ladies that look beautiful; and my mum is somebody that has always pushed me to look beautiful, feel beautiful and be beautiful, and I believe that a woman’s hair is the first point of call in her beauty.”
A graduate of English from the University of Uyo, with a certification in journalism and a stint in public relations, Itoro’s love for travelling took roots from her other passion, which is writing for travels and reviewing restaurants. She had combined writing on the side with her 9-5 job working in the finance sector.
Her sister, Ediyanaga, explains their stickling with Asian hair more explicitly.
“In Asia, they do have raw donor hair. Besides, their hair is really what works well here, especially with the humidity in Africa. And they have a lot of hair, so it’s easy for them to cut off and easy for them top package as well and put in bundles. They are also very sustainable and ethical. The practice of getting and sourcing the hair (over there) is very ethical.”
Ediyanga’s inspiration to start a souvenir store stems from her passion for travelling and culture; which took roots in her over a decade background in the travel industry. A graduate of Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Calabar, with several certificates in development economics, tourism, hospitality and project management; she is CEO of a travel and lifestyle company and curates travel experiences, organises group tours as well as cultural and luxury travels.
“I have always been in the travel industry. That’s where I started off my career. I first started a brand that was centred around cultural travel, because I realised that a lot of the times when Nigerians travel and go to different countries, they do not interact with the culture of these places. They just want to go out, go to the big malls, shop and come back with all the designer pieces; but there is no interaction with the culture of the place- whether it was the food… That’s why you have Nigerians pack egusi when they travel. I first founded a travel brand that was centred around getting Nigerians immersed in the culture of places they visit.
“An offshoot of that was how we founded a souvenir store; it was still under the travel brand, but it was an online store. And that online store was selling souvenir pieces from around the world. So I do travel, and then I had groups; and when I travel with the groups, it’s easy for me to stock the store as well. Also a lot of our partners do come in from these countries. We do business with them, so it is easy for them to bring those pieces in for us to stock in the souvenir store. Occasionally we’ll go out for fairs, and we’ll still have those pieces. And there was a good reception for those pieces, especially for those people who could not afford to travel. Literally, that’s how the souvenir store started.”
On the relationship between souvenirs and hairs, Ediyanga explains: “Beauty goes very well with lifestyle. Even the souvenir pieces are also part of lifestyle. And the beauty of the hairs is that they are also sourced from outside countries, mostly Asia. There is no hair piece here that is from Nigeria. So you get the same feeling that you’re getting something from that country of your choice. Whether it’s hair, whether it’s a bag, whether it’s a lamp, a cigar or fabric; anything that is sourced from these countries is also part of souvenir. That’s why you hear people say ‘My hair is Vietnamese, my hair is Brazilian, my hair is Indian, my hair is Malaysian.’”
Economically, Ediyanga also feels she will be saving Nigerians who love these pieces a lot of the headache that comes with raising foreign exchange for travels.
“If you look at the cost of ticket to a country like South Africa, it’s over two million naira; meanwhile you have these pieces coming from these countries. So you can still have pieces of these countries without travelling there. We hope that people travel, I love to travel as well, but to get to these destinations with the forex and exchange rate is not easy. So with Eami’s place, you can still have a piece of those countries. And don’t worry, we won’t tell anybody you didn’t go (General laughter).”
In the nearest future, Ediyanga says Eami’s Place will also be looking at stocking Nigerian pieces. She especially loves handmade pieces from the North.
“The leather from the North is really good but I don’t know how to get there right now. There is still a sense of insecurity. But yes, in the near future, we’ll definitely be stocking pieces from Nigeria. We’ll also be having an auction, whereby some of the things we sell would be sent back into the local communities.”
Newly elected Lions Club Multiple Council District Chairperson in Nigeria, Ano Anyanwu, in this interview with Gboyega Alaka speaks on his new position, his journey through the ranks, leadership and why he would not describe himself as the number 1 Lion in Nigeria.
Your’re the new Lions Club Multiple Council District Chairperson for 2024/2025; I guess it will be safe to address you as the number 1 Lion in Nigeria.
Well you can say I am, but actually I wouldn’t want to refer to myself as the Number 1 Lion. Let me explain to you my position as Multiple Council District Chairperson. The Multiple District 404 Nigeria has six districts. Each of the six districts has a district governor. All the six district governors together, plus three past district governors, form what is called the multiple district council. So the multiple district council is the council that controls the multiple districts in a Lions’ Year. A Lions year starts from July 1 and ending June 30 the following year. In every Lion’s year, there is an elected district governor for each of the districts. To oversee the entire multiple districts, you have the multiple district council, which oversees the entire districts to ensure that we do the job we are supposed to do for that year – meet our goals and represent Nigeria at international fora. Within that council, one of us is elected Multiple Council chairperson, and I have been elected to occupy that position; but why I am reluctant to claim that tag is because there are a lot of senior people. Nigeria has produced an international director in the past; I think 2011/2012 in the person of Lion Engr HOB Lawal. He was the first black person elected as international director. In June 2024, when Lion’s Club International had its International Convention in Melbourne, Australia, another Nigeria, Lion Princess Bridget Adetope Tychus was elected international director; she’s the first female African to be so elected.
So when you have these heavyweight lions within your community, it is difficult to claim that you are the number 1 Lion. But the Lions like to say the MCC is the number 1 Lion in Nigeria. However, the ID is the number 1 Lion in Africa because ID is representing Africa at the constitutional area. Lions Club International has eight constitutional areas; Africa is the last to be created three years ago.
Tell us your Lion’s story; how you rose through to become MCC
I joined Lions Club International through Yaba Lion’s Club in 1996. I had gone to see this senior friend of mine, whose area I just moved into, and as he was seeing me off, I saw a banner that said Lions Club International was building a motherless babies home in Lekki. Immediately I asked him, ‘Oga, who are these people? Are they a church or government?’He told me no, that they were Lions Club International and I told him I would like to get in touch with such a club. He promised to invite me and made good his promise. I attended in 1996 and here I am. I have served the Lions movement as assistant secretary, secretary, membership chairperson, director, second vice president, first vice president, president, zone chair, international relations chairperson; then in 2020 I was elected second vice district governor; 2021, I was elected first vice district governor; 2022, I was elected governor. So I have served my district 404 A1 very well. During my time, we were able to grow the number enough to break it into two districts to become 404 A3 and 404 A4. I served as district governor in 2022/2023. In 2023/24, my district made me the chairperson of the Steering Committee, which is like the advisory committee for the governors. In May this year, I was elected Multiple Council District Chairperson.
Since debuting in Nigeria in 1964, Lions Club has done so many things to serve humanity in Nigeria. Lionism was responsible for the eradication of measles in Nigeria; Lionism was also responsible for the eradication of River blindness in Nigeria.
Did you have to go through fierce competition to become MCC?
There was no fierce contest. I think the district governors just liked me and said come and be the Multiple Council Chairperson. Usually, the district governors go for training in our international headquarters before they are elected in Illinois Chicago for training. When the six governors in Nigeria went for training and realised that the position of the MCC would be zoned to my district, they looked at all the possible candidates and decided that I should be the one.
The story of you not wanting to be regarded as the number one Lion, for me, is a lesson in humility; but how do you align that with leadership?
Long ago while I was working in the bank, we had an appraisal system, and part of the evaluation of managers is a column that says : is this person fair and firm? That stuck with me; because fair means you’ve got to do the right thing, follow due process, follow due procedure, give everybody opportunities. Firm means if people do not do what they are supposed to do, would you be able to stand your ground and ensure that they do what they’re supposed to do or sanctioned them? So for me, I try to be fair and firm. Firm means if you do the wrong thing, this is the punishment that will come to you and we will punish you in a nice and friendly manner, but you will take responsibility for your own failure. And if because of this I now become your enemy, then that is your problem. That’s why I say that I am a servant leader. I serve the people I lead.
What are we to look forward to in your tenure?
There is nothing to do differently. You can’t reinvent the wheel, but what I will ensure is that the things we need to do as Lions, we do them. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the Lions Code of ethics. It is the most profound code of ethics I have seen. One of the things it says is that if you’re a professional, you should show worthiness in your profession, so that you would have reputation for good quality of service. It also says that if there is an issue and there is a doubt as to whether that issue is good or bad, you should resolve it against yourself. So one of the things I’ll do is to ensure that every Lion lives up to the code of ethics, because with it, we’re like a people set apart.
Secondly, we have eight service areas, we’re going to make sure that all our Lions have service in those areas.
Three, you can’t do service without human beings, you need the numbers. Today, the number of Lions in Nigeria is about ten thousand, but there are 250million Nigerians, and we want to serve in all these service areas. So we need people. Therefore, one of the things I want to do with my fellow Lions is to bring on more service-minded people, so that the impact of our service will be more.
Four, make sure we establish relationship with our international office, because our international office gives us a lot of money to carry out assignments. But we also need to contribute to that pool of funds. The Lions Club International Foundation Worldwide gives grants for humanitarian service, but it is Lions, friends of Lions, corporate organisations that donate into that fund.
Are there economic benefits for Lion members?
A lot of people ask me that question, and the first thing I say to them is that there is nothing in it for you to be a Lion. To be a Lion, you must be service-minded; you want to serve your community and the less privileged with your time, treasure or talent. That is the major thing. If you have those qualities, then you’re qualified to be a lion. You know the bible says, ‘Seek you first the kingdom of God, and every other thing will be added’. If you’re service-minded, then there’ll be ancillary benefits for you, but if you’re joining the Lions because you’re looking for the benefits, then you’re not qualified to be a lion. Of course nothing goes for nothing; if you’re a lion, you get an opportunity to make friends, you meet people that you have not met before and you build networks; because in Lions Club, there are doctors, lawyers, pharmacies, engineers, accountants; so it can help you with your business. It also creates opportunities for you to see how you can help your fellow man. Through our local conventions, district conventions, multiple district conventions, Africa forum, you get an opportunity to see the world, so long as you can afford the transport fare.
The first Lions Club in Nigeria, Lagos Lions Club, which later became Lagos Doyen Lions Club, was formed in 1964 and it had only one Nigerian, Akintola Williams; every other person was an executive of a foreign corporate organisation. Since then, Lions Club has had a lot of quality Nigerians -Architect Majekodunmi, Engr Maduka, who was DG of NTA; a lot of important Nigerians are still serving. There is AVM Okpere, who was the first Aviation Minister in Nigeria. There is also our new International Director, Dame Princess Adetola Tychus, the first black woman to become an International Director since Lions Club was formed in 1917. So it is unfortunate that we live in such a selfish world that we all are after what is in it for us. If you start with what is in it for others, benefits will come to you in ways you can’t even imagine. Was it not Zig Ziggler that said, “If you can find a way of solving a problem for many others, then all your problems will be solved.”
The Yoruba Cultural Alliance (YCA), USA, is primed to promote and preserve the Yoruba culture, tradition and language all over the world.
According to its founder, Hon. Abiodun Akinfenwa, the alliance is a hub for advancement of cultural heritage, fostering creativity, building community connections, and enriching the lives of individuals through cultural experiences and education.
On his mission to propagate the Yoruba culture and tradition, Akinfenwa said: “My heart lies in nurturing and propagating the rich Yoruba culture. As the former president of the Ibadan Descendants Union in Dallas, TX, currently serving as president of the Yoruba Cultural Alliance and a proud patron of the Yoruba Cultural Center, I’m deeply committed to fostering a sense of belonging and pride among our community members, both locally and in the diaspora.”
Akinfenwa said the YCA remains committed to cultural preservation, arts, education and cultural diversity in society, raising awareness about the value of culture in building strong and vibrant communities.
Thus, it has distinct directorates across the six Yoruba-speaking states in Nigeria—Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti. The alliance also secured land in Arlington, Dallas, Texas, to build a Yoruba Heritage Civic Center, which will serve as a hub for the various Yoruba-speaking states.
The project has garnered substantial support from the U.S. government, including an approval of $10 million to fund the center. Its programmes are also benefiting many in America, leading to the creation of Yorubafest.
The YCA enjoys strong backing from notable patrons, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, and Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Òràngún of Òkè-Ìlá (Aroyinkeye 1). Both have also declared support for the Yoruba festival.
“My goal is to broaden the reach of Yoruba culture in Dallas, TX, and further afield. I’m actively seeking dedicated individuals who are enthusiastic about joining me in this mission to inspire our young people to value and preserve our cultural legacy, securing its dynamic presence for future generations.
“Having established this alliance, my aim is to extend the influence of Yoruba culture into Dallas, TX, and beyond. I’m searching for driven individuals who align with my vision of motivating our youth to uphold and continue our cultural traditions, guaranteeing their lasting impact for generations to come,” Akinfenwa added.
On the aims and objectives of the alliance, he said: “It serves as a hub for promoting and preserving cultural heritage, fostering creativity, and facilitating community engagement.
It is also to preserve and showcase cultural traditions, arts, crafts, languages, music, dance, and other forms of cultural expression for future generation.
“We are also poised to facilitate cultural exchange and understanding between different communities, promoting diversity, tolerance, and mutual respect, while we provide educational programmes workshops, classes, and exhibitions that promote artistic expression, creativity, and lifelong learning.
“It also seeks to engage the local community through cultural events, festivals, performances, lectures, and interactive activities that bring people together and foster a sense of belonging; conduct research, document cultural practices, traditions, and history to contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage.
The group is dedicated to supporting and showcasing the work of local artists, musicians, performers, and artisans, providing them with a platform to exhibit their talents and connect with the community.”
The General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) Dr Daniel Olukoya, has called on Christians to seek spiritual power to fulfill their divine destinies.
The cleric stated this on Friday during the opening ceremony of the church’s 35th anniversary tagged ‘Power From on High’ at the Prayer City along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Olukoya said: “The need for power is needed today and you need to pay the price to receive this power. This power is the strength of God in you to trample on serpents and scorpions.
“One definition of spiritual power that I like so much is to know what ought to be and you decide that what ought to be must be. It will remove blockages on your way.”
He added: “It has been 35 years of grace, 35 years of the manifestations of the raw power of God. Thirty-five years of the supernatural manifestations of the glory of God, 35 years of uncommon signs and wonders, 35 years of the unhindered move of God, 35 years of putting the enemies to shame, and 35 years of putting the enemies’ gear into the reverse.
“It has been 35 years of the extraordinary presence and unpolluted love of God in our midst and in the lives of those who have found in the Mountain of Fire and Miracles, a place of refuge, a haven of succour, a fortress of God’s raw power, a fountain flowing with God’s word to give fulfilment to those who are spiritually thirsty, dry or empty and a divinely empowered school where your hands are trained to war and your fingers to fight.
“From our small beginnings in 1989 to this minute, the Lord has been gracious to us as his privileged and favourite children. We give Him all the glory. We give Him all the honour and adoration.
“Our 35th-anniversary convention offers us another chance to showcase and celebrate the supernatural and explosive manifestation of God’s unstoppable power in ways that are strange and unbelievable.”
His wife, Pastor (Dr) Shade Olukoya, noted that women have very important roles to play in the Christian ministry as they fit into God’s unique purpose.
“The passion of God for women in the way he handled and perfected the making process of the woman was wonderful as we can see in the case of Eve. The making process was important to God because he put the woman together to fit into his purpose, therefore, women are very unique,” she said.
The General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, has urged the nation’s youths to dialogue with the Federal Government to achieve positive socio-economic impact for the country.
Kumuyi gave the advice while addressing reporters on arrival at the Port Harcourt Airport for a six-day programme organised by the Change Makers International Initiative (CMII) in the Rivers State capital.
The cleric, who is the Convener of CMII, described the programme as a non-religious, non-partisan, non-denominational movement, driven by a passion to achieve positive change and create social impact in Nigeria.
He said that the programme, tagged: Driving Positive Change and Social Impact, was for humanity and would make the world and the community better.
“The aim is to accomplish positive change in the lives of Nigerians, irrespective of their backgrounds, to make them effect the desired social and spiritual transformation.
“Nigeria’s well documented social, economic and moral problems are impacting all aspects of the country.
“The stark reality of the situation is that all hands must be on deck to effect needed changes; otherwise, the society will continue to suffer,” Kumuyi said.
The cleric said the group would not blame anyone for the past failures, rather call for a better change, a fresh understanding, and fresh service to the people.
According to him, while pointing fingers will not solve the problems, only positive change will heal the nation.
He said: “When we say that there should be a change, there could be different methods of bringing up the change.
“The young and older people, even the government, may have different views, but we must agree to a positive change.
“If we can harness all efforts and energy together, not trying to defeat or crush anyone, the youths, government and everyone, knowing that we all have the rights constitutionally to bring a change, we all must strategise at a round table to have direction to follow and achieve positive change.”
Planter of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Adamimogo Grace Of Mercy Prayer Mountain World-wide Prophet Sam Olu-Alo has expressed sadness over the passing of fast-rising gospel singer, Aduke Ajayi, otherwise known as Aduke Gold.
He described Aduke Gold as a shining star in the gospel music industry.
A statement by Prophet Alo recalled how music of the deceased blessed countless lives, praising her dedication towards spreading the gospel through her songs.
He said he was shocked and saddened by the news of Aduke Gold’s passing, describing it as a great loss to the body of Christ.
He extended condolences to the family of the late singer, praying that God would comfort them during this difficult time.
He encouraged fans of Aduke Gold to take comfort in the legacy she left behind, which would continue to inspire and bless lives.
He called on gospel musicians to continue the legacy of Aduke Gold by spreading the gospel through their music.
The cause of the singers death has not been confirmed.
Aduke Gold, who started music professionally in 2004, came to stardom with her live performance at the first remembrance of the late gospel artiste, Baba Ara.
Aduke, who was the 11th child of her late parents, grew up in the Ogba and Badagry areas of Lagos.
Wealth creation and financial growth took centre stage in Lagos over the weekend at the 2024 Wealth Summit, where renowned pastor and entrepreneur Matthew Ashimolowo, along with speakers Niyi Adesanya and Olumide Emmanuel, left a lasting impact.
The conference, themed “The Real Money of Lagos,” was hosted by Pertinence Group co-founders, Sunday Olorunsheyi and Wisdom Ezekiel.
The event drew over 3,000 participants, both in-person and online, for a day of insightful learning and inspiration.
Known for its focus on wealth creation and financial growth, the annual conference, which is in its fifth year, featured the top speakers who shared practical advice on how to build and secure wealth.
Olumide Emmanuel, the first keynote speaker, set the tone for the day with his powerful message. He encouraged the audience to make smarter choices than previous generations, urging them to learn from the past while finding new ways to create wealth.
Emmanuel highlighted several promising business opportunities that could help attendees improve their financial situations.
He said: “The decisions we make today will shape the financial futures of our children. It’s time to move past old ways of thinking and embrace new strategies for building wealth.”
The real estate mogul also spoke about the benefits of co-ownership, where people can team up to invest in property or businesses.
He stressed that in today’s world, working together can lead to greater success.
“You don’t have to do it alone. By joining forces with others, you can share resources, reduce risks, and achieve better financial outcomes. Collaboration is the new competition,” he said.
The conference reached another peak with the address by Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, who packaged a masterclass of three interconnected topics that resonated deeply with the audience.
Known for his wisdom on wealth creation, Ashimolowo began by outlining 40 ways to magnetise money, providing practical steps that attendees could implement immediately to enhance their financial standing.
He said: “A lizard in Nigeria will not be a crocodile in London. Your abundance isn’t coming from a place or a government. Be genuinely interested in abundance. Change your mindset to align with it. Because until your mind is changed, your money can not change.
“If all your money is in a savings account, you are not a risk taker. Today, something has to change. Be committed to taking risks. When you prioritise your financial goals, there are things you won’t put money on. You must therefore find goals that boost investment. Solve one problem at a time, and your life will change.”
Ashimolowo also emphasised the importance of investing in real estate, describing it as a reliable way to build long-term wealth. He explained that owning property is more than just having land or buildings; it’s about securing a future where your wealth can grow and be passed down to future generations.
Ashimolowo encouraged the audience to “10x” their approach to wealth creation, to think bigger, act boldly, and pursue their financial goals with determination. “If you want extraordinary results, you need to take extraordinary actions,” he said.
In his address, he highlighted the importance of building connections. “Every bit of money you need in this life is in someone else’s pocket,” he noted, “so connect with people.”
The Wealth Summit, sponsored by Eazipay, Makarios Luxury, PettySave Microfinance, and Edificio, also featured insights from Pertinence Group co-founders Sunday Olorunsheyi and Wisdom Ezekiel.
They introduced SeedX, a new platform designed to help parents secure their children’s future by investing in property, and also officially unveiled their second book, titled The Real Money of Lagos.
Shopping in supermarkets is increasingly becoming cumbersome as the unstable economy and price fluctuations have forced most supermarkets to display shelf prices of products.
While some supermarkets have out rightly stopped the display of all prices, others display prices that are a bit stable, but those prices that have high fluctuation rates like prices of imported products are not on display at all.
As a way to mitigate this, some supermarkets have resorted to fixing price scanners at the end of each shelf to enable customers to confirm the prices before coming to the pay point for payment.
These supermarkets have shelf prices on their products, but as the prices of goods keep escalating every day, they find it difficult to change the prices on the shelves. This development is making shopping difficult for shoppers.
Mrs. Jumia Olu who was on a shopping trip last week to the popular Blenco Supermarket, Akowonjo, Lagos, said she was so frustrated as she had to take each item to the scanners attached to the end of the shelves.
“Not a single price was displayed on the shelves. For each product, I had to scan them myself, and return them to the shelf, when I decided against buying such. This has taken the joy out of shopping, but I do not blame them, it is the economy,” said Mrs. Olu.
At the supermarket within the City Shopping Mall, Lagos, located opposite the Muson Center on Lagos Island, most of the shelf prices were not on display causing shoppers to wear drawn faces. “Shopping is no longer fun and much more cumbersome, because of going to and fro, scanning to determine prices before one goes to the Pay point. Not determining the price before going to the Pay point may cause a lot of embarrassment,” Miss Mercy Onwuka lamented.
“Apart from this development making things difficult for shoppers, I believe that the supermarket will be losing out on sales also because some shoppers on a budget will not have the patience to scan all they would have wanted to buy so they just pick a few things and leave,” noted Onwuka.
It is the same story at the imposing Twin Faja Supermarket, located along Iyana Oba Road near the Lagos State University [LASU] main campus Ojo. While some prices are displayed on the shelves, others are not.
Students who majorly patronize this supermarket are having a hard time shopping in the supermarket. According to Ngozi Nwankwo, one has to make trips to the Pay point to determine the price of products before one can now decide whether to buy or not considering the amount of money in one’s pocket
At ‘Price Right’ Supermarket in Lekki Phase One, popular for stocking up high-quality UK goods, the prices on the shelves were all taken down in February this year as the management complained about the ever-changing prices of goods.
According to one of the supermarket managers who pleaded anonymity, “You cannot imagine how the prices of goods change. Today you are buying at N100, before the end of that day, the price has jumped to N150. There is no way those in charge of the shelf prices can keep up with that.
“We are really sorry if our customers are experiencing difficulties but that’s the best we can do. At least we installed scanners at the end of each shelf. We want our customers to have a lasting enjoyable shopping experience and we are sorry if the current situation is making things cumbersome for them.”
This situation is not restricted to supermarkets in Lagos alone, information from other states revealed that the majority of the supermarkets have tactfully removed most of the shelf prices. Highbrow Roban Stores in Enugu, whose products are mostly imported from the UK, display most of their goods without price tag on shelves. The story is the same in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.
However, the first-tier supermarkets like Shoprite, Spar still have prices displayed on the shelves except when the workers in charge lag behind on their duties as explained by Mr. Haresh Keswani, the Group Managing Director SPAR Nigeria during an engagement between FCCPC and the National Association of Supermarket Operators of Nigeria[NASSON] and other stakeholders.
Nigeria is an import-dependent economy and Nigerian importers are purchasing goods at prices that are already very high abroad. The cost of these goods keeps fluctuating because of higher tariffs caused by the depreciation of the naira which also is not stable.
It will be recalled that in April this year, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency directed supermarkets and grocery stores in the state to display prices on their products.
The agency warned that stores that don’t follow the law risk being fined or shut down. This was disclosed in a statement posted on the official website of the Lagos State Government.
The statement read, “The Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency has issued a stern warning to supermarkets and grocery stores within the state regarding the non-disclosure of price tags on products.”
Also in February, In February, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission[FCCPC] sealed a popular supermarket in the Garki Area of Abuja, Sahad Store, for lack of transparency in the way it fixed prices for products.
However, Barrister Joe Lekan, a Public analyst and a stakeholder in the supermarket chain explained that the supermarkets are not hiding their prices or out to cheat consumers, “It is difficult to change the shelf prices almost every day as prices are continuously changing on a daily basis.
“The majority of those supermarkets still have price scanners conspicuously positioned in different parts of the supermarket,” concluded Joe Lekan.
