The Nation Newspaper

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  • How Mike Ciorrocco is helping others find their rocket fuel

    How Mike Ciorrocco is helping others find their rocket fuel

    Our Reporter

    As the founder and CEO of People Building Inc., Mike Ciorrocco is determined to help people use setbacks as “rocket fuel” for their comeback. Mike holds a long list of impressive titles: podcast host, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, business consultant, accountability coach, mortgage and real estate expert, husband, and father.

    However, he finds his true worth in helping others achieve greatness, drawing on his personal experiences as motivation. “I came from a broken home as a child and felt given up on by my hero, my dad,” Mike explains. “As I grew older, I realized that the psychological and mental abuse I went through wasn’t unique; other people had to struggle with this, too. Those experiences lit a fire in me to help others and show them how they too can use their life’s setbacks and disappointments as rocket fuel to break through barriers and propel themselves forward.”

    As a result of this realization, Mike set out to find an outlet for sharing his experiences with others. Coming up empty, he decided to create his own. He says, “I started the “What Are You Made Of?” movement to share my personal story and help others take their setbacks, letdowns, and disappointments and turn them into rocket fuel to propel their lives to the next level.” Through his podcast, What Are You Made Of? With Mike C-Roc, Mike teaches business professionals, showing them how to grow their business starting with a foundation based on culture and accountability, to building their people to unimaginable levels. However, these successes lead him to another professional endeavor.

    He recalls, “The reach of the “What Are You Made Of?” helped me see how big of a need businesses had to build their people, and People Building Inc. was born.”

    People Building Inc. offers a seven-week mentorship program, one-on-one personal coaching, and public speaking at a variety of events. With a focus on mental, spiritual, physical, and financial literacy, People Building Inc. is committed to Mike’s own life mission: helping others achieve greatness. “Many people focus on the outward things people should be doing to achieve financial success,” he says. “I believe that true success in life, be it finances, relationships, or your own self-actualization, is rooted in the stories you tell yourself in your head every day. Getting your head right is the first step to getting and achieving success, and not enough people are teaching that.”

    To combat this lack of knowledge, Mike has several projects on the horizon. He says, “I am writing a book entitled “Rocket Fuel” scheduled to be released in early 2021. Then, my partners and I are developing a training platform that will help mortgage professionals learn the skills and mindset they need to thrive. It will also help individuals find their own rocket fuel to accomplish their goals.”

  • NSE Awards Engr. Iyiola Omisore the Presidential Merit Award

    NSE Awards Engr. Iyiola Omisore the Presidential Merit Award

    Our Reporter

    Addressing members of the Nigerian society of Engineers and other Participants at the Association’s Annual General Meeting, Engr. Iyiola Omisore has reiterated the need for a swift implementation of the, ” Nigeria Society of Engineers Budget Performance and Projects Monitoring Working Group”to begin immediately, given the urgency and critical importance of budget and infrastructural development to the Nigerian economy advancement

    He also explained while delivering his speech that given the vast expertise within the NSE, the project will be solely implemented by its members across the 36 states of the Federation.

    According to him,” the NCE shall glavanise its Local branch to ensure the success of the NSE- BPPMWG”

    He also admonished members of the association to give their best in the dispatch of their duties to the nation especially at this time when there are so many young brilliant engineers among them that could be positively engaged, offering them the much needed leadership to thrive.

    Also, he appreciated the President, the members of the national executives and all other Engineers present at the occasion.

    Also in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the engineering profession in Nigeria, he was given the presidential merit award

  • Inequality destabilises society, says Vicsoleil

    Inequality destabilises society, says Vicsoleil

    Our Reporter

    A society where inequality is ingrained in its socio-economic matrices will hardly be progressive,.

    This is one of the key points stressed by African Canadian equality exponent, Beausoleil Victor Emmanuel Mervyn, in a recent interview.

    Beausoleil, better known on social media as Vicsoleil, disclosed that this is one of his motivations for his pursuit of youth justice and equity for communities.

    “Many of my friends at an early age died due to gun violence in Toronto. Many were also incarcerated due to poverty, systemic oppression, absent fathers, criminalisation, and school-to-prison pipeline in the under-served and marginalised communities in Ontario,¨ he recounted.

    Inequality, Vicsoleil avowed, has a corrosive effect on contemporary society. “The consequences of inequality are fragile economies, societal unrest and lost generations of future leaders.”

    He added: “Those on the margins and the periphery of the economy require practical frameworks to advance, and when they can advance, it benefits the entire planet.”

    Vicsoleil, who co-founded Redemption Reintegration Services at 24, did not rest on his oars. Social Economy Through Social Inclusion (SETSI), another impact group he co-founded has become an empowerment mechanism for minority groups in Canada.

    “I wanted to make a difference,” he stated, “decrease recidivism and generally save lives through mentorship, capacity building, leadership and intergenerational collaboration and meaningful opportunity provision.”

    A board director of Toronto Community Benefits Network and Board President of Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDnet), Vicsoleil further avowed that everyone can contribute to the health of the society by trying their best to raise a good family. “A family is the greatest investment you can make,” he said. “And the investment in children pays dividends every day for life.”

  • AfCFTA ratification: Two things FG must quickly do, by NESG

    AfCFTA ratification: Two things FG must quickly do, by NESG

    By Chinyere Okoroafor

    The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has praised the Federal Government for ratifying of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement on November 11, 2020.

    It congratulated the Federal Executive Council (FEC), led by President Muhammadu Buhari, “for taking the bold step.”

    In a statement, it proposed two steps the country must take to protect its economy and enable Nigerian businesses maximise the benefits of AfCFTA membership.

    It urged the government to forward to the National Assembly a bill identifying the various national policies that would be affected by AfCFTA, and domesticate the Treaty across national Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    Secondly, it canvassed that competent institutional structures and necessary infrastructure be put in place for effective implementation of the Agreement.

    The statement said: “After the President signed the Treaty on the 7th of July 2019, the National Action Committee (NAC) was inaugurated to examine what it would take for the country to ratify and domesticate the Agreement for appropriate implementation, particularly in the following areas: (a) key institutional considerations; (b) legal framework politics and governance considerations; (c) peace and security; (d) good governance institutions; and (e) sectoral policies.

    “The need for these, among others, is expected because of the large population and economic size Nigeria will be bringing into the initiative; as well as lessons learnt from similar free trade engagements in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and from other parts of the world.

    READ ALSO: NES#26: NESG announces new date for its summit

    “The time taken to fully consider the initiative is never wasted, as it has allowed greater number of stakeholders across the country to be properly briefed about the continental economic integration, and has allowed the economy to put in place institutional structures that are necessary conditions for effective implementation of the initiative in the country.”

    It observed that in the course of the waiting, individual and corporate citizens of Nigeria became aware that the integration would: (1) encourage competition, which would consequently increase Nigeria’s efficiency, in order to be at par with its competitors; (2) make Nigeria produce more goods and services it is most efficient in; (3) eliminate tariffs and quotas as well as monopolies, as more players can be brought into the market; (4) lead to low prices of goods and services and allow consumers enjoy a higher purchasing power; and (5) make consumers gain better, easier and cheaper, access to a variety of products that are inexpensive.

    The NESG said despite the above envisaged benefits, Nigerians became conscious that: (1) when imports come in more easily, domestic producers can easily access them, allowing them adapt the ideas and sell them, particularly when there are no strong intellectual property laws; (2) outsourcing of jobs can become a trend within a free trade area, if there is a lack of labour protection laws, where employees work in unhealthy and substandard work environments; and (3) since member countries in the AfCFTA are no longer able to collect import duties, Nigeria needs to think of ways to compensate for the reduction in tax revenue.

    It added: “Having weighed the various options, the trade creation and diversion effects of the regional fortress are expected to lead to attraction and development of continental transnational corporations headquartered in Nigeria, with affiliates around other African countries. Therefore, ratifying and domesticating the AfCFTA Treaty is a commendable move.

    “However, immediately after its ratification, a bill which comprises of the various policies that would be affected by AfCFTA should be forwarded to the National Assembly, to fully domesticate the Treaty across national Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    “In addition, competent institutional structures and necessary infrastructure must be put in place for effective implementation of the Agreement.”

  • Hon. Idowu Otetubi laudable efforts towards Akeredolu re-election success

    Hon. Idowu Otetubi laudable efforts towards Akeredolu re-election success

    Our Reporter

    Honor to the deserving, while the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Ondo State, in general, continue to celebrate the victory of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN in the October 10 Gubernatorial election in Ondo State, it’s quite important that the notable men who contributed to this great feat be also celebrated.

    Among them is the highly reputable, Hon. Idowu Otetubi, MBA, FCA, an accomplished chartered accountant with over 34 years of practice, and also the Commissioner for Natural Resources in Ondo State.

    As a party chieftain, a founding member of the party, whose history can be traced from the ACN to the APC; he ranks high among the few who never held back their resources in ensuring the adequate mobilization of the people for Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN.

    Despite being hailed from the city of Akure which is also the hometown of the Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP), he ensured that through his contributions, the APC recorded enough votes needed in Akure which went a long way to add to the eventual total votes of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN.

    READ ALSO: Second term: Akeredolu’s political enforcers

    Popularly known and respected for his good personality, one built on the cores of integrity, Hon. Idowu Otetubi saw to the donations of both his financial resources and also his moral support to ensuring that the re-election bid of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN and his running mate Hon. Lucky Ayedatiwa was indeed a successful one.

    Also adding to the fact that he is a key member of the Akeredolu led administration in Ondo State, he has continued to see to the good representation of the Governor through the effective dispatch of his work as the commissioner for natural resources in Ondo State.

    Through his office, he has been able to reach out to the people of Ondo State across the 18 local government areas of the state with the dividends of a good democratic process

  • Nigerian-American singer 2JAY returns with ‘On the Telephone’

    Nigerian-American singer 2JAY returns with ‘On the Telephone’

    Our Reporter

    Outstanding Nigerian American musician, 2Jay has dropped a brand new single titled ‘On The Telephone’.

    Real names James Junior Akasi is a Nigerian musician born on 9th September 1988 and an indigene of Edo State.

    2Jay is an amazing musician whose versatility stands him out among his peers in the music industry. His approach to music are always classy, he makes attention-catching and evergreen deliveries anytime he releases a new song.

    The brilliant singer, on his latest hit track, ‘On The Telephone’, blends Jamaican Patois with the English language to create a piece of stunning and enviable music that everyone will definitely put on replay to grasp the logical lyrics of 2Jay.

    2Jay says he’s spreading his tentacles higher to attract a new audience through ‘On The Telephone’, “My new single is for my existing fans, and to attract a new audience who speak Patwa as their major language”, he said.

    Since 2Jay scored his major hit with his much-admired song, ‘Radio’, in 2015, he keeps improving on his ability to churn out artistic songs and even bigger hit tracks.

    ‘On The Telephone’ is a hip-hop song released alongside simple visuals, showing 2Jay serenading his woman with his fabled libretti.

    2Jay took a long break from music after his 2015 groundbreaking hit and introduction to the music market. With the current level of growth and worldwide acceptance of afrobeat and Nigerian sounds, 2Jay is set to take his rightful spot in the mainstream as he is gearing up to compete with the big names in the industry.

    According to the artiste, “its time to represent motherland fully and I’m ready to dethrone a lot of people with great hits to be released back to back.”

    His current single is taking over the airwaves with massive public acceptance and media support, the time is now or never.

    2Jay’s new single on the telephone is a must-listen as he displayed professionalism with his specially crafted kind of sound a fusion of hip-hop. afrobeat and a blend of Jamaican patois. The artiste is ready to return to Nigeria for shows and tours this season and is open for bookings etc. Connect with him on Twitter @2jayAkasi and on Instagram @xx2game_2jay

  • Zicsaloma warms hearts with quality humour

    Zicsaloma warms hearts with quality humour

    By Chinyere Okoroafor

    When new social media apps were created, comedy took on a new dimension. Indeed, some social media comedians are responsible for our outpourings of laughter. These Instagram comedians are unquestionably one of the world’s untold heroes right now, putting a smile on our faces.

    The proliferation of comedy is seen as a modern way to lighten our moods, and there are thousands of comedians who poke their faces in a rhythmic manner or perform amusing acts. When we want to laugh and unwind, we turn to comedy. When the number of comedians grows, so does the volume of content generated across all platforms.

    Aloma Isaac Junior, better known as Zicsaloma, is a comedian who uses humour to make people ease off the tension. Many people have enjoyed his jokes and followed him on all social media.

    And as such, the skit maker has starred in comic roles such as Mama Desperate, Sisi Ekwi, Angelica, Mama Amazing Grace, and others.

    After taking a more in-depth look at this comedian, it was discovered that he makes a distinction between the roles of Mama Amazing Grace, a nosy and cranky old lady, Sister Ekwitos, an adopted Christian, and Mama Desperate, the forever pregnant woman.

    Zicsaloma is regarded as a rising star who has driven his way into the hearts of his fans thanks to his swift speech and sharp tongue. His comic role on the other hand, is prepared to keep his audience entertained with a variety of scenes from his skits, amusing words, and hilarious characters.

  • Bacterial infections leading cause of neonatal deaths in Nigeria – Survey

    Bacterial infections leading cause of neonatal deaths in Nigeria – Survey

    Justina Asishana – Minna

    Severe bacterial infections account for the largest portion of neonatal deaths in Nigeria, the 2019 Verbal and Social Autopsy (VASA) study has revealed.

    It states that the three leading causes of neonatal deaths were sepsis, intrapartum-related injury and pneumonia.

    The study further reveals that malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia were the top three causes of deaths in children aged one to 59 months.

    The Verbal and Social Autopsy (VASA) repost was launched by the National Populations Commission (NPC) during the zonal dissemination seminar organized by the Commission which was both virtual and in-person in Minna, Niger state.

    The Federal Commissioner of the National Populations Commission, Barrister Aliyu Datti explained that the 2029 Verbal and Social Autopsy Study which is a follow up to the 2018 NDHS was conducted to estimate the causes and determinants of neonatal and under-five child mortality.

    He stated that the report would help in assisting policymakers plan and formulate policies for the health sector about infant and child mortality in Nigeria adding that data from the 2019 VASA survey will ensure that planning in the health sector is evidence-based and will ensure maximum utilization of resources in that sector.

    The Federal Commissioner who was represented by the Niger State NPC Director, Mallam Uthman Baba said the 2019 VASA report was conducted by the NPC in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and other agencies adding that the 2019 VASA survey was the second in the series, the first being conducted in 2014.

    Baba further said that the situation the nation finds itself especially with the content of the report is one that calls for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to rise and spur into action to provide the enabling environment for our young ones to survive and grow into adulthood.

    “The menace of under-five mortality cannot be wished away, indeed, there has to be purposeful interventions and programmes from all concerned to reduce under-five mortality in Nigeria. But first, appropriate data on causes and factors that lead to under-five deaths are required to properly implement meaningful programmes and interventions.

    “The conduct of the 2019 VASA survey marks another major step by the National Population Commission in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health and other agencies to respond to the national imperative of providing adequate and relevant data for national planning, particularly in the health sector.

    “The VASA Survey is therefore meant to provide policymakers with accurate and timely data to formulate courses of action designed to help guide the government in proper stakeholder engagement, policy and programme implementation to reduce under-five deaths to the barest minimum in Nigeria.

    “The Survey will also provide a substantial amount of household-based data needed in Nigeria and the outcome of the survey will inform programming that would improve levels of health care delivery as well as facilitate equitable access to quality care for all children.”

    Baba then appealed to stakeholders in the health sector to avail themselves of the huge data generated by the 2019 VASA survey in the planning, execution and

    evaluation of health programmes for infants and children in the country.

    “Effective planning in the health sector is, therefore, necessary to improve the quality of the nation’s human resources. It is my sincere hope that the Report of the 2019 VASA study will serve as a tool of reducing under-five mortality in Niger state and Nigeria in general,” he said.

    Launching the report, the Wife of the Niger State Governor, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello noted that the VASA report is coming at an appropriate time when the State is strategizing on addressing infant mortality rate.

    READ ALSO: Common disorders occurring in pregnancy (4) Infections

    Bello who was represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs stated that the report will impact on the lives s of the children appealing to the funders and the development partners of the report to support the efforts made in addressing the enormous health challenges the state faces.

    “I also want to assure you that the state government would work assiduously to ensure that the recommendations of the report would be pursued.”

    The Secretary of the Niger State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane commended NPC and its partners for the report describing it as an evidence-based report that can be used by policymakers to improve the health sector.

    Matane who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Economic Affairs, Alhaji Baba Wachiko stressed on the need for stakeholders to look for ways of tackling the challenges that were highlighted in the report.

    “On this report, the state government will key into it and work to ensure that we no longer have neonates and under-five children deaths in the country.”

    The report recommended the accelerated implementation of key, existing intervention programmes for the identification and management of newborn infections at community and first-level health facilities and case management of common childhood illness in the community.

    The report further recommended the scaling up and strengthening implementation of the community health influences, promoters and service programme (CHIPS) and improve the management of the integrated management of childhood illness programme for primary level facilities.

  • BREAKING: INEC reschedules bye-elections for Dec. 5

    BREAKING: INEC reschedules bye-elections for Dec. 5

    By Okodili Ndidi Abuja

    The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has rescheduled the postponed 15 bye-elections in 11 states to December 5.

    Read Also: Bayelsa: APC divided ahead of senatorial bye-elections?

    The electoral commission had shifted the bye-elections in Lagos, Bayelsa, Imo and Cross River among others indefinitely from October 31 owing to the violence that trailed the #EndSARS protests across the country

    Details shortly…

  • Northeast tertiary institutions discuss takeoff of publishing centre

    Northeast tertiary institutions discuss takeoff of publishing centre

    By Onimisi Alao, Yola

    Public universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the Northeast have met to deliberate on successful takeoff of their regional Academic Publishing Centre (APC) in the Adamawa State capital, Yola.

    The Academic Publishing Centre for the Northeast is domiciled at the Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH) from which publishing of text books and other activities will be linked to public tertiary institutions across the Northeast.

    The Academic Publishing Centre in Yola is one of seven such centres, one in each of the six geopolitical zones and Abuja, established by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to function as model publishing centres in representative institutions across the country.

    Chairman of the Board of Trustees of TETFund, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, who led the TETFund management to the Board of Trustees Engagement with beneficiary Institutions of the Northeast’s Academic Publishing Centre in Yola, said in view of the Fund’s determination to deliver responsive intervention programmes to promote innovative approaches to learning, the Board invited all the beneficiary institutions to deliberate on the best way of operating, managing, and sustaining the centre.

    He informed the heads of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education who attended the meeting from Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states that printing machines would be supplied to the centre in the next couple of weeks as part of the final steps for takeoff.

    Executive Secretary of TETFund, Prof Suleiman Bogoro, explained paucity of indigenously authored and produced tertiary level textbooks and related academic publications in Nigeria’s tertiary educational institutions informed the establishment of the APCs.

    “It is expected that nuturing the culture of quality authorship and production of indigenous books will not only ensure the availability of relevant books in the diverse subject areas that take cognisance of our local environment and sensibilities, it will also safeguard our national pride,” the TETFund executive secretary said.

    Vice Chancellor of the host Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Prof Abdullahi Tukur, advised institutions in the Northeast to collaborate to advance research and human development of the people of the Northeast.