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Tag: Ambode

  • Ambode embraces Kembe fashion

    Apart from the kind of relaxation which the Kembe pants could give a busy State Executive like Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, he beams the kind of pride one displays when a protégé is delivering on the promises of lifting a cherished culture and tradition.

    Heartily, Ambode embraces the fast-trending pop Kembe fashion, a baggy-styled debut brand of wears under Kunle Afolayan’s label called Ire Clothings.

    Afolayan is a member of the Board of Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, and apart from running Ire Clothings as a business,Kunle’s Kember,  the ‘funkified’ Yoruba attire, made entirely from local fabrics, is just one of his ways of promoting Lagos State, and the South-West by extension.

    Afolayan told The Nation that patronage has been so unprecedented, running into thousands in less than a month of launching the product. He is optimistic that apart from the present local and international distributions for the product, Ambode’s subtle endorsement of Kunle’s Kembe is sure to galvanize market demand, being the People’s Governor.

    Already the ‘October 1’ director is inundated with demands for the product by fellow celebrities, socialites and politicians who have found the simple-styled fashion as a refresher.

    Some of the celebrities who have signed for Kunle’s Kembe include Richard Mofe-Damijo, Ali Baba, Desmond Elliot, Faithia Balogun, Falz the Bahd Guy, Femi Adebayo and Toyin Abraham among others.

    The filmmaker, on Thursday, also unveiled the official logo of Ire Clothings, a creative lettering bearing the scissors as a center of attraction on a blue fabric, dotted by sparkling cowries.

    The filmmaker reiterated that the attire “is one of the products that I intend to also use to promote Lagos. It is one of the souvenirs that tourists will have to take away from here subsequently. And I must add that all fabrics are locally sourced and so are the hands used in piecing them together. It is hundred percent Nigerian.”

  • Ambode: our investment in entertainment will boost economy

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said his administration’s investment in entertainment will boost the economy.

    He spoke at the Yoruba Tennis Club’s First Anniversary/Award Night, hosted by the Jazz Summit Group of the club.

    The governor, represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Tunji Bello, noted that the entertainment industry has the potential to create employment and wealth.

    “Lagos State government’s investment in the sector will boost the economy,” he said.

    Ambode hailed the club for hosting the summit and for organising a colourful and delightful evening of Jazz music, which kept the audience happy and yearning for more.

    Chairman of Yoruba Tennis Club Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo said the music summit was resuscitated last August as an addition to the rich and diversified hospitality and socio-cultural space of the club.

    He said it was conceived to foster friendship among the club’s diverse and multi-ethnic members.

    Fabamwo said the summit helped in promoting the club’s outreach to the larger community, adding that “this innovation has made the club a place to be to listen to good Jazz music in Lagos.”

    Chairman of the Jazz Summit,  Olusegun Akinsanya, said it had been acknowledged worldwide that Jazz was a music for mature minds; old and young.

    “It also serves as a means of relaxation, thus contributing to making the mega city a preferred tourist destination in Nigeria,” he said.

  • Bamigbetan urges INEC to supply more machines for registration

    ***tells INEC to use over 4,000 CDAs in Lagos to distribute PVCs

    Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to end the long queues of residents besieging registration centres by providing more registration machines and personnel.

    Addressing members of a political group, The Mandate Movement at a special meeting to pray and prepare members for the Sallah festival at his residence in Ejigbo, Bamigbetan said the hundreds of enthusiastic citizens mobilized by the group to register are discouraged by the hardship encountered at the centres.

    He said the hardship was unnecessary and avoidable as more machines and personnel could be deployed to meet the surge that the advocacy for registration has created.

    “If INEC lacks the funds to purchase more machines, it should seek aid from state and federal agencies which appreciate the importance of this civic responsibility. The members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC can be mobilized as ad-hoc staff. I am appealing to INEC to think outside the box. A situation in which two machines are serving thousands of willing registrants in Ejigbo is certainly not advisable.”

    Bamigbetan also called on INEC to make use of the over 4,000 community development associations in Lagos State to distribute the millions of cards in its possession.

    “Our CDAs are legally registered entities with authority over specific number of streets and households. They can act as agents of INEC in distributing the cards to the owners. The current system of waiting for them to come is not delivering results,” he said.

    Bamigbetan urged participants at the meeting to ensure that the All Progressives Congress plan to expand its membership is executed to the letter, adding that the directive of the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu reiterated by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode recently is a task that must be accomplished.

    Read Also: Registration: INEC records more men than women

    He thanked the members for their staunch support of the APC government at federal, state and local government levels assuring them that all the electioneering pledges would be fulfilled.

    In his speech at the event, the chairman of the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Hon. Monsuru Bello Obe commended the state and the local government for the successful completion of Ona Iwa Mimo street where the meeting took place adding that many road projects are still on the board.

    He appealed for peaceful conduct during the Sallah festivities and advised the people to avoid provocation from any quarters.

    No fewer than 100 bags of rice, 2000 bags of garri and ten cows were mobilized for the needs of the people at the event.

  • Ambode not against the Igbo, says Eze Ndigbo

    Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu has urged the Igbo resident in Lagos State to go about their legitimate businesses without any fear of intimidation by the Lagos State government. He said Ambode has no plans to do anything  harmful to Ndigbo or any other ethnic group resident in Lagos.

    Eze Nwachukwu spoke on Sunday while addressing reporters at the Lagos State Igbo Community Centre on Nwachukwu Drive Okota Isolo Lagos while reacting to what he called “fake news on one of the social media platforms to the effect that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was making some moves against non-indigenes, especially the Igbo”.

    He revealed that the government, through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan, has debunked the allegation, adding that “those who peddled the fake news only wanted to sow seed of discord among Ndigbo and their host communities to achieve their selfish goals.”

    Eze Nwachukwu said the mischief makers aimed at causing disaffection among Ndigbo resident in Lagos and the governor, using his (Eze Nwachukwu) office as their target, to the effect that the governor has outlawed his position as Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State.

    He said Ndigbo have gone beyond that stage of confronting their host communities or show disregard for laws of the land because the Igbo are stakeholders in Lagos State’s economic development.

    He noted that it was in realisation of this that Ndigbo organised a befitting solidarity with the Lagos State when it celebrated Lagos at 50. He noted that people who don’t want to recognise the huge achievements of the government want to disorganise the system by causing disaffection among Ndigbo, other ethnic nationalities resident in the state and the state government.

    He said: “Now that elections are few months away, mischief makers want to smudge the name of Governor Ambode and make him unacceptable to certain ethnic groups that will help in his electoral success in 2019.

    “This is an act of cowardice. Those peddling fake news should openly confront the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in Lagos State rather than engage in sowing seed of discord between the governor and Ndigbo in order to achieve their selfish desires.

    “The relationship among the Yoruba and the Igbo resident in the state has been on since 1999 when the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu was the governor. We cannot break our promise of being partners in progress during the administrations of Tinubu and his successors.

    “If any group or groups are afraid of fighting the government of Lagos State, they should not use Ndigbo as platform to engage the Ambode administration to achieve their selfish ambition because we will not subscribe to such myopic and retrogressive idea.”

    He stated that Ndigbo remain resolute in their support for the government of Ambode or any governor after him. Any political groups that are trying to use Ndigbo to fight Ambode and his administration cannot succeed. We are strongly behind the government of Lagos State, the obas, the APC as a party because we cannot play the role of an opposition in Lagos.

    “I advise Ndigbo to ignore that piece of falsehood because the government has debunked the report.

    “Ambode loves Ndigbo and listens to them whenever they call on him. We urge law enforcement agents to fish out those who peddled the fake news and bring them to justice, as their action was capable of destabilising the society.

    “It is disheartening that people could be mischievous when they are not benefiting from any particular party or government.

    “Many politicians and political groups have been approaching the office of the Eze Ndigbo  with a view to receive blessings or endorsement or to join them in their bid to rubbish the good name and work of Governor Ambode, or to fight a sitting government. The moment you turn down their requests, they start looking for a way to throw a stone and to fan the ember of discord.

    “Many of them have come here seeking for coalition to bring the government to disrepute. But we cannot be part of such nasty and unproductive game.

    “Since I turned down their requests, they are now looking for a way to ruffle the government or make it seem unacceptable to Ndigbo. No matter how hard they try, we will never join forces with them to jeopardise the efforts of Lagos State government in making life better for its indigenes and non-indigenes. We will continue to be law-abiding citizens,” he said.

    He added that people should appreciate the rapid and unprecedented infrastructural development the government has been able to achieve and join hands with it for more of such achievements.

     

  • Ambode gives 250 ex-service men N25m

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday gave out N25million to over 250 members of the Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Legion.

    He also presented welfare materials to widows and orphans of ex-servicemen, disabled and aged ex-service men at an empowerment programme held at the Safety Arena premises of the Legionnaires at Oshodi.

    Items given out to the beneficiaries who came from the 57 councils in the state included cash, sewing and grinding machines, generators, gas cylinder/cooker, standing fans, fabrics, bags of rice and semolina.

    Ambode, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr. Toyin Awoseyi, said the empowerment “is to show appreciation to families of our fallen heroes, as well as the disabled and aged ex-servicemen, who have contributed immensely to the sovereignty of Nigeria.”

    He implored the beneficiaries to use the materials well to augment their other earnings.

    “Let us show appreciation by extending adequate support and facilities for the benefit of the veterans and families of our fallen heroes. Above all let us join hands with the government in improving their welfare,” he said.

    The Council Chairman, Samuel Akande, said the governor had been supportive of the Legion since his assumption of office.

    “In 2015, he donated N1 million, in 2016 he donated N5milliin, 2017, N25million, you can guess what his Excellency will do this year in support of the cause of the widows, orphans, disabled and aged ex-servicemen,” he said.

     

     

  • Eid-el-Kabir: Ambode urges Muslims to embrace love, unity

    As Muslims all over the world celebrate eid-el-kabir today, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has called on them to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, love and continue to foster unity as they join faithfuls all over the world in celebrating.

    This was contained In his Sallah message on Monday signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna.

    Ambode said the period of the celebration was a clarion call for Nigerians to imbibe the lessons of the season such as selfless service to God and humanity, sacrifice and sincere commitment to righteous conducts in their private and public life.

    According to him, the significance of the season should be beyond feasting, adding that as Muslims prepare to offer animal sacrifice in the prescribed days of the festival, the real essence should be to encourage piety, self-discipline and sacrifice.

    The Governor therefore called on all Nigerians to exhibit these virtues for the good of the country and shun any act capable of heating up the polity or causing distrust among various ethnic groups in the country.

    “As we celebrate this auspicious occasion, let us renew our faith in our nation and implore the Almighty God to restore to us those values that place high premium on human life, love of neighbour and sharing even as we ventilate our faith in the unity of our dear country”, the Governor said.

    “This period requires more patience, fortitude, tolerance, endurance, patriotism and a greater willingness to make personal sacrifices for the good of all,” he said.

    The Governor also thanked Lagosians for supporting his administration, assuring that the government would continue to do its best to serve the people and promote fairness and mutual tolerance among the populace, irrespective of their ethnic religion or political affiliation.

    While wishing all Lagosians, especially adherents of the Islamic faith a happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Governor Ambode enjoined Nigerians in other parts of the country to continue to be their brothers’ keeper.

  • Lagos: Ambode not against Igbo, other groups

    THE Lagos State Government yesterday described as untrue a social media report that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was making moves against non-indigenes, especially Igbo.

    The report, it said, was baseless, mischievous and irresponsible.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy Kehinde Bamigbetan, in a statement, described the report as absolute falsehood and a mere figment of the imagination of the unscrupulous persons who concocted it.

    The report alleged that the governor had outlawed the position of Eze Ndi-Igbo in Lagos and was making other moves against non-indigenes.

    Describing the report as laughable and ridiculous, Bamigbetan said Ambode emphasised at the inception of his administration that he would run a government of inclusion regardless of tribe, colour or creed.

    The governor he said had, lived up to his word.

    “While we would have opted to totally ignore such crass report, we have chosen to set the records straight for unsuspecting members of the public who might be tempted to believe such falsehood.

    “For emphasis, there is no record anywhere of the governor making such remarks and we dare the faceless authors to come out with any evidence otherwise. This is certainly the handiwork of enemies of Lagos State whose sole aim is to distort the existing harmonious relationship among ethnic groups in the state.

    “They have totally failed in this attempt. Besides, in this season of politics, it is expected that those seeking to gain mileage would stop at nothing and cling to any straw just to score cheap points,” Bamigbetan said.

    The commissioner urged the public to disregard the report and called on security agencies to fish out those behind it.

  • Ambode seeks development of youths

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged leaders to do everything to turn corps members into job creators instead of job seekers

    He spoke at the swearing in of the 2018 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1, Corps Members at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.

    “I want you to bear in mind that the human capital development of our youths remains topmost to our administration and we will continue to create the enabling environment for you to unleash your entrepreneurial potentials and innovative skills,” he said.

    He urged the Corps members to take advantage of the entrepreneurial trainings they had at the camp to make a difference in the communities they would be posted to for their primary assignment.

    “I urge you to complement the effort of the government and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by taking advantage of the trainings organised for you during this orientation and supersede the community development records of your predecessors,” Ambode said.

    Ambode hailed NYSC management for sustaining the scheme in the last 45 years, saying: “It is worthy to note that the NYSC this year, celebrated 45 years of worthy and impactful existence, mobilising and grooming graduates for the promotion of national unity and development. I commend the entire management and staff of the NYSC for remaining committed to the idea of its founding fathers and for standing the test of time despite the challenges the scheme has faced over the years” the Governor, said.

    NYSC Lagos State Coordinator Prince Mohammed Momoh praised Ambode for the renovation of the facilities at the camp and for supporting the Corps.

    The Oath of Allegiance for the 2,768 Corps members was administered by the Lagos State Chief Judge Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, who advised the Corps members to abide by the rules of the camp.

     

  • Ambode advises public servants to be IT compliant

    public servants in Lagos  must be fully compliant with information technology (IT) as the country journeys on in the 21st Century, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said.

    Represented by the Commissioner, Ministry of Establishments, Training, and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson, at the ongoing workshop for public servants, he  said the workers must begin and complete their work on computers and the internet to get the benefits of speed, scalability, and inter-operability of systems.

    At the workshop tagged, “Strategic management and transformational leadership in the 21st Century-Agile Management Model”, he stated that this has become necessary as the state government and its institutions position to be adaptable to the changes of the unique challenges of the century.

    He said the workshop was designed to further the commitment of the government to the fundamental transformation of the state public service.

    Ambode added that the government has demonstrated that it will not be deterred in its determination to ensure the realisation of this vision.

    He said from a citizen and governmental perspective, the key expectations from a 21st century public service are the ability to transplant private sector-tested management theories into the public service, realistic and practically-grounded policy formulation and execution. Others are the deepening of technical knowledge and utilisation of modern tools, the appreciation of the need to focus on details and, importantly, the prioritisation of productivity on individual levels in terms of time utilisation and work modalities.

    He said: “I am confident that this training will address the practical steps to realise these expectations and many more that will be identified in the course of this training. It is gratifying to note that in Lagos State, we have a government that has boldly embraced this challenge of modernising governance and innovatively approaching the task of public administration. We are poised to examine those areas, processes and institutions and practices that need to be overhauled or remodeled in order to achieve this end.

    “And as we journey on in the 21st Century and as the Lagos State government and her institutions position to be adaptable to the changes necessitated by the unique challenges of the century, the Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions recommended, and I have approved, that selected officers of the state public service be made to pioneer the service-wide adoption of a 21st century-compliant agile management model in the public service.

    “Amongst others, this model has been shown to empower people, build accountability, encourage diversity of ideas, allow for the early release of benefits, and promote continuous improvement.

    “It allows decisions to be tested and rejected early with feedback loops providing benefits that are not as evident in other scenarios. In addition, it helps deliver change when requirements are uncertain, helps build engagement with stakeholders on what is most beneficial, and ensures that changes are incremental improvements which can help navigate the shock of cultural change.”

    “In order to deliver on its promises, the agile management model calls for public service institutions such as the Lagos State Public Service to be ready and open to integrating contemporary leadership principles and management theories into its modus operandi.

    “In a review of the most recent developments in the field of business leadership, the number of business leadership styles and trends has been noted.”

    He stressed that officers of the public service must deepen their technical skills and knowledge if they must be an integral and functional part of the 21st century-compliant agile management model.

    He posited that many projects required the buy-in of members of the public many of whom are savvy enough to demand to see charts, diagrams, models, graphs and other tools before accepting the proposals or acknowledging the competence of those charged with the execution of the project.

    “It is now the age of information technology and public servants have to begin and complete their work exclusively on computers and the Internet in order to claim the benefits of speed, scalability, and inter-operability of systems that the agile management model calls for. Agile management in the State Public Service also calls for officers to develop a penchant for laser-like focus on the minute details of projects and policies in their formation and execution. Policy makers can no longer afford to take their eyes off the ball of details.

     

     

     

    Amongst others, there is now unprecedented and unrelenting attention by the public on the activities of policy makers.

    “Added to this is the fact that these members of the public are savvy enough to evaluate policy proposals and to appreciate the ramifications of unattended details. Additionally, almost all policy proposals now have a thousand moving parts where every part has the potential, not only to affect the other parts, but also to have ramifications for other tangential policies and projects. Focus on details and attention to details is therefore of crucial importance for officers of the Lagos State Public Service in the context of agile management on the 21st century”, he said.

     

  • 2019: Lagos APC to elect candidates through direct primaries

    ***as Ambode says it will deepen democracy

    ***Tinubu debunks division in state APC

     

    The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday resolved to elect the party’s candidates for next year’s general elections through direct primaries which will involve all members of the party.

    The party said it would immediately commence the process of registering new members, while the old members who have registered before now as well as the new members would all be issued membership cards.

    Addressing members of the party at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said it was gratifying to report that the party had resolved to register additional members, adding that membership register would be opened to facilitate the process, which eventually would be used for direct primaries.

    He said: “We appeal to all our members to update the membership registration and embrace the direct primary that has just been introduced and adopted by our party. We are committed to our party; we are committed to the values of the party; we see direct primary as President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption and internal democracy revolution.

    “We are going to embrace that in which the party is going back to the owners of the party and that is you the people. It is not we the few; it is we the people. We have embraced democracy and you have your decisions to be made but you have to be members of our party in the first place,” Tinubu said.

    Tinubu also dismissed the insinuation that the party is divided in the State, saying there is nothing of such, and that the party is intact.

    “We reiterate the fact that APC in Lagos State is intact. There is no division. I’ve heard some people conspiring to present a situation of division in the party in Lagos but let me assure you that it is just the coming together of adversaries which will have no effect on the party,” Tinubu said.

    Besides, he said the party at the State level also passed a resolution commending the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo for taking decisive actions to save the party and the nation from any embarrassment.

    Tinubu said, “We commend his efforts; we stand with him; and we stand with all members of our party,” just as the party commended all the steps taken so far by APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

    The party equally urged members to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) before the expiration of registration deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    In his remarks, the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode commended Tinubu for kick-starting the revolution for direct primaries, saying the process would go a long way to deepen democracy in the country.

    “There is no better time to appreciate our National Leader (Tinubu) than now. What we have just witnessed is the beginning of a revolution about the deepening of democracy in Nigeria. People might not understand what is going on but we are giving power to the people and it is starting from APC.

    “So, we want to collectively say a big thank you to Asiwaju for championing this silent revolution and it is very simple; what we are saying is that if we know that Lagos State is truly controlled by APC, we would champion a revolution that has never been witnessed before in this country and that means each member of our great party will now determine who becomes the President of this country and by so doing, we create the championship that Lagos State has the votes and Lagos State has the numbers to make things happen in this country,” the Governor said

    He said the party in the State, with the development, was laying a solid foundation, and that the onus was now on others to build on it and allow Nigeria arrive at its destined destination.

    According to the Governor, “So, for us to say that all the people should go and get their membership card, is going to now determine how many of us are really APC members. We want to determine what really controls political positions in this country and whoever has gone to defect, we are saying that there are no defectors in Lagos State and defection is a major loss to whoever has defected.

    “By the time we count ourselves; by the time we count all the members of APC in Lagos State, other parties will understand where APC is going and that is the assignment for all of us. Each member will get a minimum of 100 new members and by the time we do our count, we should be so sure that that is what should happen in other States and we would deliver the next general presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari by the grace of God,” Governor Ambode said.

    The meeting was well attended by chieftains and members of the party across the State.