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  • Enterprise Bank begins MoneyGram ‘Naija Send’

    Enterprise Bank begins MoneyGram ‘Naija Send’

    Enterprise Bank Limited has begun MoneyGram “Naija Send” – Outbound money transfer services from Nigeria with MoneyGram International.

    In a statement, the bank, which is currently undergoing a business combination with Heritage Bank Limited, said the product is one of the ways to positively impact the lives of her customers both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

    It said MoneyGram “Naija Send” enables walk-in and existing customers enjoy the opportunity of sending money abroad on the MoneyGram International platform, adding that the product is designed for everybody, and has proven to be a convenient means of meeting personal financial needs.

    The bank said the product makes it easy for parents, who have children schooling abroad, to pay school fees, send pocket money and meet other educational expenses.

    “Under this service, money is sent in naira, but received in the currency of the receiving country. This eliminates the risk attached to carrying physical cash in transit while travelling abroad. For additional security, money sent from Nigeria cannot be received in Nigeria,” it said.

    The bank said with its introduction, customers can now walk into its over 150 branches across the country to receive, or send money to their loved ones in over 200 countries, adding that the service establishes Enterprise Bank firmly as a Send-and-Receive Agent of MoneyGram International.

  • Buhari begins campaign in Port Harcourt

    Buhari begins campaign in Port Harcourt

    Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, is wearing a new look for today’s commencement of All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign.

    The event is scheduled for the 40,000-capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta, near the Port Harcourt International Airport.

    The rally, fixed for 9 a.m., will be transmitted live on major television networks.

    River State Governor Chibuike Amaechi is the Director-General of the Buhari campaign organisation, which met last night at the Rivers State Government House.

    Shortly after inaugurating Buhari’s campaign in the Garden City, the APC team will move to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to campaign in the PDP-controlled state and to present its governorship candidate Mr Umana Okon Umana, a former secretary to the state government.

    The campaign team will remain in the South South for the next one week, going round states in the region from Port Harcourt.

    Colourful banners, billboards and posters of Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, were seen all over Port Harcourt yesterday

    Some kerbs, roundabouts, junctions and other strategic locations in the Rivers state capital were also being repainted and beautified.

    Amaechi’s ally, Chief Tony Okocha, who is the Chairman of the Mobilisation Committee of Buhari’s campaign launch in Rivers state, said  yesterday that today’s crowd will double the one at the October 25 mega rally to mark the seventh anniversary of Amaechi’s Supreme Court victory at the same venue.

    In neighbouring Bayelsa state, campaign posters of Gen. Buhari and former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva, flooded the state capital, causing excitement among workers at the state secretariat.

    The posters caught the admiration of many passersby who watched and nodded their heads in acceptance that the opposition had come to stay in President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state.

    One of the workers who identified himself simply as Johnson said: “The APC has now proved their seriousness. Before, we thought they only existed on paper. It is now a big contest with what we are seeing.

    When asked why they were not hostile to the campaign materials of the APC, he added: “We welcome this development because it is not going to be business as usual”.

    Sylva’s posters were boldly displayed at the entrance of the state secretariat annex.

    The poster carried a colourful picture of the former governor, with a simple message:  “A Homeboy for the Home Job in Abuja.”

    Sylva’s Facebook page was also laced with messages of his ambition tagged, “Timipre Sylva for Senate 2015.”

    On the page, one of the messages said:  “During Timipre Sylva’s administration as the governor of Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta University received significant attention leading to the accreditation of all the departments in the University.

    “Today, the university has been abandoned and the Faculty of Law, Department of Geology and others have all lost accreditation.

    “Diete Koki Memorial Hospital is a landmark achievement by his administration. Chief Timipre Sylva remains the best Governor we’ve had. He has been a House of Assembly member in the old Rivers State; Political Adviser to a former Bayelsa State Governor; ministerial aide, and Governor of Bayelsa State. His main opponent has zero political experience.

    “Clearly, Sylva best represents the voice of the people, and above all, he is a homeboy who understands the needs of the people he seeks to represent.”

  • Osinbajo: New journey begins

    Osinbajo: New journey begins

    Wahab Shittu, a lawyer and former student of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, extols the qualities of the legal luminary and justifies his choice as the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate for next year’s election.

    Normally, I try to warn myself not to be taken for granted by the actions and shenanigans of the political elite in Nigeria, but the emergence of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as the running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on the APC Presidential ticket excites me greatly because of his antecedents as a man of principle/integrity and a first class brain. I am not a card carrying member of any political party, but when the news filtered out that he was being considered amongst an array of equally competent individuals as a possible running mate on the APC Presidential ticket, I knew that a fresh insight was about being introduced to the political space- an element capable of changing the political equation in our country forever. I have always been excited at the prospects of our politics being dominated by the power of ideas, power of action, and ability of the power of ideas and power of action to be galvanised into concrete policies and laws for the transformation of our country. The entry of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) indeed represents a positive beginning in the realisation of these ideals.

    I first came across Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) as a final year law student of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos in 1986. He was my lecturer in the Law of Evidence who made tremendous impact on the entire class for his sheer brilliance and mastery of the subject. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) would come to class armed with just a pen and take on the whole class for nearly three hours, making copious references to authorities and cases off head, with uncommon exactitude that can only be associated with his rating as a GENIUS. In no time, he won many converts and admirers including my humble self. So much was the impact of this extraordinary Nigerian on my classmates that when it was time for us to choose our supervisors for our final year projects, I had no difficulty zeroing in on the choice of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN). I wanted to tap from the anointing. No doubt Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is an intellectual of great standing.

    The other attribute of this gentleman that one can readily recall is his integrity and humility in spite of his many accomplishments. He was also perceived as generally accessible by the students who could knock at his door even at short notice and be sure of being given attention and treated as human beings. I can confirm that he left the ivory tower to serve as the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Lagos State under the Bola Tinubu administration for 8 years with his integrity at the University intact and unblemished.

    What about the reforms that Prof. Yemi Osibajo (SAN) carried out as the Chief Law Officer in Lagos State during his tenure? Reforms that became a model of distinction for other states in the rest of the federation to emulate, for the enhancement of the quality of administration of justice in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Again, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) made his impact in the Justice sector in a manner that convinced the stakeholders that he is a candidate for higher responsibilities.

    This may not be a coincidence after all. I know on good authority that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) at birth received the blessings of the late sage, Chief. Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory. One of the old pictures adorning the sitting room of the Osinbajos is a picture taken with the Late Chief. Obafemi Awolowo cuddling the young Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) in his arms. This chemistry that he shared with Awolowo owing to the close relationship between the Osinbajos and the Awolowo families of Ikenne was later to be fortified by marriage in that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is presently married to a granddaughter of the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo named Oludolapo. Some have argued that the spirit of the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo may have had a hand in the choice of Osinbajo as the running mate on the APC Presidential ticket. Whether this spirit will catapult him to the seat of power remains to be seen.

     

    Who is Osinbajo?

    According to Who’s Who Legal Nigeria,  “ Yemi Osinbanjo is the senior partner at Simmons Cooper Partners. Yemi is a professor of law and a former attorney-general of Lagos state and commissioner for justice. He is also a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Yemi was educated at the University of Lagos, Nigeria (LLB, 1978) and the London School of Economics (LLM, 1980). He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1979. He has authored several books on civil procedure in Nigerian superior courts, rules of evidence and justice reform.

    Osinbajo has 31 years of litigation experience including significant trial and appellate work. Yemi supervises the commercial litigation group at SimmonsCooper Partners (SCP), a leading commercial litigation and corporate commercial firm in Nigeria. With a multi-jurisdictional competence spanning Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom, SCP fuses sound legal counsel with superior advocacy, and personal and responsive service. SCP provides a very comprehensive and integrated range of litigation, transactional, advisory and several support services to a vast array of clients.

    Osinbajo  has conducted very important constitutional and precedential cases before the Nigerian Supreme Court. Some of these include fiscal disputes between the federating units and the federal government; disputes regarding the ownership and control of oil and gas resources; town and physical planning disputes between the federating units and the federal government; an international territorial jurisdictional dispute in the West African sub-regional court; shareholder disputes involving a multinational, private investors and state owned  investment  corporations and energy disputes arising from multinational participation in power projects in Nigeria. In other cases, Osinbajo  has advised and represented clients in a broad range of commercial and corporate issues including securities litigation, investments and divestments, joint ventures, oil block acquisitions, product liability, fiduciary duties of directors, intellectual property, and corporate valuations. He is also involved in statutory and regulatory appraisal representation before the legislature and federal and state agencies.

    While in public office as attorney general, Osinbajo  is credited with undertaking far-reaching significant judicial reform in Lagos State, addressing critical areas as judges’ recruitment, remuneration, training and discipline. In addition, he addressed access to justice for the poor by establishing appropriate institutions in the Office of the Public Defender and the Citizens Mediation Centre. In honour of his contributions to legal reform and the development of law in Nigeria, a compendium of essays on Nigerian constitutional law was compiled. The authors of these essays were senior lawyers and law professors with a foreword provided by a past chief justice of Nigeria.

    Osinbajo  is a member of the International Bar Association and the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and has served in the Nigerian Body of Benchers and the Council for Legal Education of Nigeria. He is currently an independent director of CitiBank Nigeria and an ethics adviser to the board of the Africa Development Bank. He has also served in various capacities within the United Nations Organisation. Yemi speaks frequently at several commercial litigation events locally and internationally. He is actively involved in the pursuit of legal education reform in Nigeria.”

    In the months ahead, and particularly in the build-up to the campaign for the 2015 Presidential elections, Osinbajo  may be missing in action in the courtroom as a brilliant advocate (a factor that is generally acknowledged) but if his well-known advocacy is deployed in enriching the politics of ideas and action, Nigerians should indeed be ready for a swell time. One thing that I can guarantee is that Osinbajo will never be associated with the politics of mudslinging, calumny and abuse in propagating the ideals of his political party. Given the fact that the candidates of the ruling party PDP are also tested gentlemen, one can say for certain that this time around, our elections and the campaign would be dominated by ideas rather than politics of abuse.

  • Life begins at 70

    Life begins at 70

    A journalist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mathew Adewunmi Shoyebo, has turned 70. He celebrated his entry into the septuagenarian club with praise and thanksgiving in Lagos. NNEKA NWANERI reports.

    For Matthew Adewunmi Shoyebo, attaining the biblical age of three scores and ten, last Saturday, was a reason to thank God and celebrate His goodness.

    His children, grand children and political associates in the All Progressives Congress (APC) rolled out the drums for what they described as a milestone in the life of a man of many parts.

    To them, the Sickle Cell Centre auditorium, Idi-Araba in Surulere, Lagos, was the place to be that Saturday. Everyone who mattered to him stood to be counted at the event.

    It began with a service led by the Daystar Centre and Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Mount Zion Parish, Surulere, whose choirs led the song ministrations as well as the praise and worship session.

    The Area Pastor of the church, Olumide Salako, offered the opening prayer after which the celebrator’s wife, Beatrice, took the first Bible reading from Romans 12:1-5.

    A special hymn, “For my sake, and the Gospel, Go”, was sung for the celebrator. A brief sermon was given by the representative of the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, Pastor Bolu Oluyomi, who spoke on the reasons Shoyebo, an engineer, was being celebrated.

    Pastor Oluyomi came in company of Pastors Tunde Adisa and Victor Akinyemi. One after the other, the pastors offered prayers for the family before the choir gave a special song. In between the worship session was a thanksgiving, where the celebrator led his family and other guests to drop their offerings in a basket at the altar.

    After the recessional hymn, “To God be the Glory”, the hall was re-arranged for the reception. The occasion also served as a platform to showcase their style.

    The Empire Band supplied music, singing praises of guests as they entered the well-decorated hall.

    The reception was chaired by Otunba Adeleke Adesina.

    Adesina described the celebrator as a man of many parts and a great family man. Others also took turns to give testimonials on Shoyebo.

    There were many other APC chieftains in the gathering, who came to celebrate with one of their own and added glamour and excitement of the occasion. One of them, Hon Segun Olakunle, proposed the toast, praying the celebrator should witness many more years.

    Deputy Chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation, Mr Tunji Adegboyega who officiated the cutting of the cake, described Shoyebo as a devout Christian and family man. He demanded that the three-layered simple cake be cut on the last count of JESUS on the spell of the last letter of JESUS.

    His children were the first to join him in the cutting of the cake. The birthday ‘boy’, who The Nation learnt is his grandchildren’s best friend exchanged hi-fives with them.

    Shoyebo’s joy could not be contained as he told of how God has been good to him. He thanked other APC supporters for the love shown him and admonished all to been in communion with God to give their lives a meaning.

    His wife, Beatrice, said it’s been wonderful being married to him for 40years, and has learnt from him to be confident in God and stand for the truth at all times.

    ‘Daddy Sho’, a name his first daughter calls him, is God-fearing; wife-adoring; children-caring and people-loving.

    Shoyebo began his career in the Nigerian Railway Corporation Ebute Meta from 1966-1970. He is also the author/publisher of Wanted: Genuine and Patriotic Politicians in 2003. Shoyebo was appointed member, Lagos State Drainage and Sanitation Board in 2005 and was the Chairman of the People Public Review of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

    In attendance were APC National Legal Adviser Dr Muiz Banire; former Ag Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University Prof Ibiyemi Tunji-Bello; Hon Funmilayo Tejuosho; former Special Assistant to Governor Tinubu Hon Layi Olawale; Professor Tunde Samuel, who represented former Lagos State governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Chief Abel Shoyebo.

  • FERMA begins work on federal roads

    FERMA begins work on federal roads

    The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has begun work on the Ekparakwa-Iwukem-Azumini Road, Ikot Ekpene –Umuhia Road and Aba-Ikot Ekpene-Itu Road, it was learnt yesterday.

    A board member representing FERMA, South-South Zone, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, spoke to reporters in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    Nkanga, a former military administrator of the state, said FERMA acted on a presidential directive ordering it to improve the condition of roads in the state and those linking it with neighbouring states.

    He said the Federal Ministry of Works was working on the roads but the contracts were re-awarded due to the contractors’ poor performance.

    Said Nkanga: “You may have noticed, particularly those of you from this area, that for some time now Akwa Ibom State has been locked out because of the poor condition of the federal roads.

    “The roads in the state are tarred, but those linking it with other states are not in good condition. There is a presidential directive that FERMA must repair the roads linking it with other states.

    “I need to let you know that the Federal

    Ministry of Works has been working on these roads. Contracts were awarded but because of the contractors’ poor performance, they were terminated.

    “FERMA couldn’t have been working on these roads at the same time the Federal Ministry of Works is working on them. We have three contractors working on the roads now.”

  • Ezekiel begins training with Al-Arabi

    Ezekiel begins training with Al-Arabi

    New Al-Arabi signing Imoh Ezekiel has started training with his new teammates at the Qatar Stars League outfit, two days after completing his switch to the club on undisclosed terms.

    The 20-year-old is part of the squad that is currently training at the German city of Nuremberg, an exercise scheduled to last until Thursday, August 14.

    Under the guidance of iconic retired Romania international Dan Petrescu, the squad, including Imoh Ezekiel, practiced in the rain in preparation for their friendly against 3 Liga side Jahn Regensburg today.

    The former 36 Lion starlet is in good physical condition, having started and completed Standard Liege’s first three official matches of the new season.

    While in Germany, Al-Arabi will play four test matches before heading back to Qatar.

    The team finished fifth in the Qatar Stars League last term with 39 points in the kitty after 26 matches.

    Ex Al-Arabi hero and retired Nigeria international Richard Owubokiri was the top scorer in the championship in the 1995-1996 season with 16 goals.

  • NRFF begins regional scouting in August

    NRFF begins regional scouting in August

    • South-West League resumes July 19

    Thje Nigerian Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has begun preparations for the 2014 African Rugby 7’s Championship slated for 27th – 28th September in Kenya.

    The technical crew consisting of the Technical Director, Technical Adviser and the Head coach will begin a regional scouting programme in August to select players that will represent the country at the championship.

    The Africa Cup which is organized by the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) is an annual Rugby Union tournament involving African nations and will feature top 7’s playing nations in Africa.

    The tournament was first held in 2000, and has since been contested on an annual basis. Prior to being renamed the Africa Cup in 2006, the tournament was known as the CAR Top 9 and CAR Top 10. The tournament is a platform to select teams that will represent Africa in the World HSBC 7’s series and also used for IRB ranking.

    Meanwhile, action resumes in the South-West League on the 19th of July 2014, after a long break which was due to home based players’ involvement in the Black Stallion’s participation at the Africa Cup 1C in Gaborone, Botswana.

    The National Stadium’s main bowl will host four games on Saturday, 19th of July with Hawksters RFC facing arch-rivals Lagos RFC in the first match of the day, while Racing RFC will take on defending champions, Cowrie RFC in a must-watch game.

    Eco II RFC will play Royal Stallions of Ilorin while Gosar RFC will take on Police Machines in the last match of the day.

    Cowrie RFC still retains their slots at the top of the table with 20 points followed by Racing RFC with 17 points while ECO II RFC sits at the bottom of the table with 0 point.

     

  • Fayose begins campaign to win Oyo for PDP

    Ekiti State-Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in the Southwest to Oyo State yesterday.

    The rally held at Watershed Events’ Centre, Old Ife Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    It was preceded by a meeting of PDP stakeholders at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan on Tuesday night, which started at about 9.30pm and lasted for over four hours.

    Tagged the PDP Southwest “thank you” sensitisation rally, party leaders spoke on the need to regain power from the ruling All Progressive Party (APC) in Osun, Oyo, Lagos and Ogun states.

    Aside Fayose, others at the rally include Chairman, PDP Southwest Mobilisation and Organisation Committee for 2015 Presidential Election, Prince Buruji Kashamu, former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and Senator Brimo Yusuf. The PDP leaders urged unity among members.

    Fayose told the gathering that unless members worked together, the desire to regain power in Oyo State would be a mirage.

    He said: “My coming here is not personal; it’s not targeted at anyone… If the party fails to come together and work in unity and follow due process, it will fail to win the governorship election in this state. The party should steer clear of imposition of candidates.”

    In a veiled reference to recent attacks on Jonathan by a former President, Fayose said: “Give Jonathan peace of mind to work. When they were there, nobody disparaged them like that.”

    He went on: “This is the last time and should be the last time that anybody in this party will disparage Mr. President or the PDP. If you disparage this party, we will sack you. We will suspend you whether you are a former president, former governor or former senator.”

  • Howzat National Junior Cricket Super League begins today

    Howzat National Junior Cricket Super League begins today

    The 18th Edition of the Howzat National Junior Cricket Super League tagged Philip Asiodu Trophy, Howzat National National Junior Cricket Super League begins today at the Government College, Umuahia, Abia State.

    Ten schools will participate at the competition which is scheduled for Government College, Umuahia (GCU). Some of the schools are Ansar-ud-deen Grammer School, Lagos, Oke Ado High School, Ibadan,Oyo State, Governmemt College, Afikpo, Bishop Crowther Seminary, Awka among others.

    Still in the bid to groom talents for the game of cricket in the country, the Cricket Federation has concluded plans to organise a grass-roots competition tagged National Cricket Competition for secondary school students in Nigeria.

    Spokesman of the federation, Mr. Kayode Adeniyi said the competion would involve all the govtm and private schls of all d 36 states of the federation including the federal capital territory.

    Adeniyi announced that the a Cricket oval is to be constructed in Abuja as well as the relocation of the secretariat of Nigeria Cricket Federation to Abuja for easy adminitration of the game.

    He said the board of the Nigeria Cricket Federation has approved the existence of 4 committees to drive home all the programmes of the federation. The committee are Facilities/infrastructure, Technical development, Marketing/ sponsorship, Publicity/media Committee.

    Adeniyi also said that the court case relating toTafawa Balewa Square was still subsisting and the law firm handling the case be given adequate attention.

  • Obiano begins school tour

    Obiano begins school tour

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has kicked off on-the-spot checks on schools especially those in remote areas, assuring teachers in the state school of a better welfare package. He however urged them to work harder, warning that his administration would not condone truancy and negligence to duty.

    Addressing principals and managers of secondary schools in the state in Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area on Wednesday last week, Governor Obiano said education occupies a key position in his blueprint believing same would unlock the potentials of the Anambra people.

    Obiano said: “I want to put you on notice that I plan to pay surprise visits to schools. I will not tell anybody where I plan to visit and when but I expect to see you in the classroom when I come. I will not take kindly anyone who is away from his or her duty post when I visit,” he warned.

    He observed that his predecessor, former governor Peter Obi had done very well in education, promising to improve upon the foundation Obi laid.

    “We have adopted tested models that will return Anambra to its pre-eminent position as the Light of the Nation in education,” Obiano explained.

    The governor, however, reminded the teachers that it was their responsibility to reshape society by equipping the students with the right values that would help them evolve into responsible citizens.

    His words: “I learnt most of the virtues that I live by today from my days in secondary school has nearly varnished. The virtues of hard work, respect for elders, and others that lead to a responsible citizenry are all imparted on the students at this level of education. So, I expect you to do the right thing for our children,” he further explained.

    Obiano also assured the teachers that his administration was determined to improve their lot and that their request for support in the area of training and capacity building would get his express approval when formally presented.

    Earlier in her opening remarks, the Chairman of Post-Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC), Lady Joy Ulasi, had recalled that as the son of a headmaster, every teacher in Anambra State feels a sense of fulfillment in Obiano’s emergence as the governor of the state.

    According to her, the PPSSC urgently needs more buses to ensure a more effective supervision and on-the-spot checks in the 254 post-primary schools in the state. The commission also wants to move from its temporary location along Enugu-Onitsha expressway to its permanent site in the shortest possible time and would be grateful if the governor could help actualise this wish, Ulasi further requested.

    Also in his welcome address, the President of the Anambra State chapter of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Sir Godfrey N. Ajiba had made a series of requests including the appointment of principals as permanent secretaries, promotion of principals to higher grade levels, sponsorship of principals to national and international conferences as well as a donation of a piece of land in Awka, the state capital for the building of a befitting secretariat for ANCOPSS.