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  • Marriage: for good, better and best

    Dear reader, you are welcome to a great and fulfilling ninth month of the year! This month, God will grant you a ninth hour miracle, cause you to laugh and all that hear your testimonies will laugh with you.

    Our teaching series for this month will center on the beautification of your marriage. However, this week’s message is titled: Marriage: For good, better and best. Some people already have a very wrong notion that marriage is a trap and the exchange of rings when saying the marital vows, represents a handcuff that puts one in bondage with his or her partner. Contrary to these very wrong beliefs, marriage was instituted by God for your good. It was designed to make life great, enjoyable and meaningful.

    Marriage is a gift from God; and one unique thing about those who married right is that they get to enjoy their journey through life. God has not designed anything evil for man. The Bible says: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). Therefore, marriage should take you from good to better and to best. It is meant to advance, increase and promote you. If you are a still a bachelor or spinster, you might probably be feeling complete, but there is always room for advancement and this is what a good and godly marriage offers. The Bible says:

    Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

    To get the good in marriage however, you must make adequate preparations. In life generally, we spend a whole lot of money and time (years) preparing and learning how to be successful in business, vocations and careers; yet, we pay very little attention to a journey that will last an entire lifetime.

    Don’t get married as a novice because you have not prepared adequately for life ahead. Once you begin a relationship with a brother or sister (which hopefully should culminate in marriage), pay attention to proper preparation, not just for the wedding ceremony but for married life. I can never emphasise this point enough. However, to prepare for marriage, you must do the following:

    1. Locate Your Purpose

    What is your vision for life? What is your goal? Where are you heading for? You need a proper understanding of these before you get married because this information will determine who you will choose to spend the rest of your life with.

    1. Invest in your Life as a Person

    Be the best you can be and enhance your worth. (a) Spiritually, grow in grace and draw closer to God daily via the study of His Word as well as communing with Him in prayer. As you do this, your discernment – will be sharpened and you will also be fervent enough to be able to build a God-honouring home tomorrow. By its very nature, marriage, involves a lot of giving and your spiritual stamina will, in no small measure, contribute, to your ability to build wisely.

    (b) Mentally, develop yourself to a great extent in your chosen field of endeavour or career. Create and embrace opportunities to better yourself, so that you will be an asset to your spouse tomorrow and not a liability.

    (c) Emotionally, develop yourself and your capacity to accommodate another person, unconditionally, for the rest of your life.

    As I mentioned earlier, marriage involves giving, not just receiving. Therefore, you need to learn in your single days how to be tolerant and to handle issues with your emotions under control.

    (d) Physically, you, also, need to see to it that you are fit for the new life ahead. As a lady, learn how to keep house, cook and generally manage a home. As a man, learn how to be responsible and to take care of someone else apart from yourself.

    1. Learn as much as you can about marriage

    Learn as much as you can about marriage from credible sources, not from negative examples around you. Study the Bible, the primary text on the subject of marriage. Study materials (books, tapes, magazines) written by those with not just knowledge of the subject, but also proven testimonies in their marriages. The main difference between a marriage that is working and one that is not, is knowledge (Daniel 11:32; 1 Peter 3:7). Study and understand God’s provisions for the family; how to run a home, how to relate with in-laws etc. Also, study the biographies of successful couples.

    The summary of what I am trying to pass across to you, is that your single days are days of building up yourself sufficiently enough for a successful marriage. That is what it means to be a distinct person. Don’t spend all your time looking for who to marry; that is misplacement of priorities. Build yourself first! Nowhere in scriptures is it recorded that Adam was pre-occupied with finding a life companion. He was simply busy with adding value to his life and pursuing his divine assignment and at the right time, God brought Eve his way because it was clear that he needed help. The same way, I see God bring your own partner to you in Jesus’ name.

    However, until God becomes your delight, your home cannot become a delightful place. If you really delight in the Lord, you also need to be certified a bonafide child of God. The Lord said:  COME unto me… (Matthew 11:28). If you are not a child of God, you don’t have a genuine access to these blessings. If you are already born again, rejoice because your case is settled. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

    Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

    With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org, 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

    For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

  • ‘Nwoye is best for Anambra’

    ‘Nwoye is best for Anambra’

    Perhaps, it is the heart in him to study medicine that has also inspired his inclination to the welfare of the men that come his way.

    Dr. Tony Nwoye’s hatred for injustice and defence for the oppressed was something that we saw in him from Medical School at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

    It is as such an irony to hear the labyrinth of bare-faced lies and wicked albeit puerile propaganda being churned out by those on the verge of losing out as a result of the imminent ascendance to position of this humble man. That is why instead of stemming the tide of his followerhip, those poorly concocted lies are even fuelling the swelling of his ranks by the young, the old, the widows and the dispossessed who clamour for a change of baton in the leadership of our dear state.

    In University of Nigeria Enugu Campus Tony was more concerned with resisting oppressive policies of the school authority than he was about taking up any leadership position. His forte really was mobilising students against intimidation be it by external forces or the school authorities. He was a Students’ rights activist. Tony championed the movement that sought to, and eventually did restore, students’ right to freely associate. Not even the bait repeatedly thrown to him by authorities that he will be appointed into an interim SUG government by the school authority if he will drop his agitation for a truly free democratic student movement could deter him.  He quipped that he was not interested in leading the students but more interested in ensuring that students are free to lead themselves. His masterly prosecution of the resistance directly led to the lifting of the ban that was in place on Student unionism. A ban that preceded his entry into the campus as a student!

    Tony was content that the ban on unionism has been lifted and, true to his natural inclination, was not keen on taking up any political position afterwards. Rather he was scouting for those to lead the students. He went about talking to students he felt had the capacity to come forward and lead so he can drift back to the background from where he prefers to play. Vintage Tony Nwoye, imbued with uncommon humility, like the true General he is, does not hug the headlines. He prefers to lead from behind and is ever content with playing the supportive role so long as he identifies those capable of leading.

    But in fulfilment of the timeless truth that ‘a gold fish has no hiding place’, the entire students especially the political class, of the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus were unrelenting in their clamour for young Tony to play a pivotal role in the Students Union Government. They were assertive that they could trust no one better than him to represent the students’ interest. That was how most reluctantly, Tony was drafted into the race for the speakership of SUG House of Rep. The entire Students body rooted for him. And to the eternal consternation of all other aspirants, Tony won the contest in a landslide victory. He dusted older and more established student politicians in the race to emerge *the first Medical student Speaker of the SUG house of Rep in UNN’s history. And he was only in his 2nd year!

    In NANS, it was the same story. He was a loyal follower for years. He was just content with mobilising support for the best candidates to emerge leaders at every election year. The master strategist Tony gifted with uncommon wisdom and futuristic vision, seeing how the NANS political landscape is skewed against the emergence of the Igbo man started mobilising and strategising for the enthronement of geopolitical rotation of the NANS’ top job. Owing to his antecedents in dedicated service to the foremost student body, he was in due course pressured by the people to present himself for the top job. When after much resistance (as he hithertho insisted he would rather operate from the background), he eventually obliged them, and they, against all odds, mobilised to make this child of destiny the ‘first Igbo man to emerge a president of National Association of Nigerian Students.’

    The foregoing leaves any discerning mind that Dr Tony Nwoye is essentially an activist pressurised into politics by the people.

    In Anambra politics, he was urged to appropriate for himself the Senate slot as the then state party chairman of PDP which held sway at the time, he flatly turned it down. Folks were cajoling him that ‘opportunity comes but once’. That he should use the instrumentality of his office to favour himself. But Mr. Fair and Just, ever so focused and humble, Dr Tony Nwoye stood his ground that he will not take up any position, being content with steering the ship of the party towards ensuring the emergence of the party’s candidates at the polls. And this he achieved to the admiration of all. He did not bend the rules to favour his twin brother to pick up the House of Rep ticket, counseling his own very twin brother that it was not the turn of their people to go for the position! That’s the man for you!

    One could go on and on about this man and his natural disinclination to seek for himself political power. It is indeed a testament to his being destined for the top that the more he shies away from Leadership and prominent positions, the more they beckon on him. It validates the notion that ‘power belongs to God and he gives it to whom he pleases.

    Let’s support this natural activist that, by popular clamour, gravitated into politics. He will reposition Anambra state for its best run of good governance in history. This is our best chance ever.

    Dr Peter Ekwueme, a medical doctor and a sociopolitical analyst writes from Enugu.

    Dr Ekwueme the Secretary of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Enugu State branch.

  • Oyo records best WASSC exam results in 18 years

    The Oyo State government has said the state recorded its best result in the West African Senior School Certificate (WASSC) examinations in 18 years.

    The government said its 54.18 per cent pass for pupils with a minimum of five credits, including Mathematics and English, was encouraging when compared to the national average of 59 per cent.

    It said 29,174 candidates, representing 54.14 per cent, had a minimum of five credits of the 53,850, who sat for the examination.

    The government said the 29,174 candidates consisted of 13,884 boys and 15,290 girls.

    Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, gave the figures yesterday in Ibadan, the state capital.

    He said this year’s average results had an improvement ratio of above 100 per cent over last year’s, which was 22.12 per cent.

    The commissioner noted that the improvement followed government’s renewed commitment to reverse the downward trend in the performance of pupils in WAEC and National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

    He said the state also came second in last year’s NECO result ranking.

    Arulogun said the government was awaiting the statistics on states’ performances from WAEC, adding that this was concluded on September 5 and will be sent to each state, according to WAEC’s Head of National Office, Mr. Olu Adenipekun.

    Oyo State recorded 4.40 per cent in 1999, 3.59 per cent in 2000, 8.7 per cent in 2001, 6.93 per cent in 2002, 6.13 per cent in 2003, 9.17 per cent in 2004, 7.89 per cent in 2005, 10.40 per cent in 2006 and 6.16 per cent in 2007.

    The commissioner said the state recorded 9.14 per cent in 2008, 11.92 per cent in 2009, 13.40 per cent in 2010, 16.97 per cent in 2011, 21.35 per in 2012, 21.79 in 2013, 19.19 per cent in 2014 and 21.61 per cent in 2015.

    Arulogun said the improved performance followed several policies to reform the Education sector for improved performances in internal and external examinations.

    He said Iseyin Local Government Area recorded 67.64 per cent, followed by Ibadan South West, with 67.53 per cent.

    Others, he said, are: Irepo, 66.18 per cent; Oyo West, 63.95 per cent and Ido, 63.62 per cent.

    Arulogun noted that these were the top five councils with good results in this year’s examinations.

    According to him, Ibarapa North Local Government Area recorded 34.89 per cent; Surulere, 29.11 per cent; Ogbomoso South, 27.95 per cent; Itesiwaju, 21.01 per cent and Iwajowa, 10.28.

    Arulogun said the listed councils had the least of candidates with a minimum of five credits, including Mathematics and English.

    He said: “This is below our target as we are competing both within ourselves and at the national level. We want to reclaim our status as the Pace Setter. So, many policies have been introduced to ensure that our aspirations on quality education for the people of the state are achieved.

    “We have cancelled automatic promotion in schools and introduced the School Government Board (SGB) OYOMESI, Education Trust Fund (ETF), WAEC Boot Camp, extra-mural classes, workers’ review for optimisation of work force.

    “These and many other state government’s initiatives are yielding results.”

  • ‘I’ll do my best for Taraba’

    ‘I’ll do my best for Taraba’

    Senator Shu’aibu Isa Lau (Taraba North) has promised to do his best for Taraba State and the country.

    The Supreme Court last Friday sacked Sani Abubakar Danladi and replaced him with Lau, saying he was not the proper candidate for his party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – in the election.

    The court ordered Danladi, who was once Acting Governor of Taraba State, to refund all he earned while he served illegitimately as Senator, within 90 days.

    A top government official also hinted that Danladi may be probed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly looting Taraba within the six months he acted as governor, when Governor Suntai suffered injuries in a plane crash.

    At a reception on Saturday, Senator Lau said the court judgment was to institutionalise internal democracy.

    “The victory has shown that you cannot go to the election by defying the procedures, and playing against the rules of the game.

    “I will do my best; I know myself; I trust myself; I know the contribution I want to make in the interest of my state and country.”

    He called for patience, peace, trust and support from his constituents, to enable him deliver to them the dividends of democracy.

    “There is no alternative to peace. Why can’t we sit down, trust one another and come to the discussion table? Without peace, there will be no development. Let’s give peace a chance.”

    Senator Danladi had been criticised for failing to present at least one bill during his two-year tenure. And worse still, for not being seen and heard contributing to debates during plenary.

  • Lagos best teacher, administrator get N3.5m

    A lagos teacher, Oluremi Tanimola, has received two million naira for emerging the overall winner of the Inspirational School Leader of the year. Similarly, the duo of Ms. Odueke Abiodun and Mr Tolulope Odusanya pocketed one million and five hundred thousand naira for emerging overall best and first runner-up of the Inspirational Teacher of the year award respectively.

    The three teachers, who were treated to a lavish reception at the Harbour Point, Lagos, venue of the event, received their cheques at the maiden Meadow Hall Foundation’s Inspirational Teacher of the year award.

    Tanimola is from Army Children Senior High School, Ikeja Military Cantonment, Ikeja. Abiodun teaches at Station Junior Grammar School, Ifako Ijaiye, while Odunsanya is from Abibat Mogaji Millenium Senior Secondary School, Agege.

    The annual event is merit- based and aimed at elevating the teaching profession, as well as motivating teachers and educationl leaders for excellence. The award is divided into two categories: The Inspirational School Leader of the Year award and The Inspirational Teacher of the Year award.

    Tanimola, who addressed reporters at the event, attributed her success to being adventurous and a team player.

    “I am a team player, self-motivated and always learning something new, coupled with my ICT knowledge, made the difference. The desires to learn and do things differently are secrets of my outstanding performance,” Tanimola said.

    She advised her colleagues to always learn from others, be self-motivated, and ensure  continuous personal development.

    Head of Meadow Hall Foundation Mrs Kemi Adewoye, was full of praises for the recipients, who according to her, are working hard to improve children’s access to quality education amid difficult circumstances.

    She said: “One of the inspirational educators, Mrs. Oluremi Tanimola,  has been teaching for over 26 years. She is ICT-savvy and most importantly,  has retained her passion for education. Ms. Odueke Abiodun has taken her passion for the total development of the Nigerian child beyond the four walls of her classroom to her community where she teaches secondary school drop-outs and neighbouring schools about values and character, and connects them to mentors and vocational trainers who help them acquire skills. Mr. Tolulope Odunsanya, one of our inspirational educators, was shaped by a mentor and is now inspiring other teachers to be passionate and innovative just like he is.”

    She noted that the award was opened only to teachers and educators in Lagos State, adding that by 2018, the  foundation will extend the opportunity nationwide.

    The recipients, who were accompanied by colleagues, and well wishers, thanked the donor, colleagues, their school management and Lagos State government for giving them the opportunity to share their inspirational stories. Particularly, they thanked the foundation for its commitment, transparency and flawless selection process.

    “Lots of people think rewards of teachers are in heaven only, but this foundation has rewarded us while on earth,” Odunsanya said.

    Vice Chairman of the board of Meadow Hall Foundation Board, the corporate social responsibility arm of Meadow Hall Group, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, presented the cheques to the winners.

    He admonished them to continue to strive for excellence and join Meadow Hall Foundation’s Ambassadorial team to advocate quality education at all levels.

    Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule, who was also presented with the ‘Education Champion award in recognition of her immense contribution to quality education in the state. Adebule was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s Office, Mrs. Yetunde  Odejayi.

    To also commemorate its 15th anniversary celebrations, Meadow Hall, presented long service awards to five of its workers, Mr. Taju Popoola; Mrs. Victoria Ikpe; Mrs. Akpan Mfon; Mrs. Delphine Nnakwe, and Ms Rita Ekpenyong, for exemplary  loyalty to the school.

  • ‘Starting Jobberman was my best business decision’

    ‘Starting Jobberman was my best business decision’

    Lekan Olude is the co-founder of Jobberman, an online portal which has grown to become the biggest job online portal in Nigeria. In this interview with Bukola Aroloye he speaks on the mission and vision behind Jobberman, plans for the future and his management style. Excerpts:

    Tell us about your job at Jobberman

    I’m Lekan Olude, one of the co-founders at Jobberman. As the Operations Manager, l see to the day-to-day running of the business. There are other two guys who also run the company with me.

    What has been the challenges and achievements since you started Jobberman?

    In terms of the achievements, it has been quite tough trying to blow our trumpet. Based on what the market has shown, we are currently the biggest job board in the country and also in sub-Sahara Africa. In the past seven years, we have expanded to Ghana and have strategic partnership in East Africa.

    Overtime, we have been able to touch about 60,000 companies and at the same time, we have about three million candidates on the portal that applies for job online. Have we done so much? I will say no. Do we have a long way to go? I will say yes. Considering the fact that if you look at the companies registered with Corporate Affairs Commission, we have not even scratch the surface. If you also look at the workable population, we have not done anything. In terms of challenges, we have encountered challenges that every normal business in Nigeria face where you have to practically be your own ‘country’ in business. In terms of policies, we have had challenges in terms of support from the banks considering the fact that banks hardly support internet companies. This is because we don’t have assets and the only assets we have is our data and that doesn’t amount to anything for the banks. In terms of the country accepting the fact that the business has come to stay, it is also a challenge.

    Nigeria is country where the big companies don’t want to leave space for the upcoming companies. So you fight your way into the space. It has been interesting because Nigeria is an interesting place. When you wake up in the morning, your life can change whether you are making money or not.

    What informed the idea of Jobberman in the first place?

    For Jobberman, the idea came up when we were in school. There was strike and the three of us didn’t find it interesting going back home so we decided to make the most out of it. When we started, we didn’t think about making money. We decided to look into the internet space since we don’t need so much money to set up Internet Company.  We decided to go into jobs because we felt it’s going to create value to the youths and create biggest impact.

    We were pretty clear on what we wanted to achieve and how we wanted to go about it. While we were in school, we were able to take things one at a time and improve on them. The good thing is that 10 months before we left school, someone reached out to us and said he had been studying the website and wanted to be a part of us. So it gave us opportunity in terms of sustenance, and at the end, it brought us to Lagos. We had our first two major investments and the big break came when we had partnership with MTN. Before then, there were lots of challenges.

    What has been the success rate in terms of the number of people that eventually gets job through your portal?

    Recently, I read online where some people were saying Jobberman is not working, that people don’t get job on Jobberman. While I understand where their complaint was coming from, this is an opportunity to set things straight.

    Jobberman doesn’t give jobs, we only link candidates to available jobs. For example, if you are an engineer and there is engineering job in Kaduna and you don’t know about it which if you had known, would have applied for it, we link you to it.

    The company also does not know about you because if they had known about you, they wouldn’t have gotten an expatriate to do the job. That is one of the classic ways Jobberman operates.

    In respect of the number of jobs we create, the number of jobs is enough for the number of candidates looking for employment so that speaks to say that if you have one job and 100 people applied for the job, 99 of them will not get the job. We do 6,000 fresh jobs in a month but not everybody on Jobberman is actually looking for job. People get on Jobberman to reach out to a candidate.

    To determine the success rate, one will look at it from the perspectives of jobs clients gave to us and how many of them we are able to fill. We cannot provide jobs for everybody but the job that we brought out for people to see, the question is have we been able to fill those jobs? I will say yes. About 60 to 70% of the jobs that comes to us are filled. The remaining 40% is because some times, the skills needed are difficult to find in this country.

    If a client is looking for a candidate with a certain skill and we have not been able to find that candidate, we reach out to the client to tell him we have not been able to find one. We have lots of that happen so in terms of success rate, we have done above average. We still have lots to do to ensure more people gets job.

    How do you get information about vacancies?  Also, people say there are no jobs in Nigeria but from your experience, will you agree to that since you said you do 6,000 fresh jobs every month?

    There are jobs in Nigeria but the jobs are not enough. Access to information is not that strong. Employability is also a big problem. Are companies hiring? Yes they are. Are Nigerians filling all the jobs? No.

    But the country churns out thousands of graduates every year?

    Yes but for most of the roles that don’t get filled, they are not graduates roles. They are specialty roles and Nigeria has a huge brain drain. On a daily basis, people are carrying their bags and travelling out of the country and that is something to be worried about. Our educational institutions have not fixed the issue of specialist roles. For example, in the power sector, the technology is trying to change to make power more accessible and reduce wastage. But who are the people that are going to man these technologies. They have to bring them in. New roles are coming up but Nigerians are not filling them.

    Technically, jobs are being created on a daily basis and information is not totally out there. Words of mouth is still the biggest channel of communication for jobs. Companies approach us for candidates and we also go to companies to ask them if they have vacancies.

    Are you saying our tertiary institutions are part of the reasons we don’t have competent candidates?

    They are not solely responsible but they are part of it. The strength of an organisation is the people and when you have weak people, you have weak organisations and when you have strong people, you have strong organisations.  The people are the bedrock of a company. The people are formed within the academic world because they spend a lot of time acquiring knowledge. The quality of these people when they step out of school is extremely important. The incubation period is when people are in school.

    From your experience, what kinds of job do you think are in high demand? Could it be those  in administrative, ICT or those in technical field?

    If you take a business and break it down, you realize most of the guys are those sales which means sales related roles are in highest demand. Then you have in-between mid level managers in the administrative   field though not much compare with those in technical roles.

    Technical roles are also so much in high demand. As a nation we are not strong technically and that is why more often than not, companies tend to go outside the country and bring in experts. The approach of government to ensure people gets technically sound is very key. Most companies in Nigeria are within SMEs rate which tells us that the transaction size of their businesses is very small. That also means most of the demands for roles are within lower and mid cadre. If trainings are focused along that cadre, we will have competent people and companies will begin to hire them and forget hiring expatriates.

    We should be targeting people in the bottom of the pyramid, people that earns les than $3,000 a month and about 90% of Nigerians earns less than that.

    What are your future plans for Jobberman?

    One of the things we are trying to do is to increase our penetration along the recruitment capital value change. We are also trying to see how candidates can become more employable through Jobberman learning portal.

    To our clients, we also try to strengthen some of the value added services. We are trying to leverage on the Jobberman assets in Nigeria,Ghana and East Africa by centralizing human capital assets and give employers more access to people, better efficiency in hiring and access to lots of data to be able to deliver better value added services to our clients.

    What is your management style?

    My style is to make everything inclusive. My role is to create the right atmosphere and moderate the company in terms of rules and regulations.

    How do you motivate your colleagues?

    Every human being wants some level of dignity and respect even from the driver to the CEO. The good thing about Jobberman is that a lot of us are young so it is pretty easy to motivate them. We try to ensure that at the time any staff comes to the company, and wants to leave, the staff becomes a better person from financial and developmental standpoint.

    We try to ensure we pay our colleagues very well. We also bring in speakers to talk to the staff on any topic and have one-on-one interaction. Another thing we also do is organise social gatherings such as our ‘Thank God it’s Friday’ party where our staff have lots of fun.

    We try to ensure the office is very good looking. To make it easier for our staff to get to office, we had to leave our office at Lekki and move to Marina. We continue engaging them and create an open office where staff can walk up to the top management staff and share ideas.

     What has been your toughest decision?

    When I make decision, if it goes good, fine and if it goes bad, I take it. Any decision that I made and does not take your life but gives you room to correct things, I don’t regret it. I hate to make people sad especially when you have to let an employee go.

    What is the best decision that you have ever made?

    You can say starting Jobbermnan is the best decision I have ever made but it could also be the worst decision because at a time of starting the company, I had other offers. The other offer was a lot better than starting a Jobberman as at that time.

    However, I and my partners believed we should not dwell too much on our successes so it becomes very hard to pinpoint the best decision.

    What makes you special?

    I ask a lot of questions and talk to professionals whenever I want to make a decision.

    What attracts you to people?

    I love people that are intelligent, smart and knowledgeable. I like flexible people. I believe this life is not hard. I like humble people and those that love God.

  • ‘I bring out the best in people’

    ‘I bring out the best in people’

    Kolawole Oyeyemi a marketing communication expert is the General Manager, Sales and Distribution Division, MTN. Oyeyemi who recently hit the golden jubilee age in this interview with Bukola Aroloye speaks on his career path, management style, philosophy and his interesting pastime. Excerpts:

    Turning 50

    I feel very grateful for four fundamental reasons: the first is gratitude for the gift of life. This is because in an environment where life expectancy is low, (46 by WHO report), to be alive and well; sound in spirit, soul and body at 50 years is a gift from God I am eternally grateful for. Secondly, I am grateful for the privilege of an early discovery of my purpose and a progressive movement in the direction of vision fulfilment. It is gratifying to know that I am not too far from the milestones on the journey. Thirdly, I am grateful for a most loving and supportive family, friends, colleagues and fellow travellers. Finally, I am eternally grateful for the humble achievements of having made some impacts in my chosen career, humanitarian pursuits and ministerial assignment.

    Career trajectory

    In the course of my career, I have been privileged to have won varying awards in marketing creativity, professionalism and knowledge share. I have also been instrumental to several awards won by my marketing communication agencies. I won the Cadbury Creativity Award in my days in Cadbury Schweppes and was also a part of the team that won the Marketing team award. I was awarded the Marketing Professional of the Year 2012 by Marketing World Awards. I was awarded the Brand Icon of the Year 2013 by Brand Age Nigeria. In 2014, I got the Marketing World Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in Marketing. In 2015, Marketing Edge conferred on me the Marketing Personality of the Year 2014. I have also won varying awards internally in my company.

    I was fortunate to be a two term President of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria; a body made up of Marketing Directors and Heads of Marketing of advertiser companies in Nigeria responsible for over 80 per cent of Nigerian advertising budget. This platform gave me the opportunity to provide thought leadership in the Marketing and Marketing Communication industry in Nigeria

    I have also authored six books including the first Marketing Book of its kind by an African, reviewed and catalogued by the US Library of Congress. This book: ‘Kill Or Get Killed; The Marketing Killer Instinct’ has been endorsed by the Marketing and Advertising Institutes in Nigeria and adopted as a text book for Marketing and Mass Communication students by two Nigerian universities. I have also been able to touch a number of students across Lagos and Rivers states with my Foundation: Ignite Africa Leadership Foundation focused on youths and the revival of the Reading Culture in Nigeria. The Foundation has over sixty book clubs, over four thousand books in stock and boasts of an ultra modern library facility open free to the public.

    Philosophy

    Please God; Fulfil Purpose; Impact lives. By all means, do not live quietly!

    Management style

    I see the best in people and so focus on extracting the best out of them as a route to delivering personal and corporate objectives. I challenge and stretch those who work with me to exceed their expressed capacities. If you are not driven, you won’t enjoy working with me.

    Pastime

    First, my transparency and sincerity is infectious. Integrity is not negotiable. Those who work with me know that. Secondly, diligence is scripturally demanded. I live by this rule and so those who work with me are challenged to do the same. Thirdly, ownership mindset; success at work demands an ownership mindset where work does not end when you close from your physical office

    Toughest decision

    It was saying ‘Yes to God’ to pastor a church. I did not want to be a Pastor or be responsible for other people’s spiritual wellbeing. This was in addition to the fact that I had a good job in a multinational company and so didn’t need to pastor to earn a living. I also felt that there were enough churches anyway? I ran from God for two years but ultimately had to say “Yes Lord!”

    Most favourable decision

    Becoming a born again Christian. It changed the dynamics and trajectory of my life irrevocably positively.

    Unwinding

    Travelling, driving, teaching, reading, watching movies and listening to music

    Inspiration

    God’s love. Family love. Work love. Music. Joyfulness and seeing people happy and knowing that somehow I am connected to their joy gives me the high.

    Passion

    If I wasn’t working with MTN, I think I would have naturally ended up in the academic environment as a lecturer.

    Traded skills

    I am a very robust commercial strategist with excellent skills in Marketing, Sales, Integrated Marketing disciplines of Advertising, Public Relations, Sponsorship and Events, Media and Media management. I am also a speaker, teacher, writer and author.

    Serving as ADVAN president

    It was a privilege and an opportunity to serve. It was an opportunity to fulfil a part of my life philosophy. Providing leadership to a team of highly skilled and respected professionals was a humbling experience and a learning opportunity. The art and science of negotiations amongst industry stakeholders to reach consensus on widely varied issues were very profoundly defining for me. I worked with some of the best minds the Marketing industry and Nigeria at large can boast of. I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve and to add value to the industry

    Advice to new entrants in the industry

    You must make a strategic choice early in your career. Do you want the quick money or you want to build a formidable profile? Doing the latter makes you a humble lifelong learner. The money may not come early but you won’t lack either. When you’ve built up a formidable equity, you can then price for it.

    Advice to government

    Fix the socio-economic fundamentals. Bring the real sector out of coma. Diversify our revenue base.  Plug leakages. Make real scapegoats of treasury looters. Communicate your efforts effectively.

    Oyeyemi inside out

    I was born in Ogbomoso, Oyo state. I attended Baptist Day School, Modakeke from where I proceeded to Saint David’s Modern School in Ife. I thereafter went to Christ Apostolic Church Grammar School, Akure from where I graduated in 1984. I spent one year at the Oyo State College of Arts and Science for my ‘A’-levels before proceeding to the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, where I graduated with a Second Class Upper Bachelor’s degree in English Studies in 1989. I went to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism for Post Graduate studies in Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations. I then attended various international business schools; Columbia Business School, New York; Cranfield, UK and Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, Nigeria, for executive business education in Advanced Management, Strategy, Marketing, Sales and Leadership.

    I began my career as a broadcaster with Kano State Broadcasting Corporation where I excelled and got the NYSC Recognition Award for exemplary performance in 1990 because of the innovation I brought to bear on my assignment at the broadcast station. I had a short stint with The Quadrant Company in 1991 where I was introduced to Public Relations practice. With a thirst to get into full Marketing Communication, I left The Quadrant Company to join Sunrise Marketing Communications in 1992. In 1996, I moved to Cadbury Nigeria Plc. as the Advertising Manager managing the Advertising and Promotions portfolio. Under two years in this role, I distinguished myself in the company and got the Creativity Award for innovation. A passion for full brand management saw me move into mainstream Marketing practice as Brand Manager for the company’s highest value brands- Knoor Cubes and Knoor Chicken Cubes. Again, I excelled and the brand under my watch sold the highest volume and delivered the highest value in its 20 years history then.

    After this feat, I left to join MTN Nigeria Communications Limited as the Brand Manager, Business Market. I was behind the launch of several propositions and high impact sub brands before I was promoted into senior management to manage the MTN master brand and look after the sponsorship, events and media portfolio. I became General Manager, Consumer Marketing, and continued the string of excellent and creative brand management that led to many award winning Marketing and Marketing communication campaigns that grew both volume and value market share. During this era, the brand became the highest value brand in Nigeria and the Group brand the highest value brand in Africa.

    I am currently in the Sales and Distribution division of the firm as the General Manager, Business Development with responsibility for developing strategies for business growth via both traditional and emerging channels, structures, systems, technologies and platforms to deliver business targets on market share and revenue.

  • GTBank is Best in Corporate Governance in Africa

    GTBank is Best in Corporate Governance in Africa

    Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) has been awarded ‘Best Corporate Governance in Africa’, in the Financial services category at the Corporate Governance Awards.
    The event, organised by the Ethical Boardroom Magazine, recognises outstanding companies who have exhibited exceptional leadership in the area of governance and professional ethics.
    Over the years, Ethical Boardroom magazine has consistently delivered in-depth coverage and astute analysis of global governance issues. The editorial team, together with a host of distinguished contributors, tackle the most complex and pressing issues that have a positive and negative influence on boardroom leadership, committees and quorum, ethics and compliance, shareholder engagement, activism and risk management strategies.
    According to the Managing Editor of Ethical Boardroom, Spenser Cameron: “Deciding upon which African financial services company had scooped the top prize for 2017 was a hard task, considering all the final nominees had excelled and over-achieved in their governance practices over the last 12 months.”
    He added that there could only be one winner and that was Nigeria’s very own Guaranty Trust Bank. The West African banking powerhouse has shown the rest of Africa how it’s done by continually placing ethics and integrity at the heart of its business, whilst creating long term value for its stakeholders”
    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Segun Agbaje said: “We are delighted to be recognised as the Best Bank in Africa for Corporate Governance by a globally renowned and well respected magazine. This award is an affirmation of the Bank’s strict adherence to the values of professionalism, quality service delivery and internationally accepted corporate governance standards, which have enabled us create an oasis in the African banking industry”.
    Agbaje further stated that the lender’s commitment to global best practices and standards has seen us emerge the first Nigerian Bank to fully implement all ISO certifications namely; ISO/IEC 27001- for Information Security, ISO 20000 – for IT Service Management and ISO 22301 – for Business Continuity Management and PAS 99:2012 Integrated Management System certification by the British Standard Institute (BSI).
    Presently, the bank has the best credit rating assigned to any Nigerian Bank by both local and international rating agencies (B/stable by Standard & Poor’s and B+ by Fitch Rating), which further attest to our adherence to international best practices and standards.
    As an institution publicly quoted both on the Nigerian and London Stock Exchange, GTBank ensures compliance with the Code of Corporate Governance for Public Companies issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘the SEC Code’), the Code of Corporate Governance for Banks in Nigeria Post Consolidation issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (‘the CBN Code’), as well as disclosure requirements under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the United Kingdom, which are applicable to non-UK companies with GDRs listed on the London Stock Exchange.

  • The best of 2016 (I)

    The best of 2016 (I)

    They gave us so much. Amazing stunts, openness, responsibility, sincerity, new words and phrases, hope and more.

    Hit by the vicissitudes of these times – recession, Boko Haram, southern Kaduna, kidnapping and hunger – we are tempted to forget their roles in making 2016 a truly remarkable year. We shouldn’t. This being the season of recognitions and goodwill, it is fit and proper to honour all those compatriots of ours who went the extra mile to make the society better. They are our best.

    As protocol demands, we start from the top. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron, the biggest casualty of the Brexit ignorance, looked good to carry the day when he gave us the phrase “fantastically corrupt”. It sparked a huge row that went on for days. Nigerians descended on Cameron for making such an uncomplimentary remark. The patriot in many a Nigerian was aroused. “Why call us corrupt when your U.K. is the receiver-in-chief of the proceeds of corruption? Isn’t this the worse hypocrisy anybody can think of?” many Nigerians grumbled to no one in particular even as everybody felt the depth of their anger. Some, the daring ones among the patriots, told the former P.M. bluntly: “Is it your money? What is your business in this? In fact, you must apologise to us.”

    With the uproar, it is a matter of great surprise that Mr. Cameron’s “fantastically corrupt” did not win the Phrase of the Year. Really? Not quite.  Aisha Buhari’s interview shocked many who never saw the critic in our affable First Lady. She said the administration had been hijacked by a cabal and warned that she might not support the President for another term should things continue the way they were.

    Many who had expected a civil war in the first family were disappointed when President Muhammadu Buhari dismissed it all with an amazing presidential jocularity. He said in far away Germany: “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.” It was electrifying. Holidaying women rights activists, whose last known battle was fought and lost a few years ago when a distinguished senator insisted on marrying a minor, suddenly woke up. The President has offended women’s sensibility, they cried, demanding an apology. Needless to say, they got none as their voice was drowned in the euphoria that greeted the president’s salubrious sense of humour. Besides, the phrase “the other room” took on a life of its own, earning diverse interpretations, some of which I will not bother to repeat here, this being a family newspaper.

    Buhari’s “the other room”, without any fear of contradiction, is the Phrase of the Year. In fact, Mrs. Buhari’s interview easily qualifies for Interview of the Year, but for justice and equity, the first family will not be allowed to snatch away both trophies.

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal has been gravely troubled since senators levelled some allegations against him and demanded that the President give him the push. They said they were in possession of a petition alleging that Lawal awarded a contract to a company in which he had an interest. If they had left it at that, perhaps the matter would have just fizzled out like so many others, but his traducers peppered it all with the allegation that the contract, aforementioned, was to cut grass in Yobe – at N272.52m.

    No grass was cut, Yobe Information Commissioner Mohammed Lamin said, arming Lawal’s opponents, who are obviously envious of his success, with a lethal weapon to deal him a fatal blow. President Buhari ordered a probe and Lawal was forced to defend his integrity, as if he is just an ordinary civil servant. He said he had quit the affairs of the company that won the small contract and that his son was in charge. Didn’t United States President–elect Donald Trump announce recently that he was ceding his position in his companies to his sons and nobody raised any eyebrow? Not so here. He should show proof that he was not signing the company’s cheques even after stating that he had quit, the SGF’s incorrigible traducers yelled. The more Lawal explained his position, the worse the public perception of him got. His account in the bank of credibility, it seemed, was already in the red. Overdrawn.

    All is not lost. Didn’t the great bard say “sweet indeed are the uses of adversity?” The controversial contract has attracted the attention of the intelligentsia, with many researchers signing up for funds to have an academic excursion into what they have termed in popular lingo “contract without tears”. One, a professor of many years standing, I am told, is writing a book on “the grass-to-grace story of the grass cutter of Abuja”. His grass cutter, according to reliable sources who have caught a rare glimpse of the first grade work, is not to be confused with the bush meat that has become a popular accompaniment to pounded yam in many homes in Ekiti.

    No doubt, this is the Contract of the Year.

    Not much was heard or known about All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, a chief and former governor, after he joined the June 12 struggle against the vicious dictatorship of Gen. Sani Abacha (of dreadful memory). He was in politics quite alright but he never really hit it big until prominent politicians of like minds joined forces to form the APC that kicked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) out of power. Oyegun, waving the banner of a democrat and an epitome of integrity, got vaulted into the powerful office of party chairman. Needless to say, he has done well for the party and – as some would argue- for himself.

    The APC was set to be announced the winner of the Kogi State governorship election when suddenly, its candidate, Abubakar Audu, died. Many thought his running mate, Abiodun Faleke, who had gone through thick and thin with him would be asked to step into his shoes. Oyegun found in that proposition neither logic nor sense and reason. He announced that a new candidate, Yahaya Bello, a fellow who had dumped the party and actively undermined it after losing the battle for its ticket, had been appointed.

    Those who felt Oyegun would stand by his party and insist that the election was over after the APC had in its kitty majority of the votes cast – which the rerun in a few places could not torpedo – were disappointed. “Is this the Oyegun we used to know? What has come upon the former NADECO chief?”

    The APC was plunged into turmoil. The sheep were in disarray as the shepherds tore at one another. The animosity was yet to subside when the Ondo State governorship election hit the scene. The primary was as acrimonious as a motor park union’s election. The delegates’ list was upturned and a new one surfaced on the eve of the primary. Those who were hurt did the right thing. They took their case to the party. No justice. Since then, there have been calls for Oyegun to go. Faced with such vociferous calls for his head, many a weak chairman would have chickened out, surrendered and claimed that they threw in the towel under duress. Not Oyegun.

    For clinging on tenaciously to his seat despite what is seen by his critics as his obvious misjudgments, which have bred so much bellicosity in the party, Oyegun is Chairman of the Year.

    Step forward Youth and Sports Minister Solomon Dalung. Those who are not his fans deride him as an unserious fellow who thinks a ministerial badge is a licence for executive tomfoolery. Some, without conceding to him his fundamental right to be cloaked as he likes, accuse him of dressing like a doorman. Others say his khaki and military police/ Boys Scout beret portray him as a new Civil Defence recruit or a Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) commander. I really don’t know.

    Despite the darts fired at him, Dalung carries on with remarkable sincerity. When Flying Eagles coach Samson Siasia took the team to Atlanta, United States of America (USA), which the minister erroneously referred to as United States of Nigeria, just before the Rio Olympics, Dalung declared them missing. Perhaps they would have remained missing but for this outcry. The team was eventually found. They arrived in Brazil in unpleasant circumstances and went on to shock the world by winning the bronze medal. An inconsiderate minister would have shunned this modest achievement. Not so Dalung. He let the world into the secret of the team’s success when he announced that his pep talks did the magic.

    The other day when the victorious Super Falcons staged a sit-in in their hotel to demand payment of arrears of allowances, the minister was quick to let the cat out of the bag. He confided in the public that the soccer authorities could not pay the girls, the defending champions who had won the Cup of Nations at least seven times, because they were never expected to win. What sincerity.

    When he faced the House of Representatives Committee on Sports recently, Dalung was as blunt and frank as ever. He told the lawmakers that the funds “spended” on the 2016 Olympics were “properly spended”. Some fellows who never see anything good in hard working government officials pounced on him.” Is he not a lawyer and a former university teacher?” they growled.

    Take a bow Dalung. For your frankness, which your critics deride as buffoonery, you have the Minister of the Year trophy.

    Other awards to follow shortly.

     

    …And one last word

    Dear reader, this is just to inform you that I won’t be attending the Donald Trump inauguration tomorrow because of my very tight schedule. See you in a fortnight.

  • At their vocal best

    At their vocal best

    Ex-choristers of  St. Albert Catholic Church at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) are back with songs of praise. It was at a reunion organised by the church, reports EDDY UWOGHIREN (400-Level Medicine and Surgery).

    Years after they graduated from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), their ties with their alma mater remain strong. Last week, former choristers of the school’s St Albert Catholic Church returned to campus to worship.

    As they filed out on the stage, clad in elegant native attires to render songs, their appearance attracted little applause because the congregation did not expect much from them. However, they held members of the congregation spellbound with sonorous voices as they rendered songs and praises.

    The excited congregation rose to applaud the ex-choristers as they delivered their choreographic dance and melodies. That was the scene at the Alumni Choristers’ Reunion of St Albert’s Catholic Church University of Benin (UNIBEN) last Saturday.

    The event tagged: ‘Uma Familia-One Family’, witnessed massive turnout of students and alumni, who arrived early for the red carpet session.

    The organising committee Chairman, Dr Peter Agbonrofo, a Consultant-General Surgeon at UNIBEN Teaching Hospital, said the event was a home-coming for the ex-choristers of the church.

    He said: “This church, over the years, has been blessed with young and talented composers and singers, who have consistently turned out beautiful compositions in various languages nationwide. These former students have raised the standard of liturgical music ministration. We are proud of their achievement.”

    Agbonrofo said he was not surprised the choristers thrilled the congregation with “mind-blowing performance”, despite years of their graduation from the school. He said the church was reputed for giving youth the opportunity to develop their talents in the service of God and humanity.

    The ex-choristers rendered various gospel songs in traditional and classical ways. At intervals, they changed their attires to reflect the mood of the song rendered.

    Their songs were in various dialects to give every ethnic group a sense of belonging. The songs reminded the congregation of the grace and mercy of God upon them, and reflected the Catholic faith and supremacy of God.

    Highpoint was the joint performance of selected songs by the ex-choristers and members of the the church choir. The concert also featured a fund-raising for the activities of the choristers and special prayers for the church.

    At the end of the event, Noel Orji, who graduated in 2006, praised the church for organising the programme, which, he said, created a platform for the ex-chorister to share ideas on how to move the choir group forward.

    Wema Okungbowa, a 400-Level Medicine and Surgery student, and Mrs Ijeoma Ogbomo, a 2013 Pharmacy graduate, said the event exceeded their expectations. Wema said: “Ordinarily, one would have thought the ex-choristers had lost their voices, but their performance was impressive.”