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Tag: executives

  • Ex-heads of Service, perm secs get executives

    Ex-heads of Service, perm secs get executives

    Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries (ALARHOSPS) has elected new executives to direct the association’s affairs for the next three years.

    They are Otunba Nurudeen Ojora-Adejiyan (President), Mrs. Grace Oladimeji (1st Vice President), Mrs. Arinola Odulana (2nd Vice President), Bashir Braimah (General Secretary), Mrs. Margaret Solarin (Assistant General Secretary), Mrs. Adebimpe Dada (Treasurer) and Mrs. Olusola Oduguwa (Financial Secretary).

    Others are Olusina Thorpe (Publicity Secretary), Folarin Adeyemi (Social Secretary), Mrs. Maryrose Akinsanya (Legal Adviser), Mrs. Rhoda Ayinde (Welfare I), Wasiu Akewusola (Welfare II), Mrs. Helen Deile (Auditor), while Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Onadipe, Mrs. Amidat Anifowose and former President Femi Olugbile are ex-officios.

    Otunba Ojora-Adejiyan promised to build strong pillars on the foundation already laid by previous executive, particularly regarding improved welfare for members.

    He added: “It’s a privilege to serve this association as its President and, together with other members of exco, we will work to further enhance the welfare of members. We will also continue to interface with the government as prescribed by our constitution. We are all professionals and still very active, so we will continue to put our expertise in motion for the benefit of all.

    “We will work towards getting our permanent secretariat. This body is too great to be a tenant, so we will work towards getting our own space. In all, we will work hard to serve our people, the state and give back to the society.”

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    Former President Femi Olugbile urged the new administration to set its own agenda, but ‘the minimum agenda is like the agenda you give to a health care practitioner ‘do no harm’. “Hopefully, they will be able to maintain what they meet in place, build upon it and take it higher as my executive sought to do with what we met when we took over,” he said.

    A member of the association, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, reminded the executive that their election was a call to service, and so “they should work harder because we expect their performance will double and surpass that of their predecessor. I expect them to be dynamic, vibrant and come with new ideas”.

  • Lawmaker: why council executives should be trained

    A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikorodu Constituency, Hon Babajimi Benson, has said regular training of local government’s executives will boost their service delivery.

    Benson said the training, aside ensuring good governance, leaders of the various local governments, would be able to effect positive changes in the lives of their constituents as they are the closest to the grassroots.

    He stated this at the retreat for the six local government’s executives in Ikorodu Federal Constituency by ICare Foundation in Lagos.

    It had as theme: “Impacting the electorates, achieving good governance and legislative excellence”.

    “The need to improve the quality of lives of the people is why we are here. It is a new year, a time where leaders set goals and we, representing the Ikorodu division, second largest constituency in Lagos, so we brought people who can function, maximise and add value to the people who elected them. It is a time that we have to ensure that the electorates are happy and it is a penultimate year to election, so we need to set goals and try as possible to achieve the goals,” he said.

    On what to expect from the maiden training attended by the six local government chairmen, vice chairmen, councillors, supervisors and influential people in the Ikorodu constituency, Benson said: “My expectation is that the training got will be optimised, add value to governance and the leaders will have better things to discuss and achieve for the electorates.  We want to deliver the whole of ikorodu to the performing governor who has inspired us to work harder, and the training will be regular, continuous and constitent as promised by the life coach, the catalyst, Mr Lanre Olusola, who is here with his organisation.”

    A former secretary to the Lagos state government, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Bashorun, said the  training was welcome as over five million residents of Ikorodu would indirectly benefit from it.

    He commended Hon. Benson on the initiative, affirming that more of such would grow Ikorodu and Lagos in general.

    The trainer/Head of the  Olusola Lanre Coaching Academy (OLCA), Mr Olusola Lanre,  said leaders fail because they set too many unrealistic goals. He said he was part of the initiative was real change would begin in the country in the year.

    On political leadership issues, he said: “The proper thing is to first accept that we are Nigerians which is not a geographical space, not natural resources under the ground or the air we breathe but is us and if we want to move the nation forward, we need to make our commitment to the leadership that drive this nation forward and people in leadership need to be equipped with the right mindset to be able to create an enabling vision and build on it.

    ”To be able to do that, they need to take control of their lives, set goals and achieve them. They need to build themselves first, so the programme is about self leadership, helping the leaders develop their own personal goals and visions in their own constituents and get what they want to see in the next three years, five years, two years, one year and how do they see themselves achieve those things and how they see themselves.”

     

  • Ohuabunwa advises top executives on self-management

    Executive Vice Chairman, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, has advised top executives to make effective use of their time, money and reputation, which, he said, are the most critical elements in self management.

    Ohuabunwa said this at the Executive Accelerated Induction Workshop, organised by the Chartered Institute of Strategic Managers and Leaders, Africa-Nigeria (CISML), at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Lagos.

    The workshop tagged “Strategy Leadership Practice Today” had top and middle-level executives from different sectors at the induction of about 20 persons into CISML professional membership and licensing as chartered strategic management practitioners.

    Ohuabunwa said top executive managers are the key drivers of growth in any organisation and their ability to make judicious use of their time, resources and image within and outside the organisation was imperative.

    He noted that employees in most establishments are willing to give their best and provide requisite value to the organisation, but their leaders must be effective, efficient and respectable in their actions.

    Ohuabunwa said: “Man is capable of doing much more than his current  attainments as most men will never achieve more than 25 per cent of their capabilities and competent leaders drive the people to do more and give their best at all times”.

    According to him, the image of the manager counts thus, dressing appropriately, talking sense, carrying oneself  with dignity, exuding ennobling values, getting regular feedback from subordinates, peers and super-ordinates are very instructive.

    The President of CSML, Dr. Austin Izagbo, regretted the tragic character deficiencies among leaders in both public and private sectors.

    He said: “We have all skilled people in positions of power, with an ample supply of potential leaders.  Yet  the  leaders  who  are  trying  to  keep  their  nations, companies,  organisations,  and  families  from  sinking  are  either  lacking  or deficient in that vital element of character.”

  • Corrupt bank executives

    Corrupt bank executives

    •Sagay is right; those who connived with looters should be prosecuted 

    When bank executives commit fraud or betray their privileged positions of trust in other parts of the world, they are treated like any other criminal – prosecuted and convicted – if found guilty. But here in Nigeria, they are hardly prosecuted. At best, they are relieved of their jobs and business continues as usual. Obviously this is not healthy for the banking sector which thrives on trust and integrity.

    It is against this backdrop that we support Prof Itse Sagay’s decision to push for prosecution of bank chief executives who connived with looters. The looting of the country’s treasury on the massive scale that some unscrupulous politicians perpetrated could not have been possible without the collusion of bank executives. “In my own little way, we are going to push for the prosecution of such bank chiefs. They must be prosecuted,” Sagay said in a public lecture in Lagos on “The many afflictions of anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria”, on September 5. The lecture was organised by the Nigerian Society of International Law.

    Nigerians are inundated daily with reports of staggering amounts in local and foreign currencies suspected to be proceeds of crime purportedly belonging to some former public officials. While it is true that not all the stolen money passed through the banking system, as billions have been recovered in homes and other discreet places, we have also seen evidence of some money lodged in banks, or at least passed through the banking system to wherever they are now, at home and abroad. Yet, those who should blow the whistle when such huge funds were being moved looked the other way.

    This is only one of the many infractions in the banking sector. We have had instances of banks charging customers more than required; some chief executives had converted customers’ deposits in their care to personal property while others gave loans without adequate collateral security. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in August 2009 removed the managing directors and executive directors of five banks due to high level of non-performing loans attributable to poor corporate governance practices, lax credit administration processes and non-adherence to the banks’ credit risk management practices. Two months later, three more bank chief executives were sacked by the apex bank for gross mismanagement of funds. Only one of the banks’ chief executives fired was successfully prosecuted and substantial assets and shares confiscated from her, following the plea bargain she entered into with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    This state of affairs must be a source of concern to PACAC and all well-meaning Nigerians. There is nowhere in the world where chief executives do not tamper with funds in their care. The difference between Nigeria and those other climes is that they promptly prosecute such chief executives. For instance, in the United Kingdom, former Anglo Irish Bank executives John Bowe and Willie McAteer and the former chief executive of Irish Life and Permanent, Denis Casey, were all sentenced to prison terms ranging from two years to three and a half years for a €7.2bn conspiracy to defraud in September 2008. What is pathetic in their case is that they did not gain any direct profit from their crimes. They only conspired to mislead investors about the true financial state of their companies.

    It is doubtful if most of the crimes committed by bank chief executives in Nigeria followed this pattern of not benefiting from the crimes. As a matter of fact, corruption drives most of the unethical conducts in our banks.

    We support Prof Sagay’s idea. It cannot be otherwise if sanity must be restored to our banking system. We also note his apprehensions, especially about a National Assembly that has not passed any of the anti-corruption bills before it, as well as the judiciary that stinks, with some senior advocates colluding with some judges to sell judgments. What the situation calls for is eternal vigilance by Nigerians who should be more inquisitive about what transpires in both the legislative and judicial arms of government.

  • Kwara youths decry dissolution of PDP executives

    Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youths have criticised the dissolution of the State Executive Committee by the Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

    The youths are also demanding for the restoration of the Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo –led executive.

    The state executive was disbanded at the recent PDP national convention.

    The aggrieved youths alleged that the dissolution of the executive was suspicious and a collusion between Makarfi and certain politicians to weaken opposition in Kwara.

    Prior to the dissolution of the executive of the party in Kwara, both Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo and Sunday Fagbemi battled for the control of the leadership of the party with their two groups.

    Led by the former factional assistant publicity secretary of the party in the state, Oluwafemi Yusuf, the aggrieved youths insisted that the dissolution was in bad faith and asked the national leadership of the PDP to reverse its decision, warning that there was no justification for such.

    They argued that the state congress, which re-elected Oyedepo in May 10, last year, was successfully conducted in the presence of delegation from the National Secretariat of the party, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agents in line with electoral law.

    The youths said: “We the concerned Kwara PDP Youths received the news of dissolution of Kwara State PDP Exco led by Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo with great shock and bemusement because there was no justification for such dissolution.

  • UNILAG alumni elect new executives

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) Alumni Association, Lagos State chapter, will begin a new administration of two years with Dr Lukumon Adeoti as its new chairman.

    He won a landslide victory during the association’s AGM/election last Sunday. He polled 210 votes to Dr Yusuf Fassy’s 58, and Oladimeji Dipo’s 57 votes.

    Adeoti, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geophysics, said his  plans include: provision of scholarship opportunities for indigent and outstanding students; securing an office space for the alumni in Ikeja; encourage exchange programmes with local and international institutions, among others.

    He also said he would initiate UNILAG sports week and partner with the national executives if need arises.

    Meanwhile, the immediate past chairman, Dr Ayodele Ogunleye noted areas of concern the new boss should address.

    He proposed that the number of alumni members on the university governing council be raised to 10 in order to enable them play significant roles and contribute financially and otherwise to their alma mater; that the university admission ratio should be renegotiated to include 30 per cent of Alumni children; and a survey to see how alumni associations could assist in combating increasing drop-out rates in universities.

    He said: “One of the best ways that our universities can witness continuous growth and development is through involvement of the various alumni associations. In order to achieve this major role, both JAMB and the Federal Government should redefine the admission ratio to include 30 per cent of alumni children. By so doing, many alumni will be ready to contribute financially towards the overall development of their alma mater… The attachment has to be exploited for the good of the university and the continued development of products of such institutions.”

    He noted that his administration, which should have been four years of two tenures, was extended to five due to challenges faced by the association last year.

    Others elected executives are: Vice Chairman, Mr Samuel Anyamele; Secretary, Mr Olusegun Alimson who won unopposed; to be assisted by Mr Olayinka Shonubi; Treasurer, Mr Oluranti Ebun (Unopposed); Social secretary, Mr Taiwo Ajasa; Publicity secretary, Mrs Florence Okere; Internal auditor, Mrs Oluwabukola Ajibade; and Financial secretary, Mr Adedeji Olashore.

  • 80% of ad executives battle digital challenges

    About 65 per cent of marketing and advertising job roles are expected to change in the next five years while approximately 80 per cent of advertising and media executives are struggling to reinvent themselves in the digital marketing space, said Street Toolz Digital Centre (SDC).

    To remain relevant in the competitive market, the centre urged brands and agencies to hire more digital talents to excel in today’s competitive digital-driven economy.

    To help agencies overcome some of the challenges of migrating to digital space, the agency said it is offering Free Digital Marketing Masterclass in partnership with Digital Marketing Institute (DMI), Ireland all over Nigeria to help marketing firms, advertising agencies and brands reinvent themselves in today’s fast driven digital marketing economy.

    The Centre’s Director of Training, Babajide Alaka, said the centre’s commitment to a digital Nigeria and contribution to the Integrated Marketing Communications industry, in partnership with the world‘s leading digital training organisation DMI will be offering free the tailored Digital Marketing Masterclass to PR, media, advertising and marketing executives to enhance their understanding of digital marketing landscape, digital PR, digital strategy, digital trends, search marketing, mobile marketing, social media marketing, digital budgeting, content marketing, agency de-liverables and brand expectation among others.

    Alaka disclosed that all participants would also have the opportunity to take a practical digital diagnostic test to benchmark their current skills with global industry standards and to determine their individual digital skills level. Thereafter, custom training solutions will be advised and recommended for the agency or individual.

    He  further explained that already, agencies and brands, such as Dana Airlines; KIA Motors; Golden Lite; Property Mart; Renault Motors; Fuel Communications; Verdant Zeal; Eslia Communications; TBWA; Creative Xone; Mediacraft Associates and Brand Journalist Association of Nigeria (BJAN) amongst others have all benefited from the Centre’s Digital Marketing Agency Masterclass.

    The Business Director of TBWA, Mr. Osibo Imhoitsike, praised the effort of the centre, adding that the training has shown him and his agency that there needed to be a digital revolution in their midst instead of a digital culling.

    The Chief Marketing Officer of Street Toolz, Jerry Oche, however, said the centre aims to reinvent marketers and change the phase of marketing/advertising in Nigeria with the considerable digital talents and strategic insights of Street Toolz and the global teaching modules standard of Digital Marketing Institute.

    The Founder/President of the DMI,   Ian Dodson, said: “Street Toolz, with its knowledge of the industry and the numerous subject matter experts was a prime candidate for Digital Marketing Institute’s partnership.”

  • NURTW state executives intact, says president

    The President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin, has directed that all the zonal councils, state councils, branch and unit executives in the states should remain intact.

    He said this in a statement yesterday.

    Yasin has been returned unopposed for a second term as the union’s president.

    In the statement, Yasin debunked the rumour making the round, especially in the  Southwest that all the state councils had been dissolved.

    He said:  “All the zonal councils, state councils, branches and unit executives remain intact and status quo must be maintained throughout the federation.

    “All state chairmen must be alive to their responsibilities by ensuring that nobody is allowed to foment trouble in their domain.”

    Yasin appealed to members of the union to remain peaceful. He also called on all security agencies, especially the police, to maintain the peace and order at motor-parks.

  • School offers DBA for executives

    Business executives who would like to develop skills to teach in the university can apply for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme of Nobel International Business School (NIBS), Accra, Ghana and Swiss Business School (SBS), Zurich, Switzerland.

    The program holds at the NIBS Campus in East Legon, Accra.

    Addressing the media in Lagos, President and Executive Dean of NIBS, Prof Kwaku Atuahene-Gima, said the programme, which is internationally accredited, would develop the research, publishing and teaching capacity of the executives who would to bring their business experience to the classroom to help students prepare for the real world.

    He said: “Those who graduate will gain acceptance and credibility above and beyond the level of consultants and EMBA-holders as people who can handle the most complex and nuanced business problems for their firms and/or employers.”

    Vice President of NIBS, Prof Per Jenster, lauded the programme for providing solutions to the complexity of the changing African business environment.

    A member of the NIBS international advisory board, Prof John Meewella, explained that the NIBS academic schedule is flexible to enhance successful completion of the programme.

  • LBS graduates 132 executives

    LBS graduates 132 executives

    One hundred and thirty-two participants have graduated from various executive education programmes of the Lagos Business School (LBS), following months of practical sessions and intensive study.

    The graduands, comprising 49 participants for the Senior Management Programme (SMP 54), 66 for SMP 53 and 17 for the Chief Executive Programme (CEP 23) were awarded their certificates by the Dean, Dr Enase Okonedo; Director of Executive Education Mr Henry Onukwuba, and inducted into the LBS Alumni Association (LBSAA) by Mr Wole Oshin, president of the association.

    Sir Ademola Aladekomo, the Managing Director, Chams Plc, urged the graduates to assist in nation building with the wealth of knowledge they gleaned from the programmes.

    Drawing on his experiences in making Chams a household name in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry, he advised them to focus more on service to humanity rather than the quest for personal wealth at the expense of professionalism and business ethics.

    “You have been given a great platform by LBS to impact your immediate environment and the world by extension. My advice is that you stay focused, be your own person and stand for something rather than just make life comfortable for yourself,” he said.

    The presidents of the graduating classes took turns recounting their experiences on behalf of other participants. Each class made a donation to advance the school.