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Tag: influence

  • Southeast in Southwest- Investment, influence, and the question of home

    Southeast in Southwest- Investment, influence, and the question of home

    • By Adebamiwa Olugbenga Michael

    Across Nigeria, patterns of internal migration and economic dominance have long shaped local and regional dynamics. One of the most visible examples is the significant presence of Igbo entrepreneurs in the Southwest, particularly in Lagos and its environs. Over decades, Igbo traders and investors have built sprawling commercial empires, contributing significantly to the economic vitality of the region. Yet, this success has also sparked questions about loyalty, integration, and the responsibilities of migrants in host communities.

    It is undeniable that the Igbo have a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit. Many left their ancestral homes in the Southeast during the post-civil war years and settled in Lagos, Ibadan, and other commercial hubs. There, they invested capital, energy, and ingenuity to build thriving businesses from markets and trading houses to real estate and manufacturing. Their contribution to the Southwest economy is both substantial and visible.

    But with influence comes tension. Indigenous Yoruba communities have begun to push back politically and economically. Local leaders are advocating for policies that prioritize indigenous participation in commerce, land use, and political representation. This pushback, while often framed as protection of indigenous rights, has been met with anger and resistance from some Igbo investors who see the Southwest as the land where they made their fortunes.

    Read Also: Ex-CJN Ariwoola tasks new lawyers on commitment to professional ethics

    The underlying question is both practical and philosophical. Why do Igbo investors expend such energy outside their homeland instead of building equally competitive states in the Southeast? The answer is complex. Lagos, with its unparalleled population density, access to international trade routes, and commercial ecosystem, presents opportunities that the relatively less urbanized Southeast cannot match. Investment in Lagos promises faster returns and a wider market.

    Yet, this economic migration has social consequences. The perception among some Yoruba communities is that long-term Igbo presence in the Southwest has sometimes ignored the culture, history, and political rights of the host population. While many Igbo have integrated, the ongoing tensions suggest a gap between economic contribution and socio-political acceptance.

    Historically, Nigeria has experienced similar patterns. Migrants often cluster in regions offering economic opportunity, leading to friction over land, governance, and resources. The 1950s offer a partial parallel, before independence, Nigeria saw cross-ethnic political collaboration, yet post-independence politics revealed the limits of integration and the enduring power of ethnic loyalty. Today’s economic migrations echo those earlier dynamics, but in commerce rather than politics.

    Some argue that this tension is natural. Host communities have a right to expect respect, cultural sensitivity, and shared governance from long-term residents. Yet, the migrants’ argument is equally compelling; they have invested heavily, created jobs, and fuelled regional growth. Both perspectives are valid, but the lack of a shared framework for coexistence has amplified disputes.

    There is also the matter of imagination and ambition. Could the Southeast develop Lagos-like commercial hubs, capable of attracting internal migrants and investment? Many analysts believe yes, citing the entrepreneurial prowess of the Igbo themselves. But doing so requires infrastructure, political will, and a long-term vision, elements often hampered by governance challenges in the region.

    The current friction, then, is not merely about money or politics. It is about respect, belonging, and the balance between host and guest. Yoruba communities seeking to assert their rights are exercising a legitimate prerogative, while Igbo investors expressing frustration are asserting their stake in the national economy. Both impulses are understandable, yet both require negotiation and compromise.

    Critically, the debate also forces a broader reflection. Should Nigerians invest primarily where opportunity exists, or where they are culturally rooted? Is economic migration inherently at odds with regional loyalty? The answer may lie in a nuanced combination of both, a commitment to national integration that respects local rights while fostering cross-regional prosperity.

    Ultimately, the question is one of perspective. From the Igbo point of view, their labour and investment have helped build Lagos into a global commercial hub. From the Yoruba perspective, the Southwest is home, and long-term residents deserve recognition and influence. Bridging this divide demands empathy, structured policy, and mutual respect.

    The stakes are high. Without dialogue and careful management, economic competition can easily turn into ethnic friction, undermining the very prosperity that has been painstakingly built. But with foresight, both communities can benefit, the Southeast could learn to replicate Lagos’ commercial model at home, while the Southwest could institutionalize inclusive policies that reward contribution without eroding local identity.

    Nigeria’s larger lesson is clear; prosperity must be coupled with respect. Economic success is insufficient if it deepens cultural divides. Migration, investment, and ambition are valuable, but they must harmonize with the social fabric of host communities. Only then can regional tensions transform into collaboration, and individual achievement into shared national progress.

    The story of the Southeast in the Southwest is thus not just about business. It is a mirror reflecting Nigeria’s ongoing challenge, balancing opportunity, identity, and belonging in a country still negotiating the terms of unity within diversity. The question remains, will we learn to respect each other as we grow, or will competition deepen the fault lines that have always threatened our cohesion?

    •Michael writes via gbengaadeba@hotmail.com

  • PDP: Battling with fading influence

    PDP: Battling with fading influence

    A former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Afolabi Ige, examines why the party failed to manage its achievement when it was the ruling party for 16 years.

    Nigeria returned to a hard earned democracy in 1999.

    Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) emerged as the 1st elected civilian president from one of the three political parties that shrugged it out at the February 1999 presidential election.

    The foundational characters of the PDP was made up of the finest grade of the Nigeria political elite who has just survived the Abacha onslaught mysteriously and was united by their common plight as politicians who stood against the transmutation of Gen. Abacha from rulership in khaki uniform to rulership in civilian babanriga.

    It was difficult to ignore or reject the experience, statesmanship credential and the international exposure and acceptability of Obasanjo at that time particularly with his ethnic background in relation to the festering war against the perceived domination of the Nigeria polity by the Hausa/Fulanis occasioned by the gruesome annulment of the June 12, 1993 election won squarely by Obasanjo ‘s Yoruba/ Egba kinsman, Bashorun MKO Abiola who later died in government custody shortly before the commencement of the transition program. While President Obasanjo could be said to have applied the Yoruba large-heartedness, fairness and equity in the administration of the country, he indisputably employed and institutionalize the use of military tactics in the internal politics of his party and inter-party politics of the country. The PDP therefore became the signpost of the Nigeria nascent democracy and set the tone of politicking  in the country having ruled the country consistently for sixteen out of its eighteen years unbroken democracy from 1999-2015.

    Before 2003, signs of the tide has begun to manifest as one after the other the big political gladiators and founders were shown their way either to permanent silence or out of the PDP- the Solomon Lars the Sunday Awoniyiss, the T.Y. Danjumas; most of the respected voices had became cracked and military brigandage had taken over PDP.  Military war strategist and their apologists took over the toast of the Nigeria nascent democracy plotting ambush and take over by tsunamis against  the internal control of the PDP and by extension of their operation a crack down on the opposition party within the national polity. By the time of 2003 general election, the two fledging opposition party had already fallen to the military tactics of the PDP sheriff. AD lost 5 out of the 6 southwest states under its control to the PDP in the 2003 election while the APP lost 4 out of its stronghold of 7  states also to the PDP. Nigeria became virtually a one party state and PDP became an haven of impunity .

    Immediately after the 2003 election, all the governors, 90 percent of whom were PDP, borrowed a leaf from the leadership at the centre and began to experiment the emperor style in all the states. Following the imperial president’s footsteps. Within Obasanjo’s eight year presidency, PDP had changed its national chairman four times expiring  Chief Solomon Lar, Barnabas Gemade, Chief Audu Ogbe to finally settle for President Obasanjo’s man-friday, Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd). If the 2003 election tsunami was done by ambush , the 2007 election was by real arm twisting and a garrison “do or die” affair. Marked by the unpreparedness of a president who was busy plotting a constitutional change to give him a fresh three terms erroneously called “3rd term” which failed at the eleventh hour due to the non-cooperation of his sitting veepee who had galvanized majority lawmakers against the constitutional change plot; irregularities became the defining character of the 2007 election to the extent that the man who got produced as president through the process, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua of blessed memory affirmed that the process was deficit in credibility and embarked immediately on massive electoral reforms post Obasanjo years. It thus became  that post 2007 general election in Nigeria, all a  daring claimant need do is to shout to the court particularly in the southwest states, that “I lost election because I contested with a PDP candidate” and the courts will grant his or her prayers. This was the foundation laid for the PDP in her first 8 years of existence.

    At the exit of OBJ, coupled with the poor health of President Yar’Adua which eventually claimed his life  2 years into his tenure, the PDP Governors went tiggerish with their claws on the presidency as the powers behind the throne. The illegal PDP Governors Forum became an albatross on Nigeria polity with no voice of descent even from the oppositions simply because it was about sharing more resources and cornering more powers by the states at the expense of the federal and local governments. By this time voiced opposition to the PDP has been restricted to the ever virulent southwest where the ACN itself a regional variant of the PDP gangsterism ideology was holding sway by being smarter and appealing to legalities.

    Politically, movements between the ANPP, ACN and PDP, for instance, at a time became mere transverse from less populated part of a hell to the brightest and most populated part of it. Thrice did GMB tried perspiringly and thrice did the PDP machinery dealt devastating blows on the election of GMB even with his talakawa ardent followers in their droves. The PDP was indeed the whipping cane of indecorous  opposition until the opposition became wise by hard experience and cluster together to fall the PDP elephant in 2015 just in the same manner the G-34 came together against Gen. Abacha in 1997/98; thus voiding and terminating the 2007 Ogbulafor testament that PDP will rule Nigeria for 60 years unbroken.

    Bequeathed with such a prodigious background with the finest and our most resilient ilk of our political elite and with the opportunity of holding on to power for sixteen whole years unbroken and at a time the economy was most blessed in history, only to find itself clutching to straws of the demagogues in its nineteenth year is a very sad commentary not only on Nigeria but Africa’s inability to manage and control success; most importantly its inability to discipline its own self.

    From Vincent Ogbulafor to H.E. Nwodo, H.E Alhaji Bamanga Tukur , H.E. Adamu Muazu, H.E. Sen.Ali Modu Sheriff and H.E. Sen. Ahmed Markafi, the PDP kept the tradition of holy and esteemed appearance reserving their number one position for men who have tasted power and authority and hence, can command the respect of those so occupying within the party but that tradition was broken ala cartel in the just concluded December 2017 national convention. The party handlers seemed to go for the broke by doing away with niceties, administrative and political management experience and went for an “omorogun” ( a war pestle) as a choice. An “omorogun” is the Yoruba name for the mixing pestle for flours, which major characteristics is  its non-refusal when its owner beckons, unreflective of the very hot water.

  • ‘My favourite authors influence my style’

    ‘My favourite authors influence my style’

    Umari Ayim is a writer.  She has five e-books which includes Apartment 7, Born Again, Just Friends, Ila’s Burden and Moshe.  A legal practitioner, Ayim also has three print books that includes Twilight at Terracotta Indigo, Inside My Head and Guardian of the Fall.  In 2011 and 2012 she won the Association of Nigerian Authors’ (ANA) literary prizes in Writing for women and ANA poetry prize, respectively.  In this chat with Edozie Udeze, she says her favourite authors are the ones that influence her form, style and narrative ingenuity and more

    That sorts of books do you like most?

    I like to read a variety of books but I tend to enjoy fantasy, legal thrillers, political thrillers and mysteries. I also enjoy non fiction works like biographies, historical works on religion, Egyptology and mythology. I read good classics as well and sometimes enjoy good science fiction stories.

    When you read a book, what are the salient things you look out for most?

    A meticulously plotted story with well developed characters and strong imagery. I also like books that draw me into the would the author has created so that I sometimes forget where I am.

    Who are your favourite authors in the world and why?

    I enjoy the works of many authors but on the African continent, I would say my favourite authors are Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Peter Abraham, Okot p’Bitek, Ngugi wa Thiong’o because their works influenced me greatly as a young girl and shaped my outlook on life. I like the works of the late Maya Angelou for the simplicity with which she told her stories and her poetry techniques which made you feel like you were interacting with her. Through her stories, it was easy to see and feel the experience of Black Americans before the civil rights era. Toni Morrison is another favourite Black American author I enjoy.

    When and where do you like to read and what time and why?

    I like to read at night because the world is much quieter and it is easier to relax with a good book.

     What is your preferred literary genre?

    Mysteries/suspense because I enjoy guessing and trying to find out who did what and what happens next.

    What book or books have had a greatest impact on you and why?

    The books of the earlier mentioned writers and for the same reasons stated above.

    As a child what books tickled you most?

    All of Enid Blyton’s books from her bumble bee collection, Famous Five, Goose bumps and Malory Towers. I also enjoyed reading the Adventures of Api by Desmond Ohaegbulam.

    At what point in your life did you begin to nurse the idea of becoming a writer?

    I must have been in Primary Five. I had begun scribbling stories at the back of my notebooks and thought it would be nice to have my own books with beautifully illustrated pictures.

    How has writing shaped or reordered in your life?

    It has provided me with an outlet to express myself and share my creativity with the world. It has also helped me connect with intelligent people who have shared their talents and ideas with me.

    If you meet your favourite author face to face what would you like to ask him/her?

    A lot of things. I would like to know the inspiration behind the works I enjoyed and his/her experience as a writer.

    Of the plays you’ve read which character struck you most?

    Olunde, son of Elesin in Wole Soyinka’s ‘Death and the king’s horseman’. I remember reading the play in secondary school and being intrigued by his desire to uphold the tradition of ritual suicide despite being educated in England.

    What book do you plan to read next?

    The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma

    How do you arrange your private library?

    I arrange it by genre. Fiction on one shelf, non fiction on another shelf.

    Are you a reader and how often?

    Yes I am a reader. I try to read at least five books in a month due to my busy schedule as a lawyer.

  • Wike boasts of influence on Supreme Court, says Amaechi

    Wike boasts of influence on Supreme Court, says Amaechi

    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has accused his successor Nyesom Wike of boasting that he has influence on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the judiciary.

    He stated that Wike continued to forge more documents against him

    Amaechi yesterday in an online statement by his media office said Wike wanted to use the forged documents to persecute and prosecute him in court.

    Wike is Amaechi’s former Chief of Staff and the director-general of his re-election campaign organisation in 2011.

    The minister said: “In the past couple of days, Wike has been telling anyone who cares to listen, bragging that he will certainly get a conviction, a judgment against Amaechi in the law courts on spurious charges of corruption, using his forged documents because he (Wike) is in control of the judiciary at the state and national levels.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that Wike has been boasting that he has the judges in the Rivers State judiciary in his pocket, that he is in full control and that the Rivers State judiciary would always give him any judgment he wants against Amaechi.

    “Furthermore, Wike is bragging that the CJN is his ‘main man’ that would readily and easily assist him get any judgment he wants against Amaechi at the apex court, using his contorted documents.

    “Wike is also telling anyone who cares to listen that the Supreme Court (Justices) and judges generally are not happy with Amaechi and so they would easily convict him with any forged document he presents in court. Power-drunk Wike is using the recent visit of the CJN to Rivers State as his bragging right to prove his ‘extreme’ closeness to the CJN.

    “Nigerians would recall that only a few days back, Livingstone Wechie, the young man Wike used to accuse Amaechi of corruption and write false and frivolous petitions to the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) etc., confessed in a live television programme and in a statement he also circulated to the media, that all the documents he used to wrongfully portray Amaechi as corrupt when he governed Rivers State, were phonies, forged documents given to him by Wike’s Rivers State Government House.

    “Wechie also admitted, like we have always said, that the forged documents were used as the template and basis for the Justice Omereji-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry, a panel Wike set up early in his administration to witch-hunt, malign, vilify and persecute Amaechi.”

    The transportation minister also stated that sadly, Wike was presiding over the affairs of Rivers people.

    He accused Wike’s administration of embarking on wholesale forgery and distortion of government documents and would then retail it out to his minions, the media and the judiciary in a bid to defame and destroy Amaechi.

     

     

    ‘His blackmail of judiciary will fail’

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike yesterday described the statement credited to Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as a figment of his imagination.

    Wike said the statement issued by Amaechi  was part of a campaign of calumny launched by the former governor, following  the foundation stone  laid by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onoghen for the construction of the Judges Quarters.

    “The former governor sponsored advertorials and electronic adverts through proxies to stop the laudable project without success, hence the resort to falsehood and character assassination,” the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor (Electronic Media) Simeon Nwakaudu said yesterday in a reaction.

    The statement reads: “We are not surprised by Amaechi’s antics to blackmail the judiciary.  Ever since the Supreme Court Victory  that validated the election of Governor Wike, Amaechi has never failed to malign the judiciary.

    “Governor Wike is a law-abiding citizen, who believes in the  rule of law. That is why he has followed due process in tackling  the issues of high level corruption against  the Minister of Transportation.

    “The Rivers State Governor in line with the extant  laws of Rivers State set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry that investigated the Sale of Valued Assets of the state by the Amaechi administration.  The constitution of that panel was challenged  by the former governor at the State High Court and Court of Appeal.  Both courts upheld  the establishment  of that panel.  The former governor has since approached the Supreme Court  on appeal. Rather than await the verdict of the apex court, in his  usual manner, has resorted to political blackmail and falsehood. As usual, this will fail.

    “It is imperative  to declare that the Judicial Commission of Inquiry  that investigated the Sale of Valued Assets of the State sat in the public. All the documents about the fraud of that  administration  were circulated  in the public domain with journalists  writing about the activities of the commission, publishing  tendered documents.  Nothing  was hidden from the people of the state.

    “The Commission of Inquiry into the sale of Valued State Assets and other related matters headed by  Justice George Omereji received 442 exhibits,  27 memoranda while 25 witnesses testified before it.

    “The commission indicted  the former governor and confirmed  that N53 billion was diverted by Amaechi and his officials…

    “We have very credible documents to prove the mass corrupt acts of the Minister of Transportation against the good people of Rivers State.”

    The statement added: “Amaechi  is being haunted by his ugly past. He locked up the courts for two years, forgetting  that he was a beneficiary  of the courage of the judiciary.

    “Amaechi  should respect the judiciary as a courageous  arm of government  that works in line with the tenets of the  law.

    “Without  equivocation, Governor Wike  stands by  his declaration  on the Rivers funds found at the notorious Ikoyi residence.  Nothing has changed.

    “Governor Wike  will not be distracted by this reckless and unfortunate blackmail of the judiciary  by Amaechi.  At the appropriate time, the immediate past Rivers State governor will be brought to justice. He is assured of fair trial.”

  • The power of influence 

    One of my annual professional development rituals is reading TIME Magazine’s ‘The 100 Most Influential People’ edition. Since I first read an edition of the special publication some years ago, I have found the compilation a must read, not only for the elegant and succinct writing style, but for inspiration and understanding of why successful and influential people are what they are.

    Writers of the short pieces on each of the hundred featured persons are always able to capture the essence of who they are writing on and as stated in the editor’s note for this year, explore the “intersection of accomplishment and renown.” Apart from top global personalities like presidents, CEOs, and celebrities, this year’s edition covers others of less fame but great force, in the power of their inventions, the scale of their ambitions and the genius of their solutions to problems that no one before them could solve.

    As I read through this year edition, I was as usual smitten by attributes of those featured and recommend them as role models for anyone who desires to impact the world.

    Singer, songwriters, actor and activist, said to be a champion against stigma, Demi Lavoto, captures the essence of living with her famous quote “there is no point living life unless you make history, and the best way to make history is to help others”.

    Lavoto’s question should challenge us all. Who are you helping? What impact are you seeking to make in your family and community? What will we all be remembered for?

    Barbara Lynch who grew up in the poorest neighbourhood in Boston decided to enter one of the most male-dominated fields in the world by becoming a top chef. Today, she has seven restaurants, four awards and a memoir. Her secrets: She gets things done even when they seem impossible. She creates opportunities for herself even when they seem not to exist.

    Where there is a will, there is always a way. Daring challenges abound in our quest for success but if you are like Lynch, nothing will be impossible for you to accomplish.

    What makes British Prime Minister Theresa May tick? What’s her staying power in the arduous task of being Brexit boss? Bill English, Prime Minister of New Zealand, offers an insight on what stuff May is made of.

    ”She has will and she has clarity. She has met the deepest demand of leadership: to provide direction and reassurance in a time of upheaval and confusion.”

    In Nigeria, we are clearly at a stage in our political history and there is no better time for us to have a leader who knows what to do to get us out of our present worrisome political and economic situation.

    Donald Glover who started as a staff writer and has grown to become a modern maestro, according to Tina Fey, embodies his generation’s belief that people can be whatever they want and change whatever they want and change what it is they want at any time.

    “When you’re tired of starring in a network comedy, take a break to pursue your rap career for a Grammy nomination. When you’ve learned all you can from acting in other people’s movies, sit down and create your own piece of art,” Fay wrote to illustrate how Glover has moved from contributing jokes to creating a series that has won 10 plus major awards.

    Though no Nigerian made the TIME list, we have many accomplished persons who can be described as influential based on their accomplishments. Like TIME has done, it is left for Nigerian publications to identify and celebrate them.

    Instead of celebrating people of questionable characters, who are always willing to pay for awards, we must make it a point to showcase hard working Nigerians as role models.

  • Deepening brand’s influence in Southwest

    Deepening brand’s influence in Southwest

    With market indices reflecting bad business for premium beers across all brands  in Nigeria, leading brewers have been striving to remain on top in critical touch points. Goldberg is leveraging Fuji music as a springboard, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    AMID dwindling patronage because of recession, many brands in the beer market have been finding it tough to stay afloat. In the last two years, the recession, according to sources, has forced some brands to stop their campaigns while some have not been able to start new ones.

    However, while some premium brands cannot sustain the budget to continue brand activations targeting heavy spenders, some players have resorted to pushing valued brands, which are cheaper through activations targeted at some regional markets.

    For instance, Nigerian Breweries’ Goldberg Lager Beer has consistently explored a Southwest musical genre, Fuji, to push its brand to edge competitors to the corner.

    To remain a top-of-the-mind brand in the Southwest market, Goldberg in the last four years has sustained its Fuji t’o Bam campaign to checkmate other affordable brands  through the promotion of the culture of the people of the Southwest Nigeria.

    Launched in 2012 to discover and celebrate budding Fuji talents, the brand campaign has led to the discovery of many talents. For instance, a Fuji talent, Tope Ajani, after months of thrills and frills, emerged the Wura1 for the 2016 contest.

    The campaign has also brought to the limelight young musicians, such as Akeem Okiki from Osogbo in Osun State, who won the 2015 edition; Twinzobia Twins from Ibadan, Oyo State (2014); and Antenna, winner of the first edition in 2013. The initiative identifies and celebrates the rich musical tradition that contributes to sustaining the cultural values of the people of the region.

    The campaign was launched at a time the perception of people about the music genre was at its lowest ebb. According to brand analysts, the concept has lived up to expectation as many budding artistes have been discovered through the platform, thus, building the brand’s popularity and acceptability.

    Some of the promising Fuji artistes, who spoke with The Nation at an audition in Ibadan, for this year’s contest, said the credibility of the brand activation motivated them to participate. According to them, the annual activation has served as an impetus for young artistes who, hitherto, had lost hope in building career in Fuji music. They said the brand had carved a niche for itself with the annual talent hunt, which has placed Fuji music in the spotlight in Nigeria and beyond.

    One of them, Oritoke Adija (a.k.a Africa Selidon), who has been singing since 1998, said Fuji musicians in Ibadan appreciated the contribution Goldberg was making to develop the music genre.

    Oritoke, the only woman contestant, who participated in the race in Ibadan, said any time Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN) called for meetings,  artistes were always asked to pray for Nigerian Breweries.

    During  a Goldberg maiden Fuji Roundtable in Lagos, the Corporate Media & Brand Public Relation Manager, Nigerian Breweries, Patrick Olowookere, said Nigerian Breweries respected the socio-cultural values of its host communities.

    “As part of our efforts towards community development anywhere we operate, Goldberg, in 2012, inaugurated Fuji t’o Bam; we respect people’s cultures and values and this forum is a testament of our resolute determination to contribute to the socio-cultural development of the people in the western part of our nation,” he said.

    Impressed by the support the brewer is giving to Fuji music, Chairman, National Project Committee of the Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria, Sikiru Ayinde Agboola (a.k.a SK Sensation),  commended Goldberg Lager Beer.

    Agboola said the support by Goldberg was second to none and should be emulated by other companies in the country.

    He said Fuji was the only surviving genre of music that has its origin in Nigeria, and stakeholders needed to seek ways through which the genre could be further developed.

    The Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Emmanuel Agu, said the brewer always tried to champion, promote and associate with the culture of its host communities.

  • The waning influence of brand loyalty

    The waning influence of brand loyalty

    The power of brand loyalty seems to be waning, gradually. Consumers now choose what is readily affordable ahead of their preferred brand. What could be responsible for this? TONIA ‘DIYAN writes

    Kudi Ogunsanya is a regular traveller on a particular British airline carrier. For her, flying with this airline to any destination in the world has been a tradition of over 40 years, which she inherited from her parents. So strong is her family’s loyalty to this airline brand that for her and her household, travelling outside Nigeria is either with this British carrier, or no trip. But her continued loyalty to this brand was recently put to test, especially in the face of the biting harsh economic realities in the country.

    Recently, when she had to make a choice between flying her preferred airline and others plying the same route from Lagos to America, she finally settled for a Middle East airline for her trip. Her decision was hinged on the over 45 per cent fare differential between both airlines. For her, the difference in fare is enough to pay for other things like shopping in America.

    “Well, I think I have had enough of this loyalty thing to this airline. Now, I have to face the present economic reality, and consider my pocket. I have to now patronise ‘pocket friendly’ products or services ahead of consideration for brand loyalty, after all, any airline will get me to my destination safely irrespective of the time difference,” Ogunsanya told The Nation Shopping.

    Her choice is one of several now threatening consumers’ loyalties to a brand, especially with the array of competing brands and services all coming at varying prices but offering same quality.

    Ogunsanya’s choice is better captured by another consumer, Mr. Matthew Smith, who contended that consumers have become more ruthless in their hunt for value. “Consumers are being much savvier in their shopping habits, because they now place a lot of factors ahead of loyalty. This is why shopping is now done across the discounters and premium retailers; and this trend will only continue,” he said.  And for some consumers like Omoba Adeyinka, exploring new brands is the attraction. “My old brands are common and I like to explore new things,” he said.

    Literarily, brand loyalty is an attachment to a particular product or service from a certain manufacturer, such that irrespective of any circumstance, a consumer remains committed to the product of a manufacturer. Now the tide is changing.

    Research have shown that consumers or shoppers are no longer keen when it comes to brand loyalty- a development that is believed to be swelled by a retail environment now being increasingly driven by promotions. While it is worthy of note that deploying price promotion to boost sales has always been an important part of retail trading and brand loyalty, yet, in recent times, it has also become more of a concern to retailers as the number of products sold on discount continues to rise, thereby cutting down on retailers’ profit earnings. This price promotion strategy is just one of the several ways retailers now strive to outdo one another.

    It is now common to see retailers and manufacturers deploy various promotional strategies, especially competitive product categories all to ensure that a product or service either retains its loyalists or attract new ‘converts’ to it. This is why if one retailer introduces a deal, others copy it and even add a new idea. The strategy has proved to be effective considering that some shoppers trade-off their loyalty to a particular brand ahead of price and are always happy to buy across price tiers. So, the same shopper, who will buy a brand ‘A’ today, for instance, is the same that will buy a brand ‘B’ tomorrow, depending on what is on offer/discount.

    Aware of consumers’ frequently changing habits, manufacturers have had to remain on their toes to ensure that their brands keep talking to its loyalists and at the same time, trying to recruit new patrons to their products. This, according to experts, is due to the fact that consumers can easily compare prices when products are on the shelf, leading to more price-matching, which has had a major effect on the promotional landscape, thereby resulting to brand disloyalty amongst consumers.

    Perhaps, this is why in the Lagos metropolis, it is said an average of 42 per cent of consumers have a brand in mind before they go shopping, while the remaining 58 per cent go for any brand that suits their pocket and meets the quality required such as   Semovita and Semolina. Even in categories such as the beverage sections where consumers are found to be more loyal, findings have it that 51 per cent of shoppers pre-plan which brand they are going to buy prior to setting foot in a shop, while 30 per cent change their mind while in the shop and an average shopper buys the cheapest items on the shelf.

    Buttressing this point is a Lagos-based cosmetics manufacturer. The manufacturer, who pleaded to remain anonymous, explained that while his products remains very competitive, but the bulk of his sales are from the promotions he offers from time to time. For him, he finds relatively little loyalty, as consumers choose what is on offer before their preferred brand.

    However, experts have warned that retailers should pay close attention to the types of deal they offer because a higher level of discount does not mean higher return on investment. They should also consider whether to discount their premium brand, regardless of promotions or support a weaker performing brand with the hope of increasing sales. This is because it has been found out that sometimes, during a week-long sales promotion, it will be possible for the premium product to record sales that triples smaller brands.

    But come what may, some consumers say they will remain committed to their brand. A lawyer, Mrs. Aderinola Abiola, is one of such ‘die-hard’ brand loyalist. She explained that she prefers staying glued to her favourite brands because they have proved to be trustworthy and have never failed her. “I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t be loyal to my brands. As the saying goes, the devil you know is better than the angel you just met,” she said.

  • KIKI OMEILI – ‘My parents are my greatest influence’

    KIKI OMEILI – ‘My parents are my greatest influence’

    Nkiruka ‘Kiki’ Omeili is best known for playing the role of the antagonistic Titi Haastrup alongside other Nigerian film actors Funke Akindele, Joseph Benjamin and Joke Silva in the 2012 feature film, Married but Living Single. She is also known for her role as Lovette in the TV Series Lekki Wives.  The medical doctor turned actress shares her acting odyssey with Adetutu Audu 

    What are you working on currently?

    I just completed work on a movie called “Blame it on me”, directed by Ikechukwu Onyeka, opposite the legendary Kanayo O Kanayo. It was a wonderful‎ experience.

    You became more popular with your role in TV series, Lekki Wives. How would you describe your experience on the set?

    The set of Lekki Wives is possibly the most disciplined set that I have ever been on. There was such a wonderful rapport among the actors and the synergy was mind blowing. There was a lot of good energy on the set and of course Blessing Egbe always brings her game. It was pretty cool.

    You acted a new movie, Couple of days, what was the attraction for you?

    I liked the fact that it was a movie that addressed marriage and relationships in general.‎ It has so many lessons for couples to learn from. It really hits the spot because practically everybody can relate to it. That, for me, was the attraction.

    You are known to act antagonistic roles, would you say they are coincidental?

    Well, I think it’s a case of the most popular roles being antagonistic roles. I also play a lot of roles where ‎my character is the victim. I just think the “antagonistic” roles are more popular.

    How do you combine your medical profession and acting?

    With my love for media, I make sure that as much as possible I lend medical advice to those willing to listen. I guest host a health show which will air soon. And I do pro bono health work from time to time.

    When you are offered a role, what do you do next?

    The first thing I do is to read the script. If I can visualise the character from the script and the story sits well with me, then I take it from there. I learn everything about the character, her back story, what informs her decisions about several things, and then, if need be, and I do the necessary research to help me adequately interpret the character.

    Which is your most memorable  moment during the course of your career?

    To be honest, every time my work is appreciated is very memorable for me. It’s great to be recognised for doing good work. That being said, winning the award for best actress in a supporting role at the African Film Awards in 2012, winning the GIAMA award for Best Supporting Actress in 2015 and winning the award for Best Actress at the in short film festival stand out for me.

    How challenging has it been over the years?

    Acting is hard work, that’s a fact. It requires a lot of discipline and dedication. So, it is not easy. There’s also a lot of competition, so one has to constantly reinvent the wheel and prove oneself.

    How do you keep fit mentally as an actor?

    As soon as I’m done with a role, I try to purge myself of the character. It’s possible to get in so deep that one continues to behave like the character even after filming. I just go back to my life, things and people I love.

    How do you take a character in a script to an honest, believable and breathing person?

    As I said, if I can visualise myself in the role, then I believe it. And if I believe it, then the audience believes it. The character comes to life. I’m just the tool through which that happens.

    Describe a memorable character you played?

    Blessing in Walter Banger’s “Gbomo Gbomo Express” will always stand out for me. She was a pidgin-speaking, gun-wielding, uncouth and rough-around-the-edges kind of girl. To pull that off believably is still such a thrill for me.

    You once forced Time magazine to do a retraction on the interview you granted, what really went wrong?

    Yes, I did in 2014. I granted the interview and the interviewer didn’t have a tape recorder. She later mixed up her notes‎ and wrote that I dropped out of medical school. The fact that I am a medical doctor and never failed a single course when I was in medical school is a thing of pride for me. It was not easy to get that degree. It took a lot of hard work, discipline and dedication. So when I read that, I knew that I‎ wouldn’t rest until they printed a retraction. I have “Law Allianz” to thank for that. That’s the law firm that handled the case for me.

    What is your success secret?

    My attitude to work and life in general. I keep it positive.

    Who are those who influence you in life- the good, the bad and the ugly?

    My parents have been my greatest influences. I thank them every day for the way I turned out. They did a fabulous job, if I say so myself. I honestly can’t think of anybody who has influenced me negatively.

    What’s your style secret?

    I keep it classy, sexy and most importantly, comfortable.

    Has it been rewarding being an actor? Has the take home pay been taking you home?

    I like the way you put that. “Has the take home pay been taking you home” lol? I’ve had a very rewarding career as an actor. I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot of diverse roles, and that’s something that I’m very grateful for. Truth be told, in the beginning, the remuneration was nothing to write home about. But with more recognition and more work under my belt, it’s a world better. So, yes, it does take me home. Lol.

  • Social influence of angel investors  

    You do not get the opportunity to meet angels every day. If you meet an angel, and she is ready to invest in your dream, to save you stress of sourcing fund, count your lucky stars. Angel investors are still at the nascent in Nigeria.

    However, in Europe, angel investment is well established and the practice has taken roots. Venture capitalists lurk around; angels are invisible, until recently.

    For instance, a start-up in Nigeria, now one of the leading card companies, came to market on the magic carpet of angel seed. Angel seed have sustained its position long before the big money venture capitalists dived-in. Angel seed is like the moist and sunshine a nursery plant required to keep alive before the raining season.

    Angels were useful to this particular company at its nascent

    While the venture capitalists (such as Microsoft, Facebook, Apple etc, which have bought some thriving companies and take them to the next level) are useful, I equally acknowledge the place of the angel investors in the value chain. Without the angels to incubate the startups, the tier one venture capitalists would have nothing to gain. They would have nothing to build upon.

    Dotun Sulaiman, Tomi Davies and Collins Onuegbu, all members of Lagos Angel Network (LAN), are the new face of angel investment in Nigeria. As Onuegbu told me, venture capitalists only go to where the “money can be made”.

    Angels build dreams. Venture capitalists reap the harvest. LAN will be at the next Demo Africa in Lagos to help startups realise their dreams at the event.

    One other aspect of angels is that they provide financial backing for startups in exchange for equity. The capital angles offer can be a one-time injection of seed money or ongoing support to carry the startup through difficult times. If you have a dream and you need an angle for support, attend Demo Africa 2015. If you need funding, one of these angels can introduce you to a colleague or friend. The connections can prove useful.

    Besides, at Demo Africa, angels would offer startups contacts of strategic partners, advice and counsel, credibility by being associated with the investor, potential customers, employees, lawyers, banks and accountants. Startups would get contact of investment bankers and knowledge of the marketplace from the angels.

    Angels, who are mostly affluent individuals, play an important role in launching the future major companies of the world. Research has shown that every major technology company started with the help of angels.

    This means that majority of local companies such as Systemspecs, PFS, Arit of Africa, Upperlink and MTN have all benefitted from angels’ touch. Likewise, the foreign giants such as like Twitter, Square and Alibaba.com have drank water with disposable cups of the angels before drinking with gold goblets.

    However, startups have gained sincere handholding from angels at past Demo Africa. This tradition continues at the next edition. For startups and their dreams, it is not about the money. It is not about the equity.

    It is about the mentoring, which would prepare them for the next big leap. That is the social influence of angels. After all, you do not see an angel every day.

  • My biggest influence and inspiration is my mother—DOLAPO ONI

    My biggest influence and inspiration is my mother—DOLAPO ONI

    Dolapo Marcy Oni is a graduate of Chemistry, University of Bristol, England. Her passion for acting led her to the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London. She started her television career as the lead anchor on the MNet show Studio 53 Extra and soon became a force to reckon with. The co-host of the hit TV show, Moments with Mo, has since become a style icon across Africa. She has worked with classical and contemporary materials across all mediums  from stage and film, to radio  crafting her expertise in entertainment. She shares with Adetutu Audu her odyssey 

    Share your experience on Jacob’s Cross with us.

    Jacob’s cross was one of my best experiences. Getting the job was challenging. I was working with Mnet at the time, so anytime I was in South Africa I would take any chance I could to audition. I had the audition in Jo’burg, and after a year I did a Skype audition, then put myself on tape then sent it out. After I had a meeting via Skype, I was offered the part I played. I was really excited as I’ve always been a fan of Jacob’s Cross. I remember when I first moved back to Nigeria that I said that is the show I would love to work on and I was very happy.

    Which do you like the most, soap or stage performance?

    They are two completely different sorts of productions. You cannot get the type of adrenaline rush you get on stage on TV. It’s just completely different. But on the other hand, TV is for life and by that, I mean it’s recorded, because in 20 years I would be able to show my children, and that is something that is really, really exciting. So I’m not sure if I’m able to choose.

    While growing up, who influenced you for good, the bad and the ugly to shape you into who you are today?

    My biggest influence and inspiration is my mother. My mother taught me to work with an independent mind and be thankful I had a great education; and to use that to make something of myself. And that’s basically what I have done. I come from a family of lawyers and accountants, and everyone has pretty regular jobs. It may have been difficult if I came back with the mindset of maybe my parents or siblings could help me with this or that. What I needed mostly was their support and I am very lucky they gave that to me. And I just basically went out there to hustle so that I would get jobs, and luckily I did.

    What would you say is the highest point of your career?

    Highest points of my career are: Jacob’s Cross, Saro the Musical and starting my own production company by being able to create work and offer work to people. And watch this space, because there is something coming to your TV screens very soon (my own personal project).

    What major setbacks have you had in the course of your career?

    I think rejection is a major thing I’ve learnt to deal with. Going to a lot of auditions and not getting the job, I keep my head up and strive for what I believe in. I don’t let it knock my confidence because the next gig might just be mine.

    You recently got engaged, when should we expect the wedding bells? Away from the glitz, who is MDO?

    Expect the wedding bells sometime soon. MDO is a chilled-out, fun loving person and a home buddy. I love to go to the movies, I love shopping love eating out, but most of the time, I love hanging out with my family and friends.

    Fashion item you can’t do without?

    Jeans. I have quite a number of jeans and I love the fact that you can dress them up and dress them down.  I also love shoes. And I don’t just like heels; I like all kinds of shoes…wedges, flats, sandals, as long as they look nice.  I would say I have about 30 pairs.

    Describe your personality and style?

    I am chilled and I can be blunt. If I am annoyed about something you will see it. It’s quite obvious because it will be written all over my face. So what you see is what you get.

    Being in the limelight has its own challenges, kindly share yours with us.

    I would say all jobs have good sides and bad sides. I work on TV, so people know who I am. I can’t complain because I put myself up there. People say things because they feel they know you. So when people say things I don’t like, I just brush it off. I don’t complain about that, because the job comes with lots of perks.

    You effortlessly change your hair dos and looks, what are your beauty secrets?

    Sleep and drinking lots of water to hydrate myself; this I would recommend to anybody.

    As one of the most admired television personalities, what do you think sets you apart?

    I think the fact that I have been trained really helps. Even though I went to drama school, I use those skills in front of the cameras, whether it is for acting or presenting.