The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and the Katsina State Government have agreed to tackle joblessness in the state. Both agreed to this when the NDE Director-General, Abubakar Mohammed, paid a visit to Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari. Mallam Abubakar said the NDE had about eight fully equipped skills acquisition centers across Katsina State, including a traditional textile training center in Agayawa and an integrated farming training scheme in Kagadama.
He explained that each of the first six centers is training 120 unemployed persons in different areas such as computer operations, GSM repairs, fashion design, knitting, welding and autotronics, while another 120 are receiving training in traditional weaving in Agayawa center. Fifty unemployed persons are also being trained in environmental beautification. Abubakas said if such projects are replicated across all the local governments in the state, it would go a long way in reducing youth unemployment.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday opened 100 bids from 101 firms for its Offshore Processing Agreements (OPA).
The stop-gap OPA arrangement, which is designed to run for three months, obliges NNPC to allocate a certain volume of crude oil within the period for refining at offshore locations in exchange for petroleum products at pre-agreed yield pattern.
In his opening remarks at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja, NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD) Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu explained that the corporation made the bidding process open for the first time for critics not to have the impression that there is a sinister motive.
According to him, NNPC is working hard and hoping to ensure that this OPA bidding is the last one.
Addressing reporters, the Pipelines & Products Marketing Company (PPPMC) Limited, Mrs Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, said would-be winners have a minimum of $1billion turnover.
Of the 445,000 barrel per day (bpd) required for refining, NNPC is planning to process 210,000bpd through OPA.
She said: “When we look at what the refineries are doing currently, we have 210 going to OPAs. The intention is that our refineries work better and are hoping that the 210 will currently be used in the OPA arrangements.”
Ogbue added that the Federal Government hopes that OPA agreements will take effect by January.
According to her, following the rehabilitation of domestic refineries, NNPC hopes to exit OPA agreements in the next 12 months.
Asked whether there will be any concession for local content, she explained that although Nigerians are encouraged to participate in the exercise, they must pay the right price for the benefit of the citizens.
The PPMC chief said: “Even though we support Nigerians, NNPC and PPMC is not father Christmas. Your price must be right
“This processing is taking our crude, processing in the refineries while we pay the necessary bills. Yes, Nigerians are encouraged but they must pay the right price. PPMC is commercial. I am looking at my bottom-line; Nigerians are impacted.
“If you don’t give the right price, it will affect you and me when it gets to the petrol stations when you want to buy kerosene or LPG (liquified petroleum gas). Yes we encourage Nigerians but they must pay the right price.”
Kachikwu said he invited the Group Executive Director of Refining to the exercise because he has the responsibility of taking the NNPC out from future OPAs.
Some of the firms that are involved in the OPA bidding are Emirate National Oil Company Singapore ltd, Enoch International Refining & Marketing, Rain Oil Ltd, Petroco Oil Ltd, Litasco SA, Eni Trading & Shipping, Otni Brooks Ltd, Ontario Trading SA, Optimal Energy Resources Ltd, Green &Green Petrolchem, Ene gas.
Hot Air Global, North West Petroleum , Shell Western Supply Trading Ltd, Hoil, Oma Trading International Ltd, Oma Trading International Ltd, Bono Energy Ltd, Samano SA DA CV, Unipec Benjeing , Total Oil Trading SA, Slok Ltd, Grupo API, ForteOil Plc, SLK Oil and Services Ltd, Noble Clean Fuel, Energy Equity Ltd, China Zewa oil Company Ltd, Petrolson Ltd.
It was celebration time for the clergy, workers and members of the Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT), Ikere District in Ekiti State on October 4 when a special church service was held to mark the retirement of Pastor Joseph Akinduntire as the district pastor and the installation of his successor, Pastor Olumide Akinrotohun. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports
On Sunday, October 4, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State was in festive mood. It was a day of celebration and jubilation. Ministers, workers and members of the Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT), Ikere District held a special service to herald a change of guard in the church’s leadership.
They celebrated a new dawn, a new beginning and a new era which they hoped would take the district to greater heights among its peers in GOFAMINT, which prides itself as “the church with the word for the world.”
Pastor Joseph Ade Akinduntire, who had been the district pastor for the past six years voluntarily retired after serving in the lord’s vineyard for over 35 years, was celebrated with an impressive service to appreciate his efforts in the spread of the gospel.
He was succeeded by the erstwhile Assistant District Pastor, Pastor Olumide Frederick Akinrotohun, who was also formally installed as the new district pastor at a service attended by a huge crowd of worshippers, members of families and guests from far and near.
The entire neighbourhood was throbbing as the teeming faithful and guests kept thronging the worship arena while cars struggled for spaces.
The service was held at the GOFAMINT Hephzibah Cathedral, Kajola, Ikere-Ekiti where the congregation praised God for the successes recorded spiritually and physically during the six-year period the two men worked together for the development of the district.
It was all joy when the outgoing district pastor and his wife, Deaconess Florence Folake Akinduntire and their children sauntered in and were ushered to the special seats reserved for them in the front row.
The high point of the appreciation service was the presentation of a new car, a Nissan Primera, and other gifts to Akinduntire in appreciation of his service in the district in particular and GOFAMINT in general in a ministerial career that lasted 35 years.
The most significant achievement recorded during his tenure was the purchase and development of district campground, a three-acres land, along Ikere-Akure Road which has so far gulped over N10 million.
In an admonition to mark the retirement, Regional Pastor Ojuolape said Akinduntire had laboured to serve God and humanity and deserved to be celebrated.
Expressing his appreciation for the retirement service held in his honour and the gifts showered on him, Akinduntire prayed that the district would move forward after his exit, assuring that he was handing over to a capable, trusted and tested successor.
Akinduntire explained that he and Akinrotohun recorded the achievements together by virtue of love, understanding and co-operation, urging the church to co-operate with his successor.
He also pleaded for forgiveness from anybody he might have offended in the line of duty, saying whatever disagreement that could have occurred was in a bid to achieve success in the work of God.
Akinrotohun said: “I can’t do it alone, I need your support. In this district, I am sure God will lead us, direct us and show us the way. There may be challenges ahead of us but we shall overcome.
“I have the assurance that God is with us because the confidence that a man has depends on the person backing him. It is a great privilege to be a servant in the vineyard of God because I am not worthy of it but God has called me to do the work of this ministry.
“With God, we shall do the impossible. What we need is commitment. We must put self interest aside must focus on achieving the mandate given to us by God.
“We must focus on achieving the great commission and to be diligent in the work of soul winning and prepare the people for end-time harvest. With the grace of God, your support and prayers, these are achievable.”
Akinrotohun was also instrumental to the establishment of Hephzibah Cathedral which he built from scratch and is now reputed to be the biggest GOFAMINT auditorium in entire Ekiti State.
He had also served as zonal pastor before he was appointed as the Assistant District Pastor, the last office he held before his elevation to his new office.
Even after the service was concluded, the celebration still continued as many people who attended the event sang and danced to music of the youth choir, even as there was plenty to eat and drink.
No fewer than 12 professors across various disciplines are contending for the post of Vice Chancellor at the Benue State University, Makurdi, which becomes vacant next month, when the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charity Angya will expire.
The Nation’s investigation revealed that the immediate past Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and a Professor of Science Education Nicholas Akise Ada, is one of those in the frontline.
Prof Ada, who lost out in the last race, told our reporter that he is optimistic to clinch the top job this time around.
“I am well acquainted with this institution as the immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) of Benue State University and to the best of my knowledge, I served with a deep sense of humility, dedication and courage for two terms, between 2011-2015.”
Another contender, Prof. Joseph Fiase, who had his Ph.D in Nuclear Physics from Manchester University in United Kingdom in 1988, said if given an opportunity, he would instill discipline in students who, according to him, should graduate with acceptable conduct.
“My vision is to provide a strong, purposeful, dynamic and visionary leadership to run the affairs of the university, to provide a well focused, innovative approach fully backed by a strong ICT (Information and Communications Technology) infrastructure that will reposition the university as centre of excellence and make it a world player in teaching, learning and research”. I intend to make Benue State University, Makurdi a first choice in Nigeria and Africa and to be among the top 200 universities in the world,” Fiase said.
Revealing his vision for the university if appointed as vice chancellor, Joseph Kerker, a professor of Ethics, vowed to establish more faculties, departments and units that would collectively work for the system. He promised to facilitate the use of vehicles not only for deans and directors, but also heads of departments.
Kerker told our reporter that he aimed to move workers in the institution away from the civil service training mentality, to a more professional and skill-oriented, all geared towards producing graduates that are self employed.
Others in the race are: Peter Ortese, a professor of Counseling Psychology in the university; Armstrong Adejo, a professor of Diplomatic History, as well as Prof. Julius Ashiko who is the DVC (Administration) of the university.
Others are: Francis Wegh, a professsor of Religion and Philosophy and Targema Iorvaa, a professor of Health Education.
The immediate past vice chancellor of the university, Paul Akase Sorkar, described all contestants as qualified. He, however, cautioned that Angya’s successor must possess integrity and should be appointed by merit as his expertise would count in moving the institution to a greater height.
On November 30, Prof. Isaac Adewole will bow out as University of Ibadan (UI) Vice Chancellor (VC) after a four-year tenure. The professor of Medicine will hand over to the incoming VC, Prof Idowu Olayinka, a geologist. BISI OLADELE examines how Olayinka beat five others to become the premier university’s 12th Vice Chancellor.
Wednesday, September 9, will remain a memorable day in the life of Vice Chancellor-designate, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Abel Idowu Olayinka. It was the day he was unveiled as the man to steer the affairs of the premier university for five years beginning from December 1.
Olayinka beat Prof Ayodeji Oluleye and Prof David Olaleye to emerge UI’s 12th Vice Chancellor. The three were recommended after the interview stage. It was learnt that Oluleye and Olaleye tied in the second place behind Olayinka who came first.
The process started six months ago, with the advertisement for the position following the approval of the Governing Council.
A search team was constituted. The committee was responsible for fishing out suitable candidates anywhere in Nigeria who may not have applied. The five-member committee succeeded in fishing out Prof. Muphtha Adekunle Smith from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and Prof. Oluwole Olanrewaju Adedeji of the Lagos State University. They joined 11 others who applied for the post.
A Selection Committee headed by the Pro-Chancellor, Dr Umar Musa Mustapha was raised. Its members were Prof J. O Babayemi and Prof K. Adebowale, both of the university senate.
They shortlisted six candidates and three scaled the interview process that produced Olayinka.
Though one of the candidates (name withheld), claimed the process was not that transparent, many of those interviewed by The Nation said it was legal and conformed to laid-down regulations.
Factors that worked in Olayinka’s favour
Aside meeting all the academic and legal requirements for the post, some factors worked in favour of the VC-designate.
Old students/critical caucus factor:
There are some caucuses regarded as critical stakeholders within the university. They are made up of many influential professors, a good number of who are long serving and well-connected teachers, and some old students. Their members belong to core decision-making bodies such as the governing council, senate and hold key positions including being chairmen of key committees, deans of faculties and other administrative arms of the university. The caucuses are like political blocs which largely determine who gets what plum appointments in the institution.
Olayinka is said to belong to the caucus that currently holds sway in the system. It is believed that the caucus also favours the outgoing VC. Some members of the caucus attended the same secondary school or have been colleagues on several assignments and share similar worldview and ideology, helping them to bond easily.
Sources say the caucus backed Olayinka to pave way for continuity of Prof. Adewole’s works. Adewole is perceived as a high performer who upgraded the functionality of the entire system and sustained a cordial relationship with both students and labour unions during his five-year tenure.
There were claims that the influence of the caucus swayed the results in Olayinka’s favour. Adewole was even said to have attended the interview for Olayinka’s selection, which he is not allowed to as a sitting vice chancellor.
However, Adewole denied all suggestions that the process was fraudulent. He also said he did not attend the interview.
He said: “I am not aware of any fraud. I did not attend any interview. What happened was that there was an advertisement. Council met on Monday to produce a shortlist of candidates who needed to be interviewed and as a member of Council I was there when Council shortlisted. But by law, I was not a member of the joint Senate-Council committee that interviewed the shortlisted candidates. I was not there. Council met on Wednesday morning to ratify the recommendation of the joint Council-Senate committee and I was there again to look at the report. There was never a fraud, nobody reported fraud and I was not at any meeting of the joint Senate-Council committee. I was not there to interview any candidate.”
Support from the labour unions
The various workers’ unions in the university have the back of the new Vice Chancellor designate, who they described as a people’s person. They hailed his emergence with the expectation that he would be a leader that would seek the well-being of all workers.
Chairman of the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Segun Ajiboye, said the process that produced him was thorough and that he is acceptable to them.
“In my considered opinion, the process that led to the emergence of Prof Idowu Olayinka as the next UI VC is credible, fair and thorough. All the laid down processes governing appointment of VC in UI have been judiciously followed. The peace that prevails in the university after the announcement is a good indication of general acceptability of the VC Designate,” he said.
Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Chairman, Mr Wale Akinremi, also described Olayinka as “acceptable and respected by all.”
With his performance in previous positions of authority, Akinremi said the workers were hopeful of a cordial relationship with him.
“He has held positions of leadership before this new assignment and we at SSANU level can attest to his ability to warm himself into the hearts of the people,” he said.
Mr Saka Ogundele, Chairman, National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), said the rooted for Olayinka because of their love for him.
“We are party to his emergence. He is a man that will deliver and follow the good steps of the outgoing VC,” he said.
World-class recognition and rich administrative experience
Olayinka is known as a world-class scholar and researcher in his area of specialization – Geophysics. Having obtained his M. Sc. and PhD in two different universities in England at different times with post-doctoral studies in Germany under scholarships, Olayinka, is credited to have attracted grants and scholarships to UI, which may have worked in his favour. He was adjudged to possess the ability to attract more grants if given the chance to emerge as the helmsman.
A senior lecturer in the Department of Geology, Dr Akinade Olatunji, confirmed to The Nation that Olayinka’s tenure as the head of the department, witnessed the inflow of some grants and partnerships which brought immense benefits to both students and workers.
For instance, Olatunji recalled that some important equipment was donated to the department through his fellowship in Germany.
“That was the beginning of building of modern equipment in the department,” he said.
He explained further that during Olayinka’s tenure as the Head of Department (HOD), the department benefitted from the Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd’s grant which covers sponsorship of field work training for 300-Level students for five years.
He also recalled that during his tenure as HOD, he developed a robust relationship between the department and alumni which eventually led to the establishment of the Petrological Laboratory in the department. According to him, the quality of the laboratory is such that can compete with any other in the world. The don also pointed out that there is hardly any of such laboratories in Nigeria in terms of space and modern equipment.
“Sometimes, grant is about the character of the HOD. The way he also related with industry stakeholders was excellent and his successors have been building on that since then,” Dr Olatunji added.
Apart from serving as HOD, Olayinka has served as Dean of Postgraduate School and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the institution. His tenure is remembered for his encouragement of scholarship and scholarly publications, mentoring of emerging scholars and capacity building for writing competitive grant proposals. He has an impressive record of fund mobilization and management. He has received travel grants from and served as consultant to many organisations. Sources said all these were remembered during his screening as working in his favour.
Stakeholders’ expectations of the new VC
Now that Olayinka is in, he has his work cut out for him. The outgoing vice chancellor, Prof Adewole, described the university as “work-in-progress”. He said he has done his part of the job, leaving UI better than he left it; and charged Olayinka to do the same and complete the work he left behind.
He said: “I met UI as work-in-progress; I’m leaving it fulfilled but still as work-in-progress. I came on board at a time when workers were low in spirit – salaries did not come regularly. In the course of our administration, we regularised the payment of all the salaries; we cleared up promotion arrears and we are up-to-date. So, in terms of welfare which we committed ourselves to, I think we’ve done well and we can beat our chest and thank God for what we’ve been able to do. In terms of infrastructure, we added to what we met on ground and I think that’s the beauty. We met an excellent road into an uncharted territory and we are putting structures there. We appreciate our predecessors for building that road but we know that if someone could build a road into an uncharted territory, the signal to you is that develop the place and we’ve done that. The new vice chancellor should complete ongoing projects.”
SSANU Chairman, Mr Wale Akinremi, wants the incoming helmsman to take practical steps to confront issues affecting the workers, and regulate the calendar.
“He knows the issues concerning members of staff and since he is one of us, we are hopeful that he shall endeavour to promote equity, justice and fairness. We are also hopeful of a University of Ibadan that will begin to run the proper academic calendar. We want an improvement on the achievements of his predecessor,” he said.
On his part, Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU), Mr Segun Arojo, said the union would address issues they want sorted out when the vice chancellor steps into office.
“There are demands but we will want him to settle down first. We pray God to give the new VC understanding,” he said.
President of the Students Union, Odesola Oluwafemi Victor, expects the incoming vice chancellor to listen to his students and address problems with the hostels.
“We expect that Prof. Olayinka to continue the good work of Prof. Adewole. He should have a listening ear and be welcoming to constructive criticism. Most importantly, the students expect that the various issues in halls of residence be fixed, independent unionism be encouraged totally as it is a platform for raising progressive leaders; and most importantly that the welfare of students should be a top priority target of his administration.”
Olayinka has already given a response to that. In his inaugural address, he said he would give priority to students of the university.
“The students are going to be the core of our programmes while we will not neglect the staff. We will fasttrack accelerated development through consolidation,” he said.
For the over 4,000 prospective entrepreneurs and career seekers, who attended the Sterling Bank’s Get Ready for Work initiative, in Lagos, the chances of either starting new businesses or securing choice jobs look promising. The event was an opportunity for the lender to deepen its retail banking segment among youths, support those seeking capital and knowledge and those who want to start new businesses, reports COLLINS NWEZE.
Entrepreneurship is the soul of every thriving economy and so is a productive workforce.
Sterling Bank’s Get Ready for Work initiative held in Lagos at the weekend broadened the opportunity for young entrepreneurs and job seekers to achieve their life ambitions.
The event, with the theme “Mind The Gap” was organised to help participants understand what they need to make it in life, whether in businesses or paid employment.
The event, part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, was supported by online job portal, Jobberman and skills development centre, Field of Skills and Dream. It empowered over 4,000 graduates with employable and entrepreneurship skills.
The event presented a platform for the bank to bridge the financial exclusion gap as its staff also encouraged participants to open accounts with the bank and enjoy the benefits. For instance, as fallout of last year’s programme, the bank gave grants to those who have started their businesses. Four beneficiaries got N2.5 million, N1.5 million, N1 million and N500,000. The gesture is expected to be repeated this year.
The bank has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to promoting retail banking which allows it to provide banking services to individual consumers. Such services include savings and transactional accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit cards, and credit cards, among others.
This year’s events also witnessed a psychoanalysis session where the participants had their personalities analysed by an expert to determine what career path would be most suitable for them. It also featured speeches from successful career people on how to tread successfully on whatever career path one may choose.
Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow, Obinna Okezie, urged the participants to be hard working. He said: “We started with nothing, but today, we employ over 500 people in our five years of operation. That is why it is important for you all to pursue your ideas and turn them to reality.’’
Executive Director, Field of Skills and Dreams VTE Academy (FSD) Omowale Ogunrinde, commended Sterling Bank for investing in the future of youths in country through the initiative.
According to her, the bank was responsible for organisations like hers agreeing to take part in the programme without charging participants professional fees. She said her firm is doing everything possible to get more Nigerians prepared to become better entrepreneurs. He said the FSD has in recent years, equipped the youths with entrepreneurial skills that enabled them to start their own businesses. “We are helping to build enduring entrepreneurs. This can only be achieved through training and commitment from organisations as Sterling Bank is doing,” she said.
Sterling Bank’s Executive Director, Finance & Strategy, Abubakar Suleiman, said apart from getting the youth ready to pursue their career choices and helping them acquire the required skills, the lender will also through the programme, reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
Suleiman, who spoke at the pre-event briefing held in Lagos, said: ‘Get Ready For Work’, now in its third year, is the bank’s way of giving back to the society and equipping the youths with the right skills to succeed in their jobs.
He also said the lender is considering extending its “Get Ready For Work”initiative to more states of the Federation and encouraged other banks to join in the project.
He said the lender was committed to helping to reduce the high level of youth unemployment in the country, pointing out that there would be serious consequences for the society if the problem is not addressed.
According to him: “There is no country in the world that would not be affected by a high level of youth unemployment. Once youth employment stands above 25 per cent in any country, such country is heading for chaos.”
He noted that the problem of youth unemployment in the country had been made worse by the fact that what students are taught in schools these days often leaves them ill-equipped to handle simple tasks when they eventually secure employment.
Speaking to reporters during the training, Sterling Bank’s Head of Strategy and Communications, Shina Atilola, said the initiative was part of the bank’s efforts at addressing the paucity of skills in the labour market.
He said: “We discovered that when you analyse the Nigerian labour market there is disconnect between the demand and supply. Most of the jobs that are available, most people are not qualified for them. But this is because our institutions are not prepared to take them into the employment system. We also initiated this programme because we realised that some people are qualified but are not employable. This is because, there is no institutional structure to train them and prepare them for a work environment.
“These are the reasons Sterling Bank started this ‘Get ready for work’ initiative. We have brought successful entrepreneurs to come mentor these young people. Beyond that, some people that are just willing to work in career employment, we have also brought in people that have made impact and are successful in their careers to come and teach them how they succeeded in it. We also have brought in human resources agencies to teach them how to best market themselves.”
He also said this seminar had over 3,000 people registered, saying that over 4,000 were present. This, according to him was a clear indication that there are a lot of willing applicants with no jobs. Also he added that some applicants would be divided into master classes with seasoned Entrepreneurs, high flying career individuals.
Life coach/psychoanalyst, Jerome Onipede engaged entrepreneurs in a master class on what it takes to develop a business and make it in the cut-throat environment like Nigeria. Another class was also organised for career focused individuals to learn how to become employees of value in any organisation of their choice. The event gave participants the opportunity to interact with human resource representatives of various organisations and undergo on-the-spot testing with a view of securing jobs.
Olise-Emeka Nwachukwu, Consultant at Human Capacity Development Consultants, said Sterling Bank is trying to bridge the gap between competencies in terms of employment and entrepreneurship in the market.
“We have a large number of young people who leave school, and need to take step one to become skilled, in terms of ready to work environment.
They also need to know how to set up their business. People do not have the right attitude to work, they do not have the right skills to take the available jobs. The schools only give them theory about the knowledge of the job.
It is about people understanding the competencies that are required to be good performers. “What Sterling Bank has done is to bring these young people together and get experts in different fields to talk to them. And they also give them the opportunity to drop their resume with human resources firms that are here,” he said.
He said his firm helps orgnaisations to develop their staff to optimum levels. “All the collected resumes will be uploaded to our database, and we will match them with employers. Getting a job is a prerogative of the staff. There are few experienced people also, and we are looking at ways to support them. I am looking at theirs skills and experiences, which help us profile the candidates and match them with available roles,” he said.
Nwachukwu said the company also looks at candidates achievements over time, because that could explain that if you have been doing this, there will be possibility that you will do well.
Continuing, he said that it is not everyone that really needs to get a job as a good number are better off with entrepreneurship. “People have to understand that it is not just about getting a job but people can go into entrepreneurship, focusing on everyday needs of the people and they will make their money because people spend so much money on their everyday needs. Young people need to understand their skills, develop them and transform them into money making ventures rather than just looking for job,” he said.
He said the company’s Productivity Plus, looks at people’s lives and train them on how to become successful. “We set your financial goals, academic goals, careers goals and emotional goals and put a system that will help you to achieve those goals. Some of the candidates have been contacted, and will be given direction on the next phase of their lives,” he said.
A Human Resources Officer, H. Pierson, Tom Onoja, said his team had been able to interview 10 candidates, who would progress to the next phase of their career.
“We are helping people that are looking for job find the right employers. We already have 10 people we are trying to get job for in line with our goal of assisting the bank to achieve their goals. We will keep talking to all the people that are qualified, and they will all be contacted,” he said.
A participant, Godwin Nwachukwu, who graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka said his expectations were met at the event. He said his details are already with the human resource mangers from the event, who he believed will contact him later on. “I am confident that I will be contacted. And besides, what I have learnt is enough to enable be start my own business,” he said.
Managing Partner, Red Media Africa, Chude Jideonwo, said: “We would share skills and knowledge that can help them as they get into the work space because there are so many young unemployed people.”
Partnership with FSD
Sterling Bank Plc has signed an agreement with Field of Skills and Dreams (FSD), a vocational training institution, to provide training programmes for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The pact, the bank said, is part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive to support skill acquisition among youths to prepare them for self-employment.
Under the agreement, the bank will sponsor the training of NYSC corps members in various vocations during the course of their service year in alignment with its expressed purpose of enriching lives. The lender has so far funded the training of about 100 NYSC members in various vocations during the pilot stage through the NYSC-SAED (Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development.
For the over 4,000 prospective entrepreneurs and career seekers, who attended the Sterling Bank’s Get Ready for Work initiative, in Lagos, the chances of either starting new businesses or securing choice jobs look promising. The event was an opportunity for the lender to deepen its retail banking segment among youths, support those seeking capital and knowledge and those who want to start new businesses, reports COLLINS NWEZE.
Entrepreneurship is the soul of every thriving economy and so is a productive workforce.
Sterling Bank’s Get Ready for Work initiative held in Lagos at the weekend broadened the opportunity for young entrepreneurs and job seekers to achieve their life ambitions.
The event, with the theme “Mind The Gap” was organised to help participants understand what they need to make it in life, whether in businesses or paid employment.
The event, part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, was supported by online job portal, Jobberman and skills development centre, Field of Skills and Dream. It empowered over 4,000 graduates with employable and entrepreneurship skills.
The event presented a platform for the bank to bridge the financial exclusion gap as its staff also encouraged participants to open accounts with the bank and enjoy the benefits. For instance, as fallout of last year’s programme, the bank gave grants to those who have started their businesses. Four beneficiaries got N2.5 million, N1.5 million, N1 million and N500,000. The gesture is expected to be repeated this year.
The bank has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to promoting retail banking which allows it to provide banking services to individual consumers. Such services include savings and transactional accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit cards, and credit cards, among others.
This year’s events also witnessed a psychoanalysis session where the participants had their personalities analysed by an expert to determine what career path would be most suitable for them. It also featured speeches from successful career people on how to tread successfully on whatever career path one may choose.
Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow, Obinna Okezie, urged the participants to be hard working. He said: “We started with nothing, but today, we employ over 500 people in our five years of operation. That is why it is important for you all to pursue your ideas and turn them to reality.’’
Executive Director, Field of Skills and Dreams VTE Academy (FSD) Omowale Ogunrinde, commended Sterling Bank for investing in the future of youths in country through the initiative.
According to her, the bank was responsible for organisations like hers agreeing to take part in the programme without charging participants professional fees. She said her firm is doing everything possible to get more Nigerians prepared to become better entrepreneurs. He said the FSD has in recent years, equipped the youths with entrepreneurial skills that enabled them to start their own businesses. “We are helping to build enduring entrepreneurs. This can only be achieved through training and commitment from organisations as Sterling Bank is doing,” she said.
Sterling Bank’s Executive Director, Finance & Strategy, Abubakar Suleiman, said apart from getting the youth ready to pursue their career choices and helping them acquire the required skills, the lender will also through the programme, reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
Suleiman, who spoke at the pre-event briefing held in Lagos, said: ‘Get Ready For Work’, now in its third year, is the bank’s way of giving back to the society and equipping the youths with the right skills to succeed in their jobs.
He also said the lender is considering extending its “Get Ready For Work”initiative to more states of the Federation and encouraged other banks to join in the project.
He said the lender was committed to helping to reduce the high level of youth unemployment in the country, pointing out that there would be serious consequences for the society if the problem is not addressed.
According to him: “There is no country in the world that would not be affected by a high level of youth unemployment. Once youth employment stands above 25 per cent in any country, such country is heading for chaos.”
He noted that the problem of youth unemployment in the country had been made worse by the fact that what students are taught in schools these days often leaves them ill-equipped to handle simple tasks when they eventually secure employment.
Speaking to reporters during the training, Sterling Bank’s Head of Strategy and Communications, Shina Atilola, said the initiative was part of the bank’s efforts at addressing the paucity of skills in the labour market.
He said: “We discovered that when you analyse the Nigerian labour market there is disconnect between the demand and supply. Most of the jobs that are available, most people are not qualified for them. But this is because our institutions are not prepared to take them into the employment system. We also initiated this programme because we realised that some people are qualified but are not employable. This is because, there is no institutional structure to train them and prepare them for a work environment.
“These are the reasons Sterling Bank started this ‘Get ready for work’ initiative. We have brought successful entrepreneurs to come mentor these young people. Beyond that, some people that are just willing to work in career employment, we have also brought in people that have made impact and are successful in their careers to come and teach them how they succeeded in it. We also have brought in human resources agencies to teach them how to best market themselves.”
He also said this seminar had over 3,000 people registered, saying that over 4,000 were present. This, according to him was a clear indication that there are a lot of willing applicants with no jobs. Also he added that some applicants would be divided into master classes with seasoned Entrepreneurs, high flying career individuals.
Life coach/psychoanalyst, Jerome Onipede engaged entrepreneurs in a master class on what it takes to develop a business and make it in the cut-throat environment like Nigeria. Another class was also organised for career focused individuals to learn how to become employees of value in any organisation of their choice. The event gave participants the opportunity to interact with human resource representatives of various organisations and undergo on-the-spot testing with a view of securing jobs.
Olise-Emeka Nwachukwu
Olise-Emeka Nwachukwu, Consultant at Human Capacity Development Consultants, said Sterling Bank is trying to bridge the gap between competencies in terms of employment and entrepreneurship in the market.
“We have a large number of young people who leave school, and need to take step one to become skilled, in terms of ready to work environment.
They also need to know how to set up their business. People do not have the right attitude to work, they do not have the right skills to take the available jobs. The schools only give them theory about the knowledge of the job.
It is about people understanding the competencies that are required to be good performers. “What Sterling Bank has done is to bring these young people together and get experts in different fields to talk to them. And they also give them the opportunity to drop their resume with human resources firms that are here,” he said.
He said his firm helps orgnaisations to develop their staff to optimum levels. “All the collected resumes will be uploaded to our database, and we will match them with employers. Getting a job is a prerogative of the staff. There are few experienced people also, and we are looking at ways to support them. I am looking at theirs skills and experiences, which help us profile the candidates and match them with available roles,” he said.
Nwachukwu said the company also looks at candidates achievements over time, because that could explain that if you have been doing this, there will be possibility that you will do well.
Continuing, he said that it is not everyone that really needs to get a job as a good number are better off with entrepreneurship. “People have to understand that it is not just about getting a job but people can go into entrepreneurship, focusing on everyday needs of the people and they will make their money because people spend so much money on their everyday needs. Young people need to understand their skills, develop them and transform them into money making ventures rather than just looking for job,” he said.
He said the company’s Productivity Plus, looks at people’s lives and train them on how to become successful. “We set your financial goals, academic goals, careers goals and emotional goals and put a system that will help you to achieve those goals. Some of the candidates have been contacted, and will be given direction on the next phase of their lives,” he said.
A Human Resources Officer, H. Pierson, Tom Onoja, said his team had been able to interview 10 candidates, who would progress to the next phase of their career.
“We are helping people that are looking for job find the right employers. We already have 10 people we are trying to get job for in line with our goal of assisting the bank to achieve their goals. We will keep talking to all the people that are qualified, and they will all be contacted,” he said.
A participant, Godwin Nwachukwu, who graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka said his expectations were met at the event. He said his details are already with the human resource mangers from the event, who he believed will contact him later on. “I am confident that I will be contacted. And besides, what I have learnt is enough to enable be start my own business,” he said.
Managing Partner, Red Media Africa, Chude Jideonwo, said: “We would share skills and knowledge that can help them as they get into the work space because there are so many young unemployed people.”
Partnership with FSD
Sterling Bank Plc has signed an agreement with Field of Skills and Dreams (FSD), a vocational training institution, to provide training programmes for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The pact, the bank said, is part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive to support skill acquisition among youths to prepare them for self-employment.
Under the agreement, the bank will sponsor the training of NYSC corps members in various vocations during the course of their service year in alignment with its expressed purpose of enriching lives. The lender has so far funded the training of about 100 NYSC members in various vocations during the pilot stage through the NYSC-SAED (Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development.
It has also equipped a 20-seat ICT laboratory of the FSD which will provide all participants with rotational access to free ICT training.
Sterling Bank in a statement explained that the need to support the development of skills among the youth has become inevitable given the growing rate of unemployment in the country. “We believe that the steps we have taken so far would help in ameliorating the problem of unemployment in the country and support other initiatives such as the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) and the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOU-WIN) introduced by the government to checkmate the relatively high rate of unemployment in the country.”
Social lender scheme
In its determination to keep supporting the youthful population, Sterling Bank has repackaged the Social Lender Scheme by increasing the minimum on-line micro credit from N3,000 to N10,000.
The scheme was launched last year and the bank has disbursed over N6 million to over 2000 on-line customers. To date, over 90 per cent of the loans have been paid back by the beneficiaries.
Social Lender; the first in Nigeria is a modified peer to peer lending solution using the Social Media Platforms through which micro-credit is offered to members of these communities. The scheme provides a platform for online fans and followers who are customers of Sterling Bank to obtain these monies via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.
The bank in a statement explained that the scheme was repackaged with added benefits because of its success story for the bank, the quality of feedback from members of the on-line community and the impressive pay back attitude of the beneficiaries.
I have a serious problem. My daughter’s job is a very demanding one. It is a very good job, but my concern is that her job is taking most of her time that she has little or no time for her family. From time to time, she invites me to come and stay with her children. Don’t get me wrong. I love looking after my grandchildren. The issue is that her husband is complaining bitterly and I don’t want anything to happen to her marriage. Please, how can she balance her job with her marriage?
Thanks and God bless.
Mrs. Okoye, Lagos
I MUST commend you for being such a concerned mum. Thank you for sharing your problem with us. This indeed is an excellent way to address the issue of balancing marriage and job which poses a huge challenge for most working couples. In today’s world where the couple have to work in order to cater for the family, it can be a tough one.
At first, having such a job might seem just fine, but once the family starts growing, expectations increase and everyone in the family needs attention and time, so the job might now become an issue and if not tackled properly, may lead to other problems in the marriage. We have endless cases of how managing a family and career is a difficult task for most working spouses. Starting from allotting time to each other to spending time on household work, managing work, kids and their demands, life seems like a busy platform of never ending chores and responsibilities.
There are times when you just don’t seem to give enough to work, or when you cannot be there for your loved ones. These are the seeds of frustration and they keep growing with time, so there is an imbalance in your personal and professional lives, sometimes which results in serious marital problems. We don’t mean to underestimate the dedication to building a strong career, but we also do not support the thought of sacrificing the whole purpose of living for it.
Therefore, here are some useful tips that might help your daughter to manage her home along side with her job. Many times, you will find yourself biased on either of the aspects, or you may feel you are pushing too hard to make the most of both your marriage and career. An important fact to remember is that though both these factors may sound interlinked, especially considering the monetary importance, your job should not take control of your life.
It is crucial for you to stream your time carefully between these two things. In order to have a better understanding, it will be nice for you to discuss with your spouse. Communication is the key to a successful relationship, especially in cases like this. Sitting down to discuss issues affecting your marriage and providing a collective solution will help. More so, you should talk to your employer, if your job demands travelling a lot.
If you have a good boss, they will be open to this feedback and co- operatively works out something that is beneficial for both of you. If you have a bad boss, they will probably tell you to stick it and get back to work. Sometimes there really are bad jobs. In this case, it is easy to know where the problem is coming from.
Learn not to mix work and family together. Work should strictly be limited to work hours. Avoid taking your work home if necessary. Try to dedicate time well for work and for family too. Don’t bring your work worries home. Likewise your family matters should not disturb you at work. Try to treat your job and your family separately. Planning must not be neglected. Organize your work as much possible in the week days, so that your weekends are not affected.
On your own, relax and de-stress once in a while. Do something you enjoy because only when can you make other people happy. Exercise is the best way to keep up with work and stress. Remember to give time to yourself. This will rejuvenate you physically and emotionally.
Create quality time for your children. Take them out once a while. Do things they enjoy with them, spend special moment with them and be involved in their lives. Don’t think you have all the time in the world to do so. Remember in no time they will be leaving home for boarding school, then university, and you will be asking yourself where all the years have gone. Enjoy them now that they are still living with you because these are memories that you will not forget.
Promote family moments. This should involve your spouse and the children. Family comes first with the support of all. Spend time on the table as a family, relaxing and discussing family issues. Relating freely with your spouse and the children. In addition, going out as a family is also another way of having that family moment.
Furthermore, it is also necessary that you make out quality time to spend with your spouse without watching TV, reading, or any other activities that will take your attention away from your spouse. Spend time with your spouse alone, discussing and making each other happy. There should be lots of laugher. Talk about everything, if possible, how to spice up your love life.
Love needs to be nurtured, so that it can grow. Enjoy each other’s company, doing what you both like. A romantic dinner or a weekend get-away can also help. These tips will strengthen your relationship, while also strengthening your balance of work and marriage.
Finally, follow up and reassess as necessary. Follow up with your spouse and your boss after a couple of weeks and make sure that everything is all right with them. Tweak the plan as necessary and learn to be flexible to new ideas.
Every plan changes over time. Yours will too. Hopefully these tips will help you balance your marriage with your job. Take care of yourself and your family.
Harriet ogbobine is a counselor and a motivational speaker. Send your questions and suggestions to her on bineharriet@gmail.com or txt message only 08023058805. You can also follow her on twitter: @bineharrietj
The need to get the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to optimise its potential as the nation’s cash cow informed President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of Col. Hameed Ali as its Comptroller-General, the Presidency said at the weekend.
Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu said the government believes that the Customs Service could triple its revenue target.
Fielding questions from reporters, he said: “Do you, in all sincerity, know Col. Hameed Ali?
“If you do know him, how many of his types do we have in this country? This is the man who many probably felt should have gone to head the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). But, looking at the critical place of the Customs in the economy of this country, you need somebody like him.
“After oil, the next revenue spinner for the government is the Customs. In these few days we have been listening to briefings, I have seen people flying ideas that Customs revenue can be tripled and that there are ideas that can lead to the revenue being tripled on the basis that corruption is eliminated.
“I think that Col. Ali has a rare breed of reputation that will be difficult to find. There might be a few people in the Customs, but maybe they are too low in rank to warrant this appointment.
“I think the President has done the best thing anybody can do for the Customs and for the economy of this country. Otherwise, smuggling will ruin Nigeria. Look at what is happening in the textile industry in Aba, Ikeja, Kaduna, Kano and Gashua.
“There was a time when they used to employ about 400,000 people. All the textile companies in the country today can no longer employ more than 30,000 people. We have more Nigerians in need of clothing today than those so-called glorious days of the textile industry. This is just one example.
“Look at the issue of rice. Ebonyi, Anambra, Niger, Osun, Kebbi, Sokoto and Kogi states have been brought together by the President and given the marching order to produce the rice need of this country. The rice industry in this country has failed because cheap Asian rice is being dumped here. The President did not ban importation because that would have offended the World Trade organisation (WTO).
“What he has done is to say if you want to import rice, go and source your dollars anywhere you can get it. But the CBN and the banks will always supply to manufacturers who want to bring in spare parts, equipment and employ Nigerians and for those who want to pay for medical bills abroad and maybe for school fees.
In the past, dancing was not a considered a profession. With the reinvention of dancing as a performing art with purposeful selected sequences of movement, it has become a money spinner that many brands are ready to pay for to attract attention, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.
As the activities of brands and marketing continue to evolve, the demand for dancers and dancing instructors is rising by the day. The need is propelled by efforts of brand owners and their marketing agencies to engage consumers through entertainments at brand activation shows.
Some of the great shows that have attracted the attention of young graduates and the youth in dancing are Nokia Marathon Dance, Nokia Silverbird Danceathon, Multina Dance Hall, among others.
These shows have produced great dancers who have turned social fun-seeking performance into a big business that attracts fees and charges, taking dancers to travel across the globe.
Nigerian dancer, instructor and choreographer, Kafayat Shafau-Ameh, popularly known as Kaffy, hit the Guinness Book of World Records for dancing for 53 hours, 30 minutes during the Nokia Marathon Dance in 2006.
She qualified as the most enduring dancer out of many who could not make it up to the end in the competition. While the idea was to activate the Nokia brand, the show has made dancing a profession beyond the fun or social activities attached to it over the years.
Now, Kaffy runs a school where instructors and dancers are trained for the bourgeoning industry.
“I chose it because it has become a career. People are making money from it. Hobbies turn to jobs. You like to write and become a journalist; if you love to cook, you will become a caterer. It is better to do what you love and channel it to humanity; you will make money because people will need your help. If you are dancing in the house and somebody tells you that it is good and asks you, ‘Can you come and dance on my birthday? I will pay you some amount of money.’ It will become a service and you will actually do it well because it is something you do even when you sleep and wake up. It is a career and people will pay to come and learn,” she said.
She said further that she runs a dance school called Imagnato Dance Company. “It offers services like teaching young people how to dance for fun or for commercial purposes. We also have older women and business class for those who want to keep fit. We also do personal training, total and general body weight loss, diet plan, and nutrition analysis, among others,” she said.
Little wonder, most schools (primary and secondary) in Lagos and other cities, now invite dance instructors to coach pupils the techniques and art of dancing, especially when such schools have events and ceremonies.
These instructors are usually paid handsomely for their expertise and time. A job-seeker only needs to explore his or her talent in dancing to fit in and explore the profession. Interestingly, the tough economic times have made many a job-seeker to look elsewhere by being creative; using their God-given talents to make ends meet. A talented dancer, who has horned his skills in dancing doesn’t need to look further in search of the golden fleece. His or her feet can pay the bills.
Skilled dancing is not common to all and not everyone is blessed with it. And when the need arises for it, a dance instructor comes in. People looking to keep fit and stay in shape, nervous brides and grooms or someone hoping to boost his or her confidence on the dance floor are all potential students.
What is dance?
Dance is an art which allows people to move their bodies to express themselves in a non-verbal form. It is usually accompanied with music. Various ideas and emotions are expressed when dancing. Some dance steps are used for storytelling, while some others are in form of pantomime, ballerina or contemporary dance. However, dance has gone beyond a mere form of art to becoming an act, which could be learnt and mastered.
Since dance is a physically demanding art, a dancer must work very hard to stay physically fit. This will often include a strict diet, with a rigorous exercise routine.
Dance could be categorised into various forms and styles and each style has its own message and unique steps. One good thing about it is that you don’t only learn how to dance, but you will become a professional dancer.
There are many reasons people choose to learn to dance. It could be for making new friends, a way to exercise their body or a way to fight shyness.
Technically, a formal education is not absolutely necessary for a dance career, but studying under an experienced dancer or in a prominent dance school can be very helpful.
Most dancers start their careers at a very young age. Professional ballerinas, for instance, usually start dance classes at tender ages before they are enrolled in school. As they grow older, they move up to more advanced classes.
During their teenage years, dancers could also choose to attend special performing arts or dance schools. Though they will get a general high school education in these schools, young dancers will also take various dance classes in order to horn their skills. After high school, some dancers prefer looking for work, while others choose to attend tertiary institutions or a performing arts school.
Choreographers and dance instructors should always have a solid dance education. Ideally, they should be well-rounded and be able to perform many types of dances. They should also be very experienced and talented in at least one particular type of dance. However, a dance instructor may need to get his or her instructor’s certificates, especially if he or she will be coaching pupils.
Benefits
A dance instructor can get started because he or she needs little money to start. Findings revealed that no expensive equipment is needed to teach someone to dance. rhythm (music) and know-how are what dance students need to get started.
A quality dance class is worth the cash. The United States Bureau of Labour Statistics puts the average yearly earnings for instructors in dance studios and schools at $34,460 and that is why many youths are taking interest in it.
Requirements
What is needed most is passion for dance. Many people, who sign up for dance classes, are looking for how to master simple steps. The instructor’s enthusiasm can be contagious for new dancers. A love of the craft will inspire students in a dance class to keep trying and, more importantly, keep coming and paying their fees.
Ability to train others on how to dance is trickier than just being able to dance. To teach some dances, an instructor has to do both the male and female parts, which basically means knowing how to do a dance in reverse when the need arises.
The most important part of any new business is attracting customers. Experts say it is ideal to teach in a dance studio or school with an already established clientele. The smart way to attract students, they say, is by going to schools, contacting people through online and newspapers, distributing fliers around the neighbourhood, or use the best idea-the all-important skill of networking.
A 21-year-old Olamidun Majekodunmi is taking the big leap into the world of dance. She is instructing at a dance studio in Lagos.
As a young girl, Majekodunmi fell in love with dancing while growing up in the U.S. Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, she moved to America at the age of nine and took her first contemporary dance class at the age of 10. Now 21 and back in Nigeria, she is passionate about giving other young children the opportunity she had and has set up a one-of-its-kind contemporary dance school, The studio, where she grooms young children’s talents with professional dance classes.
Situated in the heart of Abuja, Majekodunmi and her team of professional dancers offer classes in ballet, hip-hop, theatre, music, creative arts and fitness to help build their dreams. The studio also serves as a play centre and offers children’s party planning services.
She identified the following as different types of dance.
“Ballet is one of the most common types of dance, and many other types of dance are actually based on ballet. This style of dance has been around for centuries, and it is often considered to be one of the most beautiful. Although classical music is usually used to set the scene for a ballet, other types of music can be used as well. Modern dance is similar to classic ballet, but it does not follow the same strict rules, guidelines, and dance moves.
“Tap dancing is another popular form of dancing. Unlike most other dancers, tap dancers need special noise making shoes with metal plates that make a tapping sound when the dancer strikes her foot on the floor. Along with expressing herself through movements, a tap dancer will also usually add to the rhythm of the music – or make her own music – by tapping her shoes on the floor.
“Jazz dance consists of very bold moves and it is often set to upbeat, energetic jazz music. Unlike some other forms of dance, the intrinsic nature of jazz dance often allows dancers to add quite a bit of personality to their performances.
“Hip hop dancing and break-dancing are both very new types of dance. These types of dance are set to modern hip hop music, and dancers are often encouraged to improvise different dance moves,” she said.
Some other popular forms of dance, she said, may include folk, Latin, and western dances.
Given that this sort of business is pretty unique in Nigeria, the response, she said, has been quite favourable. “We also have a strong marketing plan so we’re reaching out to our target market every possible way we can. People always call to say how they’ve been looking for a place like The Studio and they love the idea behind it. It makes me feel really good,” she said.
Some dance schools in the country are: Vivace Koncept Inc., Pedro, Gbagada Phase 2, Shomolu, Lagos; Kay C & Jonah Dance Company, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos; The Dance Company; and Sport Technical College, Orozo, Nyanya, Abuja.
Others are Black Roots International Dance Company, Ikoyi, Lagos.
