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Tag: Okoli

  • Erisco controversy: Again court adjourns Okoli’s trial until Sept 26

    Erisco controversy: Again court adjourns Okoli’s trial until Sept 26

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, adjourned the trial of Mrs Chioma Okoli, charged with allegations bordering on her online commentary on Erisco Foods Limited’s tomato paste, until Sept. 26.

    Justice Peter Lifu adjourned the matter following a letter by the defence lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, informing the court that he would not be able to attend the proceeding.

    Counsel to the prosecution, Adam Sani, who acknowledged Effiong’s apology, did not oppose the application and the judge adjourned the matter until Sept. 26.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had, on June 13, adjourned the case until today because the trial judge went on an official assignment.

    Read Also: Erisco controversy: Trial of food reviewer stalled

    NAN reports that Mrs Okoli was, on May 31, admitted to N5 million bail with two sureties after spending few days in a correctional centre following her arraignment on two counts on May 28.

    Okoli is being charged over her online commentary on Erisco Foods Limited’s tomato paste which the police alleged violated the Cybercrime Act, 2015.

    She pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

    The police had alleged that initial investigations revealed significant evidence suggesting Okoli’s involvement in breaking existing laws, especially concerning the appropriate use of cyberspace.

    On Sept. 17, 2023, Okoli shared a Facebook post stating that she purchased Nagiko Tomato Mix from Erisco Foods, the day before and found it utterly sugary.

    She mentioned that she normally buys Gino or Sonia brands, but they were out of stock.

    Her post generated reactions and forced the management of the company to involve the police through a petition to the I-G.

    The controversy also prompted scrutiny of the product’s registration, prompting the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to carry out an inspection on the Erisco Foods’ Nagiko Tomato Mix’s registration in 2021.

    (NAN)

  • 29-year-old Okoli wins Channels TV’s Fund it Forward

    29-year-old Okoli wins Channels TV’s Fund it Forward

    Twenty-nine year old Valentine Okoli from Enugu State has emerged winner of Channels TV’s social enterprise programme: Fund it Forward Season 2. He won a cash prize of 30million naira grant. Okoli whose business name is Bach and Moen Limited, beat thirty year-old Thara Aisha Atta from Kogi State who emerged as the first runner up. Atta bagged 15million naira and her business name is High Collar Sustainable Solutions Limited. Second runner up is thirty-one year old Ayodele Erinle who hails from Abeokuta in Ogun State emerged the second runner-up. He bagged 10million naira. The name of his business is Agrify. 

    Fund it forward is a social enterprise competition organized by Channels Television.

    Twelve change agents, who have early stage businesses that directly or indirectly take on one or more of Nigeria’s social issues were brought together across the country.

    Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani stated that there is a clear deference between innovators and entrepreneurs as entrepreneurs monetize their inventions. “You can be an entrepreneur without being an innovator. But you can also be an innovator without being an entrepreneur.  You can’t be passionate about finding solutions to societal issues and you are keen on how to monetize it. The reality is that for us to move forward, we need social entrepreneurs.

    Read Also: UHC Day: Tinubu unveils plan for massive investments in health sector

    “There is no better way to support development of the nation than to support platforms like this.

    What you have created today is a platform to raise social entrepreneurs that will help find solutions to our problems. We should encourage innovators to help find solutions to our problems. To  leap frog  the development we all desire,  we need programmes like Fund it Forward,” he added.

    Representative of Enugu State Governor and Commissioner for Information, Aka Eze Aka described the programme as a reassurance that there is hope in Nigeria for the youths.  He disclosed that in Enugu State, there are about 40,000 people being trained to understand ICT and Artificial Intelligence.

    Executive Producer of the programme,  Zemmy Momoh described the show as special while lauding the contestants for taking a “leap of faith” by participating in the show.

    “We have been blessed to have some remarkable contestants – Change Agents as we call them. All of them took a leap of faith and they came with us on a new ride. I sincerely hope it is unto bigger and better for them,” she said.