The Nation Newspaper

Tag: option

  • ‘C.S. should be last option’

    Some medical experts have advised that subjecting pregnant women to Cesarean Section (C.S.) surgery during child birth, should be made the last option.

    Speaking in separate interviews with Correspondents of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi, Gombe, Yola, Dutse and Maiduguri, they said C.S should be necessitated by the desire to save the life of the baby, mother, or both.

    Dr Kennedy Ishaya ,Gombe State Commissioner of Health said most deliveries through C.S,  were planned because of medical reasons that made normal delivery, risky.

    He said apart from the medical reasons, there were social factors.

    According to him, some women prefer C.S to normal delivery because they cannot endure the pains of normal delivery.

    Dr Alfred Masa , Obstetric Gynecologist, Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, said every woman wanted to deliver a healthy baby, but in a situation where there was medical complications, C.S was the preferred option.

    He said when a woman of 35 years and above became pregnant for the first time, chances of smooth normal delivery was limited, therefore C.S was safer.

    “We call this type of babies ‘precious babies’ because chances of the woman becoming pregnant again is limited due to age, and so Doctors will do everything humanly possible to save the baby and the mother,” he explained.

    He said C.S also reduced the chances of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

    Dr Usaini Bala, medical personnel in Dutse, Jigawa, said C.S surgeries during child birth were carried out for obstetrics, medical, gynecological and other reasons.

  • Ekiti-gate as a viable option

    SIR: A lot has been said about the recent interview given by former Ekiti State Governor and now Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, where he pointedly referred to the 2014 election and the associated Ekiti-gate scandal as “unfinished business”.

    Mr. Ayo Fayose, the sitting Governor has been at his loquacious best attacking whatever possibilities Ekiti-gate might be pregnant with, obviously out of fear of the worst. Confessions made by former Minister Musiliu Obanikoro and revelations from Dr. T. K. O. Aluko, PDP State Secretary, no doubt added more to the adverse possibilities the current Ekiti State government may still face.

    It is ironical to observe that while the PDP camp in Ekiti is mortally fretting over this possible adverse outcome a diligent pursuit of Ekiti-gate to its logical conclusion could bring on them, there are some doubting Thomases within APC who continue to insist on knowing the possible path to a beneficial outcome.

    Yet, clear path or not, pursuit of Ekiti-gate to its logical conclusion is a political and ethical imperative, not just for APC, but for all of us in Ekiti as far as our values are concerned. For the sake of our collective future and in defense of those values, we need to get to the bottom of the electoral “abracadabra” that produced the heist that occurred in Ekiti in 2014. It went beyond the ordinary. The pursuit of Ekiti-gate should not just be a matter for Fayemi alone. It is a matter that should receive the attention and support of all of us.

    As at now, Ekiti is badly represented and portrayed to the outside world. All our predictions of a Fayose governorship have come to pass – insecurity, unattractiveness to outside investors, debasement of our Ekiti values and heritage, upstage of civility and ethics by brigandage in our engagements and interactions, promotion of pettiness as a critical tool of governance, more importantly, absence of any coherent plan for the future of Ekiti. Ekiti needs to be rescued from the present calamity it has fallen into.

    We must move to change the orientation of our people now getting locked in existential consumerism to an investment driven mind set. Stomach infrastructure is a concept rooted in desperation and mental enslavement which must not be allowed to become the aspirational primer of our people. Now, if Ekiti-gate offers a path to restore the fading sanity in Ekiti, so be it.

    There is good news here. It is that the progressive leaders in Ekiti are united on the viability of Ekiti-gate as an option which should not be foreclosed just like that. Others who are weary of the possibilities of Ekiti-gate outcome often like to quote eminent jurist Oputa about the infallibility or otherwise and the finality of Supreme Court rulings.

    Well, some of us hold the view that finality of Supreme Court rulings can really not be encased in an impenetrable fortress especially in light of new evidence and if the matter borders on criminality. We shall soon find out hopefully. One thing is certain and compelling; we progressive elements in Ekiti State must get our act together and join hands, without rancor, to effect a change in government. It will really not matter whether it is done by way of Ekiti-gate, or in 2018 by the normal electoral cycle. Just get the bully currently sitting on the throne out and bring sanity and good governance back to Ekiti.

     

    • Ben Oguntuase,

    Lagos.

  • Firm unveils rent-to-own option

    Firm unveils rent-to-own option

    Barely one year after its formation, a real estate investment firm, Natanel Florens,  is offering high-yielding investment options to private clients in the real estate and private equity sector.

    The firm, which owns the Private Property Investors Trust (PPIT) franchise in Africa, says its scheme also offers 80 per cent on property investment over five years, irrespective of the property investment portfolio.

    Nigerians who wish to own a home without the mandatory equity deposit may have a cause to smile. This comes on the heels of a new initiative by the firm. The initiative is aimed at re-engineering the “rent-to-own” scheme which is yet to be fully entrenched in the country.

    Under the model, the company markets the properties to tenants, and subscribers benefit from the financing scheme whereby after 10 years payment, the property deeds go to the tenant without needing capital or upfront payments. All the tenants payments are made to the trust escrow account which then reimburses Bishopstrade.

    The initiative involves pairing property investment funds with potential home buyers. Natanel Florens targets consumers who are tenants and are able to pay rent but still want to own a roof over their heads. The company, which recently launched its services in the Lagos area, allows renters to lease to own a house, which is bought and paid for by investors and partners.

    With this and other initiatives, the firm plans to transform the African property landscape with innovative and affordable solutions as well as serve property owners who want to optimise their returns through its investment products.

    Experts and stakeholders in the built environment say this is ideal given the increasing inflation and escalating home prices which have made home purchase extremely difficult for low and middle class households. This is why the initiative from Natanel Florens Limited has received commendation.

    According to the firm’s Executive Director, Business Services, Mr. Yinka Daramola, the PPIT is a risk-free, wealth creation, property equity release/property development scheme franchised by Bishopstrade of Mauritius.

    This franchise, he further explained, allows property owners to invest and optimise returns by participating in the growing property market across Africa with or without investing cash.

    “We will address the lack of supply/market demand for affordable housing. Natanel Folrens has started identifying existing property or landowners who will pledge their property title deeds to a trust created and managed by UBA Trustees Limited and Union Trustees Limited,” Daramola said, adding that owners would continue to receive their income.

    He said the trust would pool and collateralise the property or land deeds to secure funding through Bishopstrade and benefit from the trusts profits generated.

    He explained that the PPIT franchise is a tested model. “The underlining methodology of using trusts deed to unlock equity value for housing acquisition is fully operational in over 21 states in United States and the concept of paying rent to own a house is also a tested concept.

    “Five years technical support from Bishopstrade will ensure smooth implementation of the franchise, particularly as regards development to fit into existing rental rates. It is almost zero risk, safe and protects property owners or investors through the use of trustees. Property legal documents even though transferred to the pool, are in safe custody of the trustees.”

    Natanel Florens’ has launched the scheme in several estates in Lagos. The scheme is in its second phase.

  • Failure is not an option

    SIR: ‘’Failure is not an option for us. We will not contemplate it’’. These were the words of President Muhammadu Buhari at the United States Institute for Peace in Washington DC during his four-day visit on the invitation of President Obama. Nigeria is not in the best of times. This is no longer news. All the sectors of the country’s economy are in a state of near-collapse. This calls for great concern by both the governing party and the opposition party because our common goal should be to sacrifice for the future and future generation of Nigerians.

    Here is food for thought for everyone: exchange rate is N241 to $1; the rate of unemployment is over 23 per cent; foreign and domestic debt is over $10 billion; rate of inflation is about 10 per cent; rate of poverty is over 70 per cent. How do Nigerians survive these poor economic indices? Most companies are already downsizing in addition to the millions of unemployed youths roaming the streets on a daily basis. Nigeria’s economy continues to be import-dependent with the manufacturing sector struggling to come back to life.

    The National Assembly must cooperate with the President and avoid any attempt at playing politics with the lives of Nigerians in carrying out their duties. This is not to say that they should abandon their constitutional responsibilities of checking the executive arm of government. But they must support the Buhari administration in his change agenda so that he can succeed.  The National Assembly must work for the good of Nigerians and in the interest of vulnerable populations. Putting the people first should be the watchword of every public office holder and politician.

    Members of the 8th National Assembly, both the lower and upper chambers must work on and pass bills that will directly impact the lives of poor Nigerians who are having a hard time on account of the poor state of the country’s economy. They cannot afford to fail Nigerians again. Nigerians deserve bills aimed at alleviating their sufferings and improving their standard of living. Bills such as the Expansion of NHIS bill; Deficit reduction bill; Balanced budget bill; Jobs creation bill; Child’s right bill; Disability bill; Elderly and Pensioners bill, among others, should be worked on and passed speedily and without delay.

    Nigeria would have moved closer to achieving its potential if public office holders had been responsible and spent our common wealth judiciously. Now is the time for politicians to come up with plans and actions to meet the needs of the Nigerian people.

     

    • Bolaji Samson Aregbeshola is the author of ‘’Nigerian Political Parties and Politicians: Winding Road from Country to Nation’’

  • Mobile ad firm offers ‘pay per data’ option

    Brand My Car, Nigeria’s first out-of-home vehicle advertising company, has rolled out an initiative geared towards giving more value to its customers on its unique advertising platform.

    Tagged “Pay-Per-Data,” the initiative frees brands from the doubts about upfront OOH advertising rentals and enables them to pay based on estimated eyeballs reached during campaign periods.

    According to the Managing Director of Brandmycar, Amaka Okolo, the initiative is driven by emerging global best-practice in the industry which prescribes the inclusion of measurable and verifiable data in the business, giving room for a lot more transparency in OOH rental billing processes.

    To ensure this becomes the standard, Okolo said Brandmycar has introduced a short code, to which customers are only required to respond to Call to Action set by advertisers. All text messages by responders are Free. For example Text “WIN” to 5555.  This will activate a data-driven monitoring on deployed campaigns and advertisers will only have to pay for each respondent to their campaign/Call to Action.

    Brand My Car was launched in the market last year and spoke of allowing private car owners to earn extra income on their cars by turning them into mobile advertising platforms. Today, BMC has expanded its catchment to cabs and “Keke” areas in response to client demands to well-targeted, cost-friendly campaigns.

    Okolo said the client is allowed to first identify the target market after which BMC deploys advertisers’campaign based on agreed placement platform.

    “The campaign is monitored online real-time by both BMC and Advertiser through a customised solution and the client only pays for data of respondents to campaign. Minimum data cut-off is 5,000. Advertisers can end campaign once target set is reached. It is only at this time that the Advertiser sends BMC campaign material and pays only for printing of material,” she explained.

    Okolo further said Brandmycar provides the added value of conducting a race exercise on behalf of clients based on the profiled target market to ensure maximum reach to those that are pre-planned to be exposed to the campaign.

    “If an advertiser desires to reach students in an urban area like Lagos, we go to the field and make sure the vehicles on which the campaigns would be deployed are ones with very high exposure to the communities, destinations and routes of the students,” she said.

    She listed cost effectiveness, real-time tracking and value for money as the prime benefits of the unique advertising channel and said enabling “selective audience targeting by demographics, interest, lifestyle, among others, is critical to an advertisers goal of effective campaign delivery.

    “At Brandmycar, the ultimate goal is to convert viewers into new Customers. We provide all the gateways necessary to bring qualified leads to advertisers, offering automated lead capture from beginning to end in real-time. And advertisers can view the results of their advertising spend, and make educated adjustments to campaigns as needed,” she added.

  • APC gives Nigerians a good option –Ashamu

    APC gives Nigerians a good option –Ashamu

    In this exclusive interview, Tony Ashamu, the Chief Executive Officer of Olive Group, who contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial ticket for Oyo Central, explains to the Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, the importance of the emergence of a strong opposition to Nigeria’s polity, pointing out that the envisaged change in Nigeria is very needful at the legislative arms. Excerpts

    You are a major player in the Nigerian business sector, what are you doing in politics?

    Yes, I can call myself a technologist and an entrepreneur but it is my passion for Nigeria that made me to come back to the country to set up a couple of businesses and to add value to what is already going on. Also, I am a part of the political discourse primarily because I want to ensure that we get good representation at the right places and that we make the right policies for the country Nigeria.

    As an active player, as one of the most visible All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial aspirants in Oyo State before the primaries, how would you assess the current political situation few weeks to the actual elections?

    Although as a partisan politician, I have preference for my party, the APC, I will first speak as a Nigerian and perhaps speak also as a partisan politician. So, speaking as a Nigerian, I believe there is nothing called democracy if it is just one political party. Here, it has always been the PDP. So, regardless of who the opposition is, it pays the constituents better. It’s like in business, if you have only one station selling petroleum products in the whole of the country, there is no competition. The owner can wake up one morning and say he is increasing the pump price to one million naira per litre. There is little anybody can do about it. But if you have an alternative, it is better. So, I think the emergence of an opposition party is a beautiful thing. Look at all the established democracies like America, the opposition is always strong. So, I think we need a two-party system in Nigeria at different levels. It does not have to be just the presidency. If the presidency is one party and the legislative arm is another party, it creates checks and balances and there is no maligning of one structure, which is what has been happening. The arrogance of a party to feel that Nigerians have no alternative must stop.

    As an APC steward, I want to say that I am very impressed in the contributions of my party within the past few months. At least a year or two years ago, only few, if any, could imagine that there would be a very strong opposition to PDP today like this. This is all about strategy. I am looking beyond ethnicity, I am looking beyond party lines; I am saying that before now, we knew that PDP was just the only party that we had, every other thing was just a joke. My point now is that APC being the alternative may not be the best, but it gives Nigerians a good option, which is why I am excited that we represent the progressive arm of the Nigerian political discourse. PDP is the elephant; the elephant is tired. They are powerful but tired. They are power drunk. They already have power and so do not want any change. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t even want PDP to die. I want them to make us contrite. Even if APC wins the presidential election, I will prefer a situation where PDP would be able to come and say, look, you guys are slacking on these issues; so let us do this, let’s do that.  Again, I don’t believe in the president coming in and just appointing all APC members as ministers and so on. No. They must be the best brains and you must lead the country, not just lead one party or one state or one region. The president must lead the country as a Nigerian.

    As a major player in Oyo State politics, how would you describe the effect of the emergence of the two strong political parties to the politics of Oyo State, taking into consideration the power rivalry in the state PDP and the myth that no one is ever reelected governor in the state?

    I am of the strong belief that the myth that Oyo people do not elect anybody for a second term is about to change. This is because someone has finally come to the arena to show them what was not possible. It’s no joke; it’s no folktale. Go to Ibadan and see the transformation that has happened there. I am saying today that this governor has performed. It is the same in Lagos State. I am therefore saying this with so much conviction that PDP or any other party today saying that want to take over Lagos is a joke. It is a joke because people are seeing a system that is working. This is the cradle stone of a system that is working. See what is going on in Eco Atlantic. So now you want to change such a system when you have not shown them an alternative. Yes, go to Ibadan, go to Oyo State; people or critics can talk about stomach infrastructure; they can say that money is no longer shared like before, but you are seeing infrastructure, you are seeing your area turned into something better and that is what really matters.

    But are you not worried that this same issue about stomach infrastructure cost APC the governorship seat of Ekiti State?

    Stomach infrastructure is a phrase that is here to stay in Nigeria but to say that Fayemi was not a good governor is a lie. But we have heard about the tape; I have listened to the tape on what happened in Ekiti. Let’s assume that Ekiti election was free and fair; the people got what they deserved. If what they want is a governor that can give them ten, ten Kobo, so that they can come back tomorrow and not someone that can plan for 10 years, 20 years from now and invest on their kids, you will agree they got what they deserve. But if the Ekiti situation is a reference point, how come they were not able to replicate it in Osun State?

    You participated in the campaigns before the primaries, how would you assess the campaign rhythm for this 2015 election?

    My dream was never to become a politician. I am a businessman and an employer of labour. Before now, politics in Nigeria actually made me sick. But looking at involvement of people like me and looking at what is in the best interest of Nigerians, I can see that we need more entrepreneurs; we need more people that can create employment.

    Going back to what I feel about the campaign rhythm, especially when it comes to Oyo State; while going from house to house, we learnt that a lot of people didn’t want to be involved. So, what excites me about our campaign is that we were able to get these people involved; people that had lost hope. One of our key mantras was that we were going to create 10,000 jobs in four years as a senator and we had the plans to achieve that with the numbers to match. This involvement of intellectuals, they see it as a ray of hope in Nigerian politics. So, I am saying that we need more educated Nigerians and people are yearning for it. You see, if you send someone that barely has primary school education to the House or the Senate, or someone that has hardly done anything in his life except having the right friends and connection, what will such an individual do to better the lots of the people that are suffering? So, I think people want more incursions of sensible intellectuals that can change the course of this nation and that is the yearning that I see and that it what gives me hope that what Nigerians want is possible.

    And would you say the texture of the current campaigns of the major candidates and parties; the messages in the campaign advertorials and the focus reflect your ideal campaign in an age like ours?

    It is not because they are not issue based. What we are seeing are more of character assassinations. Unfortunately our people are used to this. But this is the point; finally, we have over 70 million Nigerians registered to vote. It is a major progress and this is what I am saying. Before now, democracy was a joke to most people because they believe that the result has already been decided. I think this is the first time we are going to have a real election because of what INEC has done. So, I want to give Professor Attahiru Jega some kudos because with this biometric system, where you must thumb print before you use your PVC, people now believe that your vote now counts. It changes everything; it gives people the power to bring on board the kind of people they want.

    Unfortunately, in our campaigns all we see remain character assassination. I still hear people talk from left to right that I will do this; I will do that, with no numbers to it; no plan on how to achieve it. It’s just a dream. So, what we see in papers or on television are unfortunate. Who cares if a president will die in two days? Can you guarantee if you will live to see tomorrow? So, why is anybody making this a front burner and spending so much money to confuse Nigerians? What are your plans for Nigeria; how will your presidency or governorship better the lots of the people of Nigeria? These should be the focus of our campaigns.

    You are a very successful businessman, who can easily vie for other offices, why did you choose to go to the senate. You talk about change; do you think the senate is where you and the type of change you envisage should begin? Why did you choose the senate?

    For change to happen in a democracy, you need the House of Representatives and the Senate, the legislature to pass bills into laws. But when people talk about problems in Nigeria, they only point to President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidency; they hardly talk about the legislature. Is the problem really the presidency or there is what is called separation of powers. There is the executive, the legislature and the judiciary which must checkmate each other. Yes, the president who exercises the executive power can veto but everything emanates from the legislature. Lawmakers are supposed to be forward thinkers of Nigeria. So, the legislature is more important than the presidency when it comes to effective change. To me, the legislature is the right place to represent the interest of the grassroots. That is where we need more enabled and intelligent Nigerians to be part of.

    Considering the known powerful forces that backed you, you were considered a front runner for Oyo Central Senatorial ticket but you suddenly opted out at the last minute. What happened, are you not hurt considering the huge resources you expended in the campaigns before the primaries?

    We are not prostitutes. I am in APC because of my ideological beliefs not necessarily because of getting tickets. Of course I had offers from different corners; come and take our ticket and run for the senatorial seat, but that will not show our good faith of building our party and our state. Look at Lagos State, all the people that contested for APC governorship ticket, including Hamsat, who came second and did wonderfully well, are still in APC. They believe in the party ideology. So, I believe that if you believe in the ideology of your party, you will remain no matter the current situation. As to whether I am not hurt because of the resources I expended, no, I am not hurt, I am not bitter because I believe politics is not a one day thing.

  • ‘Giving up is not an option anymore’

    ‘Giving up is not an option anymore’

    Two years after Hesey Designs started making fashion apparels for women, its founder and Creative Director Eseoghene Ise Odiete, won the Enterprise Challenge, an initiative of the British Council, Virgin Atlantic, and Zenith Bank targeted at young entrepreneurs. In this online interview with Joe Agbro Jr., she revealsher beginnings and outlook for the future

    Congratulations on being a winner of the Enterprise Challenge contest which over 1000 persons applied, what do you think stood you out to emerge as a winner?

    There were five criteria they set: Market appeal, international appeal, Ingenuity, scalability, impact. I believe my business met those criteria.

    Richard Branson is a global entrepreneur and adventurer, how was the experience of meeting him like?

    It was an awesome experience meeting and learning from Richard Branson; one that will change my life and business and take it to a whole new level. Hearing from one of the greatest entrepreneurs and learning that those challenges I face are ‘normal’ and against all odds I will conquer.

    I got to touch him so I tapped some entrepreneurial anointing from him.

    What was the motivation for starting your business?

    I have always been intrigued by the fashion industry even as a child. As a skinny girl, one would expect that I will be a model. Well, I did enjoy the catwalks, but I wanted something more; I wanted to build a global fashion brand. So after my university degree, I decided to set up a fashion brand with a mission to promote Nigeria and Africa, so Hesey Designs was born. I passionately believe that trade is what Africa needs for development.

    Why do you focus on creating only women’s apparel? And how much did you use to start it?

    Well, I am a woman and I am more familiar with what we will love and what we will buy. So I decided to stick to that. Maybe later I can venture into the male apparel.

    I started the business with my savings of about 10,000 naira. I produced a few bags, sold them and used the money gotten to produce more.

    Being an entrepreneur is a fright for young Nigerians, what fears, if any did you have setting out in your business? And how did you address it?

    As a young entrepreneur, starting up was difficult. My first main issue was sourcing for fund. I had to make do with the little savings I had and grew from there. Also, getting the products out. I couldn’t afford a store so I made use of the Internet. I sent emails to several fashion sites requesting that they feature my designs. I knew I had a great product but I needed to be known. So, many of them featured the product with my contact. A lot of people started contacting me requesting for the product.

    Business management.  I started after the university and didn’t have an idea of how to go about running a fashion label.  So I read up a lot of articles and business management books from the Internet.  Books and articles on how to start and run a fashion label especially with little funds.

    How many employees do you have?

    We currently have three full-time staff and two contract workers.

    What are the challenges you confront in the course of your business?

    My present challenges are getting adequate materials, dealing with craftsmen and shipping products internationally. It’s very expensive sending our products to customers abroad. We are looking to work with a courier firm that can offer us great services at a fair price.

    In fact different issues spring up daily and I try to address.

    What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make?

    Quitting my day job to focus on the business. It was a ‘no going back’ decision.  I could not afford to fail again as I had nothing to fall back on. So it was a huge decision and also a motivation to succeed.

    Before Hesey Designs, what were you doing?

    I started Hesey designs in 2012. I had a day job in a media company and I juggled both. Hesey started after my NYSC.

    Was there any time you thought of quitting?

    So many times! I have cried several times; I have told myself to get a good paying job or marry a rich man “‘laughing”

    How was growing up like for you?

    I am the last of five children, so I think I grew up pretty fast having so many older siblings. My parents believed in education so they did their best to give us good education. I have always been a smart child (*wink), I was always top in my class and I was the best graduation Art student from secondary school.   I was sports prefect, a long distance runner. I think all these experiences help me now as an entrepreneur.

    What is your driving force?

    My vision; I always keep the end in mind. I knew what I wanted to accomplish and nothing was going to stop me. I knew things may not be the way I wanted it now, but things were sure getting better. At times when I felt bad and wanted to give up, I always remember why I started, looked at how far I have come and remember where am going.  In two years, what many people considered a hobby has become my greatest gift so far. I have grown a N10, 000 business idea to one that can support families, to one that has impacted over 40 women; to one that has been recognised by great women like IbukunAwosika. Bizwatchng named me one of 40 Nigerians entrepreneurs under 40. So when in doubt, I simply play all these images in my head and I realise that giving up is not an option anymore.

    If you were start all over again, what would you do differently?

    I would not be as experienced as I am now, so I guess I will do it the same way. I don’t think I would want to change anything.

    What advice would you give up and coming Nigerian entrepreneurs?

    The internet has provided you with all the resources you need to run a business. The government and corporate organisations are supporting small business with the necessary funds to take their businesses to another level. You don’t have excuses not to succeed anymore. All you need now is the passion and determination to follow through.

    You’ve won a £5,000 grant for your business, how do you intend to spend that money?

    The cash will be invested into the business.

    Where do you see Hesey Designs in the next two years?

    I see Hesey Designs becoming an internationally recognised brand with outlets in at least two countries. I am looking to expand; increase sales, empower more people and get closer to our vision.