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Tag: Poju Oyemade

  • No doctor is trained on N500,000, NARD dismisses Oyemade’s claim

    No doctor is trained on N500,000, NARD dismisses Oyemade’s claim

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has pushed back against recent comments by Pastor Poju Oyemade regarding the cost of training medical doctors in Nigeria.

    Oyemade had claimed that it costs approximately N500,000 to train a Nigerian doctor, a figure NARD strongly disputes. 

    The association referenced a peer-reviewed study which places the actual cost of medical education in Nigeria between $21,000 and $51,000.

    NARD described Oyemade’s assertion as inaccurate and misleading, urging public figures to be more informed when commenting on sensitive professional issues.

    “In Nigeria, a person will graduate as a medical doctor and spend N500,000 throughout to become a doctor. In America, you graduate from Johns Hopkins, you graduate from Harvard as a doctor, and you spend $2,000. Are you okay? Do you know how much money you spend?

    “Nigerians are ungrateful. They will go through everything, education. How much do they spend there? You see a Nigerian, if they tell him in Nigeria to do two jobs, he will curse your life out.

    “They will come to America, wake up in the morning, do first job, do second job, do Uber, and do, everything he’s doing. I said, if they put the fraction of this energy they put here in their country, they will have blown”, he said in part.

    NARD also highlights the significant disparity in earnings between Nigerian doctors and their counterparts in the US, with Nigerian doctors earning approximately N250,000 ($170) monthly compared to $16,000 (N24 million) monthly in the US.

    The association further notes that many Nigerian families spend over $10,000 to support doctors in qualifying and practicing in the US.

    NARD rejects Oyemade’s suggestion that Nigerian professionals lack gratitude, stating that Nigerian doctors are hardworking and resilient despite the healthcare system’s challenges.

    NARD further urged Oyemade to use his influence to advocate for health sector reforms, rather than blaming professionals, given Nigeria’s poor global ranking in healthcare.

    The association said on X: “With due respect, your recent comments reflect a misunderstanding of the realities surrounding medical education and the healthcare system in Nigeria.

    “Contrary to your claim, no medical doctor is trained on N500,000. A peer-reviewed study by Osoba et al. (2021), published in the Pan African Medical Journal, estimates the cost of training a doctor in Nigeria to range between $21,000 and $51,000—this includes tuition, living expenses, and other associated costs.

    “Despite this investment, the average Nigerian doctor earns about N250,000 monthly (roughly $170), a stark contrast to their counterparts in the U.S., where training costs around $275,000, and the average monthly salary is about $16,000 (₦24 million).

    Read Also: Oyemade, Asimolowo, extol Achudume’s virtues at female ministers’ conference

    “This is not about ingratitude—Nigerian doctors are among the most hardworking and resilient globally.

    “While the health system is in a state of crisis, many citizens cannot afford medical tourism. It is easy for Pastors with access to tithes and offerings to seek care abroad, but their average Nigerian church member cannot.

    “While the health system is in a state of crisis, many citizens cannot afford medical tourism. It is easy for Pastors with access to tithes and offerings to seek care abroad, but their average Nigerian church member cannot.

    “We urge you to speak truth to power and advocate for a better health system; Nigeria currently ranks 142nd out of 195 globally.

    “It may be worth considering the Apostles’ model—focusing on prayer, fasting, and the Word—rather than “serving tables”.

  • Buhari’s advisers: how to make Nigeria prosperous

    A PEEP into the kind of advice President Muhammadu Buhari will be receiving from his newly inaugurated Economic Advisory Council (EAC) was given on Tuesday as members of the team gave their views on the state of the economy

    It was at a commemorative event to mark the country’s Independence anniversary. “The Platform,” was organised by the Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos, led by Pastor Poju Oyemade.

    Financial Derivatives Limited Chief Executive Officer Bismarck Rewane and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Charles Soludo, spoke on how to get the economy roaring back.

    Rewane and Soludo are members of the eight-man Presidential EAC. In his broadcast yesterday, the President spoke on his expectations from the team to turn the economy around.

    Other members of the team led by Dr. Doyin Salami are: Mohammed Sagagi (Vice Chairman); Prof Ode Ojowu; Shehu Yahaya; Iyabo Masha; and Mohammed Adaya Salisu.

    Speaking on the theme, ‘Re-designing the Nigerian Economy with New Ideas’, Rewane, an economist, said: “What our economy needs is a mental discipline to learn from the mistakes of the past. Our vulnerability has increased because we have not learned from the mistakes of our past and that of other countries.”

    Rewane noted that things outside the country’s control are more than things within its control. “When the institutions of conflict resolution are broken, the alternative to what you have is anarchy. The social contract between the rulers and the ruled is very important as it’s so cheap to just talk than to act.

    Read Also: Talking points from Buhari’s Independence address

    “What we have control over is our credibility and leadership. Social credibility over what we say is important because talk is cheap. Credibility does not come from what we say, but what we do,” Rewane said.

    Soludo, who said a friend advised him not to accept the presidential offer to serve because “there is no money there now (but) just a committee”, added: “The game of the future is “innovate, compete or die.” He said Nigeria needs to start preparing for a world without oil, which calls for innovation in diverse aspects of the economy.

    He warned: “We need to start preparing for 400 million people that will soon be upon us in a world without oil. We have been living on the life support of oil. When oil goes up, the economy goes up and when oil comes down, the economy comes down.

    “The misery that will befall us is to continue to churn out millions of semi-literate youths and largely unemployed citizens.”.

    Soludo called for devolution of power, which he said, means giving power back to the people.

    He said: “Our constitution, together with its command and control institutions concentrated at Abuja, was designed for and around the sharing and consumption of the oil rent. It is largely obsolete for the demands of a production economy without oil rent, which requires competitive and flexible rather than unitary federalism.

    “As the oil rent is tapping off, its internal contradictions have burst open, requiring a lot of survival mechanisms to keep the system afloat. But, for how long?

    “You cannot build a 100-storey building upon a foundation of an old bungalow. The new economy we need to build is a 100-storey building and we cannot put a 100-storey building on this foundation that has been laid for a bungalow.

    “A post-oil economy requires that agents maximise their fullest potentials, which would require a national rather than a federal response. You can’t clap with one hand.

    “What we need is a new national business model. You are designing good ideas and good plans without the underlying infrastructure to carry those ideas forward.”

    Soludo added: “These children in the next 30 years will be youth. They need jobs, they need education, they need water, they need housing. Twenty years time, the oil will be history.

    “Since 1992, we have implemented all kinds of plans all designed to diversify the economy, but we are still tied to the life support of the oil sector. If you want to change a persistent economic structure, you have to change the underlying economic institution.

    “Our greatest resource is human beings, but we are not going to export illiterates. The easiest way to waste the future is to continue to churn out illiterates and largely unemployed persons most of who see criminality as the only way to escape.”

  • Osinbajo scores Nigerian ‘Jollof rice’ high

    Osinbajo scores Nigerian ‘Jollof rice’ high

    Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s Vice-President on Monday described Nigerian-cooked jollof rice as “the best in the world”.

    The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that recently, while responding to a question by Richard Quest, CNN International business editor, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, was quoted to have said that the Senegalese make the best jollof rice on the continent.

    Although Quest made attempt to defend the minister, saying the minister did not hear his answer correctly, the incident sparked off unpleasant reactions on social media among a cross-section of Nigerians.

    The Vice-President gave the score card while speaking at “The Platform Nigeria,” a Global Media live broadcast LIVE on Channels TV and online convened by Poju Oyemade, Senior Pastor of the Covenant Christian Centre, in Lagos.

    He said:“And by the way, we all know that Nigerian jollof rice is the best, we beat the Ghanaians and the Senegalese hands down.”

    “We have everything, and our people are doing incredibly innovative things.

    “Our music and entertainment industry is the fastest growing in the world,and of course, nobody is as funny as Nigerians, whether professional or amateur,” he noted.

    The VP also extolled Nigerians innovative feats in various fields,especially in recent times.

    “Last year Oluyinka Olutoye, a Nigerian surgeon successfully took out a baby from her mother’s womb, operated on the womb, and put the baby back in.

    “The baby was carried full term and was born naturally – a feat previously unheard of.

    “Only last year, a Nigerian girl Morolake Akinosun won a gold medal at the Olympics.

    “Last Saturday, a Nigerian boxer Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua won the WBA, becoming the boxing champion of the world.”

    Jollof rice is a staple meal among Africans, however over the years, Nigerians, Ghanaians, Senegalese and other African countries have claimed to make the best of the meal.

  • Nigeria’s jollof rice best in the world – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday described Nigeria’s jollof rice as “the best in the world.”

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had while responding to a question by CNN International Business Editor, Richard Quest, said Senegal makes the best jollof rice on the continent.

    Although Quest tried to defend the minister, saying he did not hear his question correctly, the incidence triggered reactions from cross-section of Nigerians on social media.

    The vice president spoke during his appearance at “The Platform Nigeria,” a Global Media programme broadcast live on Channels TV.

    It was convened by the Senior Pastor of the Covenant Christian Centre, Lagos, Poju Oyemade.

    Osinbajo said: “And by the way, we all know that Nigerian jollof rice is the best, we beat the Ghanaians and the Senegalese hands down.”

    “We have everything, and our people are doing incredibly innovative things.

    “Our music and entertainment industry is the fastest growing in the world, and of course, nobody is as funny as Nigerians, whether professional or amateur.”

    The vice president also extolled Nigerians innovative feats in various activities.

    “Last year Oluyinka Olutoye, a Nigerian surgeon successfully took out a baby from her mother’s womb, operated on the womb, and put the baby back in.

    “The baby was carried full term and was born naturally — a feat previously unheard of.

    “Only last year, a Nigerian girl, Morolake Akinosun, won a gold medal at the Olympics.

    “Last Saturday, a Nigerian boxer Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua won the WBA, becoming the boxing champion of the world.”

    NAN

     

  • Nigeria’s problems temporary, says Osinbajo

    Nigeria’s problems temporary, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday restated the resolve of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to instituting a new culture of probity and accountability in governance.

    He declared that it is now a new day in Aso Rock.

    Osinbajo spoke at The Platform, a public engagement forum organized by the Covenant Church led by Pastor Poju Oyemade.

    The theme was ‘What do we have in our hands, tapping into dead capital’.

    The Vice President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said: “Nearly a year on, there are many problems and many have asked where is the change? Is this the change we voted for? Even some fifth columnists in our midst have suggested bring back corruption.

    “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to change.

    “We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success.

    “Today we have the best opportunity in decades for profound change. It is an opportunity in a generation. A revolution whose time has come!

    “Everything around us tells us that the moment is now! Can this change happen? Yes it can! Yes it must! What do you have in your hands to make it happen? We have a country that is tired of corruption, tired of leadership without values, tired of an economy that is neither designed to accommodate enterprise, nor to create opportunity and wealth for the majority. ” He said

    He said that the “new day in Aso Rock” is that of a Presidency that is committed to ensuring a departure from the past culture of corruption and profligacy in government.

    Osinbajo said: “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to the Change promised Nigerians

    “We have a leadership, a leader that is ready to challenge the rotten system, one that has said he is ready to kill corruption rather let corruption kill us.”

    “We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success, ” he added

    He told the gathering mainly comprising of youths that the Federal Government was not unaware of the nation’s challenges and that the youths must believe the problems facing the nation in the area of power, availability of petroleum products, infrastructure and agriculture are surmountable and resolvable.

    Osinbajo also told them of the determination of the Federal Government to leverage technology under a number of initiatives he unveiled intended to create the enabling environment that would stimulate youth entrepreneurship and innovation.

    “The key to change and our future prosperity lies in innovation and is critical to our development,” He said

    Informing the forum of the Buhari presidency’s plan for technology and innovation, he said that government would be establishing an Innovation Fund this year which would deploy significant resources for the aim of creating opportunities to the youth to access fund for innovation and entrepreneurship.

    He highlighted other plans as follows:
    – Establishment of technology innovation hubs across the country; 2 super hubs ( in Lagos and Abuja) and 6 regional hubs in the six geo-political zones in partnership some major technology companies;
    – 65,000 young Nigerians to be trained in hardware and software services and in animation;
    – to create a reservoir in technology capacity that can be exported annually abroad like the case of India;
    – on June 23, 2016, Federal Government would launch a Presidential Technology Innovation Initiative targeted at 50 Nigerians engaged in innovative start-ups to be mentored by major technology innovation companies
    – bursary award to 100,000 STEM undergraduates developing their interest in programming, robotic and animation technology, in addition to deploying technology in the training of the 500,000 teachers that are expected to be employed under the social investment of government this year,
    – VP’s Office to institute a literary prize in poetry and short stories during independence anniversary to encourage field of humanity/arts

    Prof. Osinbajo also used the occasion to implore millions of youths in the country to join the vanguard for change under “a New Tribe of Nigerians” saying “we must not blink, no shaking until we turn this country around.”

    The Vice President also commended the conveners of the platform, Pastor Poju Oyemade and his team for their tenacity and unwavering belief in the nation’s development.

    He noted that “the Platform has through the years become a foremost opportunities for ideas and intellectual innovations in Nigeria.”

  • Buhari’s economic policies “opaque, archaic”- Ezekwesili

    Buhari’s economic policies “opaque, archaic”- Ezekwesili

    Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili on Saturday faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s current economic policies.

    According to her, the economic policies are similar to those he promulgated during the military regime he led in the 1980s.

    She spoke at a public engagement forum organized by the Covenant Church led by Pastor Poju Oyemade in Abuja.

    Mrs. Ezekwesili said that Mr. Buhari’s “archaic” and “opaque” economic principles are not only encouraging massive corruption and abuse of power, but also hurting the poor they were intended to help.

    She said: “During the first coming of this our new president, a command and control economic system was adopted. During that era, inflation spiralled. During that era, jobs were lost. During that era, the economic growth level dipped.

    “That era wasn’t the best of eras in economic progress. What did not work in 1984 cannot possibly be a solution in a global economy that’s much more integrated.”

    She said that Mr. Buhari was rehashing the same “command and control” approach towards economic issues which has left the country’s economic indices worse off since he assumed office almost year ago.

    She added: “In over one year, the president is still holding to the premise that command and control is the only way out.

    “In a year we have lost the single digits inflation status we maintained in past administrations.” She said

    Mrs. Ezekwesili said Mr. Buhari’s distortion of foreign exchange system has left the poor it was intended to support even worse off.

    She said: “The president comes into this economic philosophy on the premise that he does not want the poor to suffer. I can relate to that, a leader must not allow the poor to suffer, especially a leader who knows that most of his votes came not from the elite but from the poor.

    “The problem though is that the intention and the outcome are diverged. The weakest and the most vulnerable suffer the impact of inflation the most. Enormous power is being abused as a result of opaque economic policies.

    “Companies are suddenly finding themselves unable to produce because they’re unable to access foreign exchange,” she said.

    Mrs. Ezekwesili, therefore, urged Mr. Buhari to sit down with his administration officials and reconsider the impact his polices have had on the nation’s economy.

    “Mr. President should sit with his team and look at the economic evidence that speaks loudly. It’s time to sit back and review the well-intended idea of command and control economic principle.

    “He should do what the Americans say that if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it,” Mrs. Ezekwesili stated.

  • Poju Oyemade finally picks wedding date

    Poju Oyemade finally picks wedding date

    AFTER months of speculations, Poju Oyemade has finally picked a date for his long awaited wedding. Although it was initially planned to hold December, it has been postponed to February 7, 2015 because of the annual West Africa Faith Believer’s Convention coming up in January. When the news of the impending end to his bachelorhood filtered out in October, some hearts were broken as some female admirers have to look elsewhere for Mr. Right.

    Poju is the Senior Pastor of Covenant Christian Centre. The motivational speaker seldom reveals details about his personal life or the fact that he has been single and discreetly searching. Ironically, Poju heads the Singles’ Summit, which has transformed the lives of many, changing their perspectives to dating and securing long lasting relationships. It has helped a lot of bachelors and spinsters to find their soul mates after years of searching.

    His long years as a bachelor had baffled many as he has all it takes to have any kind of woman he desires. Years ago, there were unfounded rumours that the good looking preacher was about to tie the nuptial knot. The dynamic pastor strongly believes that being single is not a stigma but an opportunity to build an outstanding career and develop an enviable relationship with God. Therefore, he chose to bide his time in searching for his God-approved soul mate.

    Those who should know informed us that his upcoming wedding is going to be one of the best weddings of the year. The name of the lucky lady still remains hidden, but she is said to be an active member of his church.

  • Poju Oyemade eyes the altar

    Poju Oyemade eyes the altar

    The Senior Pastor of Covenant Christian Centre, Pastor Poju Oyemade, is set to bid farewell to bachelorhood after a long wait. All things being equal, the University of Lagos graduate will be walking down the aisle in a matter of weeks.

    The pastor hinted that much in a sermon he delivered a few Sundays ago, where he made reference to an unknown woman in the habit of addressing herself as Mrs. Oyemade in correspondences she had sent to the pastor. Reacting to the antics of the woman in question, Oyemade said that her antics would come to an end in a matter of weeks when he would have changed his bachelorhood status.

    The announcement elicited curiosity from members of the congregation, many of whom immediately launched an investigation into the pastor’s statement. The result so far is that Pastor Poju will most likely go to the altar with a woman whose identity remains yet under wraps.