The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ready

  • Are IMC practitioners ready for the next level?

    In the ever-evolving world of integrated marketing communications (IMC) commitment and consistency more than anything else, determines the success or otherwise of any project. The irony however is that these time-tested philosophies are in short supply today.

    Thankfully, the Group CEO, Prima Garnet and former chairman of Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria APCON, Lolu Akinwunmi, one man who should know better says it’s time to go back to the drawing board  if the practice of IMC must continue to survive.

    To this end, he has urged the federal government to review the current organs of communication in Nigeria to set things right.

    He gave this admonition during his keynote address at the 2018 marketing conference of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria in Abuja recently.

    According to him, “It’s time to review the roles of our NTA, FRCN, NOA and the rest of the lot. Seriously, while they were especially effective during the military era, they have since lost relevance in a totally different world. Most of them don’t even maintain an up to date website! It underscores the need to review our communication policy. Very few trust these organs because they always trumpet mainly the government position as propaganda channels. Their programmes are dull and they don’t inspire. South Africa has a state TV station that does not necessarily trumpet government positions. Ditto the BBC. The truth is that in their present forms, they simply, mostly manage propaganda and not effective communication.”

    For better and more consistent funding, the advertising guru said, “Any brand marketing exercise will cost money; it’s never cheap. No government can fund it alone; which is why I have proposed the PPP approach. In addition, it’s not a sprint event. It is long distance. Malaysia has been running its current campaign for over ten years. South Africa did for many years. In Nigeria we want to communicate the essence of a very negative brand after three months of TV, print and OOH campaigns. Its either we are ignorant of what it entails or we are not serious. Or perhaps both!

    Playing down on another media campaign, the Prima Garnet boss advocate for a strong social mobilisation and civic responsibility campaign that will touch all Nigerians in all spheres of life which will begin from the kindergarten, and go all the way to the very top that will be a combination of education and reeducation and even a bit of propaganda. “We must change and replace all the negative portions of our values system. No strong brand can emerge without this,” he said.

    On the issue of leadership, the IMC expert said, “We have always had leadership issues. When we talk about leadership, many assume it’s just the political. We have religious leaders. What values are they communicating by their way of life? How are they morally impacting on others and the Nigerian brand? Business leaders? What can we say about them? Student union leaders, trade union leaders, civil servants, uniformed organisations etc.? They impact on what becomes the Nigerian brand.

    “Without bias and if truth be told, it’s time for the government to consider giving key positions and responsibilities to those trained in the discipline of brand management. Branding and marketing Nigeria is primarily the task for marketing communication and marketing specialists. They have been developing and sustaining world class brands in Nigeria since 1928, and no brand can boast of any success in Nigeria without our involvement. It remains my strong opinion that by deliberate policy, marketing and marketing communication practitioners ought to be given more visible roles in the management of several aspects of brand Nigeria communication and marketing. This is global practice. It is an aberration when non-marketing and marketing communication persons are saddled with a purely marketing/marketing communication role.”

  • 16 states ready for FG’s cattle colonies

    16 states ready for FG’s cattle colonies

    • Ogbeh sheds light on plan, blames past governors for herdsmen killings
    • Says they wasted N100bn received from Jonathan

    Sixteen of the 36 states have signified intention to be part of the cattle colonies initiative of the federal government, The Nation can now reveal.

    More are expected to join, according to Dr. Olukayode Oyedele, Special Assistant to Agriculture Minister, Audu Ogbeh. Oyedele did not name the 16 states or those in line to join the initiative.

    But Taraba, Benue and Abia states have categorically declared that they should be counted out.

    Ogbeh, who has been holding series of meetings with stakeholders on the project, defined the ‘colony’ as “a place where many owners of cattle can co-exist, be fed well, because we can make their feeds; they can get good water to drink, cows drink a lot of water and we can give them green fodder.”

    Government, according to him, will provide veterinary services for the animals and “protect the cows against rustlers.”

    “By a special design, we have to make sure that rustlers can’t cross into the ranches and steal cows and walk away,” he said. Each colony will comprise between 20 and 40 co-located ranches.

    The scheme is part of the strategy to check the incessant clashes between farmers and pastoralists whose animals often stray into cultivated farms and destroy crops.

    Such clashes have claimed hundreds of lives across the country, setting communities and communities and endangering national security.

    It was gathered that Kogi and Plateau states are among the enthusiastic supporters of the cattle colony initiative.

    Plateau already has a few ranches which may grow into colonies

    However, the support of the governors for the project is not without opposition from some communities and opinion leaders in their states.

    In Kogi State for example, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Mr. Teejay Yusuf, asked Governor Yahaya Bello to tread cautiously on the matter “in the interest of coming generations.”

    Yusuf said the governor should shun the temptation of taking unilateral decisions on the scheme.

    Another member of the House of Representatives from the state, Mr.James Faleke, berated the governor for buying into the initiative without proper consultation with the people while a group called Igala Project from the Kogi East Senatorial District has commenced compiling signatures in support of a petition against the establishment of any such colony in the senatorial district.

    The group is objecting to Bello’s alleged designation of part of the district as a cattle colony, saying its position follows “the multiple acts of war and mayhem being unleashed daily, on our innocent farmers and hapless law-abiding citizens, in their villages, homes and farm lands , by rampaging Fulani herdsmen.”

    It adds: “between June 2015 and December 2017, Igala land has witnessed several incidences of killings as a result of herdsmen violence in several areas including Ebeje where eight people were killed and farms set ablaze, Agbada/Agojeju where 19 people were slaughtered, Edede – two persons were killed, six people killed in Oganenigu, three people killed in Ojapata, five people killed in Ojuwo Anawo. All these happened in Dekina Local Government Area.”

    Audu is quoted as saying: “once the colonies begin, we are also going into large scale artificial insemination to improve the breed of cattle so that the yield of milk can increase.

    “As at today, our cows deliver just about one beer bottle which is a litre of milk a day but in East Africa, cows do 15 litres of milk, and in Europe, they do averagely 50 litres of milk a day.

    “Somebody said to me in a text, very angry at this policy, that the word colony means that we are trying to use the Fulani to colonize their state, and that it reminds them of colonialism.

    “Well, we don’t really want to take anybody’s land to give anybody.”

    “We won’t come to a state, take land and give Fulani or Hausa or Itsekiri or Idoma or Tiv and say this area has been seized and given to an ethnic group. That’s not the idea but we’ll also tell the herdsmen: ‘If you are passing through a state, you can only go to the colony and stay there, feed your cattle and, when you are moving off, agro -rangers will follow you and make sure you don’t destroy anybody’s farm.’”

    And speaking to reporters in Zaria, Kaduna State yesterday on the sideline of his tour of facilities of research institutes in the university town, Ogbeh blamed state governors during the Jonathan administration for the farmers/herdsmen clashes in the country.

    He claimed that the governors received N100 billion to solve the crisis without anything to show for it.

    His words: “In 2014, President Goodluck Jonathan gave N100 billion to state governors to solve the farmers/herdsmen crisis once and for all.

    “Though, I don’t have the details, it doesn’t appear anything was done.

    “If the money went to the states and they have done nothing, what do you expect?

    “Let me ask: we have three tiers of government, why does everybody blame Buhari at the centre all the time? Why don’t we ask our state governments questions? ”

     

  • Ojota Park ready for inter-state buses, says NURTW

    The Chairman of Lagos State council of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, yesterday said the inter-state transport park at Odo-Iyaalaro in Ojota is now ready to receive operators banned from Ikorodu Road.

    Speaking through the Secretary of Ojota Main Garage branch, Comrade Francis Olasanoye, Agbede said after the Lagos State Government issued the ban, it partnered the union to prepare the Ojota Park, and that all was set for the inter-state operators to relocate.

    “Last Friday, the Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, visited this area and we have cleared the new place where those affected by the ban will be operating from.

    “We are ready to receive them and want to thank the government and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for this development,” he said.

    Some residents have hailed the government’s decision to stop the inter-state buses and vehicles operating along Ikorodu Road from going beyond Ojodu Berger and Ojota Motor Parks.

    A resident, who lives around Yaba axis, Mr Akindele Ojo, said the ban was a welcome development, as it had significantly reduced traffic gridlock.

    Ojo, a publisher, said: “As a matter of fact, the action is very good because since the time government announced the ban, there has been free flow of traffic in this axis especially in Jibowu, no issue again.

    Another resident, Dr Nwabueze Innocent said the ban had both advantages and disadvantages, but that it was in the overall best interest of the people. He said it would reduce traffic snarl but urged the state government to put measures in place to mitigate the impact of the ban on travellers.

    Mr Olowookere Olusegun said with the ban, sanity and a lot of positive changes had been effected in the area.

    “Since the ban, we have seen positive changes in the Jibowu and Yaba axis. Everywhere is now neat and everything is moving fine. The area used to be very rough but since the ban, everywhere is now tidy and neat,” Olusegun said.

  • Is Nigeria ready for the future?

    SIR: When I watch documentaries of how some countries are planning 50 years ahead to make their nations get better than it is now, I feel sorry for the nation called Nigeria. So far I still don’t know what Nigeria plans for the nearest future other than to start producing pencil by the year 2018.  Is Nigeria ready for the future?  By 2025, car manufacturers will stop producing fuel powered automobiles as electric cars will be the alternative.  Germany has made plans ahead with the establishment of electric power stations where electric powered cars can be charged. France says by 2040 all fuel powered automobiles will be banned to pave way for electric cars. Likewise all other developed countries are making similar plans.

    What does the future hold for a nation whose economic mainstay is oil?  Developed countries have switched to renewable energies for industrial and domestic use and therefore crude oil in no distant future will be useless and worthless. Is Nigeria bracing up for the future where crude oil will be useless and worthless?

    That can only be answered by those at the helm of affairs.  What plans have we for the next 50 years Nigeria?

     

    • Temitope Ogundeji,

    Akure.

  • ‘Ondo budget ready’

    ‘Ondo budget ready’

    Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) is expected to present this year’s budget to the House of Assembly for perusal and passage in the next two weeks.

    Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko could not present the budget before he left office on February 24 due to a crisis rocking the Assembly.

    At a de-briefing between the officials of the state and World Bank team in Akure, the state capital, Akeredolu, who was represented by Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, said the budget would be presented to the legislature before a fortnight.

    The governor thanked the global bank’s officials, who inspected projects in the state, led by its Task Team Leader, Folusho Okunmadewa, for their special interest in Ondo State.

    He hailed the previous administration for its achievements in the Health sector, saying it had put the state on a high pedal among its peers.

    Akeredolu assured the World Bank that the government would include the developmental plans that were in collaboration with the financial institution in the proposed budget.

    He said: “In the next few weeks, you will begin to see the result of this visit. We will reach out to the House of Assembly to pass bills that will help the smooth passage of plans to work effectively.

    “We will have a budget that will capture all the plans the World Bank has for us. This budget will make the state better.

    “…We are ready to do necessary things that will promote our state.”

  • Simeon Nwankwo: I’m not ready for Super Eagles

    Simeon Nwankwo: I’m not ready for Super Eagles

    Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo fondly called Simy has not been in the thick of action for FC Crotone in recent weeks after copping an injury soon after scoring his first Serie A goal in the 3-1 away loss to Atalanta early this year; and he would be the first to admit that his performance is below par and has no worry that the Super Eagles’ Franco-German coach Gernot Rohr has not looked into his direction for international duties, reports MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

    A year ago, Simeon Tochukwu  Nwankwo -simply known in the football world as Simy- was undoubtedly, the name on the lips of followers of the Portuguese Pro Liga as he fired on all cylinders scoring goals with remarkable ease; and deservedly  was crowned as the top scorer with an impressive 22 goals at the end of the season.

    FC Crotone by the way, are struggling in their debut season in the Italian Serie A despite being one of the oldest clubs in Italian football. The Calabria-based side, according to an online encyclopaedia, was founded in 1910 as Milone Crotone and participated in several minor leagues including Prima Divisione (which later would be known as Serie C).

    Following World War II, a new club, Unione Sportiva Crotone replaced the previous one, playing seven seasons in Serie C but the club was relegated in 1963 to Serie D and they returned to the third division the following year, remaining there for fourteen consecutive seasons, missing promotion in 1977 when finishing third behind Bari and Paganese.

    In 1978, following the Italian football league reorganisation, Crotone was relegated to Serie C2 and the following year was declared bankrupt. A new club, Associazione Sportiva Crotone, began competing again in the Prima Categoria (eighth division). Crotone was promoted to Serie C2 in 1984–85, but only for one season. The team’s name was changed to Kroton Calcio, and the club was promoted again to C2 after the 1986–87 season, where it played until 1991.

    A second bankruptcy led to the foundation of Football Club Crotone Calcio with Raffaele Vrenna as chairman, starting in the Promozione (7th level); Crotone gained successive promotions to Serie C2 and C1, winning in the play-offs against Locri and Benevento, respectively.

    Under Antonello Cuccureddu, Crotone first reached Serie B in 2000, returning to the second level two seasons later. Again, in division two in 2004, after disposing of Viterbese in the promotion play-offs, it remained in the category until the 2006–07 season.

    After being beaten by Taranto in the 2008 play-offs, Crotone returned to the second division the following season, defeating Benevento. The team was promoted to the Italian top flight (Serie A), for the 2016–17 season for the first time in its history.

    The club’s stadium is reportedly named after Ezio Scida (with a capacity for just 9,547-seats), probably the club’s biggest football star, who died in a car crash at the age on 30, on his way to an away game in 1946. The town’s most famous son is Rino Gaetano, one of the most appreciated Italian singers and songwriters, was also killed in a car accident at the age of 30, in 1981.

    Crotone adopted his greatest hit Ma Il Cielo E’ Sempre Piu’ Blu (“But the Sky Is Always Bluer”) as their anthem and it is performed at the stadium ahead of every game.

    Though the sky is yet to be ‘bluer’ for Simy at FC Crotone as he struggled with his goal scoring form while the club wallows in the relegation zone, he was of the opinion that there are still reasons to be happy.

    “I have no regrets whatsoever for leaving Portugal to Italy,” stated Simy in his usual philosophical hue. “In fact, the experiences I have gained here in Italy have been nothing short of outstanding; Serie A is a top league in the world and having the opportunity to play here is wonderful.

    “Yes, we (FC Crotone) haven’t done well but ‎this is football; we still have games left to make a push and finish the season strong. It won’t be easy to say the least but we are working really hard in training and confident we can pick up vital points in the coming weeks.”

    Unfortunately, Simy has not been in the thick of action for Crotone in recent weeks after copping an injury soon after scoring his first Serie A goal in the 3-1 away loss to Atalanta early this year.  He would be the first to admit that his performance is below par and has no worry that the Super Eagles’ Franco-German coach Gernot Rohr has not looked into his direction for international duties.

    “Frankly, I’m not ready for the Super Eagles and I’m not expecting being called up since I’m not playing regularly now for FC Crotone,” admitted the multi-tasking Simy who has person for music; internet and charity. “Though I should have been (invited) in the past, I believe things will be different next season; I’m in a new country and a new league of a higher level and standard.

    “So, I’m going through my period of adaptation; it has been difficult bu d at the same time a wonderful experience because it helps in making me a better person and player; the objective now is to develop my game further and always be ready to help my team,” he explained.

    In the meantime, Simy has been   very active away from the pitch by ploughing his resources and energy to his pet project, The TNF- Tochukwu Nwankwo Foundation.

    A guy with deep-thought about philosophy of life, he said he has long imbibed the spirit and letters   of Gamaliel Bailey (1807-1859), the American journalist who stated inter alia: ‘Never respect men merely for their riches but rather for their philanthropy; we do not value the sun for its height but for its use.’

    The TNF according to Simy, was created to show gratitude to God for blessing him so much and also an opportunity to share with the down trodden in the society, adding this charitable gesture would rather cement his career than being a distraction.

    He explained: “Yes, I agree with you that most footballers usually set up a foundation on retirement but I started TNF   now rather than later owing to the numerous encounters I have experienced with regards to immense hardship and suffering in our respective communities,”

    “You will be astonished to know the number of less fortunate youths in my local government (Orumba North LGA of Anambra State) that are in need of assistance and guidance today; this is what has propelled me to start this initiative now.

    “God has been faithful to me and I envisage using TNF as a platform to inject faith, hope and charity into our communities. When I came for the last Christmas holidays, I came across a 4-month-old child that’s in critical condition with no access to finance to get treatment.; this is just one of many examples of why it didn’t make sense to wait till retirement hence I decided to start now; saving and changing lives is what drives TNF.

    “This is a lifetime project so the earlier I start the TNF starts he better; I don’t believe TNF will be a distraction but rather a motivation and will only propel me to be the best I can be on and off the field. I have made a commitment and will balance the two accordingly.

    TNF was launched three years ago, and Simy said he was happy that so many persons have been touched and he is encouraged to do more: “The objective of setting up TNF is to create a unique platform to engage and empower underprivileged youths, saving and changing lives through health, education and Sports   and this is what I called the TNF’s HES strategy.

    “My definition of charity is the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing with the less fortunate and you can be rest assured that 100 percent of all we will do is to be a charitable organization.

    “We set up officially in October 2016, so TNF is a pet project and during festive seasons, we embarked on charity services to the widows and orphans; we also promoted the importance of education, shared hundreds of TNF exercise books to the kids‎ and gave a couple of scholarships

    “We also produced customized TNF football jerseys that were used for a tournament in my hometown; also in January 2017, we embarked on a health project of assisting a 4-month-old infant diagnosed of hydrocephalus, so I believe we have done quite well for a start.”

    Cool and breezy in words and attitude, Simy admitted his mother humane disposition simply rubbed off on him and would eternally be grateful for the role she played in his upbringing.

    “I always have this beautiful memory of a lovely mother who gave everything for her family going through lots of hard situations of life with my dad to take care of their children,” remarked Simy when pressed after posting a photograph with his visiting mother on his Instagram page.

    “I’m just so proud; and lucky for the family that choose me because we can choose our friends but not our families.

    “My mother has been my biggest support and Inspiration through her prayers; and humility; and I hope to keep getting better to keep her joy,” he said as emotions flashed across his face like the sweep of sun-rent clouds over a quiet landscape.

  • National Arts Theatre’ll be ready for AMAA 2017 — Lagos govt

    National Arts Theatre’ll be ready for AMAA 2017 — Lagos govt

    Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday said his administration has concluded plans to begin a total revamping of the National Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos by next month to prepare for the 2017 Africa Movies Academic Awards (AMAA) ceremony holding in the state later in the year.

    The governor who spoke when he played host to officials of AMAA led by its president, Mrs. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe at the Lagos House, Ikeja, expressed optimism that the plan to upgrade the theatre to a world class standard would serve as a viable venue for the AMAA event when completed.

    “I want to also say that I am very particular about the venue of the AMAA.  So,  we would use everything possible to make sure that the National Arts Theatre is ready. We are in a process and before the month ends, we should have something to start with within the first week of April to getting the whole place ready,” he said.

    Alluding to the fact that Lagos would turn 50 by May 27, the governor said that the hosting of the AMAA event in Lagos would add more glamour to the celebration of the state’s Golden Jubilee and showcase its hospitality to the continent and the world at large.

  • Ifeanyi Okoye ready for Nasarawa Utd

    Ifeanyi Okoye ready for Nasarawa Utd

    Attacking midfielder Ifeanyi Okoye, is hoping to fire more of his  shots as Tornadoes host Nasarawa United on Sunday at the Lokoja Township Stadium.  Okoye’s strike against Abia Warriors on Wednesday in Umuahia was like a flash which displaced the Warriors goalkeeper but unfortunately failed to kiss the net preferring instead to hit the bar.  Okoye, who has been singing consolidation songs into the ears of his teammates believes once a match is played the next thing is to focus on the next and not dwell on the past.” I always like to shift focus on the next match to improve on the past,” he said

    Tornadoes coach Abubakar Bala has said: “I don’t want to build my team around a selected striker or players, I want a team that every player can score even the defenders. If I have my way I would love to keep all the players together for at least three years.”

    Tornadoes have achieved a 50-50 result in the last four matches losing two and winning two. Nasarawa United are 12th on the log five places below Tornadoes.

  • Jos dry port to be ready in June

    The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council ( NSC) Barrister Hassan Bello has assured that the Jos Dry Port (Inland Container Depot) under construction at Heipang should be completed in June this year.

    Bello spoke to newsmen at the sidelines of an inspection tour of the project by the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and the Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Simon Lalong.

    He said the facility, concessioned to Duncan Group of Companies, has capacity to handle 20,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, (TEUs), of containers at the first instance but can be upgraded to higher capacity later.

    Earlier, Mr. Amaechi said the Lagos-Ibadan standard rail project will commence before April even as he reiterated that the dry ports will also be linked to rail facilities.

    He also said the Kaduna-Kano and Port Harcourt-Calabar dry ports should also commence this year if the Chinese EXIM Bank releases its counter-part funding for the project.

    Governor Lalong promised he will provide the necessary enabling environment to ensure the project succeeds.

    It will recalled that the  Heipang – Jos Dry Port Project which was among the six gazetted projects granted approval by the Federal Executive Council in 2006 was concessioned to Duncan Maritime Services Nigeria, Nigerian and is based on a tripartite arrangement involving the federal governemnt , the host state government  and the private investor.

  • U-23 AFCON: Nigeria ready for Algeria – Okechukwu

    U-23 AFCON: Nigeria ready for Algeria – Okechukwu

    Dream Team VI midfielder Azubuike Okechukwu claims players of the Nigeria side are calm ahead of Saturday’s decisive Olympic qualifying game against Algeria.

    Nigeria surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Egypt in their second game at the ongoing 2015 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal.

    A loss for the Nigeria Under-23 side to Algeria on Saturday could see them get eliminated from the race to Rio 2016 but Azubuike insists they are not worried about facing the impressive Algerians who currently sit top of Group B.

    “We know the Algerians. We are not afraid of them. We respect them but we are not afraid of them.

    “We will play our game, try to win and I am sure we will come out with a good result,” Okechukwu told journalists on Wednesday.

    Algeria look to be in fine fettle so far in the tournament.

    The North Africans drew their opening game with Egypt 1-1 before beating Mali 2-0 in their second game of the competition.