The Nation Newspaper

Tag: segun awolowo

  • FG targets $30 billion from non-oil revenue yearly 

    FG targets $30 billion from non-oil revenue yearly 

    • Sets up panel to boost export promotion

    Towards restructuring the Nigerian economy, the Federal Government is targeting to get at least $30 billion revenue from the current $5 billion from non-oil sources.

    This was disclosed by the Director – General of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Segun Awolowo while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice – President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

    He was with the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, Governor of Kwara State, Ahmed Abdulfattah, and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu.

    According to him, Nigeria is going through the sharpest falls of export revenues in her history, losing over $100 billion (N30 trillion) of national export revenue between 2015 to 2017 due to the crashing oil prices, which resulted in recession.

    He said “The NEPC made a presentation to the NEC on a plan to restructure the Nigerian economy to survive without crude oil. The plan is called “the zero oil plan.”

    “Council was informed that there was urgent need to rapidly ramp up non-oil exports as our future earnings from crude oil faces significant headwinds.

    “The zero oil plan aims at earning at least $30 billion from non-oil sources in the near to medium term as against the current earnings of about $5 billion.

    He said the objectives of zero oil plan is to add $150 billion to Nigeria foreign reserves in the next 10 years, create 500,000 jobs, lift 10 million Nigerians out of poverty and integrate each state of the federation into the export value chain.

    Awolowo said that the focus of the plan is on the export of the following crops: rice, wheat, corn, palm oil, rubber, hides and skin, sugar, soya beans and automotive parts among others.

    He listed the destination countries for Nigeria’s exports to include Netherlands, China, Iran, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Sapin, Italy, India, Saudi Arabia, among others.

    He said NEXIM briefed Council on the “States Export Development Initiative” which is being pursued as a medium to long term strategic plan aimed at stimulating and increasing deliberate funding intervention to SMEs in the non-oil sector for attainment of its objectives.

    He further said that council was informed that one of the major objectives of the initiative is contributing to the implementation of economic policies of the country, like the ERGP and Agricultural Promotion Policy, among others.

    He added that the initiative is built on schematic transaction dynamics with key features like provision of a dedicated funding of a minimum of N5 billion as a pilot phase with window for other facilities and partnership for transactional support.

    “Council was further informed that the initiative will also help re-awaken the business consciousness of the states towards export and value added production especially in the areas of manufacturing, agro-processing and solid minerals,” he stated. 

    He said the Managing Director of NEPZA briefed council on the need to have more special economic zones in addition to the Calabar Free Trade Zone.

    “He told the council that the major defect in Calabar Free Trade Zone is that the zones have not been linked to the Calabar Port and that there is urgent need to do so in order to make the zone a lot more effective.

    “Partnership between the federal and state governments as well as the private sector is needed. He urged council to ensure that the location of free trade zones should be done strictly on business consideration and not political considerations.

    “He also asked council to provide incentives for free trade zones to include linkage to rail line, express ways, close proximity to utilities, airports among others,” he stated.

    The Council on Thursday also constituted a committee towards improving Nigeria’s non-oil exports.

    The National Committee on Export Promotion is to review several ideas and suggestions tabled at the NEC meeting.

    The committee consisted of three State Governors: Jigawa, Lagos and Ebonyi and the federal ministers from Industry, Trade & Investment, Agriculture & Rural Development, Power, Works & Housing, Transportation and Finance.

    Other members of the Export Promotion Committee of NEC are  the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, NEXIM Bank, and the CBN. Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Mohammed B. Abubakar is the Chairman, and Industry, Trade & Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah is Co-Chair.

    The Committee which is expected to submit an initial report by November is expected to come up with a concise action plan on how to drive non-oil exports based on the presentations and discussions of Council at today’s meeting.

  • Govt can solve unemployment by investing more in textile/fashion industry – Awolowo

    Govt can solve unemployment by investing more in textile/fashion industry – Awolowo

    Mr Segun Awolowo, the Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), says government must invest more in the fashion/textile industry to solve the rate of  unemployment in the country.

    Awolowo said that the industry was a viable sector to invest in because the country is blessed with a vast land to cultivate cotton; the major raw material required by the fashion industry.

    He said these as the grand finale of the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN) 2017 held at the National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.

    According to him, the country’s goal is to position the manufacturing industry as a viable sector for boosting the non-oil export sector so as to increase its economic growth.

    The NEPC boss said the government would be achieving this by investing in the textile industry that would serve as the spring board for the resuscitation of the fashion industry.

    Awolowo commended Ronke Ademiluyi, the founder of AFWN for initiating the fashion show that tends to promote African fabrics and designs.

    He advised the exhibitors and designers to improve on their present standards so that their products would be able to compete with their peers internationally.

    “ The fashion industry presents a great opportunity in boosting our country’s export globally.

    “The government recognises these potential in our fashion designers and exhibitors but they need to improve on the values and contents of their products.

    “ Ademiluyi has demonstrated that Nigerians will sustain this initiative in response to the government’s projection going by her activities,” he said.

    Also, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, advised the government to empower the country’s youths so that they could become self-reliant, self-dependent and self-sustaining.

    Oba Ogunwusi, the patron of AFWN, represented by Chief  Adebanjo Adetinu said that the government could achieve this by identifying and supporting  the creativity potential among youths.

    The traditional ruler said this was projected in the Africa fashion week programmes where fashion designers and exhibitors displayed their talents to the admiration of the guests and visitors.

    Ogunwusi, the grand patron of AFWN, said the artistic creativity of both the models and designers would fill up the vacuum created by unemployment among youths.

    “Such an innovation by Ronke Ademiluyi is filling the vacuum created by unemployment among our youths.

    “She only needs more sponsors to boost the project,” he said.

    Another community leader from Ife, Chief  Babatunde Adetokunbo, advised other fashion promoters to emulate AFWN by  celebrating and boosting the nation’s culture and tradition through their creativity.

    “Our culture is worth celebrating; we should be proud of it.

    “What Ronke is doing is worth emulating, we should display and celebrate our culture, it is unique and I am proud of it,” he said.

  • Segun Awolowo’s death traumatised me – Akintola’s son

    Segun Awolowo’s death traumatised me – Akintola’s son

    Abayomi Akintola, the son of former premier in Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, has been speaking on the relationship between the Akintola family and Awolowos.

    The younger Akintola, a former finance minister and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Hungary, made this known at a press conference with journalists on Friday evening in Ogbomoso, Oyo State while informing the general public about the 50th remembrance ceremony of his late father, slated 14th and 15th January 2016.

    The septuagenarian went down memory lane to give an account of how he became terribly sick after death of his best friend, the late Olusegun Awolowo.

    He said: “I went to England for a course, when I came back, I was informed that Olusegun Awolowo has died. For you to know how close Olusegun and I were, Segun, may his rest in peace and I usually spend our holidays together.

    He continued: “After his death, I was hospitalised for about nine months. Doctors could not ascertain what was wrong with me. We were like siamese twins. We went around together,” Chief Akintola recounted.

    “Heavy shooting ensued for about two hours that midnight. But when my father went out, the shooting stopped. By the time we went out, we met him in a pool of his own blood. My wife covered him with her clothes”.

    Reacting to a question on whether the two families are still friends today and why the Akintolas were absent at the burial of the late matriarch of Awolowo dynasty, Akintola said “May Mama Awolowo’s soul rest in perfect peace. I had a medical problem during Mama Awolowo’s burial. As a result, I went for a medical check up in England hoping to spend a week or 10 days but unfortunately, I stayed longer in the hospital. I will say we nothing against the Awolowos,” he explained.

  • Segun Awolowo plans big for wife’s 50th birthday

    Segun Awolowo plans big for wife’s 50th birthday

    Segun Awolowo, grandson of the late politician and nationalist, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is in the news again. As you read this, precious jewel of the Awolowo dynasty is planning to celebrate his beautiful wife, Bolanle, in a grand way as she turns 50.

    A few years ago, Segun and Bola had hiccups in their marriage and their union was on the verge of breaking up over some issues. But they have since put this behind them and have dumped their grievances into the dustbin of history.

  • Oluwole Akanni Awolowo: One year after

    SIR: About 50 years ago, when Segun Awolowo, the scion and a most precious jewel of the Awolowo family died, the pang of that tragic occurrence was such that devastated the mind as one death too many.

    As a Cambridge educated lawyer, Segun with a naturally endowed intellect, and a striking physical similitude of his illustrious father, was every inch, a chip off the old block.

    While Papa, enamoured in the manly steel of philosophical equanimity, was wont to take things in their stride,– it was not so for the mother – whose emotional defences could not but succumb to an unfettered cascade of invading tears.

    But Mama’s Niravana of peace, was to suffer a severe set back when eight years ago, his only surviving son, Chief Oluwole Awolowo was involved in a ghastly motor accident. So terrible was the accident, that those who had the first hand opportunity of beholding it; couldn’t have given him any chance of survival. That Wole survived the accident at all, was a qualification that all hopes were not lost for Wole to spend not only more days, but even much on earth.

    Mama had every cause to hope. Not only that. She had cause to hope even against hope. Now come to think of it, no mother on earth no matter how unkind would gladly have suffered her dear children to die before her – more-so a child who was so special as Wole was to Mama.

    Moreover, Wole was the only male child, whom you could describe as the Arole or Dawodu or Aremo – which translate in literal sense to the scion or heir apparent of the Awolowo family.

    It is against this background, and the fact that Mama saw in Wole being the only surviving son – the image and symbolic representation of her departed beloved husband, that she (Mama), will be ready to give all it takes for her beloved and only surviving male son, to not only live, but outlive her.

    It was this traumatizing suspense of Wole’s fate, that Mama was contending with, when the sardonic messenger of death, announced like a thunder bolt from a most unlikely quarters, to claim a most precious jewel of the Awolowo biological family, in the person of Mrs Ayo Soyode.

    If before now, Mama had managed with bathed breadth equanimity, over Wole’s fate, one required no pre-science or extra sensory clairvoyance to comprehend the paranoia of heightened anxiety assailing Mama’s spirit over Wole – immediately following the death four years ago, of Mrs. Soyode.

    And today four years after, the rest is history. Mama’s worst fears is confirmed. I join the millions of Awo’s larger ideological family all over the world, to admonish Mama and members of the Awo biological family, to weep no more.

    There is certainly no doubt that Wole has in his own right, registered an indelible footprint in the sand of time. His religious piety, which was a theme of popular public knowledge – was also such that equally staggered the imagination.

    There is no doubt that Wole lived an exemplarily inspiring life. He gave his all materially, financially and spiritually, to humanity on whom he impacted, even through his illuminating discourse on the path to good living – and in particular to his maker, to whom he devoted himself in unalloyed love and service.

    It’s a thing of celebration, that Wole did not disappoint the family and the teeming number of Awo’s ideological family scattered all over the world. There is no doubt that his legendary father, the immortal Awo, would be proud of him.

    •Kola Johnson,

    Lagos

  • Segun Awolowo in quiet celebration at 50

    Attaining the age of 50 is widely believed to be a milestone, especially in a clime where the average life expectancy is about 45 years. So, when Segun Awolowo Jnr, the first grandchild of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, attained the golden age last penultimate Friday, quite a a number of his friends, admirers and looked forward to a lavish birthday party, but Segun chose a quiet celebration with his family.

    While the reason for his decision not to celebrate his birthday in a big way remains hazy, those who should know told Celeb Watch that Segun did not celebrate because of the death of his late uncle, Chief Wole Awolowo, in London a few months ago.