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  • Mobile mechanic service to the rescue

    As the roads become busier and vehicle maintenance costlier, taking a car for service can be painful. A Lagos-based auto startup has launched a mechanic app to help people connect with mobile mechanics, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    AT the time Nenis Auto Care Chief Executive Mrs Oduwa Agboneni opened  her mechanic shop in Yaba, Lagos, she had noticed that most people in the area found it difficult to get  mechanics quickly.

    Consequently, she built a team of mechanics to  serve clients. But there were times they were inundated with calls by those in distress, especially outside Yaba.

    She knew she had to invest in a solution that would make car servicing easy.

    The result is a mechanics app, which connects car mechanics with owners.

    She invested in management staff, personal computers, a business telephone line, and internet connection, trained her team to get the system working.

    Linked to a website, the app receives service requests from vehicle owners. These are attended to by a certified mechanic after a service quote has been sent to and accepted by the owner. It gives many mechanics the chance to make extra money outside their working hours.  The solution, according to her, will make it more convenient for consumers to find a mechanic and schedule service online and have the mechanic come to them.The customer chooses from its services and receives a mechanic’s response.

    If the customer decides to go ahead with the repair, he can choose when the mechanic should come.

    Mrs. Agboneni started with a group of young women.

    She is training 60 girls in basic auto maintenance for  three months. The target is about 500 girls.  Thereafter,they will be listed on the app. They are expected to go to customers’ houses or places of business to perform repairs and maintenance while the customers continue with their daily routines.

    She said there was no waiting at a repair shop for customers. Independent mechanics were free to advertise mobile services.

    She has a partner in  Keystone Bank Limited,  which through its Employees Voluntary Scheme (EVS), has been  partnering Nenis Autocare in training women to boost gender balancing in auto-mechanics.

    The bank’s Chief Information Officer, Mr. Edafe Omojughre, said the bank, through the deal is nurturing gender balance by encouraging women entrepreneurship.

    He said the bank, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is focusing on women empowerment by tackling the challenges of financing because, all over the world, women are more committed and trustworthy in terms of managing finance.

    According to him, because women do not easily squander money given to them, the bank recognised the need to partner them to boost their economic capabilities with very relaxed collateral.

    A member, Advisory Board  Nenis Auto Foundation and Managing Director Cooper House Hospitality, Dr. Omopeju Afanu, said  the foundation hopes  to  train ladies to take up self employment  in the automobile industry.

    She said Keystone Bank is partnering the foundation through CSR to support the Girls Auto Squad (GAS), a brain-child of the Founder of Neni Autocare, to empower young girls in the same jobs dominated by men.

    Former president, Nigeria Society of Mechanical Engineers (NIMECH), Tunde Zedomi, has also ledn his support to the idea of gender balancing.

    According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a legal instrument that will make the girls’ jobs to be recognised.

  • Stakeholder identifies infrastructure as effective tool for tourism growth

    Frontline Nigerian tourism practitioner Alex Ejiogu has identified infrastructure as key to having an effective tourism operation in the country. According to him,  Nigeria’s infrastructure is not in good working condition, which can constitute impediment on the way of tourism growth.

    Ejiogu stated that a regular electricity supply, constant water supply would help to improve tourism in the country, citing countries such as Gambia, South Africa, United States and United Kingdom, among others with good infrastructure.

    “These structures make it easy for tourists and visitors to constantly troop into the countries.”

    Ejiogu, who is Chief Executive Officer, AGE Facility Management, spoke in a chat with The Nation. He said that his company can support tourism as its selling point is knowledge of good facilities and how to make it happen.

    “AGE will encourage tourism. AGE will know that all tourists want a very comfortable environment while they’re on holiday,” he added.

    He urged government to invest in proper infrastructure, in such a way that the amusement spots in Nigeria become more sellable to the visitors.

    “We believe that awareness is the key because our people need to be educated through seminars, formal and informal communication through their community chief, and local leaders on how to tolerate visitors. Some of these visitors if they are tourists they would improve the commerce of the area and that is part of the education they need to have. And traditionally in Nigeria there are some villages that have not seen foreigners before and they will get scared if they start seeing different people coming to their areas,” he said.

    According to Ejiogu, it’s also important to advise foreigners to be people friendly because some areas are not used to receiving large numbers of visitors. On kidnapping and security issues, he noted that it is very important that people are aware of the difference between a friendly stranger and a hostile stranger. ”Security is very important to Nigeria and people must feel secured to tolerate visitors,” he said.

    Ejiogu expects Nigeria to look more closely into key things that attract tourists, reiterating that the nation needs to have a very strong security policy for both international and local. ”Nigeria is not benefiting much from tourism because we have not opened the borders to tourists because of insecurity.

    “I know Nigerians generally do not go on holiday but when we create this tourism concept people will start seeing why they can move from one neighbourhood to another,” he said.

  • Kwara monarch, UNILORIN VC attribute violence to inequality

    Kwara State first class monarch Olomu of Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local

    Government Area Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem yesterday attributed the country’s growing violence to injustice, inequality and poverty.

    They spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, at the 2nd distinguished personality lecture organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, UNILORIN.

    The lecture was entitled: “International trends in peace action and peace research: South-North.”

    Oba Adeoti said: “Disorderliness, rancour and acrimony are borne out of disparity between the rich and the poor in Nigeria. The Boko Haram insurgency might not be unconnected with differences in living. While

    some are living in affluence most people are living in abject poverty.

    “For us in Nigeria, it is high time we addressed how to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich. Nigeria was colonised by the British, but we practice American system of government. I can say that Nigeria muddle both the presidential and parliamentary systems of government.

    “It is, therefore, behooves this centre to look into our local problems and solve them locally so that peace can be sustained and maintained in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

    Read also: FG blames monarchs for Northwest violence

    “Peace can be maintained by addressing the Nigeria’s political system.  We are talking of peace, but over 91 political parties were registered in the last elections. We shall continually look forward to how the academia and this centre can restore peace to Nigeria. Without peace nothing can be accomplished. Without peace, there will be no development. Even living together will be very difficult without peace.”

    Prof. Abdulkareem, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, Prof. Fatai Sule, said the root of the pervasive conflicts in Africa can only be uprooted, if culture of African values that are built on justice, fairness and equity are imbibed.

    Abdulkareem called on Africans to retrace their steps and adopt African traditional values to eliminate structural tensions that would give birth to indigenous framework for building peace in Africa.

    The VC hailed the centre for coming up with laudable peace building programmes that are capable of restoring peace and order.

    The director of the centre, Prof Noah Yusuf, said the event was in two folds, personality lecture and public book presentation.

     

  • Oyetola to SSG, CoS: Osun people need efficient service delivery

    OSUN State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has urged appointees of his government to be efficient in service delivery.

    He also urged them to “hit the ground running, show leadership by example and give direction,” because the people are in a hurry to experience efficient service delivery.

    He gave the advice yesterday while inaugurating Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr. Wole Oyebamiji, Chief of Staff Dr. Charles Diji Akinola and Deputy Chief of Staff Mr. Abdullah Adeyenju Binuyo.

    Oyetola said the appointees “must be creative, proactive and come up with contemporary ideas and innovations that will speedily lead to efficient governance in the 21st-century knowledge- and technology-driven world”.

    At the inauguration held at the State Executive Council Lounge were Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi; President, Customary Court of Appeal, Mrs. Gloria Oladoke; Representative of House of Assembly Speaker, Folorunso Bamisayemi; Head of Service Dr. Festus Oyebade Olowogboyega, Commissioner of Police Mrs. Abiodun Ige, members of the state’s steering committee and political leaders.

    The governor explained that “Offices of the Secretary to the State Government; the Chief of State to the Governor and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor are very important to the government and to the Governor’s Office as they constitute the brain box and the engine room of my administration”.

    “Your decision must be guided by the fear of God, fairness and justice. You must roll up your sleeves so that we can take our dear state to the next level.

    “You have been considered for your respective positions on merit. But you must note that the skills and competencies that qualify you for these jobs will need to be constantly improved upon to ensure adequate service delivery,” he said.

    Oyetola enumerated some of the achievements of his administration in the last four and a half months saying his government had “demonstrated beyond a doubt that, in the face of limited resources, appreciable and equitable service delivery is possible”.

    Read alsO: Oyetola promises to make mining benefit host communities

    He said the tremendous impact and impressions made by his government on the people of the state within the short time of the inception of office, has further fired the people’s expectations despite the state’s dwindling financial resources.

    According to him, Osun State had taken off on a high tempo as the government is massively rehabilitating township and rural roads across the state to further improve on infrastructure.

    “We are working assiduously to ensure quality and affordable education for our children so that they can compete with their peers anywhere in the world.

    “We are also poised to turn the other sectors around to deliver prosperity to our people. We are adopting a holistic approach to boosting the economy of the state.

    “We are planning an Economic Summit very soon, to produce a workable template and compass for sustainable economic development. We are also putting measures in place to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base of the state.

    “We are working hard to establish light manufacturing industries as well as liberalising the mining sector”, he added.

    Speaking on behalf of the appointees, Oyebamiji hailed the governor for the confidence reposed in them to serve the state.

     

  • Cleric to Buhari: do something tangible for Nigeria

    Supreme Head of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria Prophet Solomon Alao has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption now that he has been re-elected.

    The cleric said: “Corruption is item number one the President has to fight, because that is why Nigerians voted for him for a second term. They have confidence in Buhari that he would do more in fighting corruption.

    Read Also: Buhari condemns latest violence in Kaduna

    “He also has the chance to fix the power sector, if the power sector is fixed, the economy will be good. Having done that, I believe if he signs the constitution amendment bills, Nigeria will be great again.”

  • Artist with Down Syndrome excites American envoy, others

    Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will not forget so soon the day self-taught artist Teniola Olojo stormed the ancient city with his solo art exhibition, XtraChrom Expressions. The over 80 works were seen by dignitaries, including the Chargé d’ Affaires, United States’ Embassy, Abuja, Mr. David Young, who flew in from the Federal Capital to attend the event at the American Corner in Ibadan. EVELYN OSAGIE reports.

    Stroking out disability through art

    The day will  remain memorable. It was the day self-taught artist with Down Syndrome Teniola Olojo excited Ibadan, Oyo State capital,  with his art exhibition, XtraChrom Expressions,

    Teniola is limited in words, but uses pencils, pens and strokes to express himself.  His works can be interpreted in several ways, based on the imagination and discretion of the viewer. Since 2014 and with the support of his family as well as an organisation called Heart & Sold in the United Kingdom (UK), Teniola’s works have been exhibited alongside those of other artists globally.

    All roads led to the American Corner Ibadan, Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria (IACD Nigeria), where the Chargé d’affaires, United States Embassy, Abuja, Mr David Young, visited for Teniola’s second solo exhibition.

    What was initially meant to be a three-day exhibition, organised by his family, became part of a symposium to empower and create an inclusive society for people with disability by the American Corner, Ibadan and the IACD Nigeria.

    The event brought together people with various forms of disabilities in the state to discuss their prospects and challenges with regard to inclusion in the society.

    As guests moved from one work to the other, they were amazed by the artist’s ability to piece together different objects, using strokes. They journeyed into the mind of the artist as they moved from one work to the other.

    The painting of a typical African village and the Eifel Tower was particularly captivating, not to mention the diverse paintings of birds in the collection.

    Evidently, the young artist has risen beyond his limitation to showcase an impressive and inspirational collection of over 80 artworks.

    His impressive outing, despite his disability, became a reference point at the symposium with the theme: XtraChrom Expression: Empower/Integrating the Disabled into the Society.

    Participants, especially people with disabilities, used the forum to express their struggles and concerns. The session inspired many more not to give up on themselves.

    Amazed by what she saw and heard, Bose Falade, said: “I am so proud of Teni and his parent for supporting and standing by him. This event has inspired me to stretch beyond my limitations as a disabled Nigerian.”

    Teniola’s beginning

    Guests praised his family, especially his mother, Mrs Theodore Olojo, for her selfless efforts towards ensuring that she harnessed Teniola’s hidden talent. His elder siblings, Dr Ifedola  and Dr Akinola, have since become his managers.

    Mrs Olojo gave a heartwarming story on her son’s journey, living with Down Syndrome all his life. “Teniola’s story is not just an artistic narrative. It is a story of challenges, but also of triumphs. It is a story of obstacles but also of resilience,”she said.

    Recalling Teniola’s voyage into the arts, Mrs Olojo said: “From childhood, he has always displayed an artistic flair and, for those who know him very well, he loves music and dances a lot, perhaps a bit too much sometimes. His journey has really been a long search to discover how best to express his skills and today’s exhibition is another turning point in his journey.

    “His first exhibition was actually in March 2014, exactly five years ago. His works were exhibited alongside those of other artists who are living with Down Syndrome in different countries. His first exhibition was in London and was facilitated and supported by an organisation called Heart & Sold, which is managed by a woman called Suzie Moffat.

    “In October 2017, his seventh exhibition held in Manchester. In February 2018, we organised his eighth exhibition, but on this occasion, it was the first solo presentation of his works and it was in Ilorin, Kwara State. This is his ninth exhibition and second solo presentation of his artworks in Ibadan. By God’s grace, we hope to organise subsequent ones in Lagos and other cities in the country and beyond.”

    While urging parents and siblings of those living with disabilities to give their wards proper care, support and education, Teniola’s sister, Ifedola noted: “Teniola’s story seeks to offer hope and to reinforce faith in the abilities of individuals, who live daily with physical and mental challenges in our society. And we hope and pray that his story will inspire many more individuals, both locally and globally, with the motivation to put their God-given talents to use, especially to give the right support and care to people with disabilities.”

     

    A call for inclusive society

    Teniola’s efforts underscored the possibilities that could be achieved by people with disabilities, given the needed support, the Chargé d’affaires, observed, after a tour of the exhibition.

    Mr Young, who spoke on the topic, Empower/Integrating the Disabled into the Society,  drew perspectives from the status of people with disabilities in the US, encouraging a sustainable society where they are included in its structure, progress and development. He urged that the rights of such persons should be respected, observing that all humans “are  equal, irrespective of their disabilities”.

    While imploring participants to be change agents and drive the cause for people with disability in their communities, seeing them as equals, he said, is a proof that every individual has potential and is capable of fulfilling them. To him, Teniola’s  XtraChrom Expressions is a proof. “We are all created by God equal, with diverse gifts. With the right support, people can explore their talents as Teni is doing,”he said.

    Also in attendance were Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Toye Arulogun; Oyo State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Mrs. Oyindamola Bamgbose; Director, American Center, US Consulate, Lagos, Mr Samuel Eyitayo; former Special Adviser on People with Disability to the Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Prince Paul Adelabu; Secretary-General, Joint National Association of People with Disability, Raheem Yusuff Olatunji; General Secretary Deaf Political Group Oyo State, Comrade Teslim Balogun, Teniola’s family and persons with disability, among others.

    Arulogun, who spoke on the status of people with disabilities in the state, identified cultural barriers as “the biggest obstacle against integrating the disabled into the Nigerian society”.

    Mrs Bamgbose reiterated the fundamental human rights of people with disabilities, calling for support for them.

    The American Corner Co-ordinator, Mrs Adefemi Bucknor-Arigbede, emphasised the importance of empowering people with disabilities by ensuring an inclusive society that will provide much needed opportunities for them.

     

  • Ninth National Assembly and budget cycle

    The incoming members of the National Assembly had an induction programme organised for them by the National Assembly management. It started on Monday, March 25. It was an important meeting aimed at equipping them with the basic knowledge of the workings of the National Assembly and their roles as members of the law-making arm of the government. The induction came in the backdrop of an unhealthy lack of cooperation betweenthe legislature and the executive branches that was crafted by a section of the outgoing  eighth National Assembly ostensibly to cripple   the   activities of the executive arm. Their feet-dragging in processing any request forwarded to them for consideration by the executive arm is legendary. The faction of members of the   National Assembly led   by the outgoing senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, the outgoing speaker of the House of Representatives, not only refused to approve proposed appointments of members of various government institutions submitted for confirmation, they similarly skipped timely approval of budgetary proposals from the executive arm. The trend was, with the benefit of hindsight, part of wider efforts by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to cripple the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari by blocking the implementation of its Economic Recovery and  Growth Plan (ERGP). The ERGP  is designed to obliterate the decay  left behind by the previous PDP administration that was defeated in a free and fair election in 2015. Because of the activities of the Saraki-Dogara-led eighth National Assembly, Nigeria probably became the only country in the world that has no firm date on which its national budget will be approved by the parliament, thus creating uncertainty in making decisions that could spur economic activities, especially in a country where public spending is a  major element instimulating economic buoyancy.

    The Nigerian National Assembly, which has the constitutional power of appropriation, has consistently delayed the passage of the country’s budget since 2014, mainly for reasons that   are   generally   perceived by Nigerians and the country’s development partners around the world as unhealthy and lacking in the spirit of patriotism. It is  instructive  that  the consistent delay   in  passing  budgets  every year by the National Assembly has nothing to do with any real lapses in the budget. This is so because the budget proposals are normally in compliance with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007. The executive always submits the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper to the National Assembly  in good time and obtains approval for both prior to laying the budget proposals before members of the National Assembly in a joint session. Invariably, delaying the   budget has   disastrous effect   on   individual citizens, corporate bodies and other stakeholders in the national economy. All of them cannot plan or take economic decisions with certainty, especially in cases where their businesses need to have some idea of new policies in the ensuing financial year. In addition to delaying investment decisions by domestic investors and businesses, foreign investors too who might have seen potential areas of investment in any proposed budget might become hesitant and direct their monies to jurisdictions where different arms of government work in tandem for their national economic progress.

    The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms Christine Legarde had to intervene during one of the habitual destructive budget delays in 2016 by calling on members of the National Assembly to reconsider their negative tactics and pass the budget: “We believe that it’s really important that budget be completely decided and approved”. No investors will be comfortable with a political environment in which rancor and disharmony based on excessive   political   squabbling among the key economic policy-makers is rampant and continuous. It is sad that the seventh and eighth National Assembly have earned the negative record of refusing to timely pass the budgets presented to it by the executive arm, mainly for selfish reasons.

    Some of the consequences of their refusal to timely work on the budget include lowering productivity, slowing down economic growth and unhealthily postponing the implementation of capital projects. Those involved in engineering such impasse were allegedly doing so in order either to extort bribe money from representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), or just to execute a failed desire to  cripple the administration and prevent it from earning the respect, confidence and loyalty of the citizenry by implementing projects and programmes. They delay or even cancel budgetary provisions for public goods and services that have direct bearing   on the well-being of the citizens, especially health-care, education for children and youth, water supply, national security and public safety, infrastructure development and other essential government services, simply to spite a president and weaken his political status and popularity in the country. Their activities could be perceived by many people as inciting the citizenry against the government, which turned out to be a futile scheme. More than 15million Nigerians re-elected President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, thus resoundingly affirming their respect, support and appreciation for his patriotism and unimpeachable integrity.

    Mindful of the recent announcement by the federal government on reverting to the time-tested January-December budget cycle, the incoming ninth National Assembly should not tread the old negative path of Saraki-Dogara leadership by their refusal to pass federal budget proposals in good time, or as it was later discovered, padded it for personal gains. One of the best and effective ways to serve their constituents and by extension, the whole nation, is for the new members to come up with an agenda that completely shuns the penchant for using the budget proposals and  other requests  for  legislative endorsement from the executive as bargaining chips for achieving selfish political interests. They will earn the respect of Nigerians by swiftly scrutinising and approving such requests as a matter of legislative priority.

     

    • Dambatta is a former director in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja.

  • ‘Why there is party indiscipline’

    Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Advisory Council (GAC) member and Olu of Afowowa-Sogade Oba Olatunji Hamzat bagged a Honorary Doctorate Degree of Arts in Public Leadership, Peace and Community Development from the European -America University at the weekend. The event took place at the Main Auditorium, University of Lagos, Akoka. The former Transportation Commissioner and father of Lagos State Deputy Governor-elect Dr. Obafemi Hamzat spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU on the imperative of party supremacy, monetisation of politics and challenges that will confront the in-coming Sanwo-Olu administration in the Centre of Excellence.

    What do you want the younger generation to learn from you?

    The first thing is patience and tolerance. If you are patient you will take life very easy. What God has given to you as your destiny, you should follow it. Do not look at another man’s wristwatch to look at your own time on what you want to do. On tolerance, to live with people and live successfully, you have to be tolerant. If you are not tolerant with your wife and children, you cannot live very well. That is what I want this generation to learn from me because this is what I have given to my children too.

    How can we return to the politics of ideology, which your generation played in the Second Republic?

    It is the party themselves that have completely abandoned ideology which they stand for. Discipline is no more, they do not even award merit for those who worked. For us to return to sound party ideology we have to return to restructuring the political parties themselves to follow the part of discipline and merit in whatever they do. There are people who worked very hard for the party, but at the moment, politics to me is being monetised and it  may not allow us to get good candidates because in a situation where you want to run for the governorship of a state and you are looking for N20bn, where will you get it from? Even the habit of expecting money from politicians before they vote is a dangerous situation. Unless we try to change it, things may not work well. At the beginning of this dispensation, a lot of people showed interest to contest for elective positions, but at the end of it, they never got it. This is because they do not have money. I think we should begin to think of voting for merit and not necessarily money.

    What are the challenges that you will expect the incoming governor of Lagos State to tackle?

    The first thing is the pot holes on our streets and major roads, which I think is the major factor for traffic jam or gridlock. Every nook and cranny where you have roads in Lagos is full with potholes, they must first face that. The second is refuse disposal. The roads are not littered with refuse here and there, they must face those two challenges simultaneously so that the residents of Lagos will appreciate them.

    As an entrepreneur, what challenges did you face?

    The challenges experienced by an entrepreneur is common across board, but the new trend of fraud that has been added to business is now a major challenge. Every businessman now crave for quick riches, quick money, it was not so before. To get rich is step by step otherwise you will defraud people and land yourself in the prison within a short time.

     

  • Lawmakers okay tax on luxury goods

    The National Assembly has urged the Federal Government to consider increasing taxes on luxury goods to boost revenues, it said on Tuesday while considering the country’s spending plan for 2019.

    Nigeria has been trying to raise government revenues in the face of lower oil prices after the country recovered from a recession that slashed public finances, weakened its currency and cut spending on capital projects.

    Africa’s largest economy, which has one of the lowest tax rates on the continent, relies on crude oil sales for much of government revenues.

    In the past, the government has mulled the idea of raising taxes on luxury goods to 15 per cent from the current rate of five per cent, to boost its tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio to 15 percent from six per cent between 2017 and 2020.

    But collection has been a major challenge in a country where many small business are not registered. Also, economists say the timing of a tax hike would be closely watched as companies and consumers face cost pressures in a time of slow growth.

    In elections in February, President Muhammadu Buhari won a second four-year term that will start in May. He has pledged to revive the economy and boost growth through spending on roads and railways.

    Read Also: Lawmakers shun audit reports

    The Senate said the government was budgeting for a deficit of N1.86 trillion  ($6.1 billion) in 2019 to be funded via borrowing, privatisation proceeds and loans secured for specific projects.

    It expected the country to generate N172.47 billion  ($564 million) from privatisation proceeds. The parliament did not identify the assets for sale. Last month, the government said it planned to cut its stake in oil joint ventures this year.

    Nigeria is budgeting N8.83 trillion  of expenditure for 2019, based on oil output of 2.3 million barrel per day production at assumed benchmark price of $60 per barrel. The plan is under consideration by parliament.

    The government has said it would borrow N1.649 trillion to help fund the budget, half of which is targeted to come from offshore sources.

  • Daddy Showkey, Frank Donga, others for Mr Patrick’s London show

    Come May 5, comedian Patrick Onyeke will host will host his first major international show at the O2 Arena, London.

    The comedian who is more known as ‘Mr Patrick’ and who is currently based in the US, revealed that the event will feature top music stars including Mr P of the defunct PSquare group, Daddy Showkey, CDQ  alongside comedians including Frank Donga, Seyi Brown (US), Eric Omondi (Kenya), Charles Okocha, Osita Iheme and others.

    According to the artiste, the show will be exciting with jokes, music and lots of fun.

    Read Also: Daddy Showkey seeks support for vocational training

    “I am grateful to God for an opportunity to export my craft to the next level in the United kingdom,” said Mr Patrick.

    “We have been receiving massive response since the show was announced. This is a concert like never before and I promise you, United Kingdom go laugh tire.”

    The show is coming just few months after Mr Patrick’s sold out show titled “Homecoming with Mr Patrick and Friends” which held at the club Cubana in Owerri, Imo State in January.