The Nation Newspaper

Tag: trip

  • Designer wins award, trip to Dubai

    The founder and creative director,  Creo Hub Designs, Mr Ifeoluwa Sopeju, has won the maiden edition of the Designers Arise Contest (DAC) Live Edition in Lagos.

    With the theme: Let’s design together, the DAC Live Edition, a one-day design competition, that had designers converged and assigned a brief by Wakanow, which was executed in two hours by the contestants.

    The event, organised by Ellae Branding Agency, was borne out of the need to create a community for Nigerian graphic designers, giving them an avenue to interact and learn from one another, while exposing them to local and international opportunities.

    According to the organisers, “over 300 designers applied for the live edition, submitting a number of their works, but only 40 top-notch designers were selected and invited to participate in the live event”.

    They added that the contest would be held quarterly. As the grand prize winner, Sopeju received N100,000 along with a flight ticket to Dubai from the organisers.

    The competition was sponsored by Ellae, Wakanow, Guaranty Trust Bank and Red Bull Nigeria.

    The agency’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mrs. Noella Ekezie, said: “The Designers Arise Contest will be a quarterly event, and is expected to address every aspect of the design field and draw graphic designers from around Africa. Our aim is to project Africa to the world through designs and to provide an enabling platform for creative talents to showcase their work and get discovered by the global design and tech communities.”

    Sopeju started his career as a Senior Graphics Associate at The Guardian in 2011 and moved to KPMG Nigeria as a graphics design specialist in 2013.

    He joined Deloitte & Touché in 2016 before he was poached by Visionscape Group as a Lead Creative Designer last year, after which he left to establish Creo Hub Designs – a creative outfit proffering design solutions to organisations, small and medium businesses who want to be distinct and remain ahead of their competitors.

    A graduate of Visual Arts from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Sopeju is grateful to God, his family, organisers and co-competitors for the award.

    “I am thankful and grateful to Ellae Branding Agency for putting up an amazing event with the aim of developing and growing the design ecosystem, which I believe has raised the bar for other creative agencies, as no one has done such before,” he said.

  • Buhari delays trip to stop Oyegun’s ‘extension plot’

    President for NEC meeting

    Chair pins hope on Lalong’s report

    Proponents of tenure extension for All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun and others seem to be adamant, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    There is a plot to create a stalemate and dump President Muhammadu Buhari’s and the APC governors’ decision on National Convention, it was learnt.

    The President is to attend the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Monday before leaving for London—apparently to ensure that the decision for the party to have congresses and convention stays.

    There were indications last night that some party chiefs backing Oyegun and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) had decided to fight back.

    The pro-tenure extension forces invited all state chairmen for a meeting  last night.

    The meeting was expected to mobilise the chairmen to oppose the decision of the President and the governors.

    At the NWC meeting yesterday, Oyegun parried all issues relating to the composition of the members of the National Convention Committee (NCC).

    In what appeared to be a desperate survival battle, Oyegun told NWC members: “We are not here to constitute any committee; we are yet to receive the report of Governor Simon Lalong Committee on the desirability or otherwise of tenure elongation proposed by NEC.”

    According to sources, following fears that the NEC may be influenced to overrule his proposal, the President decided to delay his trip till after the NEC meeting.

    He is scheduled for a private meeting in London from Monday ahead of next week’s Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the United Kingdom.

    A governor, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President told us at the Villa on Wednesday that he would prefer to attend the NEC meeting on Monday to ensure that the agreement on state congresses and National Convention with the governors was followed through.

    “He said he was initially billed to leave in the morning on Monday, but he might go in the night after the NEC meeting. He said he would attend the NEC meeting to “satisfy” himself that the agreement with the governors is respected.

    “We all reasoned with him because in his absence, all these pro-tenure extension elements, especially the NWC members, might want to spring a surprise. Some of our colleagues and some party leaders are not happy that we have rejected tenure elongation.

    “Our fears were confirmed by the refusal of Oyegun to disband the Governor Simon Lalong Committee after the governors conveyed their preference for elective state congresses and the National Convention to him.”

    At yesterday’s NWC meeting,  the constitution of the National Convention Committee (NCC) was not on the agenda.

    A member of the NWC quoted Oyegun as saying: “We are yet to receive the report of the Lalong Committee on the desirability or otherwise of tenure elongation as proposed by NEC. You cannot put the cart  before the horse. Everything depends on the Lalong report.’

    “We were all shocked because Lalong addressed the NWC  on  Wednesday on the highlights of his committee’s report.

    “Lalong told us plainly that his committee will agree with Mr. President’s position. Having given us the snippets of his committee’s report and with the decision of the governors to back out of tenure elongation, we thought Oyegun would do what was necessary at the NWC meeting.

    “As  members of the NWC, it dawned on some of us that the agenda on tenure extension is a bigger picture in the party. Some people are just out to factionalise the APC before the next general election. They are looking for excuses to quit the party.”

    A source said: “State chairmen were invited by some leaders of our party and NWC members for what they described as a ‘block opinion’ on the need for tenure elongation.

    “The essence of the meeting was to mobilise them to oppose President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors by asking NEC to subject the proposals for tenure elongation to voting.

    “They are saying that since the President believes in democracy and the rule of law, he will have no choice than to abide by the decision of the simple majority on Monday at the NEC meeting. The main plot is to ambush the President and box him into a corner.

    “Oyegun and the NWC members are fighting back. And since the state APC chairmen also wanted tenure extension, they will be willing tools to move against the President and the governors.”

    The source added: “It is still a dicey situation unless the governors move to support the President to push their proposal on the conduct of state congresses and the National Convention through.”

     

  • UK, Ghana trip for school quiz winners

    Finalists of the ongoing Ayodeji Joseph Inter-Primary Schools Quiz competition would be taken on tour to the United Kingdom  (UK) and Ghana.

    Ayodeji Joseph, a lawmaker, disclosed this at the kick off of the quiz, noting that it would promote academic excellence among the pupils.

    The contest held simultaneously in 20 schools.

    According to the legislator, two best pupils from the competition, one each from Apapa Local Government (LGA) and Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), would be sent to the UK for two weeks, while the runners-up would go on tour of Ghana, as well as N500,000 cash prizes each.

    The tours, he said, would be co-sponsored by the Apapa LCDA Chairman, Elijah Owolabi.

    Ayodeji said he was committed to instilling the passion for education in the children, adding that the quiz would encourage academic rivalry, challenge the pupils to be focused and bring out the best in them.

    He said: “Many youths in this constituency have seen touting and thuggery as the only means by which they can make money. We need to change this and that is why we want to focus on the pupils, so that they do not grow with that mentality.

    “When you educate a child, you enhance the potential inherent in him or her and when we fail to do this, they will take to hooliganism.

    By sending them on UK tour, we need them to know another part of the world where development is on the high side.

    “Since they are the leaders of tomorrow, we need them to know that something is wrong in this part of the world and that something must be corrected. We want them to know that electricity can run uninterrupted and traffic can flow better.”

  • Etiebet @73: Trip to triumph

    He has never been an adherent of the original religion of his nativity in that Christianity, accompanied with Western education and other alluring social amenities, had distinguishingly pushed African traditional religion and some other indigenous practices to darkening corner of relics of history. Although it gained acceptability around the neighbourhood of his birth place at Ikot Ekpuk in present day Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom, more than a decade before he was born on September 15, 1944. Though his first change agents –family, local church and Government School Ikot Ibritam – had already laid foundation for his firm footing in Christian faith, the authorities at Holy Family College, Abak, where he studied from 1958 to 1962 and obtained his West Africa School Certificate, were not pleased with the name, Obot, which denotatively translates Nature, and connotatively means Destiny. And so, upon his baptism in Catholic Church that owns the school, even without having the Damascus experience like the Biblical Saul, his name changed to Paul. Obot’s first name was changed to Donatus, but for the love of originality and nativity, he could not dump his maiden name in dustbin of history, hence his name, in full, remains Donatus Obot Etiebet.

    The Etiebet household was well-heeled, at least, regarding socio-economic rating around their immediate community yet the family was not alienated from ignorance of modern method of means of making meaningful livelihood. His mother was said to be the first woman in the area to have owned and rode Raleigh bicycle, which was then in that rural hinterland, akin to today’s Roll Royce. With older siblings, particularly his brothers, relatively reigning in robust resources, the then young Etiebet, positioned ninth in his mother’s womb, might have had some sort of rare advantages.

    Notwithstanding his family’s substantial means of living, it could be deciphered that he, like others around him there and then, was not fed with silver spoon but with wooden spoon, and plates and pots made of clay, as those were standard kitchen utensils at his place at the time. It is also not newsworthy that in his elementary school days, he walked barefooted; after all, it was a uniform thing.  Pampering privileges by parents was uncommon as it was perceived as a measure of spoiling children. So, his bourgeois background did not give him immunity from prevalent socio-cultural practices that were antithetical to Western civilization and constituted clog in the wheel of progress.

    Etiebet’s innovative adventurism and sterling strides in private entrepreneurship have no linkage of happenstance. Recognising that destiny lies more in hands of individual persons than reliance on fate of good luck or bad luck presumed to be associated with names, he sharpened his pencil even in the hands of his creator by not resting on oars of his natural brilliancy and silly comfort of his family local championship, but stayed steadfast to his scholarly adventure. He got his Higher School Certificate (HSC) after studying at Immaculate Conception College in Enugu between 1963 and 1964. From 1966 to 1969 he was at Imperial College of Technology, University of London in England, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Technology. He got M. Sc degree in 1971 in Applied Geophysics from University of Western Ontario, Canada.

    Today, besides his age, Etiebet has got to his apogee. Having his hands on a number of voluminous ventures has handsomely paid off for him in volumes of vital returns. When millions of money was millions of miles away from many Nigerians, Etiebet had made milestones through his mogul and ingenious enterprises and made his way to the then mean number of guild of men muscling in millions of money.

    His political pedigree is of presidential clout as he has been romancing and struggling with the powerful at the highest echelon in Nigeria. Remaining unscathed in a murky system is a testament of his strength of character. Etiebet’s exceptionalism lies more in building himself to pinnacle before getting into public office and coming out without traces of pillaging public purses. One of the physical signatures of his affluence, Etiebets Place, a magnificent skyscraper in Lagos, was completed in 1992, a year before he was appointed Secretary of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in the Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government.

    He is as an active citizen in the universal human community, but in fairness to his proud ancestral identity, treating him as a village boy peering with men and women in the global arena would be fittingly apt. His illustriousness on account of his inventory acumen and political prowess has given his native Akwa Ibom imposing national identification at a time the state was apparently in obscurity in Nigeria’s map. At a time lobbying for creation of states was only result-oriented when prosecuted by few privileged persons that had the means to ply with military politicians, he played a role, albeit, in privy, along Ime Umanah and few others, materialising in the creation of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987 by Ibrahim Babangida.

    It is, however, worrisome that, perhaps owing to political differences, succeeding political leaders in his state since 1999, including those he had played a father-figure factor to, never deemed fit to accord him befitting recognition. Happily, it deserves pointing out that Governor Udom Emmanuel, who appears the only democratic governor in the state that is not in the category of his benefactor’s deeds is exceptional for not exhibiting enmity of any kind towards Etiebet but personally holds him in high esteem notwithstanding their different political persuasions.

    When this piece was scripted, it was not clear whether the governor has made any formal arrangement to accommodate Etiebet sharing in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Akwa Ibom. Nevertheless, as he turned 73,  the Iroko tree of many branches, has uncountable reasons to roll out drums with his true loved ones to celebrate his coming out from dimness era and environment with triumph to recognition beyond national boundaries.

  • Indian trip not cancelled, says Presidency

    Indian trip not cancelled, says Presidency

    The Presidency has said Nigeria will be represented at the Indian/African summit billed for India.

    It yesterday faulted an online report which claimed that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has canceled the trip.

    The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande said the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the summit.

    He said: “Nigeria has been invited to the Indian/African summit and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will be leading a delegation to the event.

    “There is nothing like cancellation. Remember that the visit of the Vice President to any country is not treated in secrecy.

    “Whenever the Vice-President is to travel out of the country, we inform Nigerians.

    “So, this story in question is a bunch of speculation. There is no cancellation.”

  • Ego trip

    • Many state governments clamouring for own airport cannot afford it

    Transport minister Rotimi Amaechi’s admonition to state governments not to embark on building of airports makes sense.  As the minister noted, airports benefit only the rich few at the expense of the vast majority that are poor. The minister gave the advice in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during his visit to assess some federal road projects built by the state government.

    “Governors should focus on things that would improve the lives of the poor, not the rich. It’s the rich people that fly planes. How many poor people know where airport is, let alone flying an aircraft?”, he said adding: “I believe that the construction of airport should be backed by the growth of the economy. There are airports that are built just for the governors to land and take off. That won’t be the idea for me as a Minister of Transportation. I’d prefer that airports that are built would be backed by economic demand…”

    The advice could not have come at a better time considering the financial condition of many of the state governments. Many of them have not been able to pay  their workers for months; many have suspended capital projects while there is practically nothing happening in any sector in most states of the federation due to lack of funds.

    Airports should be built as commercial ventures and not for political reasons. It should not be a question of ‘because this state has an airport, my state too must have one’, which seems the basis for state governments’ quest to own airport.

    Presently, there are about 26 airports nationwide. Of the number, only about four – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano international airports are said to be commercially viable. Others can hardly sustain their operational costs; indeed, many cannot pay their workers’ salaries.  This is why we do not see the basis for  this clamour for airport by some state governments. Some governors simply forget  that states are not equally endowed. As the minister noted, many governors that want to have airports just want a place to land and take off, nothing more.

    This is unfortunate. It is the height of insensitivity and lack of priority that characterise governance at all levels in the country. While the political elite do not want to lose any of their privileges, they are eager to call on the people to sacrifice in the national interest.

    As far back as October last year, at least four state governments had indicated interest to have their own airports. Yet, they know these are money-gulping ventures that they can ill-afford. For instance, the four airports being contemplated will cost about N150billion. Yet, they will contribute little or nothing to the economies of the states because of little traffic. Apart from not having direct impact on the lives of the average citizen, many of the present state airports have become liabilities to the aviation agencies. Many cannot even pass for airports properly so-called because they are far from prescribed standards. The state governments simply cannot afford to fund them.

    So, state governments, rather than contemplate building airports, should focus on other modes of transportation such as rail (speed trains), waterways and roads. Where these alternatives exist and serve the purpose, the clamour for airports should reduce.

    It is gratifying that airports fall within the purview of the Federal Government, in which case we can only appeal to it to save the state governments from themselves by ensuring that approval for airports is given to only state governments with the financial muscle. Others should set their priorities right and concentrate on alternative modes of transportation. Where they need to collaborate with one another; or seek modification of extant laws to achieve results, they should not hesitate to do that. At least that is better than overstretching their financial capacities on unviable airports.

  • Rangers cancel Ghana trip

    Rangers cancel Ghana trip

    •Donate to Motherless Babies Home in Enugu

    Enugu Rangers have elected to remain in the country and continue their preparation for the first league match of the season against Kano Pillars away than travelling to Ghana where they were supposed to play a friendly match against Ebusua Dwarfs, a newly promoted Ghana Premier League side.

    The Flying Antelopes were told to fend for their transportation to and from Ghana and other minor logistics while the hosts are to provide for their lodging, feeding and little allowance at the end of the match.

    The Board Members of the club met over the weekend to deliberate on the trip and at the end of discussion opted against going to Ghana to ensure that the team complete the signings of new players and also get set for the 2015/2016 season without distractions.

    Meanwhile, Rangers have yesterday visited the Holy Child Motherless Babies Home in Enugu where they donated food items, tissue papers and others to mark the Valentine Day.

  • Cost of Buhari’s US trip exaggerated, says Presidency

    The Presidency yesterday said the N2.2 billion reported as the total cost of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent trip to the U.S. was grossly exaggerated.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the cost was most minimal in line with the government’s policy to cut waste and extravagance.

    According to him, it was not up to 10 per cent of the speculated figure.

    The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to an editorial published in the Nigerian Pilot of August 2, 2015 and an earlier report in which the total cost of President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent trip to the U.S. was estimated at N2.2 billion.

    “It is very sad that in this age of free-flowing information and in this era of change, a media organisation would make itself available as a vehicle to peddle a lie of such low and ignominious quality.

    “Contrary to assertions, the total cost of the trip to the Nigerian taxpayer was at the most minimal, in line with the policy of this administration to cut waste and extravagance.

    “In point of fact, the total amount expended on the trip by the Office of the President amounted to nothing near 10 per cent of the speculated figure”.

    He said all the personal staff who accompanied the President received reduced allowances because the host provided free accommodation.

    “His son, Yusuf, received neither allowances nor estacode. The five governors on the trip each paid his own fare. Permanent Secretaries travelled in accordance with extant rules and none of them exceeded their estacode entitlements.

    “Apart from the pilot’s mischievous mathematics, it is short-sighted and misleading of the newspaper to have claimed that the President’s  trip achieved nothing.

    “President Buhari’s trip was definitely successful and beneficial to Nigeria. Only those determined to find faults will cook up falsehood in a futile effort to rake up murk where none exists,” he said.

  • Peller, Obosi, others on Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg trip

    Seven key members of the Nigerian nightclub and entertainment industry have been selected by owners of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel for a weeklong trip to their Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

    The trip will afford them the opportunity of having a customised barrel of the product for their hangouts, as they will personally hand-select their choice of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel with the Master Distiller and Master Taster of the product.

    The trip is anchored on the company’s ‘Buy The Barrel Program’, and those selected for the event are, Frank Okamigbo of The Place LoungeLekki by Papas; Charles Okpaleke, Partnering Owner, Play Abuja; Shina Peller, CEO of Quilox Night Club& Aquila Group; Ibukun Shoboyede and Niran Odulana, co-owners of Road Runners Night Club; Abubakar Atodo Isah, co-owner of Caribbean Lounge Abuja and Chris Ubosi, MD, Megaletrics Limited, mother company to The Beat FM, Classic FM and Naija FM.

    With the barrels and bottles specially customised according to their specifications, there is no doubt they will be bringing class and uniqueness to their outfits, as the entertainment and nightlife industry is experiencing a boom.

    While away, they are expected to meet with Jack Daniel’s master distiller, Jeff Arnett, for a private tour of the grounds where they will learn about the history of the brand and will also experience a personal tasting session by the distillery’s master taster, Chris Fletcher.

    One barrel is specially selected out of every 100 barrels by the Master Distiller Jeff Arnett, and set aside to mature in the highest reaches of the Jack Daniel’s barrelhouse where dramatic temperature changes cause the colour and taste to deepen further creating a smooth, one-of-a-kind flavour and robust taste. Every barrel selected gives the whiskey a different flavour and that’s why it’s hard to find two bottles of Single Barrel the same.

  • Okocha hails capacity- enhancing trip to UK

    Okocha hails capacity- enhancing trip to UK

    Nigeria legend Jay- Jay Okocha has commended the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for organising a nine–day capacity-building programme in the United Kingdom for a number of coaches and ex-internationals.

    The new chairman of the Delta State Football Association, who played for Nigeria at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, told thenff.com at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, that the exercise will be hugely beneficial to Nigeria’s football development.

    “The football fraternity in Nigeria should applaud the move by the NFF to enhance the capacity of these persons in the interest of Nigerian football. To the best of my knowledge, we have never had anything like this.

    “Everyone should praise the NFF for this. I see Coach Amodu, Kanu, Yisa Sofoluwe, Dahiru (Sadi), Ann (Chiejine) and Florence (Omagbemi). This is wonderful. I believe what we are going to learn will be very useful for our country’s football.”