The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Washington DC

  • Emefiele woos investors, says Nigeria ready for business

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured investors and the international community that the country having gone through a successful election, was ready for investments.

    The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, on Friday night in Washington DC, held an informal meeting with potential investors where he enticed them with the Nigerian success stories, especially in agriculture.

    Emefiele said that the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which targets local farmers was one of the major achievements of the bank under its development interventions.

    “As at December 2018, a total sum of N178.48 billion had been disbursed through 19 participating financial institutions to 902,518 farmers.

    “During the period, over 2.8 million and 8.4 million direct and indirect jobs were created under the Anchor Borrowers Programme,” he said.

    On the country’s foreign exchange policy, Emefiele said that the focus had always been to ensure price stability.

    He highlighted some of the foreign exchange reforms undertaken by the bank, which included the ban of the 41 items, the establishment of the investor’s and export’s window and the SME Window of the foreign exchange market.

    According to him, this resulted in stable exchange rate, foreign exchange liquidity, vibrancy in the capital market, improved supply of foreign exchange supply with positive impact on GDP growth.

    Emefiele said also that Nigeria, through its financial inclusion strategy had recorded a lot of progress in giving its adult population access to a broad range of formal financial services at an affordable cost.

    According to him, statistics shows that in Nigeria today, the number of adult with access to financial services has grown from 58.4 per cent in 2016 to 63.2 per cent in 2018.

    “A lot of work has been done and indeed a lot of work needs to be done but in the midst of this, we are saying that Nigeria is open for business and foreign investors.

    “As the monetary and fiscal authority continue to work tirelessly to boost our economy, it is important to portray some of Nigeria’s enduring strength which offers significant reward for current and prospective foreign investors.

    “I want you to know that irrespective of the impact of the recession, Nigeria’s economy remains the largest in Africa by the size of its GDP with diversified opportunities across different sectors.

    “These sectors include ICT, manufacturing, solid minerals, trade and agriculture,” he said.

    Emefiele assured potential investors of the safety of their investments should they choose to take a leap of faith and make a mutually beneficial investment in the country.

  • Buhari urges youths to maximise opportunities in agriculture

    President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his call on youths in Nigeria to seize opportunities in agriculture, a sector of the economy he said is already proving to be the bedrock of the nation’s new economy.

    He spoke on Monday at Blair House, Washington DC after his White House engagements with President Donald Trump, at a meeting the Chief Executive Officers of six American agricultural companies and their Nigerian counterparts including Aliko Dangote and John Coumantaros.

    He again lamented the challenges of the country’s youth bulge, with “sixty per cent of the population below 30 years.”

    The President said the country must help the young people to plan their future and urged them to explore opportunities easily accessible in agriculture because, as he said, “agriculture is the future.”

    While stressing that planning in Nigeria must take into consideration the factors of climate and a bulging youth population, President Buhari also promised the support of his administration in the promotion of skill development, innovation and entrepreneurship among the young population.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said “We realized, rather belatedly that we ought to have been investing in agriculture. We are now aiming at food security because of our large population. Our youths, the ones who have gone to school and even those that have not, should go to the farm, to earn respect for themselves. Agriculture is providing jobs for millions of our citizens and we are doing well towards the attainment of food security and jobs. The media may not appreciate the work we are doing but we will shock them by the success we are recording.”

    He welcomed the several investment proposals being put in place by the Americans and their Nigerian counterparts.

    Among those brought up for discussions were the three million tons fertilizer by Dangote, the largest in Africa coming on stream in July, to be followed by another one to produce 1.4 million tons of the commodity; a large-scale modern seed production company, and weed and pest management and chemicals products companies by the Americans.

    Similarly, the Burger King food chain with plans to integrate local farmers in livestock production; the Heinz tomatoes production, with backward integration of Nigerian tomato farmers; and another company coming to set up a local branch to facilitate merchandising of commodities, in effect establishing a link between the Nigerian producers and the global market.

    A tractor manufacturing company, John Deer, also unfolded a plan for an assembly plant to produce 10,000 tractors in four years in Nigeria. They will all come with jobs for Nigerians.

    In a second business meeting same day, President Buhari brought together Nigerian businessmen and their American counterparts from the U.S Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council on Africa, (CCA.)

    The U.S Chamber, on behalf of its three million member-companies which included General Electric, Chevron, Proctor and Gamble and Boeing aircraft manufacturers, expressed happiness with improved security in the Niger Delta, reforms in the economy leading to ease in doing business, and the war the administration is waging against corruption.

    Several of the oncoming plans were disclosed to the President who demanded concrete plans and an aggressive timetable for their actualization.

    He envisaged that the investment schemes will lead to a lot of new opportunities for the Nigerian youth.

    Read Also: What Trump and I discussed, by Buhari

  • Against All Odds: Odujinrin becomes 1st African to travel round the world

    Against All Odds: Odujinrin becomes 1st African to travel round the world

    It is a common saying that the world would make way for a man whose words and actions shows that he knows where he is going. The very inspiring story of Captain Ademilola Oyewale Odujinrin; a Nigerian pilot who began his expedition to fly round this terraqueous globe we call earth in nine months is a quintessential example of a dreamer bringing his dreams to fruition “against all odds”.

    He is the first pilot of African descent to fly solo round the world in a relatively small plane. His achievement is a great beacon light of hope to this generation; one that has totally changed the narrative for good about the African people, especially – Nigeria.

    Captain Odujinrin ‘Lola’ as he is fondly called held a press briefing on Thursday, 13th of April, 2017 at the press conference with newsmen held at the Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos. ‘Lola’ dedicated his achievement to the Nigerian people; especially to the younger generation of dreamers. He urged the youths to embrace hard work and persistence, and to believe that they only can make or create their luck.

    According to him, his overwhelming passion for Aviation started when he was yay high – between 7 to 10 years of age. His greatest inspiration was his late Uncle who was a pilot who sometimes take him inside the cockpit of the aircraft: That was the beginning of his unflinching zest for Aviation. “I can remember one night I was flying a kite and I noticed aeroplanes flying across the sky. Then I asked my dad where the planes were going. He replied me saying ‘they are going to Lagos – Murtala Mohammed Airport’,” he said. That was also a seminal moment for his aviation foray.

    Talking about some of the challenges that he and his team had to grapple with, Lola explained saying, “The challenges were numerous, however, the major one was the finance. However, one that was closely associated to securing finance was self-believe. If we believe enough in ourselves and our dreams, financial challenges can always be surmounted.

    The second most challenging part of the journey was the weather. In most parts of the world it was rainy season. Although in Nigeria the season for rain is usually in June, but it was different for other places. We (I and my plane) were stuck in south-eastern Asia for two months,” he said.

    His remarkable journey which began in June 2016 in Washington DC, U.S.A, was launched by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who blessed the voyage and described Nigeria as a fortunate country with great people capable of changing Africa for better as there is one Nigerian out of every four black people on earth.

    The World Tour saw Lola fly over 25 countries, had 35 stops, and for 300 odd hours in his small plane which hardly provided him the opportunity to stretch his body during his time in the air for a duration of 9 months. He began his journey from Washington DC, U.S.A, to Iceland, then Europe, and into Africa via United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, and Asian sub-continent. He flew over some islands before undertaking the longest legs of the journey across the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California, and back to Washington DC where he ended the journey.

    Lola in some spates of emotions and words recounted his experiences while seeking sponsorship and endorsement, especially from Nigerian organizations. According to him, it is very regrettable that no Nigeria Company was willing to offer support and endorsement for the project. It took visionary and benevolent companies like Transcend, Air Djibouti, and Tolaram Group which are foreign companies to see the importance of the project, and the sundry benefits it has; not just to the companies, but to changing the narrative of the African people for good.

    With respect to creating an enabling and congenial environment for dreamers like Lola to thrive and not just survive, he said “I appreciate and understand that I was privileged to travel, however, I know we also have some Nigerians who travel and wasted the opportunity; so the argument is on both sides. What we are advocating is for the government in whose hands the destinies of these many and ubiquitous dreamers are, should create an enabling environment for them to achieve their dreams.

    “The Ooni of Ife spent sometime in the United States talking about creating an enabling environment for talent, skills, and brainchildren to find expression, application, and fulfillment.

    “Our policy wonks in the senate and the federal government need to begin to create more policies and put more concrete structure on ground that will enable you and I fulfill our Nigerian dream.

    “Also talking about the enabling environment, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the level of infrastructures – roads, street lights etc., in Lagos. Lagos has change; now that is a positive step in the right direction.

    Lola restated that the reason for him embarking on such a long, arduous, and sometimes dangerous journey was to be a joyous daybreak to end the long nights of psychological debacles and manacles placed upon the Nigerian youths by their environment. Everyone is a star, and should be given the right environment to blossom, boom, and not gloom.

    ‘Lola’ as he is fondly called by his friends and associates, hails from Ijebu Remo, he was given birth to in England, before his parent relocated to Lagos, and like every other Lagos child he grew up and spent his childhood in Lagos.

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  • Nigeria committed to anti-terror battle – Buhari

    Nigeria committed to anti-terror battle – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Washington DC reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the global fight against the threat of nuclear terrorism and other forms of terrorism.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari made the remark while presenting Nigeria’s country statement to the 4th Nuclear Security Summit being hosted by President Barack Obama.

    Buhari also pledged Nigeria’s continued support for all multilateral efforts aimed at promoting a common approach and commitment to nuclear security at the highest levels.

    He said: “Nigeria accords high priority to all global efforts towards ending the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including nuclear weapons.

    “Nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to international security and preventing nuclear terrorism and all forms of terrorism around the globe is of concern to all of us.

    “To this end, Nigeria has strengthened the legal framework for fighting terrorism through the adoption in 2013 of an amendment to its Terrorism (Prevention) Act, ensuring the implementation of more robust counter-terrorism measures in the country,” the President said.

    President Buhari told the gathering that to enhance Nuclear Security, Nigeria has reinforced its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United States Department of State’s Partnership for Nuclear Security and the World Institute for Nuclear Security.

    He added: “In addition, Nigeria has signed an agreement of cooperation with the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Radiological Security to protect nuclear and other radiological materials from theft or sabotage.

    “Nigeria also intends to strengthen its partnerships with relevant international organizations to promote capacity building, particularly in the development of the Nigerian Nuclear Security Support Centre, Physical Security Upgrades and Human Reliability Programmes Implementation,” the President said.

    Buhari also said that Nigeria has developed a programme to ensure that radioactive sources in the country are better secured to prevent unauthorized access by terrorists and criminals.

    The President praised President Obama’s “pace setting initiative and drive”, which, he said, has brought the global fight against the threat of nuclear terrorism to its present level.

  • Mimi’s Profile

    Mimi Wolford is founder of the Mbari Institute for Contemporary African Art, Washington DC, United States. Both parents, Richard Wolford and Jean Kennedy, were involved in the world of art from an early age, having graduated from the Cleveland School of Art.

    They both apprenticed with renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and went on to build their own Wright-inspired house in southern California.  It is now a historic location in Highland Park, Los Angeles.  After working in Los Angeles for four years, Richard joined the U.S. Department of State.  Following his foreign service in Italy and Indonesia, he was assigned to Ethiopia for eighteen months.

    Then, in 1961, Richard was transferred to Nigeria where the Wolford family lived for seven years.  Living in Lagos, the Wolfords became deeply involved with the artists of the country, opening their home every Thursday afternoon to exhibit the works of Oshogbo artists.

    Richard and Jean continued to produce their own artwork, as Richard worked closely with, among others, the gifted artist Bruce Onobrakpeya—with whom he developed a deep-etching technique.  Richard’s works form part of the collection housed in the University of Lagos Library. Jean died in November 1991.

    However, her long association with African artists, museums, patrons, and scholars culminated in her posthumously published book, New Currents, Ancient Rivers: Contemporary African Art in a Generation of Change, (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992), renowned by many as the authoritative survey of post-independence artists in sub-Saharan Africa.

    In 1970, Jean and Mimi co-founded Mbari Art, an organisation promoting international cultural exchange.  Works of artists from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, & the United States were presented in prominent museums and institutions in the United States and abroad, including three simultaneous exhibitions at the Corcoran, Renwick and National Museum of African Art.  Over the years, Mbari has arranged over 100 exhibitions. In 1995, Mimi founded the not-for-profit Mbari Institute for Contemporary African Art (MICAA), a multidisciplinary organisation dedicated to the collection, preservation, identification, documentation, and exhibition of works pertaining to the art, craft, and culture of Africa.  Its goals are to educate the public, give visibility to African artists, promote and publish research, and act as a permanent repository for the works of contemporary African artists, books, publications and related materials.

    Mimi and MICAA have arranged over forty solo and group shows, offering opportunities to emerging African artists, especially those who have not had exposure in the United States.  Recently featured artists include Hamid Kachmar of Morocco, Sane Wadu of Kenya, Rackie Dianka and Abdoulaye Ndoye of Senegal; Isaac Ojo, Peju Layiwola, Yinka Adeyemi and Wole Lagunju of Nigeria, Sanaa Gateja of Uganda and Bethel Aniaku of Togo.

    Other better-known international artists from Africa such as Valente Malangatana of Mozambique, as well as Twins Seven Seven, Jimoh Buraimoh and Onobrakpeya have also been exhibited in MICAA.