I am not interested in individual political parties, but candidate ready to work with the people, says Bishop Okpalaeke

Success Damian:

Most Reverend Peter Ebere Okpalaeke, Catholic Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese, has disclosed that he is not interested in individual political parties in the forthcoming Governorship Election in Anambra State, but a candidate that is ready to work with the people.

Bishop Okpalaeke was speaking to Journalists at the Funeral Service of the late Felicia Umenzekwe, the mother of Modestus Umenzekwe in Achina, Anambra State, on Thursday May 20, 2021.

Speaking on the type of governor of his dream for Anambra State, he said “I am a church man in a special way; I look for what is good for my people. I am not interested in the individual political parties, but candidates that will come, have the feelings of the people, smell the sufferings of the people and be ready to work for them, and with them because nobody can come and claim to be the governor to work for the people, you work with the people, if you are with the people, things become easier, so that is the type of governor that I want.”

On his advice to Nigerian youths especially those from Igbo land, he said “I am not just interested in what is going on among our youths, but I am more interested with what is going on in children, elders before the youths, it is not just the affairs of the youths, it concerns all of us. We are all worried, confusion everywhere, hardship, sufferings, so we are all concerned.

“We only pray that the good lord will give us the spirit to persevere, spirit to, not to be distracted from the unity, from the peace that God has given us, that has made us Nigerians and that has made us Igbo people, because we cannot hide our identity, we are Igbos, we are born here before we began to hear anything about Nigeria.

“So nobody can pretend that there is no Igboness in each and every one of us. I was born in a family, I am from Amaesi, nobody can take it away from me. And from Amaesi I entered the global community, Anambra State, my Local Governmnet is Aguata, progressively before we became Nigerians, so you cannot just stifle that Igboness in us and say we are one Nigeria, yes, there is Nigeria but there are different segments of the country, and unless we realize that and give fairness, equity to each and every segment of the country, we won’t be talking of peace, if you want peace grant justice, Okpalaeke said.

Bishop Okpalaeke speaking commiserating with the family of Modestus Umenzekwe said, “We are here for the funeral mass of the late Felicia, the mother of Modestus Umenzekwe, we came because she was one of us, she believed, she shared our faith in the communion of saints, the connection, the relationship between the living and the dead, believing in Christ, so when somebody dies, the living will come and support him or her on their spiritual journey. So that is why we came and we believe that God has heard our prayers. We believe she will eventually rest in the bosom of the lord.”

He prayed that the lord of all consolations will console the family, “Our dear brother and son, Modestus, wife and children and, in fact, the members of Umenzekwe family, Azike family, the maternal home Amaesi, we pray the lord to console each and every one of us,” Okpalaeke prayed.

Vintage Confluence, CWG, Medallion join NITRA Technology Forum train on Cloud/Data Services

Success Damian:

The Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) has announced more partnerships for its upcoming event, tagged NITRA TECHNOLOGY FORUM 2021.

The event, which will hold on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at CitiHeight Hotel and Virtually on Zoom now has web-based cryptocurrency trading platform, Vintage Confluence LLC, Nigeria’s CWG Plc, Medallion, Layer3 Limited and ATCON joining other leading stakeholders to set issues around the growth of data hosting, preservation and utilisation in the country.

Vintage Confluence LLC is a leading global organization that offers solutions to Cryptocurrency Investors who need to sell their bulk Bitcoins in exchange for cash in Nigeria & South Africa.

The company’s mission is to provide traders with the most comprehensive Web-based trading platform available with no hassle or verification.

Vintage Confluence LLC is the most reliable, fastest and cheap e-currency exchanger with collective experience dating back to the origin of Bitcoin, providing thousands of satisfied customers with the right rates, at the right place, and at the right time.

As an active leader and certified vendor in the cryptocurrency industry since 2019, Vintage Confluence has been able to provide amazing exchange rates and quick execution of payment from small orders to large orders. This platform provides a seamless interface between the trader and Vintage Confluence as its Vendor.

CWG Plc, is a leading provider of Information, and Communication Technology solutions services across West, Central, and Eastern Africa. CWG is also a leading cloud services provider, enabling Africa's SMEs to exploit cloud services for commerce and management.

Medallion Communications has entrenched its services in the establishment of interconnect exchange clearinghouses; carrier hotels and data hosting facilities; Telecommunications infrastructure development and  Value added services – Mobile Banking, Number Portability, Emergency Communications Services, among others.

Layer3’s core solution, Layer3Cloud is an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solution that allows businesses and organizations of all types to remotely and virtually build, manage, store and instantly deploy servers and data in our secure data centre based in Nigeria.

The company’s solutions cut across all sectors and include the innovation of the data center, software, server & storage systems, mobile device management, security & network infrastructure solutions and access solutions including broadband and VPN services.

The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) is a professional, non-profit, non-political umbrella organization of telecommunications companies of Nigeria, which channels its resources to the growth and development of telecom services in the country, especially through mediations between operators, government and the cinsumers.

With the theme: Achieving 30% Growth In Local Cloud Hosting By 2024, NITRA TECHNOLOGY FORUM 2021 will seek to bring stakeholders together in a panel session to discuss current challenges affecting Cloud businesses, policies that should facilitate growth and solutions to the challenges identified.

The forum will also dwell extensively on challenges and proffer solutions to factors mitigating against effective domiciliation of our locally-generated data.

Speaking on the relevance of the forum, the Chairman of NITRA, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, noted that over the years, Nigeria has been contending with the need to secure the country’s data and further boost local content in all sectors of the economy. He acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic presented an eye-opener to many companies on the need to secure their data and cloud architecture. “Specifically, the Forum will offer Cloud service companies, data infrastructure companies and other stakeholders, opportunities to reach out to their target market with solutions that addresses their challenges and needs.”

The event, which will be steered under the chairmanship of the Chief Executive Officer, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Muhammed Rudman, now have NITDA, Cloudflex, Rackcenter, Vintage Confluence LLC, CWG and Layer3 as sponsorship partners.

Also speaking on the event, the Association’s National Secretary, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo assured that the array of speakers at the event will not only chart a way for data and cloud growth in Nigeria, but will also present options in data/cloud services that will offer micro, small, medium organisations opportunities to digitise at very minimal cost.

He further stated that the event will be streamed live online via social media and Zoom platform.

It will be recalled that the federal government has set things in place towards achieving local content development in the industry. This quest was captured when the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) was instituted. The 8th pillar of NDEPS highlights the mission towards Indigenous Content Development & Adoption. Other Pillars are: Developmental Regulation; Digital Literacy & Skills; Solid Infrastructure; Service Infrastructure; Digital Services Development & Promotion; Soft Infrastructure; Digital Society & Emerging Technologies; and Indigenous Content Development & Adoption.

Virtual participants can also join the conversation on Zoom platform, via https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87428325362?pwd=dVRZQ2dWUnp4WjRzNzVFakhYUFBaQT09

 

 

 

Umenzekwe appeals to Federal Government to rescue Achina Community from erosion menace …As Fashola attends mother’s burial

Success Damian:

Chief Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina) has appealed to the Federal Government to rescue Achina Community from erosion menace.

Umenzekwe made the appeal in his compound in Achina, Anambra State during the burial service of his mother on May 20, 2021.

Making his appeal in the presence of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing and former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, he said Anambra State is in total confusion about erosion, Aguata Lacal Government is in disarray, and that erosion is given a very big problem.

Speaking to the representative of the Minister, the Federal Controller of Works, Engr Ajayi Adeyemo, Umenzekwe said “It gives me joy that he is here today to see our road. I will still take him round, to see where I am coming from, to support Abuja, to support Lagos. Today, the minister has come here, I want to appeal to you, my honourable minister, Anambra State is in total confusion about erosion, Aguata Lacal Government is in disarray, erosion is given us a very big problem.

“Today you have come to the house of your very good friend, people cannot come here, vehicles cannot come around, valley all over the place, our roads are not good, gully erosion is threatening us, the Rev Father’s house in St Joseph’s Catholic Church will soon collapse due to erosion menace,” Umenzekwe cried out.

To create a vivid imagery of the level of predicament in the locality, Umenzekwe said “I cannot come in here with vehicle unless I use caterpillar as my private car, the whole of this town are around me, asking me why are you supporting him and I am not relenting. By being present here today, it will give me more energy, it will propel me to do more, promoting the image of the minister and his government. Incidentally the chairman of my party in the local government, Comrade Paul Umenduka, all the party faithful, we are already alienated, we are abandoned, we are rejected, we are dejected, we don’t feel that we are part of Nigeria, please carry this message to the honourable minister,” Umenzekwe appealed.

In response the representative of the minister said that all that is needed to be done will be done, pledging that in as much as the roads in question are not under the federal road, it can be done if the national assembly can include it in the budget. He appealed for a follow-up once it is sent to the assembly.

Speaking further, he said “Chief Modestus Umenzekwe is a very good friend of the minister and the minister could not afford not to attend the burial of his mother.”

Umenzekwe in response disclosed “We have through Achina Citizens Forum written to the minister, he has replied to the letter rerouting our request to the office of the AJF to be treated under the ecological fund, so it is now left to our community to follow this up.

“I use this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Government, to Anambra State Government and especially to my very good friend, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, to please, if not for anything, come to my aid, the people of this town are looking at me, they are giving me pressure and I don’t have an answer, I hope this burial, this your visitation, will go a long way in alleviating our problem. Thank you for coming and may God bless you while you are going back.

“I thank all. This is a catholic mass, but from what I see, it is like an interdenominational service. Thank you all,” Umenzekwe concluded.

I’ll win APC primaries in Anambra because I am the youngest and the most digital, say Engr Johnbosco Onunkwo

Success Damian:

High Chief (Engr) Johnbosco Obinna Onunkwo, one of the contestants in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary for the November Election in Anambra State has assured the world that he will win, being the youngest and most digital.

Onunkwu who is also prominently known as Onwa Umuchu and Ifediche 1, was addressing journalists at the burial ceremony of the mother of Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina), the late Ezinne Felicia Umenzekwe in Achina, Anambra State, on Thursday, May 20, 2021.

Speaking on ensuring a free and fair primary in the election Onunkwo said “There is an assurance that we are going to have free and fair and credible primary. We are around 11 or 12contestestants, if we have free and fair primary at the end of the day whoever wins will fly the ticket and I can tell you that we will bring the best, maybe me, may be another person. But I know it is me, because I am the youngest and the most digital, and I assure you that once I have the ticket, we are just close to Government House and once we enter Government House, a lot of metamorphosis will happen to Anambra, we will rededicate ourselves to rediscover our root, that is an assurance I am giving you.”

He extolled the achievements of his party when he said “APC is a party that has brought metamorphosis to the nation and it is a party that is doing what other parties could not do in the Southeast, the Second Niger Bridge, Enugu/Onitsha, Enugu/Portharcourt roads, and so many other things, so the many people you are seeing, aspirants, is as a result of them knowing the impact, the objective, the vision, the mission statement of APC.”

Speaking on what made him unique out of the entire contestants, he responded, “What makes me unique is that I am a Rotarian, I am a humanitarian, I am not a politician, I am a technocrat. What we do is humanitarian activity. And what I do is covenant, I don’t do promise and fail, I do covenant. I establish a memorial with the people and that is just the difference between me and other contestants.”

Also Onunkwo spoke on what APGA government has done wrong that he wants to correct, he said “You can agree with me that they have done their best, people say they have failed, yes, they have done their best, they run at their own speedometer, nobody gives what he has not, so they have given what they have, we are coming, these are analogue, we are coming with digital arrangement, they are running at 30 or 25 kilometer per hour, but we will run at 70 kilometers per hour, where basic amenities will be basic amenities, we don’t make noise about that, where dividend of democracy will be dividend of democracy, there is no two words about that.

“So they have done their best and a change will be as good as a rest. I can assure you that we are bringing that positive impact, democratic dividend without making noise about them, giving the people quality representation, service above self, whatever we do will be fair to all concerned, we will built truth, goodwill, and better friendship and above all we are bringing government that will be beneficial to all concerned,” Onunkwo said.  

I am not interested in individual political parties, but candidate ready to work with the people, says Bishop Okpalaeke

Success Damian:

Most Reverend Peter Ebere Okpalaeke, Catholic Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese, has disclosed that he is not interested in individual political parties in the forthcoming Governorship Election in Anambra State, but a candidate that is ready to work with the people.

Bishop Okpalaeke was speaking to Journalists at the Funeral Service of the late Felicia Umenzekwe, the mother of Modestus Umenzekwe in Achina, Anambra State, on Thursday May 20, 2021.

Speaking on the type of governor of his dream for Anambra State, he said “I am a church man in a special way; I look for what is good for my people. I am not interested in the individual political parties, but candidates that will come, have the feelings of the people, smell the sufferings of the people and be ready to work for them, and with them because nobody can come and claim to be the governor to work for the people, you work with the people, if you are with the people, things become easier, so that is the type of governor that I want.”

On his advice to Nigerian youths especially those from Igbo land, he said “I am not just interested in what is going on among our youths, but I am more interested with what is going on in children, elders before the youths, it is not just the affairs of the youths, it concerns all of us. We are all worried, confusion everywhere, hardship, sufferings, so we are all concerned.

“We only pray that the good lord will give us the spirit to persevere, spirit to, not to be distracted from the unity, from the peace that God has given us, that has made us Nigerians and that has made us Igbo people, because we cannot hide our identity, we are Igbos, we are born here before we began to hear anything about Nigeria.

“So nobody can pretend that there is no Igboness in each and every one of us. I was born in a family, I am from Amaesi, nobody can take it away from me. And from Amaesi I entered the global community, Anambra State, my Local Governmnet is Aguata, progressively before we became Nigerians, so you cannot just stifle that Igboness in us and say we are one Nigeria, yes, there is Nigeria but there are different segments of the country, and unless we realize that and give fairness, equity to each and every segment of the country, we won’t be talking of peace, if you want peace grant justice, Okpalaeke said.

Bishop Okpalaeke speaking commiserating with the family of Modestus Umenzekwe said, “We are here for the funeral mass of the late Felicia, the mother of Modestus Umenzekwe, we came because she was one of us, she believed, she shared our faith in the communion of saints, the connection, the relationship between the living and the dead, believing in Christ, so when somebody dies, the living will come and support him or her on their spiritual journey. So that is why we came and we believe that God has heard our prayers. We believe she will eventually rest in the bosom of the lord.”

He prayed that the lord of all consolations will console the family, “Our dear brother and son, Modestus, wife and children and, in fact, the members of Umenzekwe family, Azike family, the maternal home Amaesi, we pray the lord to console each and every one of us,” Okpalaeke prayed.

 

I am coming to liberate Anambra State from bondage, says Ezeemo

Success Damian:

Governorship aspirant under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Mr Godwin Chukwunaenye Ezeemo, has disclosed that his intention to aspire for the governorship position of the state is to liberate his people from bondage.

Ezeemo made the revelation at the funeral ceremony of the mother of Chief Modestus Umenzekwe, the late Felicia Umenzekwe at Achina, Aguata LGA of Anambra State recently.

Speaking about his agenda for Anambrarians Ezeemo said his agenda is to liberate his people “My agenda for Anambra State is to help liberate the people, our people are in bondage, we lack knowledge, the knowledge we have is negative knowledge, we don’t have the knowledge to make our place work. We only have knowledge of how to destroy. And the people who are the electorates do not know what they are doing, that is why they resort to taking money before they can vote. In actual sense money cannot be the determinant of who takes the seat of governance; if it is, our problem is deepening the more.”

On how PDP can retake Anambra State he said “PDP being a party, at inception, there is ideology that normally controls a party, that is why they have the response ‘power to the people.’ That means people were given opportunity to choose, to do what they want to do for the purposes of enhancing their future, it was a good one to entice everyone to join, but at certain a point, it did not go that way anymore, and that was why they lost the state.

“People were circumvented, what was supposed to be the laid down rule, where everybody supposed to obey, and as soon as people started circumventing them, abusing privileges, abusing people’s rights, doing what is absolutely wrong in the system, they lost it. But I know right now they want to go back, they want to change, I am praying that the almighty God will help us,” Ezeemo stated.

Speaking further Ezeemo consoled the family of Modestus Umenzekwe on the death of their mother. “I am here to commiserate with the family of Modestus Umenzekwe over the death of his mother. My group and I are here to join others to bid farewell to Mama.

“To the Umenzekwe family, I extend my condolences, death is bad but it is not entirely bad, it is the children that should bury her and not the other way round. So when we mourn we should not mourn too much. I also use this opportunity to advise the living to understand that this world is not our home. It is like market place, when you come, you make your transactions and go, for mama she has done hers, and she has completed her mission on earth,” Ezeemo averred.

He advised humanity to learn to be of good conduct in order to make the kingdom of God. “For us the living, we should make our ways straight individually and collectively. There are difficulties, sufferings everywhere, misconducts on the rise, people indulge in evil practices, and many are either Christians or Moslems. People forget that whatever that will qualify you for the kingdom of God; begins here on earth.

“The day one dies, even if one million bishops attend the funeral, it will change nothing, what qualifies you for the kingdom of God is your relationship with your neighbor, business partner, colleagues in office, somebody that has boundary with you, the person you meet on the way.

“My plea is for us as a nation, as a state, to ensure that our land is bettered just like the western world, our visitors cannot do it for us; the white man cannot do it for us.

“For the Umenzekwes, may God give you the fortitude to bear this huge loss,” Ezeemo prayed.

NITDA DG urges Afrione to crash prices of Smart devices for affordability

Success Damian:

Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged the smart device manufacturing and assembling company, Afrione to crash prices for more affordable devices.

He made the demand during a visit to Afrione corporate head office on Thursday in Lagos state.

In a press release, Abdullahi said that reduction of the price of the smart devices is possible, citing the example of SIM cards which were expensive at the beginning but now they are almost free. Similarly, the mainframe and early computers were of high prices but today they are affordable.

Abdullahi said “as regulators we stimulate demand for digital devices and what can you do to crash your prices so more Nigerians can have access to smart devices”.

DG NITDA commended Afrione for their improvement especially in the aspect of the new device as he was taken on a tour of the factory.

Abdullahi also presented the strategic Road Map and Action Plan and encouraged them to do more.

While responding to Abdullahi's demand, the CFO Afrione, Suloch Raja, said the company’s smart devices “can be compared to Samsung or any other device in the world in terms of affordability and quality with a year warranty.”

Raja added that “Afrione being the first African brand and first manufacturer and assembler in Africa as of today, is also planning to introduce new devices such as laptops which could be out by the end of the year.”   

“Not a single tablet was sent back for anything regarding quality so we are confident that we will be able to get to your needs in cost and quality, slashing it down without compromising the quality,” said Raja.

He added that, “The devices will have specific educational applications that are being worked on, according to institution such as universities, polytechnics and so on.”

“We are focusing on the universities and schools as of now so we can target the students in such a way that after the government subsidies, it becomes very standardized, affordable at the best price and quality and in two years, we should have a class room in each polytechnic”.

“We would love to partner with NITDA, we assure you on our quality and would love to prove it.”

“We are currently working on getting after sales service in every state, once the device has an issue in 24hours it should be repaired and we engage Nigerians in the Factory as 80% of the workers are Nigerians” CFO Afrione stated.

Raja also stated that their initiative is to provide employment opportunities, develop skills, empower Nigerian youth and Nigerian Economy which is in line the NITDA’s mandate.

Be responsible online, DG NITDA admonishes High School students

Success Damian:

Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, has admonished students of secondary schools to always display high level of responsibility whenever they are online, in order to be protected from cyber risks.

The Director General who was represented by NITDA’s Head, Digital Technology, Adoption, Digital Literacy and Skill Unit, Dr Ayodele Bakare, gave this advice in Abuja at this year’s inter-school debate organised by the Junior Chamber International, (JCI), and supported by the Agency.

The topic for the debate was ‘Should Social Media be Encouraged among Secondary School Students?’

Mallam Abdullahi stated that, as secondary school students, using the internet facilities, it is expected of them to behave responsibly in order to be protected from psychological and physical risks that are common online. 

According to the DG, some of the psychological risks the children could suffer from, if they are irresponsible online are; fear, low self-esteem, promiscuousness, violence, poor academic performance, among others. He added that; “among the physical risks you can experience online could be illness, injury, death, vandalization, and loss of finance.”  

He stated further, “Your responsibilities online include; non-disclosure of personal information to strangers, avoidance of people or strangers that demand for too much information, turn down offer to meet online strangers, not opening of mails or files from unknown sources, and always inform parents or teachers whenever you feel concerned about strangers online.” The DG advised children to limit the time they spend online in order not to affect other sphere of their lives, particularly their academic performance.

Mallam Abdullahi maintained that child online safety has become imperative in order to protect them from threats and risks because; children are easily influenced with online contents. He said, as government agency, NITDA will keep on with advocacy and capacity building on online safety for minors.

“Another way government is trying to protect children online is in the area of policy formulation, regulations and guideline on child online safety”, he said.

The President of JCI, Ajalat Aminat Aweke, said the aim of the debate is to discover another set of young lads among students in Federal Capital territory. She added that the topic for the debate captures the rave of the moment on the usage of social media among secondary school students. “The debate will form a robust discussion and form a framework for censorship,” she said.

About 10 Secondary Schools participated in this year’s debate where Government Secondary School Gwagwalada emerged first and was awarded with three laptops and 100,000 naira cash award.  Government Secondary School, Mabushi, emerged second and went away with 75,000 Naira, while Government Girls Secondary School, Dutsen Alhaji, became the third winner and received 50,000 Naira award.

In the same vein, the Coordinator, National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotic, (NCAIR), Mr. Ya’u Garba Isah, stated that the use of robotic would help to avoid obstacle in computing programming. He expressed this view during the second day of JCI programme supported by NITDA. 

He said, mentoring the students on technological innovation would promote the motive of JCI which is in line with the mandate of the centre.  The selected trainees hosted at the centre were the students that excelled at the inter school debate that JCI organised. 

NITDA Boss woos Venture Garden Group to join Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria

Success Damian:

The Director General, National Information Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has urged a leading provider of innovative, data-driven solutions, Venture Garden Group, to join the Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria.

Abdullahi made this call during a visit to Vibranium Valley, the company’s headquarters in Lagos, on Friday. He added that “NITDA recently came up with Bridge the MassChallenge Nigeria initiative in order to promote Nigeria as an emerging entrepreneurial hub and leader of innovation in Africa, foster the growth and success of Nigeria’s startup enterprises by connecting its entrepreneurs with markets, networks, and capital in the global innovation ecosystem, and facilitate key strategies to complement growing innovation initiatives within Nigeria.”

Abdullahi further noted that a critical activity of the initiative is the hosting of quarterly technology innovation challenge. While working with Stakeholders, key challenges within the Nigerian economy and challenge the startups to come up with solutions for them. He therefore urged the Venture Garden Group (VGG) to come onboard the Bridge to MassChallenge Nigeria initiative.

The Director General (DG) indicated that NITDA is keen on working with the tech community to develop use cases as the technology evolves so that everything can be regulated. He said the Agency has developed key regulatory instruments in this fashion. The Nigerian Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), for example, was developed and perfected through close collaboration with stakeholders. This, he said, is the strategy the Agency is adopting for each of the technology innovation use cases.

Citing one of the seven pillars of NITDA's Strategic Road Map and Action Plan (SRAP) 2021-2024, the DG said: “The general understanding with regulation is that it does not allow or stifles innovation. This is the more reason why we in NITDA came up with Developmental Regulation.” “With this approach,” he said, “we work with stakeholders like you, develop the product, innovate then develop relevant regulatory instrument to regulate it”.

“The regulation is aimed at protecting you and your consumers because technology is about the future and there is no data about the future, the data we have is on the past and present and that is why it is hard to regulate the innovation industry,” he added 

Abdullahi outlined the seven pillars of SRAP as: Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy and Skills, Digital Transformation, Digital Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies and Promotion of Indigenous Content.

“We have identified six key stakeholders we need to bring onboard to achieve our initiatives; Universities as they produce the human capital, talent is needed to drive the digital economy and we work with universities and corporate organizations that will absorb these talents. We also have the entrepreneurs as they need access to the talent and corporate organizations because they are selling the products to them” he said.

The DG further indicated that, “Venture capitals and funding is a challenge, having the idea without the funds and government cannot provide funds for everyone and there are people with money doing nothing, bringing them onboard to invest in these startups will help boost the nation's economy”.

He averred that Government’s role, as an enabler, is to create the enabling environment and the Agency would want to co-create with stakeholders because NITDA does not operate alone, that is why the ecosystem is engaged.

He added that NITDA also intervenes in the area of infrastructure in unserved and underserved communities.

While responding to the DG's demand, the Group Head, VGG, Idowu Oladiamonds, said they invest in and develop technology solutions that address inefficiencies in automation, data collection, payment and revenue assurance across multiple sectors.

Oladiamonds stated that VGG has invested in over 30 companies in various sectors including financial sector infrastructure, education, financial technology, SME-focused technology and many other initiatives.

The VGG Group Head added that foreign countries scout talents from Nigeria, offering them residential Visas and higher pay and absorb them into their countries, taking more and more talents away from Nigeria. He stated that joining the Bridge to MassChallenge initiative would be an opportunity that would benefit the Agency, companies and Nigeria’s digital economy.

“VGG is always on the hunt for talent so we hire corp members who are passionate about technology, give them time within their ability to work on real life projects and understand what it takes to deliver proper robust software solutions within six months. It is interesting that foreign companies like Microsoft do hire some of them.” the Group Head stated.

Oladiamonds said “VGG has a creative space for work and encouraged work from home idea even before the lockdown and have achieved the highest result in the organisation across all our businesses.”

The Group Head further stated that the company is filled with 22–23-year-olds, mostly those that are comfortable with the structure of work which is redefining the everyday idea of work especially in Lagos with the hectic traffic.

"The company’s message behind using containers which would be usually scrapped as office spaces is they can use the ruins of Nigeria to build the beauty of Nigeria," he concluded.

LG Enhances Environmental Nourishment through quality products …. Plans more collaborations with other organizations with shared goals and advocacy across the world.

Success Damian:

Achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is a Grand Challenge, especially for businesses. The SDGs provide a powerful aspiration for improving our world – laying out where we collectively need to go and how to get there.

As a global electronic giant, LG Electronics in its own little way has worked with the UN and other notable non-government organizations across the world to support the SDGs and reiterated its commitment to better the life for all through its products and services.

Its commitment to the planet is evident in every one of its core technologies.

According to Mr. IL Hwan Lee, President, LG Electronics, Middle East & Africa Region, LG is committed to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. “As a responsible global corporate citizen, LG Electronics is set to contributing to the achievement of the SDGs as the main goal of its social contribution activities. Our focus is on developing new innovations across Sustainability for the Community. We are committed to providing electronic products that help customers live better. To support this, we have developed a mid to long term plan themed: LGE & SDGs which we are working towards”, he said.

In the last couple of years, LG has introduced a wide range of products across the areas of TVs & Home Entertainment, Kitchen, Laundry, Computers, Air Conditioning & Solar that fit into the technologies of the future with the SDGs at heart. Some of such that promote eco-friendly society include LG DUAL Inverter, LG NeON 2, LG WashTower and the CordZero M9 robot vacuum cleaner.

The revolutionary DUAL Inverter Compressor technology inside LG’s air conditioners never stops adjusting speed for the perfect temperatures without wasting electricity thanks to its lower speed. The compressor reduces electricity usage by 70 percent despite cooling rooms 40 percent faster than conventional models.

When it comes to TVs, LG’s OLED self-lit technology ticks the most environmentally-friendly boxes. They have been recognized as Eco Products by SGS, especially its OLED models with no backlight meaning fewer plastic parts, less indoor air pollution and 50 percent less VOC emissions. OLED has a comparatively-high recycle rate and doesn’t contain hazardous substances like cadmium and indium phosphide.

LG OLED TVs are easy on the eyes and have been engineered to cause minimal eye strain via low blue light modes and zero flickering, with certification from TÜ V Rheinland of Germany and UL in the United States.

This year, LG Soundbars are the first of their kind to receive SGS Eco Product Certification. Many LG soundbars use polyester resin sourced from used plastic bottles or recycled plastics, one using jersey fabric sourced from recycled PET bottles - so for every unit produced, almost seven plastic battles are saved from the hazardous landfill. Even the packaging is greener! More recycled molded pulp and less EPS plastic and foam are used, and the new L-shaped packaging lets more units be transported at once for fewer trucks on the road.

Recently, LG unveiled Net Zero homes to demonstrate innovations that reduce energy consumption, increase efficiency and enhance daily life. The New American Home and The New American Remodel showcased the wonders of an LG-solar-powered house filled with energy-efficient consumer electronics, appliances and air solutions. 

Key to the homes’ environmental sustainability and appealing designs are rooftop installations of high-efficiency solar modules from residential renewable energy leader LG Business Solutions. Forty LG NeON 2 60-cell modules help power each home to support their Net Zero designs. These popular high-efficiency modules generate more power from the same amount of sunlight than lower-efficiency modules of the same size while blending in unobtrusively to the look and feel of the home’s design.

LG Electronics few years ago set a new direction for its social contribution efforts by reflecting the opinions of the management and key stakeholders, and identified five of the 17 SDGs as its priority. LG Electronics continuously develops and implements initiatives that contribute to achieving these 5 SDGs, and monitors the progress. The company’s SDGs plan were categories into three, which are promotion of intelligent lifestyle, creation of a better society and realization of Carbon and Circular Economy.

Promote Intelligent Lifestyle

LG has long been committed to projects that benefit the environment. LG Carbon Fund was established in 2017 to support the development of GHGreducing technologies and solutions through the virtual cycle concept wherein all profits from LG Carbon Fund investments are funneled back into the effort to reduce greenhouse gases. LG is also an active participant in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project, which seeks to curb harmful emissions through investing technology and capital in developing countries.

The company plans to contribute to sustainable growth by implementing three commitments and nine Goals on a mid- to long-term basis. Its commitment is to promote intelligent lifestyle, create a better society and realize zero carbon and circular economy. To fulfill this commitments, LG Electronics is improving the life of its customers by providing more easy-t-use products applied with AI and future technology. The company's focus here has been on establishing intelligent living environment, pursuing healthy life for its customers and expanding green business. 

Realization of Carbon and Circular Economy

Towards the realization of zero carbon and circular economy, the electronic giant has reduced carbon emissions in its production level by 150,000 tons by 2020 compared to  the base year 2008 (i.e 1 million tons in cumulative reductions). In its mid to long term plan, LG wants to achieve 80% Green 3 Star Products by self-assessment of environmentally friendly products and achieve 95% recycle rate of waste from production sites by 2030.

Creating a Better Society

To establish a sustainable supply chain, the company plans to use 100% RMAP conformant smelters by the end of this year, assess the CSR risks of all its tier 1 suppliers and expand the scope to include its tier 2 and 3 this year as well. Its plan is to establish the highest level of safety culture in the manufacturing industry (independent stage) by 2030. Achieve 100% low risk for all the production sites in CSR self-assessment; improve work efficiency and the level of employee satisfaction by achieving work and life balance through fundamental changes in work style.

LG's pledge is to support stakeholders' growth and independence through partnership. Establish volunteer program in all countries where we do business by 2030. And it has evidently demonstrated its commitment to achieve these set goals with its recent products, partnerships with other organization with shared goals and advocacy across the world.

Allegation of involvement in prostitution, scamming, is totally false, baseless, says Miss Orient Management

Success Damian:

Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide has debunked the viral publication labelling the organization as encouraging prostitution and scamming the contestants, saying that the allegation is totally false and baseless.” 

According to a press statement by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization, Charles Umege, Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide stated that the allegation is not only falsehood fabricated from the pit of hell, but was also aimed at tarnishing the hard earned reputation of the group garnered over the years.

The statement disclosed that a clause in the publication which alleged that a contestant was drugged and raped is an extreme case of false allegation. 

The management said “By our organization structure, winners prizes are not paid one off, rather it's paid by installment throughout the 12 months the winner serves as queen; 

“In addition, our pageant has never hooked our contestants or our queens to men. Past contestants and past Queens of our pageant will bear witness to this, the statement revealed.

It also asserted “In addition, when a queen is found to be inactive, her installment of prize money is delayed.”

According to the management, the above conditions are stipulated to keep the Queens active because paying them off at once would make them less active. 

“These conditions didn’t go down well with some queens that have tendency of bolting away with their crown without working with the organization.

“In situations like this, disagreements and dissatisfaction among such Queens culminate to blackmail and orchestrated attacks like the publication going viral online 

“More so, our current Queens have not yet gone to represent Nigeria abroad because the two international pageants we are affiliated to are yet to kick off activities due to covid 19 situations, the two pageants are Miss Supermodel Worldwide and Miss World Noble Queen.”

Finally the management reiterated “Against this background, we implore the general public to disregard the viral negative publication targeted at destroying the good image of Miss Orient Foundation Worldwide.

“Our organization is structured to protect the interests of the models and the tendencies of detractors will not push us to compromise our good standards,” the management emphasized.

 

Kalejaiye unveils book, ‘Undeterred: The Pendulum Swings On’, focuses on youth, the poor in society

Success Damian:

Honourable Paul Adeboye Kalejaiye has stated that he remained focused on the best approach to advance the welfare of the poor and the development of the youth in society.

Kalejaiye made the disclosure on Monday, May 17, 2021, during the Media Preview of his book, Undeterred: ‘The Pendulum Swings On’.

“I have concerned myself about the welfare of the poor, and my role in the party is basically to support the youth. I have remained myself in spite of the pecks of political office,” Kalejaiye stated.

The book which is billed for official launch on the 20^th of May, 2021, at Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, is also designed to mark the 61^st birthday of the author.

Explaining what he meant by Undeterred: The Pendulum Swings On, he said  the pendulum does not go back, and in life one must move on, adding that quitters don’t win and winners don’t quit.

In elucidation of the reason for writing the book he said “Apart from the younger generation, the primary focus here, I was convinced also that my colleagues would benefit from this exposition of my journey thus far. The older generation will find it worthwhile too.”

He said he was a poor boy from a polygamous home, who was the third child in the hierarchy of children. Not born with a silver spoon, not even in the best environment but raised in the barracks, where negative influences abound.

In his preface he said “Though the best of education was understandably impossible, I was privileged to have an unbridled primary school education spanning thirteen schools in six years and a secondary school education in one far-flung rural location, without electricity, potable water, and good roads. Tertiary education for me was comparatively like an Israelite’s journey. Yet survival is ultimate. The struggles for relevance and competition that is unending. Yet, coming top most times, benefiting from God’s grace and mercy. Courage when failure reared its ugly head, fortitude when death struck, and determination, when the support of man failed.”

According to Kalejaiye who is described as a patient man said he takes with philosophical calmness everything that comes his way. “I take with philosophical calmness everything that comes my way. I believe that life is not a bed of roses. When disappointment comes, I see it as part of the unpredictability and insincerity of men hence I move on and look forward to the next chapter.

“The road to my educational career as earlier pointed out was bumpy and akin to the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. However, destiny played a vital role in all of this. Disappointingly, the society in which we live has not helped matters. We have leadership problems. Leadership that is expected to set the pace for which followers should emulate has been conspicuously absent. And so, just a few leaders truly understand what leadership is about. Majority have been bedeviled by self-centredness, pride, covetousness and inordinate accumulation of wealth at the detriment of the society,” Kalejaiye said.

According to the Former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who wrote Forward to the book said the book is a mixture of excitement, human strength, foibles and deep and impactful lessons of life without any dull moment. “My warning is, don’t be carried away by the stimulating narrative; endeavour also to learn the lessons of Life as the Pendulum Swings On.”

He described  “Kalejaiye as a loyal party man “A loyal party man and great grassroots mobilizer, Hon. Kalejaiye has equally garnered vast experiences in the course of his phenomenal rise to prominence in the twin noble callings of politics and public service. Notably, among several other important roles on the political front, he served as Chairman, Mobilization Committee of the Action Congress of Nigeria which provided the platform on which I ran successfully to become Governor in 2007.

“But more importantly perhaps is the fact of his decision to put all those experiences in the public space for the benefit of humanity. I have been a strong advocate of authorship of books by professionals, experts and all others in all areas of human endeavour, who have made their marks in the society, for the benefit of succeeding generations,” Fashola said. 

He said the twelve chapter book consisting of “Everyone Has a Beginning”; “My Heritage”; “Man of Destiny”; “On the Eagle’s Wing”; “Impactful on All Fronts”; “My Family Life”; “Positioned for the Challenges of Life”; “Life of Unforgettable Memories”; “Onto Greater Struggles”; “Struggles of Mixed Feelings”; “Strides Towards a Greater Tomorrow”; and “A Tomorrow Without End”, Hon. Kalejaiye in lucid, free flowing but attention grabbing prose, has put his life history and experiences in the public space for generations of up-and-coming youths to learn and be inspired to greatness.

 

 

 

Kalejaiye unveils book, ‘Undeterred: The Pendulum Swings On’, focuses on youth, the poor in society

Success Damian:

Honourable Paul Adeboye Kalejaiye has stated that he remained focused on the best approach to advance the welfare of the poor and the development of the youth in society.

Kalejaiye made the disclosure on Monday, May 17, 2021, during the Media Preview of his book, Undeterred: ‘The Pendulum Swings On’.

“I have concerned myself about the welfare of the poor, and my role in the party is basically to support the youth. I have remained myself in spite of the pecks of political office,” Kalejaiye stated.

The book which is billed for official launch on the 20^th of May, 2021, at Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, is also designed to mark the 61^st birthday of the author.

Explaining what he meant by Undeterred: The Pendulum Swings On, he said  the pendulum does not go back, and in life one must move on, adding that quitters don’t win and winners don’t quit.

In elucidation of the reason for writing the book he said “Apart from the younger generation, the primary focus here, I was convinced also that my colleagues would benefit from this exposition of my journey thus far. The older generation will find it worthwhile too.”

 

He said he was a poor boy from a polygamous home, who was the third child in the hierarchy of children. Not born with a silver spoon, not even in the best environment but raised in the barracks, where negative influences abound.

 

In his preface he said “Though the best of education was understandably impossible, I was privileged to have an unbridled primary school education spanning thirteen schools in six years and a secondary school education in one far-flung rural location, without electricity, potable water, and good roads. Tertiary education for me was comparatively like an Israelite’s journey. Yet survival is ultimate. The struggles for relevance and competition that is unending. Yet, coming top most times, benefiting from God’s grace and mercy. Courage when failure reared its ugly head, fortitude when death struck, and determination, when the support of man failed.”

 

According to Kalejaiye who is described as a patient man said he takes with philosophical calmness everything that comes his way. “I take with philosophical calmness everything that comes my way. I believe that life is not a bed of roses. When disappointment comes, I see it as part of the unpredictability and insincerity of men hence I move on and look forward to the next chapter.

 

“The road to my educational career as earlier pointed out was bumpy and akin to the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. However, destiny played a vital role in all of this. Disappointingly, the society in which we live has not helped matters. We have leadership problems. Leadership that is expected to set the pace for which followers should emulate has been conspicuously absent. And so, just a few leaders truly understand what leadership is about. Majority have been bedeviled by self-centredness, pride, covetousness and inordinate accumulation of wealth at the detriment of the society,” Kalejaiye said.

 

According to the Former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, who wrote Forward to the book said the book is a mixture of excitement, human strength, foibles and deep and impactful lessons of life without any dull moment. “My warning is, don’t be carried away by the stimulating narrative; endeavour also to learn the lessons of Life as the Pendulum Swings On.”

 

He described  “Kalejaiye as a loyal party man “A loyal party man and great grassroots mobilizer, Hon. Kalejaiye has equally garnered vast experiences in the course of his phenomenal rise to prominence in the twin noble callings of politics and public service. Notably, among several other important roles on the political front, he served as Chairman, Mobilization Committee of the Action Congress of Nigeria which provided the platform on which I ran successfully to become Governor in 2007.

 

“But more importantly perhaps is the fact of his decision to put all those experiences in the public space for the benefit of humanity. I have been a strong advocate of authorship of books by professionals, experts and all others in all areas of human endeavour, who have made their marks in the society, for the benefit of succeeding generations,” Fashola said.

 

He said the twelve chapter book consisting of “Everyone Has a Beginning”; “My Heritage”; “Man of Destiny”; “On the Eagle’s Wing”; “Impactful on All Fronts”; “My Family Life”; “Positioned for the Challenges of Life”; “Life of Unforgettable Memories”; “Onto Greater Struggles”; “Struggles of Mixed Feelings”; “Strides Towards a Greater Tomorrow”; and “A Tomorrow Without End”, Hon. Kalejaiye in lucid, free flowing but attention grabbing prose, has put his life history and experiences in the public space for generations of up-and-coming youths to learn and be inspired to greatness.

 

 

 

Sunshine Kindheart Foundation donates to Ajegunle Sports Council, trains youths on vocational jobs

Success Damian:

Sunshine Kindheart Foundation, an organization designed for the uplifting of society, has donated electronic gadgets to the newly inaugurated Ajegunle Sports Council.

Hon. Arogundade Samsondeen, the Director General of Sunshine Kindheart Foundation made the donation by himself during the inauguration of the Ajegunle Sports Council at the Ajeromi/Ifelodun Council Secretariat on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

Samsondeen, who is also the Regional Head for Skyway String Transport Technology in Africa, said he was born and bred in Ajegunle, hence the need to always come back and give to the community.

“I was born and bred in Ajegunle, we know we have different antics and tactics of how youths can be developed in Ajegunle as a whole, but particularly sports, and you know when you talk Sports, you talk Ajegunle in the Federation, we are reckoned with. And now for the first time in history we are having sports council inaugurated in our local government, it is a good way for the development and advancement of youths, and this is one of the best way we can develop the youth taking them out of the street for them not to be involved in hooliganism and prostitution.

“The advancement of the youth is paramount to any interest in Ajegunle as a whole. I was born and bred in Ajegunle, I have travelled far and wide, I represent a multinational company in Africa, but I have to come back home and see how the youths are doing. One, we all cannot be at the corridor of power, and one partway we can develop our youths is just to collaborate and contribute to the development and advancement like this sports council we are having today,” Samsondeen averred.”

On how he sees Ajegunle compared to days of old he said “There is a lot of diversity right now, just of recent you saw the EndSAR; Ajegunle was at the peak of it, this council was brought down, you know, we needed to now see how we can correct the abnormalities of how we govern our people. There is a threshold of just one idea, the idea of governing our people through the government, but there are a lot of key interests, parastatals, institutions, this sports council we are having today is one as well that can come in-between and collaborate with the government of the day.

“And one key thing I know by the time we are able to do that, taking out all the responsibility, some not all anyway, from government, because government is doing a lot, but we need to get some responsibility out of their table and we need to fashion them and structure them, we need to assign responsibilities to our institutions within our threshold. 

“By the time we are able to do that, there will be lot more advancement and opportunity that will be reckoned with in the development of our youth, particularly when you see a kind of diverse economy or society like Ajegunle, that has different tribes, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo. It is a conglomerate of cultural background, so we needed more technocratic idea here to come on board, to come on the table and change the norm on how we govern our people, giving them opportunity one way or the other, not fine tuning governance in their own way but putting opportunity on their table, so to speak,” he said.

Speaking on what brought the inspiration of Sunshine Kindheart Foundation and his interest in aspiring for the local government chairmanship in the last dispensation, he answered, “I actually went for the primary but many will be there but one will be chosen, definitely we all cannot be at the corridor of power, but my idea to run for the position then, in fact, I am more popular now than then, my idea then was to actually contribute to the development and advancement of youths in Ajegunle. As I said earlier on, all cannot be at the corridor of power, but if it was a shot and I could not have it, I think there should be another avenue I can still contribute to society, and that was the birth of Sunshine Kindheart Foundation.

“This means that even when we are not at the corridor of power we can still contribute to the advancement of our people. Of recent we did empowerment for widows, we are doing a lot in the foundation. What we do here in particular, because Ajegunle is a combination of attitude of the Chinese nation, Chinese nation has too much population, and their population is their wealth, but we are not using our own population as wealth, so what we need to do is to look at that area, how our people can be our wealth. Ajegunle by the name is wealth, so we are looking at how we can conglomerate with seasoned professionals in tailoring, welding, mechanics, fashion design, and all these professionals they are there, you can count them.

“So what we try to do in my foundation is to take those youths that are just sitting idle at home, graduates are sitting idle at home, you don’t need to sit at home, come. We can connect you with professionals in Ajegunle, but when we connect you with professionals in Ajegunle, it means that you will be trained as a professional, but what gonna be the end point, we can’t throw you back to the unemployment market. So what we do is a chain in my foundation, we pick them, we show them to the professionals, they train them, after the training we get them a shop and equip it; the meaning of that is that don’t give us anything back, but for the fact that you are able to train free of charge, you are able to get your start up kits and a shop, you are going to train a minimum of 10 Ajegunle youths, that is the agreement we had with the youths.”

On whether he still has intention to contest for the local government chairmanship, he answer that right now the council is doing well, but agreed that anytime he is called upon for the advancement of the people he will answer such call.

Ajeromi/Ifelodun Sports Summit 2.0: Stakeholders proffer solutions to youth restiveness, unemployment

Success Damian:

Stakeholders at the just concluded Ajeromi/Ifelodun Sports Summit 2.0 have proffered solutions to the seemingly intractable youth restiveness and unemployment in the area.

The event which was held on the 11^th of May, 2021 at Ajeromi/Ifelodun Council Secretariat, with the theme ‘Community Sports Ownership: Gateway to curbing youth restiveness, unemployment’, stakeholders agreed that grassroots and community sports development was capable of taking the youths out of the street while at the same time becoming a great source of employment in the community.

McAnthony Anaelechukwu, Special Adviser to the Ajeromi/Ifelodun Council Chairman on Sports and the Convener of the Summit, in his opening remarks spoke on the reason for the event. “Today, we dig deep into the seemingly insurmountable problems bedeviling Sports development in Ajeromi/Ifelodun. We are going to peruse into the past and bring to the fore what made us produce talents for various national teams; look at the present where we are today and see what we are not doing right; then take a cursory look into the future with the singular goal of taking our rightful place on the pinnacle of world sports.”

Anaelechukwu assuring prudent management of funds, stated that for the community sports to succeed there is need for commitment by all and sundry “This cannot be achieved without you sitting in this hall today. Together, we can produce those talents that can take the world by storm. Together we shall all speak with one voice and create job opportunities for our youths through meaningful involvement in sports,” Anaelechukwu said.

He went further to stress that even though there have been other summits in Agjegune, Sport Summit 2.0 was specifically designed to give back to the community “We have been having other summits, but this particular one came into being because we want to give back to the community, because you know, in foreign lands you see a team like Barcelona, Manchester United, they are being owned by the community, they are the stakeholders, they are the card carrying members of the clubs, they are the ones that pay to become members of those clubs, and if they stand up to say we don’t want this or that president, that president leaves. It was the fans that chased Asene Wenger out of Arsenal; Barcelona is owned by the community, by that Catalans.” He said.

Anaelechukwu maintained that the essence of the summit was to sensitise the community on how they can join hands to ensure a formidable sports development while also promoting crime free society and creating employment opportunities for the youth in the community.

He disclosed the role of the Royal Fathers in sports development of Ajegunle “And that is what we are trying to do. And we can’t achieve that without the Baales, who are the traditional custodians of laws and culture of the land; that is why you see the Baales, all represented, nine of them. And that is why you see the CDAs and the CDC, 39 CDA chairmen were all present today, the CDC Excos were here today too.

Speaking on the readiness of the traditional rulers to cue into the dream he said “The Chairman of the Local Government has called them, had a meeting with them telling them there is a competition we are bringing up, it is called Community Shield, this competition each Baale will own a team, Baale of Awodiora will bring his own team, all residents of Awodiora, every player must come from that community. Baale Ayetoro will bring his team, nine of them, there will be competition, where the winner will go home with N1million, second prize N500000, third prize, N250000. We are starting it after this Sallah.

“You will see that there will be room for competition, by the time this community wins two times, other ones too will like to work harder, so no community, no Baale will like to be left behind, no matter how old, thank God they are not that old,” McAnthony stated.

Hon. Fatai Adekunle Ayoola, the Executive Chairman of Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Governmnent, used the opportunity to disclose some of his efforts in the local government that were devoted to sports development.

He said among the promises he made while contesting for the chairmanship position were infrastructure, health and sports development, adding that he would like Ajeromi/Ifelodun to be known for sports.

Ayoola said there are 71  public schools in primary and secondary in his council, the highest in the whole federation, saying that it is a credit to his administration that since he came on board, no teacher has been owed Salary.

He asserted that his government embarked on renovation of schools immediately he took over the administration of the council, and in doing that he combine it with knowledge of technology, so that the children are exposed to what their mates are experiencing in the private sector, “The schools are equipped with ICT centres, Libraries and sports complexes.” He also spoke glowingly about the Ajegunle Maracana Stadium

Hon Ayoola also inaugurated the Ajeromi Sports Council, he emphasized that there is a law guiding the sports council and that the law stipulates that there will be election in every three years, reminding members that they can be voted out for non-performance.

Panelists at the event include Desmond Ekwueme, Publisher Complete Sports, High Chief Mike Orobosa, Peter Nieketein, and Austin Popo, Ifeanyi Udeze, Former Super Eagles player. They all agreed that sports play a critical role in ensuring crime-free society while generating huge employment opportunities.

Desmond Ekwueme while encouraging community sports, decried absence of sports policy in the country. He said for the sports development agenda of the present administration in the local government to survive, there should be continuity in implementation of sports policy.

Peter Nieketein on his part stated that sports is a unifying factor and called for its encouragement.