LASU is a great institution, not only in Nigeria but in Africa-- Prof Boyo

The Lagos State University (LASU) has been described as a great institution, not just in Nigeria, but in Africa.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, LASU, Prof. Adenike Omotunde Boyo, made the disclosure while representing the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, at the viewing of the Launch of space shuttle to the moon by the Indian nation at the Makanjuola Lecture Theatre, LASU main campus at Ojo on the 23^rd of August, 2023.

She said “LASU is a great institution and we are always encouraged to do what is right for the future, not for now, and that is part of the agenda of our Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, a visionary, that LASU must be in tune with what is happening globally, and like I said, we have Aerospace Engineering, looking forward, they too can put LASU either in the Pluto or Mercury.

“LASU is not only great in Nigeria, we are already great in West Africa, and we are great in Africa, we are moving globally to the moon and that is the motive,” Boyo stated.

On how she felt viewing the launch of the shuttle to the moon, she said “For me personally I landed in the moon, because when it was at a particular velocity I was just apprehensive, because we were already told that the first and the second missions had some challenges, so right inside me I said this one would not be challenged because LASU is also involved. We are here just to view it, and then to inspire us and to have more information of what is going on.”

On reason to invite children to participate in the viewing exercise, Boyo said “The reason is to inspire them; you know we have Aerospace Engineering at Epe and there we have some of our students. It is not only viewed here, it is viewed at Epe and our other campuses so that we can inspire them. Some of them that are studying Aerospace, there is much to do, it is not only to study but we can have some of them shuttle to the moon and come back, and I am sure in the near future it will be so, and we want all these children to know, some of them are always Medicine and Law, that there are other areas to learn, to go into the moon, to go into the sun, or other planets, there is the Pluto to study, there is a lot to do as researchers and we want these children to be involved.”

Prof Boyo also spoke on how Nigeria can benefit from the mission to the moon, “There are benefits, you know that we have Aerospace, I think we tried it once, and I am sure that there are some scientists working on it, like I said, they landed on the south pole of the moon, so maybe we might be the first people to land at the east pole of the moon. It is not impossible for us in Nigeria, and it will come to pass.”

Mahesh Narasimhan, Consul, Consulate General of India said "This is our third; we have done two earlier missions, Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2. Chandrayaan 1, basically there was no mission to land on the moon, it was only to go under orbit of the moon and study the moon. Chandrayaan 2 was on similar mission just like this Chandrayaan 3, we intended to land on the moon, but the last moment, just two minutes before landing we lost contact of the space craft, but this mission was a total success. What we intended we have done it. Now more explorations will be done by a craft which will come out of this shuttle and in few minutes or hours and then it would be hovering on the moon surface for fourteen earth days to get more information on the ice, water and other minerals present on the moon so that we get more information about the moon. This is the south pole of the moon where no country has landed before and this is a big achievement for India.

Speaking on reason for choosing LASU for the viewing of the launch of the shuttle he said, “Lagos State University is one of the great universities which we have in Nigeria and particularly in Lagos, so we have been collaborating with LASU for quite some time; we have MoU with LASU, that is why we have chosen LASU as the place to view this mission.”

While stating that the shuttle was launched on the 23rd of July, 2023, he also said that India is still planning to send another mission to the sun. “Yes we are still working on it, as of now there is no fix time line for that, but definitely we are working on it. As our Prime Minister said we are sending another mission to study the sun also, it doesn't mean we are landing on the sun but it will be close enough to study more about the sun.”

 

Stop peddling falsehood, Onyung warns Obasi group, says Ohanaeze was duly notified over football tournament …Urges AIGP to ignore petition

The Chief Executive Officer of ST. Eve Concept, the Initiators of a Football Tournament for Under 15 and 17 in Lagos State, Mrs Evelyn Onyung, has appealed to the Secretary of Ohanaeze Lagos State, Robert Obasi and his group to desist from peddling falsehood in order not to tarnish the image of Ohanaeze.

Mrs Onyung made the appeal in a press release, even as she also urged the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Zone 2 Command, Lagos State to ignore the petition purportedly written by Obasi.

In the said letter being circulated by Obasi and his group, they alleged that the name and logo of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State are being used in the organization and promotion of a football tournament without the approval of the Executive of the organization. Consequently they petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police Onikan, Lagos to make sure that the football tournament does not take place under the name of Ohanaeze.

The petition which has the screaming headline: ‘Disclaimer Disclaimer
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State and ST. Eve Concept’ read in part”

The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State Executive have been drawn to a football tournament advertisement been circulated on the social media and Television stations. The state executive of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State hereby dissociate itself from the football tournament. The organisers of the football tournament are not known to the executive members.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State does not have any contract agreement with ST. Eve Concept to sponsor or participate in any football tournament. The public and Ndigbo at large are warned not to participate in such fraud.

The security agencies are to stop any football tournament under any guise that associates with Ohanaeze Ndigbo or her trade mark logo and arrest anyone or group of persons involved.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State is committed to providing support services for Ndigbo in Lagos and will not allow scammers to defraud our people.

The letter was then signed by Robert Obasi, Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, the man who declared himself president.

Mrs Onyung in her rebuttal disclosed that the Executive of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State was duly notified about the plans to organize a football tournament using Ohanaeze structure.

According to her, a letter written by ST. Eve Concept, organisers of the Football Tournament, and addressed and dated July 7, 2023 was sent to the Executive. The said letter allegedly brought notice of the football tournament to the Executive soliciting their collaboration.

To proof her point she presented the letter from St. Eve to the media:

The letter which was dated 7th July, 2023 read in part:

The President, Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, Lagos State, No.1 Don Onyekachi Street, Ogudu GRA, Lagos.

INTRODUCTION AND REQUEST TO USE OHANAEZE NDI-IGBO LAGOS STRUCTURE FOR ST. EVE FOOTBALL TALENT HUNT

The above subject matter referred, St Eve Concepts Ltd, is a consulting firm incorporated with Cooperate Affairs Commission as a limited liability Company. We pride ourselves with human capital development through creation of programmes that enhance and develop organizations and communities. Our team, through our uncommon strategies and audacious nature came up with an iconic project to discover and develop football talents across all the 20 Local government Areas of Lagos State through Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo structure. Football unarguably has become a goldmine, considered as the most prominent among all sports across the globe. Our idea is to harness the heaped and undiscovered football talents domiciled in our local communities and bring them to applicable height in the soccer career.

The letter went ahead to state some of the benefits of the tournament and the nature of collaboration sort from Ohanaeze. “This league will unify us immensely both among ourselves and other tribes. This will enhance Ohanaeze as an organization in Lagos State. With the heated tension of the Igbophobia going on in Lagos State, a project like this is well needed.  We will improve and give our younger generations of football enthusiasts a sense of belonging. New talents can be harnessed and coached to be future stars in the international playing field. Ohanaeze will be seen as organization adding value to the Igbo ideology in Lagos. This will remove the already ill sentimental thinking and disappointment among the Igbos in Lagos.

“This investment in sports will bring about a whole new value of the organization across board. More flourishing ideas and other investment will spring up for both members and investors alike. This competition can be held annually to make this Ohanaeze exco regime one of the best in the history of the organization.

“We propose the competition begins from the month of a July as the schools are preparing for the long vacation in the country. This will be like a boot camp for the kids of the desired ages. With a month coaching and playing the game next month and before the new school year begins in September. We request for you and your excos to give a preferred date for a formal presentation on this project. This will accord the opportunity to explain verbally how the project will run to a successful completion,” the letter read.

According to the Initiator of the Football Tournament, the executive of Ohanaeze Lagos State was duly informed about the tournament. She said “The Letter said 7^th of July, it was just a month after the letter was sent, not hearing from them we thought they were with us and we invited the President for a press conference and he came. So the president did not go against any of the organization’s law, by the way, there is a company, a consultant who brought up the initiative, and decided to use Ohanaeze structure, Ohanaeze is not funding it and the tournament has a sponsor, it has nothing to do with using Ohanaeze fund or idea, it is not as if we stole money from Ohanaeze.”

Our source also revealed that the secretary has no authority to push out letter on behalf of Ohanaeze without the signature of the president, hence his petition to the AIGP is null and void and of no effect. “The secretary does not have the right to send out a letter without he president’s signature appended on the letter. This letter is even null and void, because it doesn’t have the appendage of the president. First of all we are not even going to honour the letter because he is not the president, and he has no right to sign a letter without the president’s signature.

“But for reference purposes, a letter was sent to the exco and was read to the exco, so you can’t say the exco didn’t know about it, and by the way you are not the only exco, and in any other organization, the secretary is not the only exco and does not have the right to write a letter without the endorsement of the president. As far as Ndigbo are concerned that letter is null and void, they are only fanning the embers of discord,” our source said.

 

 

Show of shame in Ohanaeze Lagos as Secretary proclaims himself Acting President ...Chief Sunday Ossai dismisses claim

It is now obvious that many people are hungry to lead Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State Chapter. These people have vowed to throw caution to the wind by constituting themselves as opposition to constitutionally elected administration.

From findings, this group of people even though they are members of the executive that supposed to work in consonance with the programmes and projects of the incumbent president have themselves become clog in the wheel of progress.

The latest act of coup which has never happened in the annals of Ohanaeze worldwide was when Robert Obasi the Secretary of Ohanaeze Lagos State Chapter declared himself as the President and was supported by a few executive members. They did not stop there, they claimed to have suspended the duly elected President, Chief Sunday Ossai and went ahead to expunge his name from their executive members’ Platform.

All this was done even as majority of the executive members disagreed with the motion for the suspension of the duly elected president. The group led by the secretary did not stop there, they rushed to some paid online media houses and began to circulate falsehood to give credence to their disproportionate and inordinate ambition.

From findings the antagonisms and rivalry in the Ohanaeze Lagos began since some of those fighting Chief Ossai were beaten mercilessly during the election that brought Ossai and they vowed to make his administration ungovernable.

The question on the lips of not a few bewildered Igbo people in Lagos is what was Ossai’s offense? Nothing other than he granted a press interview without all the executive members taking part, and one asks, in what part of the planet does the president needs to take permission from other executive members before he grants interview or participate in a press conference where he is supposed to represent the interest of Ohanaeze? All he needed was to do so in the best interest of his people.

According to Chief Ossai, while narrating the immediate cause of his suspension, said “We had an executive meeting, after minutes of the meeting was read, we began with treatment of the meeting’s agenda, the first agenda was the letter from the Football Tournament Initiators, after the letter I asked if anybody has anything to say about the letter, suggestions and opinions. Then one man called Leonard Nwogidi stood up without permission or addressing the meeting and said I should be suspended, that I attended a press Conference on football tournament without the knowledge of the executive, that I have given consent to the football tournament without carrying them along, that based on this that I have violated the constitution of Ohanaeze and I should step aside.”

He said at this juncture when majority kicked against the suspension, the Secretary, Robert Obasi, stood up and declared himself as the Acting President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Speaking to Journalists, Chief Ossai maintains that the clamour for his suspension based on the fact that he granted press interview is not only childish, malicious, baseless and lack of the knowledge, responsibilities and workings of the office of the President of Ohanaeze anywhere, adding that those who are fighting him came to Ohanaeze thinking that there was millions to be shared and when there was none they now want to destroy all that Ohanaeze stands for.

He advised those who wants to be president to exercise a little more patience till the end of his tenure so that they can contest under the constitutionally provided environment of the noble organization in Lagos State.

Ossai maintained that even if he made a mistake in carrying out his duty for Ohanaeze, there are spelt out constitutional procedures for impeachment of Ohanaeze President and cannot be done unilaterally.

Chief Ossai called on the President General of Ohanaeze to ignore the people he called the shenanigans and focus on the way forward for Ndigbo worldwide, adding that these enemies of progress will have to contend with ancestors of Ohanaeze Ndigbo “They have to contend with the ancestors of Ndigbo. Now Robert Obasi and his group have once again burgled our plan to fix date and templates for women's and youth's elections which we promised to conduct as soon as possible at the last General Assembly meeting.”

He accused Obasi of writing about two complaints letters to the Secretary Genaral og Ohanaeze just to instigate his removal by Enugu.

From a reliable source, it was also alleged that a former secretary of Ohanaeze Lagos State who was roundly beaten in the last election is working behind the scene to take over from Chief Sunday Ossai if the coup succeeds.

Our source revealed that the following members of his executive have continued to run the president down at any given opportunity, they include the Secretary, the Publicity Secretary, the Financial Secretary, and the Assistant Financial Secretary.

Our sources also called on the President General of Ohanaeze, the Secretary General and all well-meaning Ndigbo globally to condemn in strong terms this dastardly unconstitutional act, and to also ensure that the perpetrators of this sacrilegious act are brought to book to serve as deterrent to other erring power hungry leaders who want to throw the good name of Ohaneaze to the mud. They said that the era of using money to buy power has gone and gone forever in Ohanaeze Lagos. “We are at home with Chief Sunday Ossai, we like his humility, experience, his developmental agenda especially for the youths. Those looking for his position should wait till it is their turn.”

They said those who are in the corridors of power of Ohanaeze themselves want to be the head at all cost; they have consistently shown impatience, lack of capacity, they have shown selfishness and intolerance.

It is also obvious that those who are opposed to the administration of Chief Ossai are fighting tooth and nail so see his downfall, hence when the issue of football tournament which was designed to keep the youths engaged and a source of revenue for the organization, the opponents threw their spanner in the wheel of progress.

Many Igbo people interviewed on the matter have condemned the act and are calling on well-meaning Igbos to intervene as some of these rivals are parading themselves and glorying in their so called wealth. They throw away integrity, experience, good name but prefer unruliness, and the principles upon which Ohanaeze as a socio-cultural organization was established.

One is compelled to ask if the cacophony and hullabaloo in Lagos State Ohanaeze will ever cease one day so that the good people of Ndigbo in Lagos will have a breath of fresh air so that the organization will be able to carry out its statutory role as a protective umbrella for Igbos in Lagos.

The people are tied of one week one trouble, the people said that the Ossai led administration’s well thought out project, the football tournament for all the youths of Igbo origin residing in Lagos should be allowed to succeed to make the youths happy, enhance their sporting career and from there generate funds for Ohanaeze in Lagos. The opposition should stop their campaign of calumny and join a winning team to carry out laudable projects rather than trying to tarnish the good image of a duly elected President.

 

Professor Opere tasks government on measures for safe disposal of antimicrobial waste from food, others

Professor Olaitan Opere, a professor of Microbiology has tasked government of Nigeria on measures for safe disposal of antimicrobial wastes from food, human health and animal health systems and manufacturing facilities.

Opere stated this as part of her recommendations as the Lecturer of the 90th inaugural lecture of the Lagos State University (LASU)

She said "The government should put in place measures to safely dispose of antimicrobial waste from food, human health and animal health systems and manufacturing facilities."

The theme of the lecture which took place at the Buba Marwa Auditorium of the institutions main campus at Ojo, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, was 'Microbes in the environment: Unseen Femmes Fatales and Virtuous Saviours.'

Other recommendations by the erudite professor include Regular sanitation using chemical cleaners which is important in prevention of pathogenic microbes from contaminating telephones and computers and should be done periodically in companies, banks and institutions.

She further advocated the need to strengthen one-health action plans surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial consumption in the environment.

Other recommendations include reduction in the amount of antimicrobial waste entering the environment, farms, hospitals and other sources.

And also increasing agricultural production in a more economically and environmentally sustainable way, "There is need to use fewer chemical fertilizer and increase plant tolerance to abiotic stress. The use of Plant  Growth-promoting Microorganisms (PGPM) is a potentially advantageous technique for improving crop productivity, food quality and security in a more sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural system."

Insecurity: We need assistance in Kaduna, our people are living in fears---Idris Shuaibu

Idris Shuaibu, Managing Consultant, Time-Line Consult Limited, a Peace Ambassador and renowned Politician, has cried out to the Federal Government, local and international communities to come to the assistance of Kaduna State over the deteriorating security situation in the state.

Idris who made the plea in his office in Lagos recently disclosed that about seven local governments in the state are affected by serious security challenges.

“So Kaduna State needs assistance from the Federal Government, Kaduna State needs the assistance of the Inspector General of Police, Kaduna State needs the assistance of the Director General of the SSS, Kaduna State needs the assistance of the Army and the Airforce, so that we will be able to go to our farms, so that we will be able to do our businesses. So many people have lost their lives, so many people have lost their means of livelihood, so many people have lost their businesses, so many people are languishing in the hospitals arising from injuries sustained either from the merciless beaten when they were kidnapped by these bandits, or when they came raiding and attacking the villages.”

Idris asserted that Kaduna State needs more than palliatives, and therefore advocated a marshal plan to tackle the menace. “We need a bit of marshal plan of action, we need a rescue, we need much more than palliatives, we need assistance from Nigeria, we need assistance from well-meaning Nigerians, our able men and women need to come to the assistance of Kaduna State indigenes, because the masses, our parents, younger brothers, our sisters, our grandparents, are living in hunger, they are living in fear, they are living in abject poverty, not because they are lazy but because of the circumstances we have found ourselves. I have a farmland, over 2000 hectares, I planted mango trees, cashew nuts, oranges, papayas, avocado pea, name it, today, I am spending six years without having to visit the place, I constructed two art dam. I used to plant watermelon annually that I brought to Lagos, I take to Port-Harcourt, but today, I used to have 27 to 30 staff, now I have just one, imagine if I don’t have another source of livelihood, I would have been on the ground now. We need assistance, Kaduna State desperately needs assistance from the international community and national community,” Idris pleaded.

He commended the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff who he said did well when he was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army but said the problem is not yet over as seven local governments of Kaduna State are affected by insecurity. “We are happy with the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff, a gentleman, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, as GOC he did fairly well in battling the banditry, but have we gotten to the root of the matter, no. and the challenges are enormous.”

Idris advocated what he called ‘Elite National Consensus’ and called on those aiding and abetting insecurity to stop the inimical activities. “Sometimes we just point accusing fingers to government. What are we doing to help in this? Within the rank and file of the citizens there are informants, within the rank and file of the citizens there are goalkeepers, who are keeping the loots of these bandits or their cohorts in the military or the police.  Now going back to my suggestion of an elite national consensus, what am I doing that is inimical to Nigeria, I need to tell myself a bitter truth to stop it. About seven local governments in my state Kaduna are having serious security challenge, they are mostly affected by this banditry. If you go to the other parts of Kaduna, the Southern Zaria, or what we now call Southern Kaduna, yes we call it southern Kaduna now, but originally they were called southern Zaria, part of the Zaria Emirate, whether we like it or not, we don’t want to rewrite history. Jaba, Zongu, Kachia, Kafanchan, and a number of others are also having that challenge. Kaduna State desperately needs assistance from the international community and national community.”

On what intelligence agencies are doing to nib this on the bud he said, “You are asking the wrong person. I am not a member of the security personnel or the SSS, but you need to visit Kaduna and have a feel of what is happening. There are locations in the bushes where some of these criminals have camped themselves, when they kidnap people, they don’t keep them in the city, they are in the bush holding them in chain, I am sure you have heard about these people, also they get supplies, where are they getting them, they buy their food, where do they buy their essential items? So they come into town and even when they kidnap people they kidnap on the strength of prior information, informants among us, and back to my argument, the national self- interest that we need to develop, why should I be an informant providing information about this or that so that when they kidnap, they give me my cut, so why should I be a police man or a DSS that will be suppressing such a report?

On his governorship aspiration in Kaduna State, he said, “The Nigerian situation, and the Nigerian political system, do not appear to favour people like me. So when you realize that you are fighting a lost battle, you retreat, it may not necessarily be surrendering, you retreat, and then you also have to learn to choose the battle you want to fight and when to fight that battle. Sometimes when you interrogate, you research, decipher the challenges, and tell yourself, maybe this battle I don’t need to fight it now, may be much later. So that is the situation.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fashola: A Nation builder, in and out of office

Modestus Umenzekwe in this piece x-rays the speech of His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) in his Keynote Speech at the 2023 Standard Chartered Treasury Leadership Forum (TLF) on the theme, “The Blueprint For Tomorrow” which took place recently at the Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

In offering his thoughts about a blue print for tomorrow in Nigeria, the learned SAN, the former Governor of Lagos and two time Minister under President Muhammdu Buhari Administration, has shown that he is a nation builder both in and out of office. Reading critically through his speech one is likely to decipher the thought of a man who is sincere and passionate about his country, its wellbeing and feature development.

He concentrated on what he called first principles, dealing with local and global issues as a way of critically arriving at his point on all the forum need to know and need to look at, and from there hope to project what tomorrow offers. In his word he said “No part of the earth is new except those that are yet to be discovered by human beings. Powers, Nations and Countries have all existed in various forms and evolved differently.

“One first principle that History has taught us, is that Empires have risen and fallen and this will never stop as we are witnesses to some Empires now in decline. Simultaneously there is a renaissance in some places not the least Africa, and this brings on the significance of this gathering. Let us look at Nigeria as the subject of tomorrow.

“A territory of 923,770 square Kilometers of land area, bounded by the ocean and desert, bejeweled with various natural resources and biodiversity with a 200 million human capital. A market to ignore at your peril. In an increasingly plural planet, at a time that diversity and identity have become not only a justice issue but also an economic one, the largest nation of black people in the world triggers more than a passing interest,” Fashola said.

The soft spoken erudite scholar cum administrator maintained that Nigeria is blessed with a huge population of youths which is a critical human capital that cannot be ignored, and called it a real advantage for tomorrow “At the heart of the human capital lies a youthful bulk, aged between 18 – 35 who are nowhere near the peak of their powers. A real advantage for tomorrow. As the world searches for a new global legal order acceptable to all, one thing is undeniable, prosperity will be anchored on soft power rather than military might. That is why Nigeria sustains the largest democratic political undertaking on the African continent. It is a powerful statement of freedoms which businesses require to thrive. On the back of that and in recent years she has committed to an aggressive investment on her public infrastructure to support enterprise and her youthful and growing population.”

He also said that infrastructure development is critical to a sustained development agenda in readiness for tomorrow. “Expansion and upgrade of five major international airports in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Abuja which, are strategic human and enterprise hubs, are an important statement of readiness for tomorrow. Nigeria is expanding her gas supply infrastructure and I point to the Ajaokuta – Kaduna - Kano project stretching across 614 Km at $3.2 Billion.”

He stated that Broadband infrastructure deployment is being deployed without fuss. “On the Abuja-Makurdi 220km highway and the Kano/Maiduguri 560km the ducts to lay fibre optic cable are being constructed and have been completed respectively. A new refinery capable of processing 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day has come on stream and about to commence production, inclusive of a petrochemical plant and fertilizer plant. This is complemented by a new sea port in Lekki area of Lagos. These two projects alone account for $22 Billion dollars of local and international investment. Rail transport assets are also being developed and deployed for use. Road transport assets are being constructed in peace time at a rate only comparable to the post-civil war experience of the early 1970s. I have been directly involved in this effort and can provide some details.”

Speaking on the contribution of his ministry under Buhari which was indication of preparedness for tomorrow, he stated. “At the last count in my hand over notes in May of 2023, we had over 13,117.09 kilometers of roads under construction and rehabilitation. This is equivalent to driving from Abuja to Johannesburg and back and at handover over 9,000 km had been executed, and the number grows daily as work continues Kilometer after Kilometer. These roads link our air and sea ports, connect to our petroleum depots and strategic agricultural regions in addition to linking us to Neighbouring countries in the north, east, west and south of our international borders. They are not roads of desire, but instead strategic economic roads for internal and international trade on the back of our signatory to the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

“The last impact surveys we conducted in 2021 showed that 4 travel time on the completed portions of these roads reduced by up to 50% and contiguous real estate values rose by up to 30%. These are not just indices of efficiency and competitiveness for businesses they are a broad response to multi-dimensional poverty. For example it would now take a few minutes to drive across the River Niger instead of a whole day, while a drive from the east of Nigeria to Abuja across the River Benue reduces travel time by four hours on the new Loko-Oweto Bridge. As at May of 2023 a total of N3.929 Trillion has been committed by 8 (Eight) companies to build 85 Roads covering 7,830.71Km under the Tax Credit Policy. This is money not yet spent but committed. In just 8 (Eight) years she has doubled her infrastructure to GDP from 20% to 40% and is not relenting.”

He stated that the significance for businesses that support construction such as quarry, lubricants, steel reinforcement, and cement is a matter of excitement for investors who play in these sectors. Another event that went unnoticed is the number of Nigerians who gained access to electricity. That number was 96.9 million people in 2015 and rose to 112.63 million in 2019. I know that reliability of supply is still an issue and for some this may be a matter to be cynical about.

“For an investor looking at tomorrow, an increase of 16.03 million consumers with access to electricity and the possibility to increase that market share is what tomorrow is about. This is the size of the population of many countries put together within the African continent and in other continents. But it represents only part of our journey and the market demand for electric power. Undeniably on a continent of over ONE Billion people the best place also is the biggest in economic output measured by GDP, and the place with the most diverse, most talented and most zestful human capital. When the conversation is about markets, size matters and Nigeria has it. The number of Nigerian created unicorns, chart bursting music and movies bear testimony to the productive capacity that resides in Nigeria. Remember what l said about soft power. On the back of the infrastructure hardware in transport, energy and digital areas are legislative and policy initiatives that would herald a new dawn tomorrow. While climate change poses security challenges on her desert boundaries and drives migration towards the coastal areas from outside and within the borders, due to water shortage and flooding in others, Nigeria is convinced about the science of climate change and is a signatory to COP 23 and the commitment to net zero. 

In this regard Nigeria sees climate actions as a viable opportunity to respond to these challenges. Nigeria is thus the first country in Africa to develop and implement a comprehensive Energy Transition Plan (ETP) seeking to achieve net zero by 2060 and universal access to energy by 2030 (7 years from now). This Plan was launched in Glasgow in 2021. This is a pathway to rapid industrialization tomorrow. There is also the recently enunciated policy on Blockchain making Nigeria the lead African country with respect to Blockchain policy. According to a Baker Mckenzie report, Nigeria “reportedly has the world’s third largest bitcoin holdings as a percentage of gross domestic product. The policy approved on 3rd May of 2023 by the Federal Executive Council at the instance of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has seven parts aimed at creating a blockchain powered economy that supports secure transactions, data sharing and value exchange between people, businesses and Government. In furtherance of implementation, a training programme for capacity development has been funded for 20,000 young Nigerians and at least 5,000 have enrolled in the programme.

Fashola stated that the combination of the hardware of infrastructure and policy and law, only sets the stage for the most important component, the human capital. “My focus on this aspect is the largest batch of that asset. The youthful ones – First I invite our attention to their mindset. What I see is an increasing projection of their originality. A mindset to assert their Nigerianness, from Dress and fashion; to music and culture, and if you have followed the debate about jollof rice, you will understand their need to project and protect their cuisine. They have branded their country in their own way. They don’t call her Nigeria. They call her NAIJA. They are pushing and propelling that brand at the centre stage of major Global events. From the World Cup in Qatar, to the King’s coronation in England, the Champions League football final and most recently the Juneteenth Memorial celebration of the end of Slavery before a Global audience. Everywhere you turn, NAIJA is there. These are the type of citizens who do their duty as envisaged under Section 24 of the constitution to “…enhance the power, prestige and good name of Nigeria.”’

He said when a new global legal order is to be agreed upon, these young people will not only be in the room, they will be at the table because they represent diversity and they are from the largest nation of black people in the whole world. Are there challenges? Of course there are. What is the value of a life lived without challenges? How can we celebrate achievement without adversity?

“I acknowledge the non-partisan nature of this meeting and I respect it. However, when we are confronted with challenges, we cannot avoid an assessment of the role of leadership. Leadership is undeniably a critical factor. Nigeria has just elected a new president. I am sure he will reveal himself to those who do not yet know enough of him by the leadership he will offer. But if Morning shows the day, some of the decisions taken so far especially on the economic front are already impacting the market and exciting investors. Let me remind us that he came to power by forging a merger of political parties in 2013 with President Buhari. That is the first and only successful merger of political parties in Nigeria for a long time. That party unseated an incumbent President, a rarity in these parts. Everything the then opposition said was impossible, Tinubu and his party proved them wrong. These are important leadership traits that impact business and investment. The merger indicates his ability to forge partnerships, waiting for 8 years for his partner to run his term before seeking office shows that he is a faithful partner and can sustain policy. The reforms he is initiating are not a fleeting fancy, he is here for the long game as permitted by Law. An example is the judicial reforms led at sub-national level in Lagos which have gained national acceptance.”

Fashola said the largest democracy on the African Continent has just produced a political leadership whose record shows a capacity to thrive against the odds, and said “It would be a very hard search to find a leader who won an election against such odds. That kind of resilience and resolve must stand the country in very good stead as she confronts tomorrow with a leader who does not surrender,” Fashola said.

 

Is Africa coming under mysterious attacks as Primate Ayodele foretold?

At the moment, there is so much tension in the African continent due to the military coup taking place in some sensitive countries across the continent.

The once-united Africa is gradually becoming a volatile zone where a coup could even happen overnight. The latest successful coup in Niger Republic last week and the attempted coup in Sierra Leone yesterday is a confirmation that there is a crisis in the African continent.

In the coming days, Africa may experience an internal war following the order given to Niger Republic junta by The Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS). The organization led by President Tinubu ordered the junta to reinstate a democratic government in the country or force will be exerted to make it happen. 

A few days after the order and threat, the Military junta in Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau and Mali threw their weight behind the coup in Niger, warning ECOWAS not to attempt to overthrow the military in Niger because it will be seen as war and retaliations will follow.

Technically, Africa is heading towards a continental war. Military take-over of democratically elected governments is now in vogue as some countries may experience it in the coming days if care isn’t taken.

Many are of the notion that Russia is behind the military coup in the continent but regardless, it seems Africa will come under a heavy attack with its guns, swords, and knives.

Meanwhile, in January 2023, One of the most vocal prophets in the continent, Primate Elijah Ayodele alerted leaders in the continent that he foresees Africa coming under a heavy attack that will not be explainable. He highlighted that the continent will be scary for everyone and that presidents need to wake up from slumber to avert this crisis he foresees.

These were his words

“I see Africa coming under a heavy attack, the way it will happen won’t be explainable, Africa will become a very scary continent for everyone. African leaders need to wake up from slumber. There will be insecurity in Africa and countries in the continent need to come together to build a security network. They don’t have to always run to the Western world for security.’’ (https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2023/01/24/i-foresee-africa-coming-under-a-mysterious-attack-primate-ayodele/)

In February, Primate Ayodele again warned that he foresees Africa fighting Africa in the coming months.

‘’African leaders, ECOWAS, AU should wake up, there is danger in Africa now, I see Africa fighting Africa for no reason and they will turn it into a war. Don’t allow Africa to become a war zone’’.

Also, Primate Ayodele warned that the presence of foreign countries in Africa will push the continent into crisis. He mentioned that Africa will become a tense ground where world powers will be testing their strength if care isn’t taken.

‘’The presence of China, Russia, America, the UK, and Israel in Africa goes a long way, the leaders must be careful because there are issues and counter issues that will arise because of their presence. They want to use the African nation as a tense ground. Africa must be careful of health dangers.’’ (https://dailypost.ng/2023/03/26/expect-political-tension-primate-ayodele-to-world-leaders-speaks-on-global-economy/)

With the current situation of things in the continent, will it be right to say Africa is coming under a mysterious attack as foretold by Primate Ayodele?

 

 

Russia Alliance: African Presidents are neglecting Primate Ayodele’s warnings again

By Barasa Ashura, Kenya:

Whenever Primate Ayodele gives warnings to presidents, especially in Africa, I wonder what comes to their minds or what they think about the warnings from this prophet. There is no way they won’t get these warnings because of the media reach of Primate Ayodele but consistently, they have just chosen to walk in the path of obstinacy for reasons best known to them but harmful for the African continent.

Primate Ayodele doesn’t even ask them for anything, he doesn’t ask them to even meet him and he has said several times that he doesn’t like politicians and will never try to stay close to them. Primate Ayodele is wealthy enough, therefore, doesn’t need anything these presidents may want to offer him. He has been releasing prophetic warnings for these presidents for many years yet they have failed to listen.

Maybe many of them don’t know these warnings are not just the words of Primate Ayodele but divine revelations from God. On second thought, these presidents are well-learned, some of them are Christians who understand what prophecies are but just like the biblical King Pharaoh Of Egypt who neglected the warnings of Moses despite seeing the marvelous works God did through him, they just chose to be disrespectful towards God’s words. King Pharaoh due to his unwillingness to obey God’s voice destroyed Egypt, killed his soldiers, and lost his own life too; similarly, African presidents have been toiling this path of destruction by constantly ignoring God’s instruction through Primate Ayodele.

A few days ago, Russia became suspiciously magnanimous to the continent in a summit held in the country. At the summit, President Putin announced that Russia will be pardoning the debt of a whole continent and will give them grains. Putin said at the summit that Russia’s attention has been growing towards Africa and that there are so many benefits to get if it works out.

Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from St Petersburg, said the declaration is Russia’s “new initiative towards Africa”.

“There is a Russian plan for Africa,” he said, adding that there are “very ambitious initiatives” from Putin.

“Russia wants to gain African allies. This is why it’s initiating more and more towards Africa – to the extent that President Putin wants to … revive the Soviet era investments in Africa,” he said.

According to Hashem, Russia plans on building plants and factories and increasing diplomatic missions on the continent.

Meanwhile, Primate Ayodele warned African leaders some months back to be careful of the agreements they sign and the presence of foreign countries in the continent. He warned that so many African countries will sell their birthright and that as a result of the presence of these foreign countries, Africa will become a tense ground and testing ground for their powers.

These were his words

‘’African leaders must be very careful because the so-called investors will take over some African rights if there is no proper agreement. A lot of African nations will sell their birthright and apart from this, Africa will be enslaved totally. The following countries must be careful against political tension, crisis, and natural problems; South Africa, Guinea, Burundi, Mali, Malawi, Mauritius, Sao Tome Principe, Cote D’Ivoire, South Sudan, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Guinea Conakry, and Gabon .’’

‘’The presence of China, Russia, America, the UK, Israel in Africa goes a long way, the leaders must be careful because there are issues and counter issues that will arise because of their presence. They want to use the African nation as a tense ground. Africa must be careful of health dangers.’’

These words are not too ambiguous for our African leaders to understand, the dangers were highlighted yet they went ahead to partner with Russia knowing fully well the hostility between the country and other Western countries. With Russia’s territory in Africa, it is expected that countries like the USA will create tension in the African continent which may be resisted by Russia. With that, Africa has automatically become a testing ground for world powers, the crisis that will be faced by the continent in the coming days will be imported because of leaders’ obstinacy 

The agreement with Russia is still in its early stage and it’s not too late to back out but these leaders have been blinded by their gains, they will stick to it and will fight anyone of them that tries to withdraw from the agreement.

This isn’t the first time they will be neglecting Primate Ayodele’s prophecy. They have done it several times which they had to pay heavily for yet they failed to learn their lessons. He warned them about Coup some months back and even mentioned Niger specifically. He told African leaders then that they should work seriously and do the needful to avert the coup but they didn’t listen, we all saw how Niger's president was ousted.

The military coup in Mali, Burkina Faso, and the attempt in Gambia were things Primate Ayodele foretold but sadly, it happened because they failed to listen to the prophet.

How Niger Republic President Ignored Primate Ayodele’s Coup alert four months ago (Video)

As sudden as the coup in Niger Republic was, it had been accurately foretold by foremost Nigerian prophet, Primate Elijah Ayodele in March 2023, four months ago.

Primate Ayodele is not a newbie when it comes to prophecies, especially regarding unexpected events around the world. Many of the significant events that have happened in the world in the last 25 years were foretold by the prophet before they happened.

It is believed that nothing happens in life without God’s knowledge, He constantly talks to his prophets about what is to come and sometimes, these messages come in the form of warnings but most of the time, they don’t even pay attention and they end up paying heavily for ignoring prophetic warnings.

Among the few prophets in the world, Primate Ayodele seems to be the one whose ears are closer to God’s mouth considering the rate at which he churns out prophecies and how they come to pass. He is the only prophet who speaks beyond his country and continent, this is why many who are conversant with his ministry refer to him as a ‘Global Prophet’.

The sudden coup in Niger Republic is a testament that God still speaks to his prophets regularly, the problem we have is that people no longer listen because they have been deafened by their intelligence, wisdom, self-righteousness and personal gains.

The coup could have been avoided by President Mohamed Bazoum if he listened to Primate Ayodele. All he could have done was to restructure his military formation because he was ousted by his personal guards but sadly, He didn’t listen to the prophet’s warnings.

Primate Ayodele in his prophecy which was shared in March 2023 categorically and explicitly said that there will be a bad day in Niger Republic and it will be between April and July. One thing that is distinct about Primate Ayodele’s messages is that they are never cumbersome, he breaks them down so well that a layman would understand what he is trying to pass across.

The message to Niger Republic was simple and revealing enough for the president to act upon. The volatile months were mentioned but even at that, the president didn’t care to listen.

These were the prophet’s words

‘’In Niger Republic, let them pray against bad days in the country that will affect major parts of the country. Let them pray to avert crisis and an unexpected attack in the following months; April, May, June and July’. 

Following Primate Ayodele’s prophecy, one can say God indeed loves Niger Republic and didn’t want such a coup to happen in the country and that’s why the president escaped April, May, and June but due to his disrespect to God’s warning, He didn’t escape the month of July. He had more than three months to act on the prophet’s warnings but He ignored them. Sadly, He had to pay heavily with his presidency.

WATCH PRIMATE AYODELE’S VIDEO BELOW:

https://www.tiktok.com/@primateayodele/video/7260485429273611525?_r=1&_t=8VvCbtQWgtq&fbclid=IwAR2W-zDYdIWwjo-iiEawK8KPo2Hr7VjxWZjAHtjPpA_ECf2lYL_MMDsJ9gI