Giving has been the secret of my leadership success, Chief Nwokedi

Success Damian:

Double Chief Chika C. Nwokedi, former President of Ladipo Auto Parts Market Lagos and currently the President of Igboburuotu Social Club of Nigeria, has revealed the secret of his leadership success, saying he loves giving.

He also added that his records as President of Ladipo Auto Parts Market have remained unbroken.

Nwokedi made the revelation at the 2nd Harvest of Grace 2019 & Thanksgiving Service of Grace and Restoration Ministry (Arena of Holy Ghost), Fire Junction, Ijegun Lagos on Sunday.

The double chief attended the church with friends and well wishers to thank God for His wonderful works in his life and family.

He said “In my life, I like to help people, I may not eat but I would like you to eat, that has been my secret, I like to help people,” Nwokedi stated.

He spoke further on reason for the thanksgiving, saying “I want to thank the lord, it is not easy to be alive, from January to November and again, today made it 20 years that I won Chairmanship of Ladipo, 20 good years, then I was 27 years old when I rule Ladipo without a wife, a young boy, and till today nobody has beaten my record in Ladipo. So I said I must come and thank God.”

On the strategies that kept his record in Ladipo unbeaten, he said “I won the Chairmanship of Ladipo in August 14, 1999,  when I took over as chairman of Ladipo, then there was no phone, so I put landlines, one for the office and one for the general public. I gave them number so when there was any call I had two secretaries, they would go and call them in their shops. So they put the number in their cards which they give out to customers. 

“I went to Airtel, they gave us two phone booths which I put in Ladipo and we bought enough cards and things were moving.  And again I built an office, if you like be a governor, we receive you there. We built that office in three months. I put security; that is why they call me Presido. Nobody has beaten my record, because I have heart of helping people. Both the former Chairman and the one that is there now they were my boys when I was chairman, they are trying but they have not beaten my record,” Nwokedi stated.

He spoke further, “In Ladipo if you are not married you will not contest but the youths said it must be me because of my character. I was there since 1992, the way I help people, 10k, 5k, but I had one room in 1996, but the youth said it must be me. The day I won the election 78 vehicles or more followed me to my one room, the street closed. I was in an open-roof; that was 230 Mercedes Benz. So when you are doing good, people know, when you are doing bad people know.”

Nwokedi who showered worshippers with various gift items talked about the philosophy behind his wife’s ministry “In this church, I told my wife whatever you make here don’t carry it and come to my house, give them to those that don’t have, every last Tuesday of the month we give people money to start business, we give rice, food, clothes. Here is not an ordinary church. We give people drink, water, you cannot buy water or drink here; they are free of charge. If you don’t have money, don’t go and borrow money to come and so seed, no. The bible says whatever you have you give, because church is where people enter and eat food, but now they believe it is big-man, it is only big-man church, and that is why when poor man dies you will not see bishop, but when rich man dies you will see about five bishops, so I want to change those things I can change.”

Nwokedi who also go by the title Okpoko disclosed that he does not expect a dime back for his generosity “I will not give you something for you to give me back, I don’t do that. I give you what my heart says I should give you. Whatever I am doing I do it for God because I came to this world with nothing, and one day I will go with nothing. In my house I opened borehole water, I don’t sell water; it is evil to sell water. That is why I want to open an NGO December 7. Here I am paying school fees for seven children, I don’t know them, Yoruba, Delta, only three Igbos are there; they are not from my state or town, I gave 5 girls N20,000 each to start business and they are making money. But my own I was given only 2k, from my mother, I came to Lagos with only N2000, my mother gave me her last money. I know what it takes when someone doesn’t have one Naira,” He narrated.

On his message to Nigerians, he said “Nigeria is Nigeria, Nigeria is not spoiling, it is the people that are in Nigeria that are spoiling, we have bad government, we still have bad human beings, we still have bad police, we still have good police, so Buhari is not spoiling this country, it is between me and you, if I change, and you change, this country will be good, because change must start by me, through you, not through anybody. 

“Nigeria is okay. The kidnapper is somebody like us, if they refuse to kidnap, if they refuse to bomb, Nigeria will be okay. Again, if you are doing good, obey God, no matter how bad the  nation is, God will surely bless you,” Nwokedi stated.

LASU VC bags National Productivity Order of Merit Award

Success Damian;

Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun, (SAN) has been announced a recipient of the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award.

In a press statement signed by Ademola Adekoya, Coordinator, Centre for Information Press and Public Relations, LASU, the Conferment of the Award was conveyed via a letter signed by the Honourable Minister for Labour and Employment, Senator (Dr.) Chris Ngige.

The letter read in part: "The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has approved the conferment of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award on you in recognition of your high productivity, hard work and excellence.

“Your recommendation was based on the report of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award Committee after a rigorous selection process," the letter read.

Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, will be conferred with the Award in a ceremony that will be Chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, 28th November, 2019 at the NAF Conference Center and Suites, Kado, Abuja.

The National Productivity Order of Merit Award is an award of Dignity instituted by the Federal Government to recognize hard work and excellence among deserving Nigerians.

A Professor of Environmental Law, Prof. Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun, was appointed the 8th Substantive Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Ojo, on 16th January, 2016 and has, in the last four years, engineered an unprecedented transformation of the Ivory Tower to one of the best and most subscribed Universities in the Country.

Akah urges youths to leverage Technology as tool for national development

Success Damian:

Oremeyi Akah, Chief Core Operations Officer, Interswitch, Nigerian Technology giant, has urged youths to leverage Technology as a major tool for national development.

Akah was speaking at the 7^th Lagos State University College of Medicine Student Union Leadership Conference which was held on Saturday, November 16, 2019 at MRC Hall, Lasuth, Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme of the conference was ‘A Perfect Nation: The Huge Gap between Reality and Fantasy; The Youths Leading the Contributions to Nation’s Development’.

She said “Technology is Leverage that anybody can take advantage of; it is not an end in itself; I believe it is a means to an end. Technology today has become so ubiquitous, it is everywhere, and the youths are definitely technology savvy. Nigeria of course has the highest population of youths; we have the highest concentration, almost globally, and that is huge potential.” 

She warned youths against resigning to faith and leaving national development to the politicians “People have resigned in their mind and left the development of Nigeria to the politicians, or until they get into power,  I don’t  believe in that, I believe that mass matters, I believe that numbers count and the youths are a huge number, I believe if they understand and  tap into the potential of their number, tap into the potential of their mind, of their ability to assimilate knowledge and do positive things, I think we can make impact.

Akah who spoke to Journalists before the conference said “Specifically I will be speaking on the potential, the opportunity that the youths have; I will be tailoring my conversation towards how they can leverage technology to drive change that will close that gap between what we see in Nigeria today and the future Nigeria that all of us will delight to see.

“So for me, we are going to be discussing various technology assets, social media, the internet, interconnectivity, speed, the velocity of data and how it can be leveraged by the youth, not to sit down and complain or developed vices just like many are doing today, but to use it as an advantage to develop virtues that can actually impact Nigeria,” Akah said.

Akah stated further, “I know the students want to challenge themselves to rise.  The theme of the conference which is the gap between reality and fantasy is going to look at the country and the role the youth can and should play in national development.”

On her advice to the youths she said “Don’t believe what people say, believe in your country, make up your mind to make a change, change is not easy, it takes time, if you are patient and you push, it will come through, we have only one country, nobody gonna fix, it is for us to do,”Akah stated.

PHSAI visits Lagos First Lady, seeks consent to endorse her as FP/LPAY Champion

Success Damian:

L-R: Chairperson Interfaith Forum, Dr. Ajoke Ashiru; Secretary of Public Health Sustainable Advocacy  Initiative (PHSAI), Her Excellency Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Omasanjuwa Edun, NURHI 2 State Team Leader and Barrister Ayo Adebusoye, Chairman PHSAI during an advocacy visit by PHSAI to the first lady.

Public Health Sustainable Advocacy Initiative (PHSAI) has paid an advocacy visit to the First lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwoolu.

The core objective of the visit was to advocate ways to improve Sexual and Reproductive Health of young people in the state. This is because of her passion and interests in public health having served as Medical Director in Shomolu General Hospital, Lagos.

She received the team with love and engaged the PHSAI team in a great and rich conversation.

Barr. Ayo Adebusoye introduced to the First Lady the PHSAI Family Planning Budget scorecard and what PHSAI had achieved since its emergence in 2015 in Lagos state.

PHSAI intervention has been to make sure that all Local governments Chairmen in the State support family planning services by releasing funds for consumables to deliver free quality  FP services to the most vulnerable.

Ajayi Abiodun, Lagos State Coordinator - Life Planning for Adolescent and Youth (LPAY Champion) reiterated that the primary purpose of this visit was to make the First Lady an FP/ LPAY Champion as a leading voice that will help advocate for release of funds for Adolescent & Youth Friendly Services in the state to address the critical  issues facing young people. He said Champions were to make sure that key drivers give prompt attention to Adolescent and Youth programs in the State by providing Life-Planning skills training.

The First Lady acknowledged the work of NURHI 2 in the health sector of the State and observed that it is unfortunate that it is when the new administration is just gearing up that NURHI2 project is winding up. She stated that it is now a challenge as a concerned Government to practically own the health interventions even when NURHI2 and other Implementing Health Partners have gone.

Mrs Sanwoolu committed to give prompt attention to Public health in the state. She planned to meet with all the 57 chairmen where they will be charged to step up efforts in delivering quality health care services to their people.

She also accepted to be inducted as an FP / LPAY Champion and thanked PHSAI for not giving up in our objectives and expressed her willingness to always partner with the Group.