Sonita Gets IDFA Audience Award, Smiles Home With 5k Euros

              
One of the documentairies that rocked the 2015 edition of International Documentary Festival Amsterdam is Sonita by Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghanmi. The documentary tells the story of 18-year-old Afghan Sonita Alizadeh, who lives illegally in Iran and dreams of a career as a rapper. Maghami, the director of Sonita led the poll of audience in Iran,Germany and Swittzerland right from the start of the festival. Having won the prestigious award, Ghaem is carting home 5 thousand Euros . Boudewijn de Groot – Come Closer by Suzanne Raes won the IDFA Music Audience Award (€ 2,500) for the music documentary scoring highest with audiences. The documentary follows singer Boudewijn de Groot as he prepares for a concert in which bids farewell to his biggest hits. Earlier last week, Sonita – which was made with support from the IDFA Bertha Fund – also won the IDFA DOC U Award.

 

Champions League: Mourinho says he wants Olympiakos to eliminate Arsenal

                       
Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho, has said that he would like Olympiakos to qualify for the Champions League round of 16 ahead of Arsenal.

The Portuguese is friends with Marco Silva, who coaches the Greek club and admits he wants them to progress because of his relationship with their manager.

"I would always like English teams to qualify, first – but they [Arsenal] are in a group where a kid friend of mine is the manager of Olympiakos, and it would be fantastic for the kid’s career to go through.

"So I have to be honest and say that I would like the kid and Olympiakos to go on, and we know that [group winners] Bayern Munich go through for sure."

Arsenal need to win by two clear goals or a high-scoring win like 3-2 and Mourinho says they can still qualify.

"It’s not my problem, it’s their problem, but the reality is first of all they can qualify, and secondly if they go into the Europa League then they become favourites," he said.

"So I think they can have success in the Champions League by going to the next round and they can succeed in the Europa League because then they become favourites. I think they have a lot to . for."

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome May Go To Prison In South Africa

                                      
South Africa’s Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) has threatened a jail term for Chris Oyakhilome if his church, Christ Embassy, fails to release its financial records.

Several controversial religious leaders could also face prison if they do not adhere to the demands of the Commission.

Commission head Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told News24 she had already asked the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to advise on their next legal course of action.

"We are forced to take the legal route because some of them are not complying and we cannot be held [to] ransom by a few," she told News24.

The Commission is investigating the commercialisation of religion and the abuse of people’s beliefs. It has summoned several religious organisations to appear before them.

All those summoned to the hearings were required to produce their ordination certificate, the church registration certificate, bank statements and the annual financial statements dating from 2012.

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said they were also looking at possibly filing charges of intimidation against some of the religious leaders who have threatened the commission publicly.

"Some of these religious leaders will face prison if they do not comply and we have been clear about our course of action. Some religious leaders have also threatened the commission, which is leading us toward the legal route. Saps have been notified already," she said.

She said she could not understand why some pastors who took money from their followers were now unable to provide the commission with financial records.

"These people take money from people. What are they doing with that money? We want to know. We will not back down," she said.

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said Christ Embassies Pastor Chris Oyakhilome had indicated that he would fight the commission in court before he released his records.

"If he intends on that route, we are ready. He will have to face the same fate as the others who refuse to hand over their financial records," she said.

Source-Yemojanews.com


　

Roli Adeniyi-George takes over as Actng Chairman of NDLEA

            
So many things that couldn’t happen when Muhammadu Buhari was military head of state are happening in this era because of the so called rule of law, Buhari is now forced to laugh with corrupt people. As your read this, wife of Bode George, Mrs Roli George, has taken over as the acting Chairman of NDLEA due to retirement of Ahmadu Giade who has bowed out after serving 10 years in the agency. Already, Bode George’s wife have started playing politics, using women some groups to describe her acting in that capacity as a victory for women.

Tyga And I Are Still Dating – Kylie Jenner

                              

The rumors aren’t true: Kylie Jenner and Tyga are still going strong, according to Jenner herself.

"People have it all wrong," she says in a teaser for an upcoming episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "We’re not broken up. We just, honestly, we became best friends before anything happened so I think that that’s awesome. And we’re just like, I don’t know, hanging out."

Host Ellen DeGeneres went on to ask if it’s true that Tyga bought Jenner a car — more specifically, a Ferrari — for her birthday, which Jenner confirmed. "I drove it here," she said.

 

HID Awolowo Buried In Gold Casket

                   
CHIEF (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo went home yesterday in a blaze of glory when the matriach of the Awolowo family was buried in gold casket. Six pall-bearers dressed in blue Aso Oke attires carried her.

She was brought to the funeral service at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State in a horse-drawn carriage at about 9.56am accompanied by her children, grandchildren and other family members.

Securitymen had a hectic time controlling both vehicular and human traffic.

President Muhammadu Buhari led Senate President Bukola Saraki, ministers, 16 governors and other eminent Nigerians to bid Mrs Awolowo farewell.

At about 1:57pm, the remains of the late matriarch were laid to rest beside her late husband inside the Awolowo Mausoleum while prayers were offered by clergy men and family members.

Senate President Saraki, who had earlier represented President Buhari, urged the children and family members of the deceased to keep the good name of the Awolowo dynasty.

But President Buhari whose chopper landed in Ikenne at about 2:10pm, headed straight to the Awolowo residence.

The funeral service was performed by Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of the Anglican Communion, Most Revd. (Dr.) Nicholas Okoh, who lamented the inability of the nation’s leaders to check the worsening spate of terrorism.

KOGI: APC to replace Audu in supplementary election due December 5

                          
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is to conduct supplementary elections on December 5 in the 59 polling units where the governorship election was cancelled in Kogi State last Saturday.

Besides, the All Progressives Congress, APC which was coasting home to victory before the election was declared inconclusive is to present a candidate to replace Prince Abubakar Audu, the party’s candidate who died in the midst of the election.

The choice on who becomes the candidate it was gathered would be left in the hands of the APC.

The INEC, returning officer for the election, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, had announced Audu as having polled 240,827 votes to top the election with Wada scoring 199, 514 votes.

He, however, declared the election inconclusive on the fact that no party could be declared the winner since the number of cancelled votes was more than the difference between the APC and the PDP.

Though the election was peaceful across the three senatorial districts, the election was cancelled in 59 polling units across 18 Local Government areas of the state due to non-usage of the card reader, over voting, ballot snatching, violence and other irregularities.

Kucha said, "Since the number of cancelled votes was 49,953 while the difference between the votes scored by the APC and PDP candidates stood at 41,353, the election could not yet be declared as conclusive.

 

Jubilation in Lokoja as rumour of Audu’s resurrection spread

                                
There was jubilation in Lokoja this afternoon by supporters of late Abubakar Audu over rumours that the former governor had suddenly"resurrected" from death. Vanguard can reliably inform that the resurrection story was a complete contrast from the reality here in Ogbonicha where his corpse is lying. A group of prophets came into the expansive country home of Prince Audu, with a promise to revive him back to life. One of them even stake his life while assuring the mammoth crowd that has gathered for the burial here of the possibility of Audu coming back to life. His running mate, Hon. Abiodun Faleke and Sen. Dino Melaye are among the early arrivals here for the burial. Audu’s family refused to give the prophets access to where Audu’s body was deposited. But the youths forcibly opened the door to give the prophets access, with the hope that the ex-governor will come back to life.

 

Ogunwusi to be crowned today as new Ooni of Ife

                       

The new Ooni of Ife, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, will be crowned today as the Arole-Oduduwa and assumed the title of the Ojaja II, having completed the coronation rites at the Ilofi shrine at Iremo in Ife late yesterday, Daily Trust learnt.
Prince Ogunwusi had begun the traditional rites at Ilofi on Friday, October 30, and his official coronation and public inauguration is billed for December 7, 2015.
Sources from the Ooni’s palace said Prince Ogunwusi would be crowned at the Ile- Oodua today and would enter the palace for the first time as the new Ooni of Ife to take over after the death of his predecessor, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.
According to sources at the palace, the coronation will not be done in public in accordance with the custom and tradition of Ile-Ife and only members of the Isoro cult will attend the event.

 

 

Bank of Industry MD, Rasheed Olaoluwa In Multiple Fraud Mess

                 
The Bank of Industry(BOI) is in the spotlight again, but this time over alleged underhand deals, fraud and abuse of power by the Managing Director, Rasheed Olaoluwa, and his inner-circle rather than the bank’s positive PR stories.

The development finance institution in recent time has been everywhere in the media for good reasons.

A buzz that has stirred up curiosity, findings revealed that BOI has invested heavily in having good publicity and its media expenses in recent times ran into a billion naira.

But this is not much of a surprise.

Circumstances leading to Olaoluwa’s emergence as the MD and his ignominious roles and that of his clique in the scheme to privatize the government agency during Jonathan administration, a move, the All Progressive Congress(APC), then an opposition party stood against, may have informed his desperation for hype and headlines to endear himself to the government of the day.

A former Executive Director with United Bank of Africa(UBA), and a crony of the bank’s former GMD, Tony Elumelu, Olaoluwa was appointed as BOI’s MD in May 2014 by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, and was at the forefront of the plan to liquidate the finance institution by the former president.

Resisted by stakeholders, and APC, Jonathan’s failed reelection bid was a nail in the coffin of the liquidation plan. Among the reasons advanced by public opposition to the planned liquidation was that BOI’s assets would be undervalued and sold to cronies.

But the plan has reared its ugly head in the finance institution under Buhari Administration, albeit through the back door as its assets are being sold secretly, left, right and centre.

Its shares in WAMCO Nigeria PLC (maker of Peak Milk), Dangote Group, properties in Ikoyi and Victoria Island at Dejo Street and some in Abuja were allegedly sold under cover.

It was alleged that BOI did not invite tenders by advertising in two national newspapers as required to conceal the sale.

Sources told OrijoReporter that the beneficiaries of the assets are remotely linked to the MD, Rasheed Olaoluwa, and the finance institution appointed an external securities dealer, BGL Securities, at the expense of its subsidiary, Bank of Industry Investment and Trust Company(BOIITC), to sell its WAMCO shares, which was sold for N40bn.

The appointment of BGL Securities has the connotation of corruption. The appointment deprived the bank’s subsidiary of one percent commission, a whopping sum of N400m, an amount BGL Securities made. It also exposed the alleged corruption ravaging the bank.

BGL Group and its three subsidiary companies, BGL Private Equity Limited, I-skill Limited, and Immersion Marketing Strategies (IMS) Limited were in May suspended by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following complaints by clients that they had been victims of corporate heist.

The Group Managing Director of BGL Group, Albert Okumagba, was also suspended from all activities in the capital market. Okumagba, who is the president and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), the professional umbrella body for stockbrokers in Nigeria, is currently under Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) investigationBut these are the characters BOI under the management of Rasheed Olaoluwa is doing business with. It was said that members of the Executive Management Committee were usually not in the know of the assets sold until completion.

With Olaoluwa at the helm, first indication that fair play would allegedly be missing in BIO emerged when new staff were recruited, and over 90 percent of them are former UBA staff even till date. Most of them claimed they owed their previous employer millions of naira and BIO had to pay off the debts.

But the ex-UBA staff’s debt payment raised some suspicion following alleged insistence of the MD that the money must be paid into individuals’ accounts rather than that of UBA, which is the procedure.

Olaoluwa’s removal of the Head of Internal Control and Audit, an Assistant General Manager in January 2015 and his promotion of a manager to the office who has been acting since then, also gave rise to suspicion that the former UBA’s ED has an agenda.

Whatever the agenda is, one among the people alleged to have benefited mightily from the execution is the Executive Director, Small & Medium Enterprise directorate of BOI, Mr. Waheed Olagunju.

Allegations are rife that he is the owner of Andro Media, the company handling BOI’s publicity and advertising in newspapers, and has raked in millions of naira through commissions.

However a staff in the bank’s corporate communication department who craved for anonymity denied allegation that Olagunju owns Andro Media. He said the outfit is owned by Rotimi Bisiriyu of NTA Sports of yore and late iconic broadcaster, Yinka Craig, adding that successive management retained the firm’s services because of its competence.

He opposed alleged lopsided employment by Olaoluwa, explaining that when the new MD came on board, there was high shortage of skilled staff and he had to poach other firms’ best employees and it was not only that of UBA.

He informed that all BIO’s assets sold were advertised for sale by tender and were sold to the highest bidders, dismissing suggestion that they were sold to Olaoluwa’s cronies.

He explained that the core competence of Bank of Industry(BIO) was not real estate, and the ongoing sale of its assets is to mobilize more funding for the development of entrepreneurship, and not that the managing director, Rasheed Olaoluwa is perpetrating fraud.

HERITAGE BANK @ Emerging Leadership Conference (PHOTO NEWS

Billionaire Sunny Odogwu Loses Properties To Diamond Bank Over N26Billion Debt!

                   
A Federal High Court in Lagos last week entered judgment in favour of Diamond Bank in a N26.2bn debt recovery suit it filed against a businessman, Chief Sunny Odogwu, and his two companies, Robert Dyson & Diet Limited and SIO Properties Limited.

The trial judge, Justice Saliu Saidu, granted Diamond Bank the leave to foreclose and sell ‘Luxury Collection Hotels and Apartments’, formerly Le Meridian Grand Tower, in Ikoyi, belonging to Odogwu, to partly satisfy the judgment debt.

The court perpetually restrained the 3rd defendant from "disposing, selling or alienating any of its personal assets, money, share, stock and other negotiable instrument until the judgment sum is fully liquidated."

The judge also ordered Leadway Trustees Limited, which is the 6th defendant in the suit, to surrender all the title documents in its custody in relation to the property and other documentation connected and or pertaining to the extant transaction of which the plaintiff is a beneficiary to the bank.

The bank had taken the defendants to court in a bid to recover the loan advanced to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants in 2007 to built Le Meridian Grand Tower.

Also joined as defendants in the suit are the Corporate Affairs Commission, the Registrar of Title, Federal Land Registry, and Leadway Trustees Limited.

The bank had told the court that the defendants had become insolvent or bankrupt and were unable to meet their financial obligation to the bank.

In his judgment, Justice Saidu said the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants admitted being indebted to the bank but did not show to the court how they were going to liquidate same.

The judge had earlier ordered 19 commercial banks in the country not to allow the 1s, 2nd and 3rd defendants to make withdrawal from their accounts pending the determination of the suit.

Peak Milk Wins Iconic Brand of the Year Award

                             
.In recognition of its outstanding performance in the year 2015, Peak Milk, Nigeria’s favourite dairy brand, has been awarded the 2015 "Iconic Brand of the Year" award at the annual Marketing World Magazine Awards.

The award which is in its 5th edition was presented to the milk brand at an impressive ceremony held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos last Saturday.

According to the organisers, the prestigious awards is designed to celebrate the excellence, creativity and achievements of the marketing industry by rewarding outstanding performance across the integrated marketing communication industry.

The theme for this year’s award ceremony was tagged: "Breaking the mould in marketing excellence."

The ceremony had in attendance major players in the marketing industry across various sectors of the economy, who gathered to celebrate outstanding marketing achievements in over twenty categories of the award.

Peak Milk emerged winner in the Iconic brand of the year category beating several others. The award which was presented by Akin Naphtal, Group Executive Publisher, Marketing World, was received by Mrs. Dolapo Otegbayi, the Marketing Manager for the Peak Brand, on behalf of FrieslandCampina WAMCO.

Responding after receiving the award, Otegbayi expressed the company’s appreciation to the organizers of the awards for recognising Peak as the Iconic brand of 2015.

"Having been in Nigeria for over 60years, Peak is synonymous to milk and is the nation’s favourite milk. This award coming in the year of our 60th anniversary gives us a positive nudge that we are doing the right thing."

"We thank Nigerians for allowing Peak to be part of their lives for over 60years. Peak promises to continue to support and nourish Nigerians with quality dairy milk and we are also telling Nigerians that with Peak the future is bright", she added.

Peak has won industry recognition as an innovative and trendsetting brand that delivers superior dairy nutrition across life-stages. The Brand’s positive results and success can be attributed to always connecting with the consumers, supporting its Key Business Partners and general public to pursuing their aspirations and reaching for their Peak!

153 dead in terror attack in Paris

- Closing of the country’s borders.

-Shuttering of all metro stations in Paris, and all schools and universities in the region on Saturday.

Hollande vowed to find those responsible for the carnage.

"To all those who have seen these awful things, I want to say we are going to lead a war which will be pitiless," Hollande vowed. "Because when terrorists are capable of committing such atrocities they must be certain that they are facing a determined France, a united France, a France that is together and does not let itself be moved, even if today we express infinite sorrow."

The terror began with a blast outside the soccer stadium, just north of Paris.

Roughly 70,000 spectators were packed into the stadium watching France play Germany when the crack of the explosion split the air. The explosion was loud enough to be heard inside the stadium, over the roaring of the fans, video of the match shows.

Holla
At least four people were killed in the explosions. A police union official said there were two suicide attacks and a bombing.

Soon, the violence spread through the city.

Around 100 people were held hostage inside the Bataclan concert hall, watching California band Eagles of Death Metal as attackers opened fire on the crowd, authorities said. The popular nightspot, initially packed with more than 1,000 people, was turned into a deathtrap after attackers hurled explosives at their captives.

Reports put the number of dead at the concert at 112."It was carnage," Marc Coupris, 57, still shaking after being freed from the venue, told the Guardian. "It looked like a battlefield, there was blood everywhere, there were bodies everywhere. I was at the far side of the hall when shooting began. There seemed to be at least two gunmen. They shot from the balcony."

As police stormed the building three attackers blew themselves up and one was shot by police, officials said. Three more died at the stadium and a fourth was killed in a street in Paris.

Julien Pearce was able to escape and told CNN of 10 minutes of uninterrupted gunfire after the black-clothed terrorists stormed the theater, sending the crowd to the ground. He said one gunman who was unmasked was no older than 25.

As he escaped, Pearce said he saw 20 to 25 dead bodies strewn across the floor.

Anti-terrorist police could be seen flooding into the area, as well as soldiers.Earlier, two terrorists opened fire at Le Carillon bar, while another shot up the Cambodge restaurant in the city’s 10th Arrondissement, according to French media.

Kalashnikov-wielding gunmen appeared to flood the streets of the Bastille area of the city, while grenade blasts were also heard.

It is thought that at least 35 died in the restaurant shootings, while gunfire was also heard in other bars around the French capital.

NYPD ON 'HIGH ALERT' AFTER PARIS ATTACK

The shootings happened along Rue de la Fontaine au roi, Rue de Charonne and Rue Voltaire and Rue Albert, Le Figaro reported.

During a midnight address to France, Hollande took the drastic step of closing the country’s borders and declared a state of emergency, "which means certain places will be closed and travel may be banned."

　

　

　



　

Trouble Loom In Lagos Assembly As Funmi Tejuosho Rejects Committee Chairmanship

                                 
A ranking member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and former Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, rejected the chairmanship of a committee given her by House as read out by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

The Speaker had announced Tejuosho as the Chairman Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions and LASEIC which the female lawmaker felt she was not comfortable with, thereby rejecting it.

Though she openly rejected the chairmanship of the committee by making the announcement at the chamber, it was learnt that she is not alone in this protest. Funmi Tejuosho was the Chairman House Committee on Finance in the 7th Lagos Assembly.

The drama happened after the Majority Leader of the House had called for an adjournment till next week Monday because of the town hall meeting which all the lawmakers would be holding with their constituents on Tuesday 10th of November, 2015.

Just before he rose from his seat, the Speaker brought out a notebook, where the names of the committee chairmen had been listed.

After reminding the lawmakers that he recently announced committees of the House, Obasa emphasised the importance of oversight functions as part of the duties of the Assembly.

He disclosed that he was announcing the chairmen of the committees, but advised that "the committees should be used in the interest of the government, the people, the state and the House and not for pecuniary reasons."

The committees and the chairmen are as follows:

•Selection Committee, chaired by Speaker Obasa Mudashiru Ajayi

•Business Rules and Standing Orders, chaired by the Majority Leader, Sanai Agunbiade

•Ethics, Protocols and Privileges to be chaired by Hon. Rotimi Abiru

•House Service to be chaired by Rasheed Makinde

•Public Accounts (State) to be chaired by Moshood Oshun

•Public Accounts (Local) to be chaired by Bisi Yusuff

•Agriculture to be chaired by Kazeem Raheem.

•Economic Planning and Budget to be chaired by Rotimi Olowo.

•Education to be chaired by Lanre Ogunyemi

•Science and Technology to be chaired by Nurudeen Solaja

•Establishment, Training and Pension to be chaired by Adedayo Famakinwa

•Energy and Mineral Resources to be chaired by Folajimi Mohammed

•Waterfront Infrastructure Development to be chaired by Gbolahan Yishawu

•Physical Planning and Urban Development to be chaired by Setonji David

•Transportation to be chaired by Fatai Mojeed

•Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives to be chaired by Oladele Adekanye

•Women Affairs and Poverty alleviation to be chaired by Moji Lawal

•Works and Infrastructure to be chaired by Tobun Abiodun

•Wealth Creation and Employment to be chaired by Sola Giwa

•Finance to be chaired by Yinka Ogundimu

•Health to be chaired by Segun Olulade

•Home Affairs to be chaired by Olayiwola Olawale

•Tourism, Arts and Culture to be chaired by Desmond Olusola Elliot

•Youths and Social Development to be chaired by Kasunmu Adedamola

•Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions, LASIEC to be chaired by Adefunmilayo Tejuosho.

•Lands to be chaired by Bayo Oshinowo

•Housing to be chaired by Ibrahim Layode

•Information and Strategy to be chaired by Tunde Buraimoh

•Central Business District to be chaired by Victor Akande

•Special Duties and Inter-governmental Relations to be chaired by Sokunle Hakeem

•Local Government and Community Affairs to be chaired by Kazeem Alimi

　

　

UPDATED: Buhari retires 17 perm secs

                    
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked 17 permanent secretaries to proceed on terminal leave.
He informed the affected officers at a meeting on Tuesday at the presidential villa, sources confirmed to TheCable.

They were led to the closed-door meeting by the acting head of service of the federation, Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita.

TheCable understands some of the perm secs had been grumbling that Oyo-Ita was "too junior" to be the head of service.

Ministers are going to be inaugurated tomorrow, but Buhari had been working with the permanent secretaries since he was inaugurated in May.

At some point, he said the civil servants were the ones doing the real work of government, remarking that ministers only make "the noise".

EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde Removed

                                

Ibrahim Magu, a top level official of the Economic and Governance Unit of the EFCC, has been elevated to the position of chairman of the commission.

This follows the removal today by the government of Ibrahim Lamorde, who had held that position since 2011.

Magu is remembered as a no-nonsense investigator of the commission at its inception. He was removed along with several other key officials by Farida Waziri when she became chairman in 2008.

 

FCMB Organises Customer Forum for Export Trade Stakeholders

                                                  
Businesses and other stakeholders involved in export trade would converge in Lagos on November 5, 2015 for the customer forum of leading financial services provider, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited. It is under the theme "Enhancing Capacity for Export Trade", and in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

The interactive forum is in continuation of the Bank’s efforts to boost export trade and help customers tap into the numerous benefits associated with the business through sensitization and capacity enhancement. It will also provide an opportunity to further showcase the federal government’s policy on export trade, the challenges and the various initiatives developed by the Bank, such as pre and post shipment financing and market information strategy to support export of agro commodities and solid minerals in the country. These are in line with FCMB’s values as a simple, reliable and helpful financial institution.

The Executive Director/Chief Executive of the NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, and top officials of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Bank of Industry is expected to attend the forum with other regulatory bodies supporting export initiatives including National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services; Federal Inspection Agency for Solid Minerals as well as other participant from the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.

According to the Executive Director, Business Development of FCMB, Mr. Adam Nuru, "the customer’s forum is another way FCMB demonstrates the willingness to go the extra mile towards contributing to the growth of their businesses". According to him, the Bank is committed to assisting stakeholders reduce challenges that hinder effective export trade in the country.

‘’We recognise the importance of export trade and the need to diversify the nation’s economy to a non-oil export one, considering the huge resources available in this area. As an inclusive lender, we create opportunities and support initiatives that enhance the well-being of the country and our target market. We are excited therefore, to organise this forum which will also provide a platform to engage customers and key stakeholders in export trade business in an impactful way’’, Mr. Nuru stated.

Last year, FCMB organised a number of customer fora which were positively received and attended. The focus was on the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) scheme introduced by the Nigerian Customs Service to fast-track the clearance of cargo and reduce costs of business at the nation’s ports.

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited is a member of FCMB Group Plc, which is one of the leading financial services institutions in Nigeria with subsidiaries that are market leaders in their respective segments. Having successfully transformed to a retail and commercial banking-led group, FCMB expects to continue to distinguish itself by delivering exceptional services, while enhancing the growth and achievement of personal and business aspirations of its customers.

Pictures From Kebbi 1st Lady’s One Million Man March Against Cancer In Abuja

To end the cancer awareness month, the founder MEDICAID Cancer Foundation, Her Excellency, the wife of the governor of Kebbi state, DR. Zainab Atiku Bagudu, organised a one million man march in the capital city of Abuja to further create awareness on the disease

Her Excellency, the wife of the president Mrs Aisha Buhari, was represented by the wife of the vice president Her Excellency Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo. Here are some of the pictures from the event…

6 Techniques To Being An Irresistible Woman

                       
Every girl wants to be the one who makes men go crazy. But you don’t have to be the most beautiful woman in the room or have any kind of natural talent or je ne sais quoi to be the irresistible girl. Being irresistible is simply a matter of a mastering a few techniques that leave men wanting more.

Disclaimer: There are schools of thought who might say that some of these techniques are manipulative or dishonest. The fact is that being irresistible means not being an open book. If that makes me dishonest, then so be it. Laying all your cards on the table immediately is a surefire way to be… well, resistible.

That said, let’s get to it! Follow these techniques and you’ll have men telling their friends that there’s just something about you.

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see women make when they are dating a man, especially in the early stages. As my mother says, he can’t miss you if you’re always around. It can be difficult if you really want to be around this guy, and it’s even harder if you have the feeling that he really wants to be around you as well. I’m sure he does. Still. Resist the urge. A big part of the dating dynamic is the longing for someone: remembering their smell, recalling an intimate moment, or thinking about what qualities about them you like.

But there is yet another reason why you should be absent every once in awhile. Feeling that someone needs you, especially early in a relationship, is a turn off, especially for men. Therefore here are a few ways you can be less present with your guy, and drive him crazy (in a good way) in the process.



How to Be Less Present While Texting

Let’s face it: texting is one of our primary modes of communication between SOs these days. Learning how to be just a little bit absent while texting will serve you well.


Rule 1: Never be the last one to text.
Trust me on this one. Every time you’re in a texting conversation, make sure that he is the last to text. When he texts you, he will be waiting for your response, even if it’s just an "ok" or a "goodnight." If your response to his text message isn’t necessary, don’t send it. It will cause him to wait by his phone wondering if you are going to respond.


Rule 2: Always have a slower text-back tempo than him.
You know the text-back tempo: the speed at which someone replies to a text. The rhythm of the conversation, if you will. Keep an idea of how long it took him to respond to your last text message, and don’t text him back quicker than he texts you back. It’s a turn off to appear that you have nothing going on. You’re just as busy as him (or you want him to think so, anyway). Therefore don’t respond to texts immediately. Take your time. As much time as him, to be exact.


Rule 3: Wait and see if he texts first.
Say you two set up a date for Thursday night. It’s Wednesday night and you haven’t heard from him since Tuesday morning when you sent you that funny work meme. You’re just about to pick up the phone to see if you’re still on for dinner, but after you entered the message and before you hit "send," you decide to wait a couple of hours. He texts you 45 minutes later.

While you were deliberating about your text message, your guy was at home playing the game too: he’s composed a text message and hasn’t hit "send." He’s waiting to see if you text first.

You say to yourself that the reason you want to text him is because you want to make other plans with your bestie if dinner isn’t on. But that’s not the real reason. The real reason you’re texting is because you want to talk to him and make sure that you still have plans.

There are times when you may need to text. But 99% of the time, why not just wait and see if he texts you first? Make him wonder where you are. Make him miss you. Make him think about how much he wants to be talking to you.



Get a Life (or If You Must, Pretend to)

Next, you need to get a life. It’s ok (preferable, even) to decline invitations because you’ve already made other plans. But if you haven’t declined an invitation from your guy in a while, it might be time to just pretend to be busy or make plans with your girlfriends when you know he is going to invite you to do something. Don’t be rude or cancel plans at the last minute, but it’s ok to cancel plans the day before or to say that something came up. It will be a little reminder to him that you aren’t always sitting around waiting to hang out with him.



The Date is Getting Good? Time to Leave.

The date is going well. The sexual tension between you is so thick you could cut it with a knife, the conversation is engaging, and everything about his body language indicates that he is all about you. This is the perfect time to say that you’re getting tired, have someplace to be, or some other excuse to end the evening.

Letting your time together fizzle is a great way of making your guy think that you are just another resistable girl. Over time, any date will fizzle no matter how great it was. Even the best movies in the world would suck if they were too long. The best vacation in the universe would lose its luster if it went on for months. The fact that these things have an end point is exactly what makes them so precious.

Don’t let your date get to the fizzle point. Even if you could talk all night, resist. Leave after a couple of hours at that particular moment when he feels the most confident that the date is flawless.

This has a few desired effects. First, it will make him miss you more when you’re not there. It will also make him remember the date more fondly because there was no point at which he was thinking about grabbing a cab and heading home. Finally, it shifts the power directly to you. You called the shots for a minute, which is sexy.



Be Mysterious

There are often times when you are dating someone with whom you feel quite uninhibited. You feel that you can talk to them about anything. But to begin with at the very least, leave a little mystery. Not only should he be wondering where you are and why you’re not texting him, but he should also be wondering about who you are: what’s your endgame? What are you about? Where do you come from?

Our minds fill in blank spaces in stories, narratives, and information clusters with information that makes sense and is appealing to us. Leaving gaps in your personal information lets him fill it in imaginatively in his mind. Additionally, a little bit of mystery makes things exciting.

A previous boyfriend once told me that he knew he was really into me when we got into a passionate argument on date number 3 about political beliefs. We didn’t agree, but showing that I was passionate about something was what made him realize that he couldn’t resist me.

Don’t worry about coming across as weird on disagreeable. Whatever you’re into, whether it’s political beliefs, your favorite band, or the Comicon convention, own it proudly. It makes you appear confident, because you don’t care what he thinks. But it also allows you to show him what you’re like at your best. When you are passionate, your eyes are big, your face lights up, and you smile more. You’re happier, and that makes you look sexy.

Some people might call this being a tease. We prefer to say that we "don’t give in completely." If you think about it, using body language to leave him wanting more is just an extension of what we’ve already discussed with texting, leaving the date early, and declining invitations every once in awhile. Make it a game to find as many ways as possible to use body language to be irresistible. There are plenty of ways to do this, but here are a few to get you started:
Hold hands "obliquely." While holding hands, don’t hold too tight, and hold his hand in a way that leaves some space between your palm and his.
Likewise, sit slightly obliquely to him. Don’t face him head on with your knees pointing directly at him and your forehead in a position where, if you two were sitting head to head, your foreheads would touch. Put your forehead at an angle to his.
When you kiss, pull away a little bit occasionally to be fun and flirty. It will make him lean into you more since you were previously mid-kiss, putting you in a sexy position of power.
Pull away from a kiss or holding hands before he does.
With a little practice, you can leave him wanting more every time. The key is to have the confidence to pull away while things are still good. Sure, he may have a six pack and lips like George Clooney’s, but irresistible girls don’t let him know that they even noticed. You’re beautiful and sexy, so of course he is into you. Now, use these tips and techniques to ensure that you’re running through his mind constantly.
-Scoopng

I paid my brother £75,000 not to come out as gay – Fashanu -

                       
Nigeria’s ex-Super Eagles player John Fashanu has said he paid £75,000 to his brother, Justin Fashanu, in order to prevent him from publicly announcing that he was gay.

The former Wimbledon striker made the confession a week after it emerged that two top footballers were planning to openly declare they are gay.

In his first in-depth interview about his brother, with the British newspaper, Daily Mirror, since his tragic suicide in 1998, Fashanu said, "I begged him. I threatened him. I did everything I could possibly do to try and stop him coming out. I gave him the money because I didn’t want the embarrassment for me or my family. Had he come out now, it would be a different ball game.

"There wouldn’t be an issue, but there was then. Things are different now. Now he’d be hailed a hero. I’ll never forget when Justin first told me. He called me in the evening time and said to me: ‘I’m gay’. Then he said to me: ‘I’m planning to go to a newspaper’. I said to him: ‘Oh heavens forbid… oh my God. We don’t need that. You’re mad’."

According to the newspaper, the younger Fashanu requested for money to keep quiet about his homosexual status.

The older Fashanu said, "He promised when I gave him the money that he would not go out and say that. Two days later… bang… headlines in a newspaper. I looked like a sucker. For me and my family it was like Hiroshima or Nagasaki on our lives. It knocked us dead, it was a . shock.

"People might not like it, but I was trying to protect my family. You’ve got to remember the public’s perception of homosexuality at that time was that it was an abomination. It was taboo. Street boys were beating up gays in nightclubs. I give him credit for having the courage to come out and say it. But it caused a lot of confusion and animosity towards him, me, and my family."