Transfer saga continues as La Liga rejects Neymar’s transfer

 Barcelona’s Neymar  transfer deal seems to be facing fresh challenges as La Liga has rejected PSG’s  release clause fee of €222m.
According to ESPN FC , Neymar’s lawyers were turned away at the La Liga’s offices in Madrid on Thursday with a cheque for the full amount .
This is sequel to the Brazilian’s confirmation that he has indeed left the Catalonians when he bade Messi goodbye on the social media.

More trouble brews for billionaire businessman,Tunde Ayeni, over Skye Bank toxic loans

More trouble mounts for Tunde Ayeni, the man believed to have caused a lot of problems for Skye Bank when he was on it board of directors.Most people knew Tunde Ayeni as a flamboyant businessman and money bag and a key sponsor in the failed bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.
Ayeni, who is well known to be friends with Aliko Dangote,Femi Otedola,Segun Awolowo and others,was the talk of the town about two years ago when he pledged Two Billion Naira for the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The gamble turned out a bad one for Ayeni when Jonathan lost the election.
Some people thought Ayeni was actually very close to Mrs.Patience Jonathan and they had some dealings.
A source said “In Skye Bank $5.9 million amounts to several billions of Naira were later discovered to be owned by Dame Patience Jonathan. If you do your calculations well,you will know why the money was smiling in that bank when Ayeni was running the show in Skye Bank”

More trouble mounts for Tunde Ayeni, the man believed to have caused a lot of problems for Skye Bank when he was on it board of directors.Most people knew Tunde Ayeni as a flamboyant businessman and money bag and a key sponsor in the failed bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election.

Ayeni, who is well known to be friends with Aliko Dangote,Femi Otedola,Segun Awolowo and others,was the talk of the town about two years ago when he pledged Two Billion Naira for the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The gamble turned out a bad one for Ayeni when Jonathan lost the election.
Some people thought Ayeni was actually very close to Mrs.Patience Jonathan and they had some dealings.
A source said “In Skye Bank $5.9 million amounts to several billions of Naira were later discovered to be owned by Dame Patience Jonathan. If you do your calculations well,you will know why the money was smiling in that bank when Ayeni was running the show in Skye Bank”
Online news website, The Cable published an article on the latest development concerning Ayeni and Skye Bank.According to The Cable,the management of Skye Bank Plc has written to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo detailing how Tunde Ayeni, chairman of the bank between 2010 and 2016, allegedly used his position to take huge loans from the bank.
But TheCable understands that Ayeni has started repaying the loans — insiders said he paid $10 million to Skye Bank last week and also pays $4.5 million quarterly towards for the facilities he took for the Ibadan and Yola DisCos in line with the restructuring agreement with the consortium of lenders.
Ayeni is also on the verge of securing a $200 million foreign investment, part of which is meant to pay off Ntel’s indebtedness to banks.
TheCable further understands that Ayeni and the management of Skye Bank have lately been holding meetings to resolve the issues raised in the letter to Osinbajo.In a series of letters and documents seen by TheCable, the management alleged that Ayeni paid for the public companies he bought with loans from the bank.
After sending several warnings, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had taken over Skye Bank on July 4, 2016.
Godwin Emefiele, governor of CBN, said then that the action followed the failure of the lender to meet the regulator’s minimum key liquidity and capital adequacy ratios.
Ayeni had resigned after the development and CBN announced the appointment of Muhammad Ahmad as the new chairman, while Adetokunbo Abiru took over from Timothy Oguntayo as group managing director (GMD).
“Upon the assumption of duty by the new board, one of the immediate concerns that needed to be addressed was to ascertain the true state of the affairs and financial position of the bank and the credibility of the IT and information systems of the bank,” the letter, by Abiru and Ahmad, read.

“To this end, the following were undertaken: engagement of PWC do to half-year audit as of June 30, 2016. This was later extended to cover the full year to December 31, 2016.
“Engagement of KPMG to do a forensic audit of the bank’s IT platform and management information systems.
“The forensic audit revealed that the bank operated two sets of financial accountability/books and this was responsive for the regulators/auditors inability to detect the massive losses and infractions, particularly the balance of N280bn in suspense accounts.
“The bank’s total exposure to Ayeni as of the date is about N70bn. It is clear that he used his position as the chairman of the bank to obtain inside loans well above the regulatory thresholds for the acquisition of the following government enterprises: Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Yola Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and Nitel/Mtel. All the facilities are presently seriously challenged.
“As of today, Ayeni’s total industry indebtedness, covering both Nitel and the Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) is estimated at about N150bn, and little, if any, of these obligations, are being doubtful that he will ever be in a position to service these loans satisfactorily.”
The letter also said another N33 billion was traced to Ayeni, saying there was suspicion that that out of this amount, N7 billion was spent on the re-election campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The management also indicted Akinsola Akinfewa, Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti and Oguntayo, all former GMDs of the bank.
Other individuals listed in the petition for various acts of infraction are Femi Otedola, chairman Forte Oil Plc, Festus Fadeyi and Jide Omokore.
Ayeni could not be reached for comments as he failed to respond to a text message TheCable sent to his telephone.
Tunde Ayeni’s profile
John Olatunde Ayeni is a 50 year old Nigerian businessman.He was born April 4,1967 in Iyah-Igbede,Ojumu, Kogi state.He studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University and Nigerian Law School,Lagos.
He was called to the Bar in 1991.He founded Bond Bank Nigeria before it merged with Skye Bank. One of his companies,Ocean Marine Security is provides logistical support for the Nigerian Navy.

Abuja Bizman, Innocent Chukwuma, Sues GTBANK N400Billion Over Character

Businessman Innocent Chukwuma and his company, Innoson Nig Limited, have filed a fresh lawsuit against Guaranty Trust Bank PLC in the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, claiming N400 billion damages for injury to their reputation, moral character, credibility, office, vocation and trade.

They are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining GT Bank from further defaming them.

The lawsuit, which was filed by Mr. Chukwuma’s counsel, Joseph Mbadugha, is sequel to a recent decision by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in favour of Innoson Nigeria Ltd. in Appeal No: SC/694/2014 between GTB and Innoson.

In that judgment, delivered on May 12, 2017, the Supreme Court dismissed GT Bank’s application.

Innoson had prevailed in various lawsuits against GT Bank. On July 29, 2011, the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division, through a garnishee order absolute, ordered the bank to pay N2,048,737,443.6K (Two Billion, Forty-Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-Three Naira, Sixty-Seven Kobo) to Innoson.

GTBank however appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division. But in a unanimous judgment, delivered on February 6, 2014, the appellate court dismissed the appeal, affirmed the judgment of the trial court and ordered the Defendant (GT Bank) to pay N2, 048,737,443.6K (Two Billion, Forty-Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-Three Naira, Sixty-Seven Kobo) to Innoson.

GT Bank appealed to the Supreme Court on 11 grounds. Subsequently, the bank sought to amend its notice of appeal- to adduce fresh evidence- to show that Innoson obtained the judgment of the Court of Appeal by fraud and fraudulent suppression of material facts.

GT Bank had through its motion on notice in Appeal No: SC/694/2014 dated January 22, 2016 and filed at the Supreme Court on February 5, 2016, with a 15-paragraph affidavit in support, averred that Innoson obtained the Court of Appeal Judgment against it by fraud.

Similarly, in paragraphs 9 and 10 of the affidavit in support of the said Motion on Notice deposed to by Sarah Ugamah, GT Bank said Innoson fraudulently suppressed information that it was paid N1,406,515,845.98 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Six Million, Five Hundred and Fifteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty-Five naira, Ninety-Eight Kobo) in liquidation of the judgment debt.

However, in a unanimous decision on May 12, 2017, the Supreme Court dismissed the said motion on notice. And while dismissing the motion, the apex court stated, inter alia, that GT Bank engaged in double speaking and in a frivolous frolic in bringing the application.

In the fresh suit, Innoson and Mr. Chukwuma argued that the words published by GT Bank –that it obtained the Court of Appeal Judgment by fraud and fraudulent suppression of the fact that Innoson Nig. Ltd. was paid the sum N1, 406,515,845.98 in final liquidation of the judgment debt – implies that Mr. Chukwuma and Innoson are dubious, dishonest, dishonourable, and untrustworthy, of questionable character, fraudster, criminally deceptive, cheats and obtaining money through false pretences.

In consequence, the applicants are claiming against the GT Bank Plc. as follows: N100 billion exemplary damages; N100 billion for injury to feelings-mental pains and anxiety; N150 billion for injury to reputation and N50 billion general damages.

They further demand:

AN ORDER that the published words complained of be retracted by the Defendant – GT Bank with an apology published in two National dailies;

AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the GT Bank from further maligning or otherwise defaming them in the words or similar words, complained of in this motion;

AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining GT Bank, its agents, privies or whomsoever from further defaming the plaintiffs;

Twenty-two percent (22%) interest on the said sums of money claimed above commencing on January 22, 2016 till the date of judgment and thereafter at the same rate of 22 per cent interest until the satisfaction of the judgment debt.

Aregbesola’s mother dies at 84

ALHAJA Saratu Aregbesola, the mother of Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola is dead. Fondly called Iya Olobi, Alhaja Aregbesola died in the early hours of yesterday in Ilesa. She was 84. The governor was away to Kebbi State when the news about his mother’s demise broke.
She has been buried according to Islamic rite.
With Aregbesola to give his mother the last respect were: Deputy Governor Mrs. Grace Titi  Laoye-Tomori, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Moshood Adeoti, Chief of Staff to the Governor Alhaji Gbiyega Oyetola, Head of Service (HoS) Sunday Olayinka Owoeye, Speaker Najeem Salam and  APC chair Famodun, among other dignitaries.

Islamic clerics at the Janaza for late Alhaja Aregebsola stressed the need for all to understand that every individual born of man will eventually die one day.
Led by the Chief Imam of Osogbo, Sheik Musa Animasahun, the clerics, who described death as a necessary end to everyone, offered prayers for the soul of deceased and those she left behind, especially the governor.
A statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Sola Fasore said the third and eighth day Firdaus would hold tomorrow and on August 8.
Fasure said the late Alhaja Aregesola left a remarkable legacy as a faithful wife, loving mother, community leader, leading kola nuts trader and a devout Muslim.
He said: “She gave her very best to the service of Allah SWT in regular Asalatu as well as leadership of many Islamic charity organisations, kola nuts traders association and other women groups.
“Mama was kind-hearted and generous of spirit and of her substance. She freely gave of her fountain of wisdom.  She was hard working and industrious, and famous throughout Ijesaland and beyond for her trade in kola nuts. This earned her the accolade of Iya Olobi.”

Aregbesola’s colleagues, including Oyo and Ogun governors Abiola Ajimobi and Ibikunle Amosun, political associates, monarchs and party chieftains, have been condoling with him.
They include the Ooni of Ife Oba Enitan Adewusi, former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Senator Iyiola Omisore and former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, among others.

National Identity Number now mandatory for passport issuance

AS from next January, Nigerians applying  for International Passport must be holders of the electronic National Identity Card which has the National Identity Number (NIN).
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) boss Mohammed Babadede broke the news to State House correspondents yesterday after a meeting of the National Identity Management Harmonisation Committee at the State House, Abuja.
The Federal Government in 2014 ordered all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and security organisations involved in all  biometric data capture of Nigerians to  handover to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
The committe’s meeting  was in continuation of the efforts to achieve the harmonisation.

Babadede said as a result of the decision every citizen must possess the National Identity Number as a condition to apply for the Nigerian passport.
He said “we have agreed that from 1st January 2018, anybody who is going to apply for the Nigerian Passport, whether renewal or fresh, must first have a national identity number. Why we are doing this is we want to ease business for Nigerians.
“There is no need for you to go and have your bio metric captured by NIMC and then you come and capture again with the Nigeria Immigration. Once you give us your NIN number we will collect the bio metric from NIMC and produce your passport. That is the intention to do in all otheragencies,” he said.
Babadede said foreigners residing in Nigeria were not exempted, as they will also require  number when renewing their residence permit.
“I have also given directive that any foreigner, non Nigerian resident in Nigeria will not get his permit renewed. He or she will not get his renewal until he has a NIN. To achieve this, NIMC NIN and passport numbers will be harmonized and we are committed to allow NIMC in Immigration. All NIMC staff can work in our passport offices.
“So when you come to get the passport you can also get the National identity card. The NIM-C has also allowed immigration staff to work in their offices so anybody who is coming to claim Nigerian citizenship; they will help to identify that citizen. That is the cooperation that we have had so far,” the immigration boss said

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Information Communication Technology ICT, Mr Lanre Osibona said the meeting of the committee was to move forward in achieving additional feat in the harmonization process.
He said “we just had a good meeting in terms of national identity which we know is a great asset for the country and so much work has been ongoing with respect to harmonizing all the silo data bases. We are making progress finally,”
The Presidential aide, who listed some of the benefits of a harmonized data, also said the country is receiving a lot of support from some international agencies.
“The benefits of national identity are immense, security, innovation, social inclusion, financial inclusion. This concerns our citizens and it helps in forecasting budget, better planning. So we are determined to ensure that we deliver full concise database for all Nigerians.
“It is good to also share with you that when we came in about two years ago there were five million records of NIM-C but today we have moved it close to 20 million and we intend to have up to 30 million by the end of this year. We are working with the World Bank and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to have a proper approach of how we will be able to capture over 180 million over a three year period,” he said.
Mr. Lanre noted that Nigeria has captured the Public Key Infrastructure PKI, which will sit within the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA.

Sultan of Sokoto commends the Tony Elumelu Foundation

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sultan Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III, commended the Tony Elumelu Foundation and its Founder, Tony O. Elumelu for their contribution to entrepreneurship and creation of jobs for young people in the North.

 

The Sultan made this commendation during a courtesy visit paid by Tony Elumelu, Chairman of UBA Group and Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, shortly before the National Dialogue Series at the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, where Elumelu gave a speech to university students and civic leaders. The Sultan of Sokoto stated that Elumelu’s intervention, through his Foundation, and entrepreneurship advocacy has created jobs and helped in creating security in the North by keeping idle youths off the streets.

 

“We need more Tony Elumelus. We need more Aliko Dangotes,” he said. “We continue to appreciate what you are doing for our youth because when you take these children off the streets, you provide the means for them to live a simple life. In that regard, we have a bit of security”.

 

Tagged “Entrepreneurship: An Antidote to Nigerian Youth Unemployment”, the ensuing event, which was held at the University Campus of the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, was hosted by its Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, who commended Elumelu on his dedication to encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth.

“We have been following your activities. Of recent the activity that caught our eyes is the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme where you set aside $100million for the next 10 years to ensure that African youth, not only Nigerians but African youth develop Africa," he said

 

In reply, Elumelu appreciated the university for the opportunity to share his message of Africapitalism with the students. He charged the students to adopt the philosophy, noting that it would help them understand their place in transforming Africa. 

 

“To attain long term success, I want you to adopt Africapitalism as a guiding philosophy. I want you to develop a keen sense of awareness that Africa is in dire need of leaders both in the private and public sectors and your ideas can indeed transform the continent,” he said to the students.

 

He further challenged the students to take on entrepreneurship as a means of eradicating poverty and creating more jobs in the society. 

“Only entrepreneurs can create the millions of jobs we need to power our economy out of poverty,” Elumelu said. 

 

He charged them to assume responsibility for developing the African continent, saying: “Nobody but us will develop Africa. Africa’s destiny lies in the hands of all of us, Africans," he concluded.

 

 

Feet ‘n’ Tricks Redeems Pledges Worth Over N20m, Handover Saloon Car, Ticket, Prize Money

Feet 'n' Tricks International Limited, organizer of the just concluded Nigeria National Freestyle Championship, in conjunction with its major sponsor, GAC Motors, Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and VFD Group, have fulfilled their pledge as a brand new saloon car was handed to the 1^st Prize Winner in the male category of the competition, McCarthy Obanor

 

The saloon car, travel ticket and other prizes, won during the very successful competition held last weekend at the Ikeja City Mall, were handed over to winners at an impressive ceremony held at the GAC Motor Office in Victoria Island Lagos and witnessed by other major sponsors of the event.

 

The winners apart from Mr. McCarthy Obanor, who will represent Nigeria at the World Super Ball Championships in Prague, Czech Republic, include  Mayowa Bababunmi, a medical doctor, who placed second, winning N750,000.  Others are 2^nd runner up, Austine Abariode who went home with N500,000.00 and 3^rd runner up, Ifeanyi Nwabeke, who received N250,000.00 for his freestyle football skills.

In the female category, Rasheedat Ajibade, the captain of Nigeria’s Under 17 Women National Team clinched the title, winning the sum of N1m. Ajibade, a professional footballer, defeated Chidinma Okeke, her teammate in the national team in the final. Okeke collected N750,000 for her second place effort. Nduibisi Esther and Unamba Augustina were 2^nd and 3^rd place winners, receiving N500,000 and N250,000 respectively.

 

Speaking at the event, Chairman of Feet ‘n’ Tricks Limited, Valentine Ozigbo, appreciated the sponsors - GAC Motors, FIRS, Five Star Music, VFD Group, Wakanow, Wine and Things, Scavi & Ray, Pinnacle Communications and media groups including Hip TV, Cool FM Group, DBN and Channels for their support.

He noted that the organisers would not have achieved this much in its first year without the belief the sponsors had in his company. “It is going to be bigger and better next year, we are going to be working with all that were part of this year’s and we promise a bigger and better tournament next year,” he concluded.

 

The Chairwoman of Choice International and representative of GAC Motors in Africa, Chief Diana Chan, said GAC Motors collaborated  with Feet ‘n’ Tricks to give better future and sustainable leaving to talented young men and women in Nigeria.

 

While promising the commitment of her company to future editions of the competition, she said, “Our mission in Nigeria is to offer the next credible alternatives to users of vehicles in Nigeria through our sincere commitment to offering high quality products and services to our customers, and in doing this to support the creative arts and sports and talented young Nigerians in order to bring out the best in them.”

Alhaji Kunle Oseni, National Coordinator for Tax Enlightenment, FIRS,  representing the Chairman of the agency said "FIRS is identifying with Feet 'n' Tricks as part of our corporate social responsibility given the very positive impacts professionalizing freestyle football would have for our young ones on the street, and then to enlighten our people more on tax matters.

Speaking on behalf of the winners, Mr. McCarthy Obanor, who will be sponsored to the world championship, thanked the organiser for giving freestyle footballers hope of bright future by committing huge resources to organising the competition despite the economic situations in the country. He promised to make Nigeria proud by winning the global event.

“For once , Free n Tricks have helped me in convincing my mother that there is future in freestyle football. Courtesy of the organisers with the support of the sponsors, I am not only a owner of a brand new car, a million naira, but most importantly, I will carrying my country’s flag in an international competition, what I have long for in my  seven years of freestyling,” Obanor saidCynosure of all eyes was on Mayowa Bababunmi, a medical doctor who placed second. Asked how he developed his talents despite his tight medical profession practice, he said Freestyle has become a passion and relaxation tool for him. “with my involvement, I believe I have encouraged other professionals to live their passion,”, Mayowa said