Personality in Focus
Calabar Festival Appoints Bakare As Artistic Director
By Frank Meke
One of Africa’s best minds in the creative world, who also is the immediate past Ekiti State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Prof Rasaki Ojo Bakare has been engaged as Artistic Director of the Calabar Carnival Band, CalasVegas.
In this assignment, he is working directly with a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, High Chief Edem Duke. Coincidentally, Chief Edem Duke was the Minister of Culture when Prof Bakare was the Director General of Abuja National Carnival. According to Bakare, “I am here working with my former boss. When he was to get an Artistic Director for CalasVegas, he remembered the good work I did with him in Abuja and didn’t think twice before engaging me.” Our correspondent in Calabar who saw Prof Bakare dishing out instructions to his aides used the opportunity to ask him a few questions.
Question: You did very well for your State as a Commissioner. Now that you are not in office, what next?
Bakare: Thank you. I am back to my practice, I am back to my consultancy and I am back to the University. When I was Commissioner, I couldn’t practice or consult for my own benefit. I channelled the whole of my creative energy towards building a super structure for the sector in my State as the foundation for continuing growth and development. Now, that I am out of office, it’s time to help myself.
Question: But, what if your State needs your services again in future?
Bakare: I am an Ekiti patriot and I am only driven by passion. If that future comes, we will know what to do.
Question: Were there areas you wished you had performed better as a Commissioner?
Bakare: Well, in spite of the numerous achievements within the two years and ten months I was in office, I still wish I did better in all areas, particularly in Tourism. Yes, in 2020, we were the most active state in tourism. In 2021, we were adjudged to be second best in Tourism after Lagos. We hosted NAFEST which brought over 250,000 tourists to Ekiti for seven days and won Tourism Event of the Year beating Calabar Carnival for the first time. We remodelled , re- energised Fajuyi Park and concession it to a private investor. We did same to Arinta Water Fall, Ipole Iloro. We brought investors from Brazil to Ero Dam for purposes of establishing an Aquatic Tourism resort there and so on. But, we had some constraints. First, we lost a whole year to Covid- 19. It drew us back and limited our drive for the Tourism sub sector. Secondly, the economy of the State within the period couldn’t finance most of the investments we proposed and got approvals for in Tourism. For instance, we proposed and got approvals for the development of Abanijorin Hill, Esa Cave, Ogun Onire groove and Olosunta Rock. But, no monetary releases because of the dwindling resources of the State due to Covid- 19. I secured partnership with a private firm to produce Ekiti parapo War Film. The profit from Netflix was to be shared between the State and our patners based on percentage of investment. The firm brought 70 percent of the funding, the 30 percent which was to be our own counterpart fund never came. While I wish things were better in these areas, I am proud of what we achieved within those 2 years and ten months.
Question: What is your relationship with your new Governor?
Bakare: Extremely cordial. Infact, it is too cordial for some people’s comfort. BAO is my brother, my leader and supporter. He has started very well. He will surpass the achievements of JKF. That is the true meaning of progress. When your child achieves more than you.
Greetings: Thank you for your time.
Bakare: It’s my pleasure.
As part of its ongoing transformation from a training institute to a regulatory authority, the Director-General/CEO of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare (Dr) Abisoye Fagade, has embarked on a high-level courtesy visits to key government agencies.
These engagements aim to foster collaboration, enhance industry standards, and strengthen NIHOTOUR’s regulatory framework for the hospitality, travel, and tourism sector.
So far, Dr. Fagade has met with top officials, including Mr. Ayodele Subair, Executive Chairman of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS); Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); and Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Discussions focused on strategic partnerships to ensure compliance, professional certification, and improved service delivery within the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.
“Our vision is clear – to build a robust, well-regulated travel, hospitality, and tourism sector that meets global standards. This transition requires strong collaboration with key agencies to align our training, certification, and regulatory frameworks with international best practices,” said Dr. Abisoye Fagade.
With more agencies scheduled for engagement, NIHOTOUR remains committed to promoting excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s travel, hospitality, and tourism industry.
Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Uche Orji as an Independent Non-Executive Director of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc.
The Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, said the appointment, which takes effect from January 7, 2025, has been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“This appointment reflects our commitment to enhancing our governance practices and ensuring a diverse and experienced board”, Access Holdings said.
Orji is a renowned investment banking professional, information technology entrepreneur, and finance expert with three decades of professional and board experience. He is the Co-founder and Partner of Titangate Capital Management, an equity firm that invests in deep-tech, enterprise software, semi-conductors, hardware, and artificial intelligence companies.
Orji is the Founder and Director of Vitesse Africa Limited, an investment advisory firm focused on African energy, technology and infrastructure sectors.
He serves as an Executive Board member and investor in Ultrasafe AI, an artificial intelligence/IT development firm that maintains strategic collaborations with leading technology companies.
He also sits on the Board of Private Infrastructure Development Group, London, and chairs the Risk Committee.
Previously, Orji served as the founding Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
He held positions as Managing Director and Senior Analyst at UBS Securities Limited New York and Managing Director and Head of European Technology/Semiconductor Equity Research at JP Morgan Securities, London.
He also served as Executive Director/Portfolio Manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, London. Earlier in his career, he was Acting Financial Controller at Diamond Bank Limited and an Audit Trainee at Arthur Andersen & Co.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Port Harcourt and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Commenting on the appointment, the Chairman of the Bank, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), said: “Mr. Orji has been appointed based on his exceptionally rich professional, academic, and corporate board experience which will be invaluable to the Bank as we continue to pursue our strategic objectives.
“We are confident that his addition to the Board would further enrich the quality of our decision-making process, enabling us to deliver even greater value to our customers and stakeholders.
“His appointment has been made in accordance with the Bank’s internal policies and has been notified to all relevant regulatory authorities underscoring our commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance.
“On behalf of the Board, Management and staff, I warmly welcome Mr. Orji to the Board and look forward to his contributions towards our goal of becoming one of the top five African banks in the shortest possible time.”
A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lt Gen. Jeremiah Useni (retd), is dead.
He passed away on Thursday at the age of 82 after a protracted illness.
His death was announced in a statement issued in Jos by Gyang Bere, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang.
He described the of the former Minister and Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army as a tremendous loss not only to his immediate family but also to the Nigerian Armed Forces, Plateau State, and the entire nation.
Highlighting the roles played by the late army general, Governor Mutfwang noted that he left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s security and political landscape with his tireless efforts to promote peace and security, especially in Northern Nigeria and Plateau State.
The governor prayed that god grants the family, plateau state, and the nation the strength and fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss, and also asked for God’s divine presence to comfort and provide solace in the days ahead.
