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FirstBank Partners Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) to Host National Student Entrepreneurship Competition
Junior Achievement Nigeria’s (JAN) annual flagship event, National Company of the Year Competition (NCOY) will be taking place Thursday, 3rd October 2019. With the theme “Activating Disruptors”, this annual event brings the JA Company Program winners of our Regional Competitions together to compete for the National Company of the Year Award sponsored by First Bank of Nigeria Limited. The winners will represent Nigeria against fellow JA Africa companies for the title of 2019 JA Africa Company of the Year set to hold in Ghana.
At NCOY, JA student companies present the results of their enterprise before a panel of independent judges. Participants must present the business achievements as a whole and each team member’s contribution. For a team to win this award, it is not sufficient just to run a financially successful JA company or create an exciting product/service. They must also demonstrate an understanding of why the company performed as it did. Judges also look for evidence of innovation in all aspects of a company’s operations. Students also present an Annual Report and host a Trade booth display.
The competition will be judged by Awuneba Ajumogobia, Non-Executive Director, UACN Property Development Company; Eloho Gihan-Mbelu, CEO, Endeavor Nigeria; Kehinde Olateru, CEO, Crenet TechLabs; Ibukun Akinola, Co-founder, Piggyvest.
According to JAN’s Executive Director, Mrs. Simi Nwogugu; “The National Company of the Year Competition 2019 is an opportunity for us to showcase the depth of potential that lies within these young minds and Junior Achievement Nigeria’s role in grooming the next generation of leading entrepreneurs. We thank First Bank of Nigeria Limited for sponsoring the NCOY competition for three consecutive years, a partnership we are pleased to reckon with, whilst contributing to the continued growth and development of the country. This is a call-to-action for corporate stakeholders, teachers, youths, entrepreneurs and all who support the cause of empowering youths to becoming not just leaders, but conscientious leaders leading a vibrant economy.”
Expressing her delight on FirstBank’s support and participation in the activities of Junior Achievement Nigeria, especially its National Company of the Year (NCOY), the Group Head, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Folake Ani- Mumuney said” We are pleased to identify with JA Nigeria, especially on its giant strides at encouraging entrepreneurship amongst secondary school students in the country. With innovation and invention being essential at promoting opportunities for growth and development in the fast-changing world, the NCOY remains a platform to strengthen the intellectual development of young people in the society”.
About Junior Achievement Nigeria
Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide (JAWW), the world’s largest and fastest-growing non-profit economic education organization with a 120-country network. Since inception in 1999, JAN has reached over 970,000 students in over 20,000 classrooms in all the 36 states across the country and the FCT through over 4000 volunteers. As part of a global network, JAN is able to leverage resources and expertise to deliver localized cutting-edge experiential programs built on JAWW’s three pillars of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, to in- and out-of-school youth ages 5 to 27 free of charge.
Adebayo Adelabu, one of the aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in Oyo State, has alleged irregularities in the party’s governorship primary election held on Thursday.
Adelabu, who expressed dissatisfaction over the conduct of the exercise, stated that the primary was characterized by misconduct ranging from disenfranchisement of his supporters in some wards and the commencement of election process earlier than scheduled.
Speaking after the conclusion of the primary election at IMG School, Ward 9, Ibadan South-East Local Government Area, the immediate past Minister of Power alleged that the process was neither free, fair nor credible.
He said: “Before our people started getting to their various wards, they have already conducted the election and they wrote the figures they want as results.
“In some wards, our people were prevented from voting. They were intimidated. They were chased away violently. And in some wards, voting did not take place at all.
“All this kind of misconduct is not good at this stage of our democracy in Nigeria, and something has to be done about it.”
Adelabu, therefore, vowed to come up with serious petitions against all the irregularities not just in Ibadan, but across all the five geopolitical zones in Oyo State.
“Also, conduct of many party executives is uncalled for, a lot of people bought forms and they were cleared. And they decided to conduct affirmation of a particular candidate in some wards.
“There was nothing like consensus arrangement. It was just a figment of their weird imagination. The instruction we got from Abuja was that we should all carry out free, fair, and transparent direct primary election where every aspirant will be given a level playing ground and the election will be conducted peacefully.
“Where did they get the idea of consensus candidates? And this is what happened in a lot of the wards. And it didn’t go down well with us. “We don’t want that. We are going to assess the gravity of this gross misconduct and the potential impact on the overall result of this election.
“I will put a petition forward to the appropriate authorities so that it can be deeply investigated and there must be consequences to this. The people who perpetrated this misconduct must be identified and punished. And the aspirants involved also need to be suspended because this is not good for us.
“Democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people where nobody should be disenfranchised. Once you are a party member, you should have that freedom, that authority to pick an aspirant of your choice as the flag bearer of the party.
“This is Ibadan, this is Oyo State and this the centre of politics in the southwest. And we should be able to lay good examples and the process should produce a candidate that won transparently, freely and fairly,” he said.
Meanwhile, at Ward 9, Ibadan South-East Local Government, Adelabu, polled 430 to defeat his closest rival, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who had 3 votes.
Al Nassr captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, has finally won the Saudi Pro League title.
They were confirmed champions on Thursday, thanks to a 4-2 drubbing of relegation battlers, Damac.
The title race had gone down to the final day after Al-Nassr dramatically dropped points against Al-Hilal the previous week.
Jorge Jesus’ side knew there could be no mistakes against a Damac side fighting for survival at the other end of the table.
Ronaldo was on the scoresheet, as his brace helped Al Nassr secure the title ahead of rivals Al Hilal.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election in the state.
Fubara made this known in a statement personally signed on Wednesday, saying he would support whoever emerges as the party’s candidate, The Nations reported.
The governor said his decision followed extensive consultations with his family, friends, and political associates.
“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC governorship primaries. I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party,” Fubara said.
Fubara said although the decision was difficult, he remained committed to supporting whoever would emerge as the APC governorship candidate.
According to him, leadership demands sacrifice and personal ambition must sometimes give way to the collective interest of the people.
Meanwhile, the embattled governor expressed appreciation to his supporters for their loyalty, prayers and sacrifices throughout the political process, acknowledging that many would feel disappointed by his withdrawal.
He said his silence in recent weeks was “deliberate and strategic,” adding that it was guided by the higher interest of the state.
Tone Cole, APC chieftain and 2027 governorship aspirant in Rivers State, also announced his withdrawal from the race, saying his decision was, among other reasons, in the interest of the party’s unity.
