Featured
Tell Buhari Nigerians are Hungry, Gani Adams Tasks Femi Adesina
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Chief Gani Adams, on Thursday took on the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on the claim that life had improved under Buhari’s watch.
This was as Prof Akin Onigbinde described the statistics on Buhari’s achievements as “the reality that we cannot see.”
The three men were among speakers at the 2nd annual lecture of Freedom Online, which held in Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday.
At the event, which had the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, as guest speaker, both Adesina and Adams were guests of honour while Onigbinde was the keynote speaker.
Among other dignitaries on the occasion were former governors of Ogun and Abia states, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, respectively.
Adesina had reeled out statistics on the achievements of the Buhari’s administration since 2015, saying only those who chose to be wilfully blind would not acknowledge government’s achievements.
Adesina said under Buhari’s watch in 2017, Nigeria’s agricultural export grew by 180.7 per cent; while raw materials export in the same year rose by 150.2 per cent.
“Before we export, it means that, to a large extent, we have satisfied domestic demand,” he said.
He added that rice importation had reduced by 90 per cent, saving the country billions of dollars on a daily basis.
“How about the stock market in 2017? The Nigerian stock market ended as one of the best performing in the world.
“Five million new taxpayers were added since 2016,” Adesina said, adding that between 2016 and 2017 government spent N2.7tn on infrastructure, “unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.”
Adesina said it was only those playing politics that would claim not to have seen or felt the impact of government’s achievements.
“If you choose to be wilfully blind, even if they put something in your face you won’t be able to see it,” the presidential spokesman said.
But in his remarks, Adams said though Adesina’s analysis was beautiful, it meant little to the man on the street.
He said, “You made a very good analysis, but by the time we check it, I know you are a very honest person and you are telling us the truth, but with this analysis, I think the grass-roots people should feel the government; they should feel the impact of government by all means.
“I am a regular traveller; I’ve travelled to about 46 countries and I know what is happening in the developed world and when you see most of their economic analysts, they won’t tell you what they are doing theoretically but you will see what is happening.”
He, therefore, called on Adesina to go back to Abuja and tell the President that the people were hungry.
He said, “When my brother, Mr Femi Adesina was making the analysis, it got to a point, I was so shocked because I know the background of my brother, Femi Adesina, as a brilliant journalist. When he was at The Sun Newspaper, you’d love to read his articles and for trying to package their government, I was not surprised.”
Turning to Adesina, the Aare Ona Kakanfo said, “But I want you to pass this message to the President because I remember when President Goodluck Jonathan was in power, he said when they are in that Villa, it’s just like being in a prison or a cage; they don’t know what is happening at the grass roots. But coming to this event, we need to pass this information that you can tell Mr President that Nigerians are suffering. Ebi n pa awon ara ilu (the people are hungry).”
Earlier, Onigbinde had described Adesina’s analysis as “the reality that we cannot see.”
Onigbinde said, “I welcome my friend, Adesina, telling us the reality we cannot see; we are not wearing glasses, these are things I encounter on a daily basis. I have heard about the Metro Rice in Ogun State, I saw it only on television; it is not in Daleko Market and the rice is also not in Kuto.
“I live in Bodija, I can’t see this rice. But Femi is my brother, he has a duty to direct our gaze to what we cannot see and we begin to see things in our imagination.”
In his lecture, Fayemi, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Investment and Trade, Mr Akin Oyebode, said Nigeria must commit huge investment to health care and education.
He said, “No economy can develop without a healthy and competent workforce. Therefore, education and health care are critical social investments required to develop our nation. This is why we must continue to expand the health insurance and ensure that the poorest people get coverage.”
The Punch
Fast-growing Lagos-based Entertainment and hospitality hub, Avalanche has announced the birth of its educational arm, The Avalanche Creative Academy.
The academy is designed as a top-notch platform dedicated to nurturing creativity and innovation among aspiring creatives.
The Academy aims to provide comprehensive training through various programs, workshops, and mentorship opportunities, all designed to inspire and equip students with the skills they need to thrive in the creative industry.
It offers the following courses: Music Production, Sound Engineering, Photography, cinematography, 3D,graphic designs, motion graphics, Business Management, Creative copywriting, and Creative Strategies.
The Academy’s first set of intakes is scheduled to resume on the 17th of February 2025, while application opens from 13th of January 2025, on a 12-week basic course.
“Together, we can create invaluable experiences for our students and contribute to the creative community.
Follow the link below to register
The Christmas/End of Year party of the Igbobi College Old Boys Association (ICOBA) was filled with excitement, pomp and pageantry as the 84-86 set celebrated its 40th anniversary of leaving the school.
The highlight of the event was the donation of N20 million from the set’s endowment to serve as a seed fund for the national body’s endowment through the National ICOBA. The donation was received by Mr Femi Banwo, President ICOBA International and Mr Kunle Elebute, Chairman ICOBA National Endowment Committee
The 84-86 set’s Board of Trustees Endowment Committee had established an independent endowment in 2009 with a vision to create a lasting legacy for the set. Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the ICOBA 84-86 Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee, Dr. Falil Ayo Abina, expressed his delight, stating that it was a dream come true.
Dr. Abina explained that one of the core lessons learned at Igbobi College was “self-denial.”
He reminisced about the Self-Denial Fund (SDF), where students were taught to contribute their weekly “widow’s mite” to share with the less privileged in society. Dr. Abina emphasized that when the endowment committee conceived the idea of the endowment 15 years ago, they had this legacy in mind, aiming to serve a purpose greater than self.
The donation of N20 million to the national endowment is expected to inspire others within the alumni and other school alumni associations to follow suit.
This generous donation is the first in ICOBA’s history and arguably in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
The 13-member endowment committee, also include Demola Ipaye, Fola Laguda, Gbenga Aina, Demola Oladeinde, Jimi Onanuga, Abayomi Alabi, Kwami Adadevoh, Bayo Ayoade, Tunde Sadare, Wole Ogunbajo, Tunji Akinwummi, and Lanre Olusola, worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality and it was indeed mission accomplished for the ‘Nobles Nigerians ‘ as Igbobians are called.
The recent US presidential election should be praised for its credibility and peaceful conduct. The election serves as a model for Nigeria, highlighting the importance of free, fair and transparent polls, according to the publisher of online platform, Bluefames Media, Mr. Victor Udoh
The US election saw Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, emerge victorious over Democrat, vice president Kamala Harris. Trump secured 270 electoral votes, surpassing Harris’s votes.
While congratulating Trump on his victory, Udoh noted that the election’s smooth process, devoid of issues like ballot box snatching, violence and technical glitches.
In contrast, Nigeria’s electoral process often faces challenges, including delays, vote-buying and disputes over results, he lamented. Udoh emphasized the need for Nigeria to learn from the US example, ensuring credible elections that reflect the will of the people.
He said: “Nigerians and the international community monitored the outcomes of the US election. You could see that the US electoral process demonstrates the value of credible and peaceful elections, which experience Nigeria can draw lessons from to improve its own electoral system.
“By embracing transparency, accountability and peaceful conduct, Nigeria can strengthen its democracy and ensure governance that truly represents the people’s will.”
Udoh, a publicist and motivator, pointed out that learning from the US experience, Nigeria can address its electoral weaknesses and foster a more robust democracy, which in turn, can lead to better governance, economic growth and improved living standards for Nigerians.
“Nigeria must prioritize electoral reform and transparency to ensure that its citizens’ voices are heard and valued,” he stressed.
He, however, warned that “a second Trump term may have significant implications for global issues like dollar value, immigration, energy and geopolitical stability.”
Victor Udoh is the publisher of online platform, Bluefames Media
