Tony Elumelu Foundation Announces Africa's Biggest Entrepreneurship Forum

TEF leaders at the press conference

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s largest philanthropy focused on supporting entrepreneurship, today announced that the 3rd annual TEF Entrepreneurship Forum – the most inclusive gathering of African SMEs – will take place on October 13-14 in Lagos.

This is the first year the invitation-only Forum is open to non-TEF entrepreneurs and will allow SMEs from across Africa to attend and form networks, share knowledge, connect with investors, link with corporate supply chains and influence policy makers and business leaders in attendance.

Idah Poly shut down as students protest killing of colleague

The Federal Polytechnic, Idah

The management of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi state, on Tuesday closed down the institution, following students violence over the murder of their colleague, Gabriel Adiku, by unknown persons.

A statement by the institution’s Deputy Registrar (Academics), Mr D.I.S. Unwuchola, said that the closure was approved by the governing council after it reviewed the security situation.

The statement disclosed that Adiku, a Higher National Diploma student, was attacked by unknown assailants, who waylaid him on his way from class to his hostel.

“The victim was stabbed several times and left in a pool of his blood. Students later rushed him to the school clinic for treatment where he died,” Unwuchola said.

Elumelu Lauds Afreximbank's Support to African Businesses

Tony O. Elumelu with Dr Okey Oramah during the signing ceremony 

At the 24th Annual General Meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim), held in Rwanda, Tony O. Elumelu, CON, Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the Tony Elumelu Foundation, congratulated Afrexim for the critical support that the Bank, led by President Oramah, provides for African businesses and its significant contribution to the development of cross-border trade and investment in Africa. 

Mr Elumelu highlighted the role of African institutions, such as Afrexim, commenting that the Bank’s mission was further evidence of Africa’s own ability to provide long-term, strategic financing to Africa’s economic and social development. “Afrexim brings a unique and highly relevant perspective to the challenge of supporting intra-African trade flow and ensuring value is created in and exported from our Continent” said Mr Elumelu. “I urge other development finance institutions, particularly the Bank’s African peers, to follow its example in providing transformational forms of funding to African businesses.”

Kogi Assembly: Court reinstates Friday Makama

Hon Friday Sani Makama

A Kogi High Court sitting in Lokoja on Thursday set aside the suspension of Mr Friday Sani (PDP-Igalamela-Odolu) by the state House of Assembly.

Justice Henry Olusuyi in his judgment delivered in Lokoja, described the suspension of the lawmaker as an act of legislative insolence which would not be allowed by any competent court of jurisdiction.

The court maintained that the March 28 suspension of the lawmaker following which he approached the court to seek redress was “invalid, illegal and unconstitutional”.

Olusiyi held that the claimant had the right to sue the first defendant (Kogi House of Assembly) if he felt the legislature unjustly suspended him.

Kogi to deploy Agric Extension Workers to Farms

Kogi Agricultural Development Project (ADP) says agricultural extension workers will soon be deployed to rural communities across the state to assist farmers with extension services to boost their productivity.

Mr James Ogunmola, General Manager of the ADP, said this at a meeting of Core Delivery Team (CDT) of the State Partnership for Agriculture (SPA) in Lokoja on Wednesday.

The meeting was organised by Synergos Nigeria, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Ogunmola said that the extension workers, who were recently trained, were primed for deployment to various communities to assist the farmers.

UBA Foundation launches Read Africa in Liberia

Bola Atta flanked by pupils of C. William Brumskine elementary school, Monrovia

In pursuance of its mission to uplift the lives of the communities in which the United bank for Africa (Plc) operates, UBA Foundation's initiative, Read Africa is visiting schools in African countries to encourage young children embrace the culture of reading.

Read Africa is an initiative of UBA Foundation geared at rekindling the dwindling reading culture amongst African youths. 

Conceived and introduced in 2011, by the Foundation, the project involves the provision of recommended Literature for junior and senior secondary school students across the African continent.

Relief as Kogi Doctors Suspend Strike

Federal Medical Centre Lokoja

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Kogi has suspended its 18-day old strike to enable government meet up with her demands.

The Chairman of the association, Godwin Tijani, said this in a statement issued after its Ordinary General Meeting, OGM, in Lokoja on Thursday.

Mr. Tijani explained that members agreed to suspend the strike because the state government has met about 70 per cent of their demands and promised to address other outstanding issues before September.

Case against Austin Okai to Continue, Court Rules

Austin Okai

The Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja, on Wednesday ruled it will proceed in a cybercrime and other related charges brought by the Kogi State government against a popular social blogger, Comrade Austin Usman Okai.

The decision was taken by a federal judge despite a wrong filing of proceedings pointed out by the defense attorney.  

Justice Ndahi Auta handed down the controversial ruling and adjourned hearing till October 12.  By doing so, he was accepting the line of the state government to unilaterally fling behind bars the voice of opposition elements in the state, particularly such prominent ones as those of Mr. Okai whose crime is that he advocates the payment of workers’ salaries and pensions and good governance.

IGALA Groups Demand Naval Base to Ward Off Aggression from Biafran Agitators

Linguistic map of Nigeria showing the Igala-Igbo proximity

TEXT OF THE WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE IGALA SOCIAL-CULTURAL GROUPS ON THE AGITATION FOR THE DECLARATION OF THE STATE OF BIAFRA AND THE WRONGFUL INCLUSION OF IGALA NATION IN THEIR BIAFRAN MAP, WEDNESDAY,  JUNE 14TH 2017, AT NUJ PRESS CENTRE, LOKOJA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA.

PROTOCOL:

Our attention has been drawn to the publication on pages 5, 6 and 7 of the Daily Trust Newspaper of Sunday June 4th , 2017 on  the renewed agitation for the declaration of Biafra and the wrongful inclusion of Igala Nation in the said agitations including the Biafran map. We have also reviewed the different reactions to this call for the State of Biafra across the various geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

The Igala nation which found itself in the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of the Niger River Basin was a renowned kingdom in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its vast political, economic and social influences cut across most States in the current Federal Republic of Nigeria. In our days of glory, the Igala kingdom ruled most parts of the geopolitical area being described in the agitation for the State of Biafra and beyond.

Dino and Bello: Sodom Preaching to Gomorrah

Gov Bello and Sen. Dino

By Michael Achile Umameh

In Kogi State, democracy has collapsed into tyranny and authoritarianism. 

Sen. Dino Melaye and Gov. Yahaya Bello are the self-serving and sterile heroes of this decay. The 

ongoing irrational and irresponsible altercation between Dino and Bello, leading to a reported death of five innocent students is the height of a betrayal of our collective trust. 

Now they have fresh blood on their hands.