Nigerian Traviation is an online news platform reporting business stories with a bias for aviation, tourism and Travels. It is poised to inform and educate on issues regarding Aviation, Travels and Tourism in the country.
The Speaker of the Lagos state house of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has described the death of the representative of Lagos East at the Senate, Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo as a rude shock.
Obasa, who described the deceased as a political pillar and peace maker, made this known through a statement issued to newsmen by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Tolani Abati.
“We were about to begin the plenary session of the day when the news of his demise filtered in and threw the whole Assembly into disarray and mourning.
“Not many could believe that the ebullient and ever smiling Pepperito, like a candle in the wind, had been blown out.
“Even with the evidence that death has done its worst, it is still difficult to come to terms that a political pillar and peace maker is gone” Obasa said.
The Speaker stated that many loved the late senator while at the Lagos state house of Assembly for playing the stabilizing role, proffering solutions to members’ sociology-political problems.
He expressed gratitude to the Senator on behalf of the Muslim Community of the House for playing fatherly role and financial commitment to their course.
“For the 16 years ( 2003- 2019) he was in the Lagos State House of Assembly representing the good people of Kosofe Constituency 1, many loved him for the stabilising role he played at every point in the period.
“Throughout his stay in the House, many ran to him for solutions to their socio-political problems because of the sagacity and wisdom he applied to issues.
The Muslim community of the Lagos House of Assembly will forever be grateful to him for his fatherly role and financial commitment to their course particularly in the building of the ultra-modern mosque within the Assembly complex” He said.
The sudden, unexpected passing of Senator Bayo Osinowo has deeply hurt me and Lagosians. He was more than a close friend and political associate. Over the years he became like a family member and brother in so many ways.Bayo and I have come a long way, dating back to our days in the pro-democracy struggles. We both enlisted in the Social Democratic Party where he served so well as the Youth Chairman of that party during the Third Republic and later in the Alliance for Democracy in 1998 after the restoration of democracy. Bayo’s contributions to the return of democracy were significant and enduring.As a prominent political figure in Lagos, he served our state with dedication, passion and concern for the common man. In the Lagos State House of Assembly, where he was a four-time member from 2003 to 2019 representing Kosofe Constituency 1, he was more than a member of that House. He provided leadership. He was a stabilising figure. He worked hard and tirelessly to make Lagos a better place. He cared for all Lagosians.His election in 2019 to represent Lagos East in the Senate demonstrated not only his immense political skills but also the affection the people have for him and his popularity. Thus far in the National Assembly, he discharged himself creditably as Chairman Senate Committee on Industries.Like the committee he headed, Bayo was extremely industrious. Bayo was not born with riches. He rose from a modest background to the great heights that he attained.His death hurt all who know him. Bayo was more than an excellent politician. As great a politician he was, Bayo was an even better person. He was a man of a kind heart and ready smile. His loyalty and enthusiasm was legendary, just as his generosity.People loved him. So many tears have been shed. However, we must summon strength to carry on as he would want us to do.My thoughts are with his immediate family. May Almighty Allah comfort and give them the solace that only He can provide. May Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest and admit him to Aljanna Firdaus. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu June 15, 2020.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has said that the chartered flight which conveyed musician, Naira Marley from Lagos to Abuja, was actually approved for a Lagos high court judge, Justice Adefowope Okojie.
The minister stated this during the daily press briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.
He said the aviation authorities approved the flight on June 14 having considered the judge to be on essential duties.
According to him, he was then surprised that the flight which was to take off on June 14 and convey the judge took off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, for the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, on July 13 at 6.00 p.m.
“we wrote a letter approving the chartered flight for Justice Adefowope Okojie and we approved the flight for June 14.
“We were therefore surprised that the flight took off on June 13 and also surprised at those who were the passengers” He said.
The minister said as of now, investigation is ongoing to know the pilot of the plane and those aviation officials who were around when the flight took off in Lagos and landed in Abuja.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has published audited financial statements online in a bid to improve transparency around its operations.
Nigerian Traviation recalled that The state-owned oil company has been criticized for years of conducting the nation’s oil business in secret by publishing only unaudited financial reports.
The statements published on the company’s website yesterday were for 2018 and were signed by Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari.
NNPC also published audited accounts online of its 20 subsidiaries and business divisions for first time.
In a response to a private message on Twitter, Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, Waziri Adio said that Disclosure “is good for transparency and accountability.
He, therefore, urged them to make this a regular practice and in open data format.
National Petroleum Investment Management Services is the group’s most profitable division, according to the statements. It reported revenue of 5.04 trillion naira ($13 billion) in 2018 and profit of 1.01 trillion naira. That compares with a loss of 1.65 trillion naira in 2017.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html?n=0
The report shows total assets managed by NAPIMS at 18.6 trillion naira, with the oil and gas components valued at 14.2 trillion naira.
Its oil production subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, reported a post-tax profit of 179 billion naira in 2018. The corporation’s three refineries reported a combined loss of 154 billion naira with the Kaduna refinery recording zero revenue for that year. NNPC didn’t publish consolidated audited accounts for the group.
Director at Lagos-based BudgIT. Oluseun Onigbinde said that NNPC has been rated as a cesspool, providing slush funds for politicians.
“They have been trying to change the perspective since 2015 with the publication of monthly reports and the 2018 audited statements is also a step forward” He said.
Resident Doctors in Nigeria has commenced a nationwide strike after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum issued to federal government.
The National President of NARD, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, had in a circular last week said the association found it necessary to take “the painful decision” following the inability of the Federal Government to meet its demands.
“Consequent upon the 14 days ultimatum duly served the Federal Government for indefinite strike action, in accordance with the resolution of the Ordinary General Meeting of the Association on the May 29, we hereby notify you that all resident doctors, medical officers below the rank of Principal Medical Officer and House Officers across all the Federal and State hospitals in Nigeria, shall be embarking on a total and indefinite strike action effective 12:01 am on Monday, 15th June 2020.
“It is important that you make alternative arrangements for the care of the patients as the strike shall be total and indefinite. No service of any kind, be it emergency, care at COVID-19 isolation and treatment centres shall be exempted. We sympathize with the patients and the Nigerian populace.
“For purpose of clarity, the demands on which the ultimatum was predicated include the following; Provision of grossly inadequate appropriate Personal Protective Equipment for all health care workers; Immediate reversal of the illegal disengagement of all 26 resident doctors in Jos University Teaching Hospital, and the payment of all salaries owed them, in keeping with provisions of the Medical Residency Training Act.
“Universal Implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all federal and state hospitals and ensuring pay parity among doctors of equal cadre; Immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance and payment of the COVID-19 inducement allowance as agreed with by the Federal Government and healthcare workers three months ago,” Sokomba said.
The association also advocated the provision of funding for Medical Residency Training in the 2021 Appropriation bill, as well as payment of all arrears, owed its members in the federal and states tertiary health institutions, arising from the consequential adjustment of the National minimum wage. Sent from my iPhone
A Non-governmental organization, Human Development Initiatives has embarked upon a community intervention support program to 10 selected Local Government Education Authorities in Lagos State.
This call became necessary given the current Covid-19 challenge ravaging the world and the need to support government-led efforts to stem the tide of the pandemic especially in Lagos State which is hardest hit.
This was contained in a press release signed by Johnson Ibidapo, the program officer of the organization.
The statement reads in part, Human Development Initiatives (HDI) with the support of the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation is embarking on a community-based intervention program aimed at stopping the spread of this pandemic.
The intervention program is expected to reach about 6,000 persons with facemasks (for adults and children), hand sanitizers, and handheld radios.
“Target beneficiaries of the intervention are rural dwellers in selected hard-to-reach communities. These communities are either riverine, slum/shanty.
A total of 450 households are targeted to reach with the hand-held radios, while 5000 persons would receive facemasks and another 200 will receive hand sanitizers with about 1000 hand gloves up for distribution for the personal protection of beneficiaries, to curtail the spread of the Corona Virus Pandemic.
“Feelers from many rural dwellers some of who monitor UBE projects for Human Development Initiatives in these areas have complained of exclusion especially in the distribution of palliatives given out by several bodies and agencies.
The feeling of exclusion is further worsened by the nation-wide lockdown which has restricted movement and paralyzed economic activities throughout the state and the nation at large.
The news came like a bolt from the blue on a Sunday morning. Ibidun, wife of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, had passed away in Port Harcourt in the early hours of Sunday June 14 just before she clocked her 40th birthday.
My long time sister, family friend and associate, Debbie Akindele-Ojo, a fashion and beauty entrepreneur, called me but I missed her call. She left a note: call me. In my mind, I sensed something was amiss but I could not figure it out.
I retuned Debbie’s call immediately only to find out she was crying and heartbroken.
“What is the matter?” I asked her, worried and confused. “Why are you crying? I managed to ask as I wasn’t sure what was going on. Debbie then struggled to break the news to me: “Have you heard? Ibidun Ighodalo is dead.” As I was absorbing the devastating news, Debbie was still sobbing and in a muffled voice, she said, “I’ll call you back.” I called my wife immediately to let her know I did not have good news for her. “Oh no, it can’t be true,” my wife screamed when I broke the news of Ibidun’s death. “What happened?” At this time, I didn’t have an answer to my wife’s question.
Shortly afterwards, the news of Ibidun’s demise was confirmed by a family statement and the social media was set on fire with fond tributes.
Ibidun and her ever dependable team at Elizabeth R, a premium event management company she founded in 2003, were setting up marquees as isolation centres for some state governments. Ibidun executes every contract dutifully and leaves nothing to chance. She was exemplary in character and leadership. Until her untimely death, Ibidun was working in Port Harcourt.
When Debbie and I spoke later after about an hour, I told her we lost an Angel. In 1998 as head consultant of PR Dimensions, my colleagues and I organised the first ever Lux Beauty Pageant for Unilever Nigeria Plc (then known as Lever Brothers Nigeria Plc). As part of the event management plan, we inaugurated a screening committee for photo entries received for the contest.
I invited Debbie, owner of Everywoman — a fashion shop for women on Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos — to join the committee. Ibidun Ajayi – as she then was — made the final shortlist of 10 contestants. The grand finale of the beauty pageant held at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos and Ibidun, an undergraduate of the University of Lagos at the time, won the contest. It was a spectacular night that was full of glitz and glamour. Top Lagos socialite and award winning actor, Richard Mofe-Damijo, emceed the show and he delivered a class act to an appreciative and distinguished audience.
Ibidun was crowned as the maiden Lux beauty queen in a night that I was sure was memorable for her. I remember Ibidun saying after the event that she did not expect to win as one of the youngest contestants.
One of the prizes for the Lux Queen was a safari trip to Kenya. It was a delegation of four persons that made the trip: Ibidun, Julie, her chaperon (from my office), Julius Agenmonmen, Personal Care Products Manager of Unilever at the time and me. John Mugo of blessed memory (he died in a plane crash) was Area Manager of Kenya Airways back in 1998. When I told him of our trip to Nairobi with the Lux Queen, he promptly provided four complimentary tickets.
It turned out to be a memorable experience as we journeyed with to Masai Maira with tour guides for the safari including posing for photographs with Masai warriors. That was how a long standing relationship began between Ibidun and members of the organising committee of the Lux beauty pageant. It is a relationship I have treasured over the years.
My wife called Mercy Nwosu who is based in Houston, USA to inform her of Ibidun’s death. Mercy was the first runner-up at the beauty pageant. “It cannot be true,” Mercy told me when my wife handed over the phone to me. “Ibidun is too young to die. A long time ago, I told Ibidun she can make a great career out of event planning because my mother was into the business. I’m glad she followed her heart and built a phenomenal event company,” Mercy said.
Ibidun was beautiful, soft spoken, humble, respectful, diligent, talented and friendly. She had a generous spirit and inspired young people who saw her as a role model; they wanted to be like her. From the outpouring of tributes in some blogs to honour Ibidun, even those who were not close to her admired her strength of character, creativity, philanthropy and entrepreneurship.
Ibidun called me “Uncle Ehi” as a mark of respect for our friendship. During her reign as beauty queen, Ibidun made life easy for everyone – she did not carry unnecessary airs around her; her conduct and attitude showed great promise. The fact that she was a beauty queen and campus celebrity did not get into her head — it was a reflection of her graciousness, strong family values and humility.
Debbie and Ibidun became very close after she won the beauty pageant. “Ibidun was God fearing; she was beautiful inside and outside,” Debbie told me when we spoke on the phone. “Everybody in my family loved her. She called me her mentor and we were able to spent time together at my place, especially on weekends, when she was still a student at Unilag,” Debbie recalled.
As Lux Beauty Queen, we ensured that Ibidun’s routine was flexible enough to accommodate her academic calendar at the University of Lagos. When Unilever gave us the green light to start the second edition of the Lux beauty pageant, Ibidun was very supportive and available to play her role until she crowned her successor, Ifeoma Williams (nee Njoku).
Together with Debbie and Joan Ibuzo, an associate and outstanding pageant director of Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, we registered Queenafrik International 20 years ago to organise another beauty pageant with an African focus. We wasted no time inviting Ibidun and she happily joined the organising committee without any hassle.
Ibidun eventually established herself successfully as a renowned event planner. As chief executive of Elizabeth R, Ibidun displayed amazing passion for innovation and hard work. She was painstaking and her company was highly sought after for high profile events by the rich and famous. By applying strategic positioning principles, Ibidun built an event planning brand and became number one in the mind in that category.
She was also known as the “Queen of Decoration” on account of the contract from the Lagos state government when Babatunde Raji Fashola (now Minister of Works and Housing) was governor to decorate Lagos and give it a festive ambience for Christmas. Her brief was to beautify Lagos and she did well and usually went beyond her brief to do more. Ibidun also loved fashion and style. Her dress sense was creative and remarkable – this could be due to her background as a former beauty queen.
Debo Adebayo runs a management consultancy and Elizabeth R is one of his clients. “I have been working with Ibidun now for close to three years,” recalls Adebayo who is also a Fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN). “I’m still devastated by the news of her death. Ibidun was a good person with a kind heart and she was always willing to lend a helping hand. The staff is very fond of Ibidun and they call her “Mama” because of her leadership style, management skills, discipline and kindness.
“Ibidun has a warm and pleasant personality; she’s caring, friendly and humble. She treats everyone like a family but sometimes during management retreats, we tease her as a “Drama Queen” and we would all laugh together. Ibidun was always calm and confident but when she’s offended and angry, you will know in spite of her friendly disposition. Our role is purely business strategy for the company and we design a road map to execute the strategy,” Adebayo said.
Everyone I know is shocked at the passing of Ibidun who would have marked her 40th birthday on July 19. Her death shows how fleeting every moment is in this world. “The news of Ibidun’s death is humbling,” Cynthia Yinkere, who also knows Ibidun, told me. “She made her mark and her death truly reminds us of our mortality,” Cynthia added. There was no chance to say even last minute goodbyes.
Ibidun lived a worthy life and she will always be remembered as a humanist and care giver. She also expressed great love for children. Ibidun had her own fair share of life’s challenges but she endured them and soldiered on, putting all her hopes and trust in God.
As an amazing philanthropist who loved to touch lives positively, she set up the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, to encourage and support couples on their fertility journey based on her own experience.
Ibidun is survived by her husband, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Senior Pastor at Trinity House Church; her daughter Keke and Zenan, her son. Both Keke and Zenan were adopted after her struggle with infertility. No doubt, this is a difficult period but my prayer is that God Almighty will grant Pastor Ighodalo and the entire family the fortitude to bear this great loss.
First Bank of Nigeria Holdings has concluded the sales of 65% stakes in FBN insurance.
Traviation Online recalled that FirstBank Holdings Plc sought to sell 65 percent of its stake in FirstBank Insurance (subsidiary company) to South Africa insurer, Sanlam Investment Pty, according to filings to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
In a statement published on the website of the NSE, Sanlam already owns 35 percent in the Nigerian insurer as it continues to make inroads into the country’s robust market.
A sale of the unit, which generated revenue or gross premium written in the fiscal year ended December, would help shore up the capital FirstBank Holdings. Sent from my iPhone
The political history of Africa avails two major tactics to successfully deal with what can be called godfatherism we know today. First is pretended subservience, playing a willing tool till such a time enough balls and muscles are developed in what historians term playing Mohammed V of Morocco. The idea is to pretend and hit when the iron is red-hot. How?
Mohammed V was chosen by France instead of his elder brother as Sultan of Morocco in 1926. They thought of him a pliable tool for colonial administration. For many years , Mohammed aptly played the sheep to the disgust of his compatriot nationalists. Things came to a head when the second world war exposed the underbelly of France. Morocco made immense contributions to the French contingent of the allied forces that at the end of the war, Mohammed secured the commitment of the US President Roosevelt to Morocco’s freedom. France demurred and wasn’t ready for concession. Mohammed wasted no time in rebelling and demanding immediate independence. France was alarmed, deposed and exiled him to Madagascar. But the popular support for the deposed Sultan whose real colour emerged, grew the more, leading to incredible protests and mass action, forcing France to bring him home in 1956 with independence granted the same year.
The second strategy consists of an out-and-out ruthlessness, scorched-earth encounter that leaves zero consideration for vulnerability in the eventuality of loss. The option repulses failure even if it stares in the face. Samouri Toure, a West African military adventurist and Mandika Empire builder(18881-1889) who brutally resisted the French, defeating them in pitched battles while losing others; shunning suspicious alliance with the rival Soninke Ahmadu of Segu is a perfect example. Samouri was the first West African ruler to engage the Europeans in modern warfare.
He was merciless , destroying and devastating villages, towns and farmlands as he retreated from the furious advance of the French forces, leaving behind desolation that deprived the aggressors means of sustenance. Samouri somehow played diplomacy along the way by setting the British in Freetown against the French but failed. He however, saw on time the dishonesty of imperialism and immediately denounced the Bisandugu Accord of 1886, ready to defend the Mandika Empire. Samouri so devasted the French that he was beseeched to cease fire with a huge offer to retire unharmed to his village in modern day Guinea.
However, the two strategies can also be combined as a suave option especially where the subject has the benefit of time. It may involve Fabianism. Menelik II, Emperor of Ethiopia successfully employed this in long-stretched skirmishes and failed negotiations that readied Ethiopia to humiliate Italy, then a world power, with a crushing defeat at the battle of Adowa in 1896. Italy lost about a thousand men!
In Nigeria, godfatherism is largely associated with the administration of Dr. Chris Ngige as Anambra Governor, though a kinder form had existed. The very moment he became the flagbearer of the PDP in November 2002, was the very instance his godfathers led by Chris Uba unveiled chains to gag his independence and strip his executive powers when elected . Just like the French thought of a pliant in Mohammed V, the Anambra godfathers erroneously thought Ngige was a puppet that would rubberstamp their stranglehold on the coffers of the state.
And Like the Moroccan Sultan, Ngige, played along, won election, sworn in and bared his fangs in battle of his life and future of his state. July 10 , 2003 was the climax; the overthrow of the godfathers and the liberation of the state . But that was only a battle as other theatres of war raged. Similar to Samouri after the fall of Bisandugu Treaty, Ngige was ready to die for the cause he believed in. Top PDP leaders were ready to broker a deal to afford him respite, at least finish his term. All, he turned down, delivered unprecedented stewardship and unbowed until a conniving judiciary joined forces with the godfathers. For bluntly refusing to sell the state to free only himself, Ngige became a Messiah and amassed a huge political capital that will last the end of time . He left office but not without banishing the godfathers .
Peter Obi who succeeded him is an attempted godfather but his handpicked successor, Obiano rebuffed him. Chimaroke like Samouri Toure ruthlessly banished Nwobodo from Enugu, while Adams Osimohole who today plays avatar to godfatherism brutally dismantled the father of all fixers, late Tony Annenih. Only Rashidi Ladoja fell to the garrison commander, Lamidi Adedibu in Oyo State.
Drawing from the above therefore, what currently happens in Edo indicates Governor Godwin Obasaki has not adequately mastered the art of dealing with godfathers. He failed to incipient ambivalence over which of the two strategies to use while his later decision to apply a combination got fraught with indecisiveness . Lest, when Menelik decided on battlefield to settle the Italian question, he never looked back and when Samouri repudiated the Bisandugu Treaty, he didn’t disguise the wounded lion in him. When I saw Obaseki lose the battle to oust Oshimohole last year and failed to follow up with another tenterhook, knowing his election was by the corner, I concluded he is not a student of history. He would have learnt that no amount of plea from powerful Cleopatra of Alexandra stopped Augustus from assassinating Caesarion, her son for Julius Caesar. “Two Caesars are one too many,” Arius of Didymus had warned Augustus.
Fortunately, Obaseki is said to have a brilliant stewardship, hence the support of Edo people. Consequently, no option would rival unconstrained scorched-earth . Attack every object that looks like Oshimohole is the mode. That Obasaki sometime last year tried to play a Brutus on Mark Anthony on the Ides of March or Ambode on Tinubu during the 2019 elections is a fatal error. Oshimhole was far too bruised for placation. Recall that Brutus spared the life of Mark Anthony when Cassius had already penciled him down to die with Julius Caesar. Anthony would later join forces with Augustus to kill Brutus at the battle of Philipi in BC 42. Anthony only paid him back by singling out his body for decent burial with purple linen. Similarly, Ambode cowered away when he had the opportunity of making things extremely difficult for his oppressors and paid dearly.
It is not late but a lot more effort is now needed to save the prince of Benin from the barely literate textile worker that climbed on the back of unionism. He had an opportunity to open up more frontiers of war to ensure Oshimohole is never king over the Edo governorship primary and has fellow governors willing to support him. He failed to do this, thereby placed Oshimohole sure-footed at the bridge exit. But he still has the opportunity to pull down the entire bridge while he concentrates on his new option. Good lawyers abound. The bridge can be repaired thereafter, after all, the Biafrans pulled down Niger Bridge and shut out Murtala’s three bloody attempts to cross the river. A pun on the word bridge, anyway!
My stand is that godfatherism be dismantled so that democracy will be in word and in deed.
Nigerian Traviation 