Okomu National Park

Okomu national park which is formerly known as Okomu wildlife Sanctuary is a forest block that covers 1,082km2land square kilometers. The park is in Ovia South- west Local Government Area of Edo state. It is 60 kilometer north –west of Benin City and it also holds a small fragment of the rich forest that covers the region where the last habitats of endangered species are found.

Historically Okomu national park holds a remnant of the Nigeria lowland forests that has formed a continuous 50-100 km wide belt from River Niger west to Dahomey Gap in Benin and to the south and southeast the forest is being separated from the coast by mangrove and swamp forests, while to the north it merged into the Guinean Forest-Savanna Mosaic eco-region. The Park has an extensive layer of charcoal and pottery below the forest, indicating that it has been cleared before and then regenerated over the last 700 years, 200 km² wildlife sanctuaries, a rainforest ecosystem which is the habitat for many endangered species of flora and fauna, was gazetted from the Okomu Forest Reserve in 1935.

By the start of the 20th century the forest survived only in disconnected blocks, which is under intense pressure from human activity. A survey of southwestern forests in Nigeria in 1982 led to a recommendation for a determined effort to conserve the sanctuary. The state government formally defined the sanctuary in 1986, with an area of just 66 km2. The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) took over management of the sanctuary in 1987, and extended it to 114 km2 by adding a one-mile wide buffer zone. NCF has diverted their attention toward assisting migrant farmers in the surrounding areas, so that the villagers will find alternative means of living without encroaching on the forest. In 1997 it was discovered that several NCF employees had been involved in illegal logging within the sanctuary. In May 1999 the sanctuary was taken over by the National Parks Service for proper management and guide of the park.

Okomu National park has diverse fauna, with 33 species of mammals including African buffalo and endangered African Forest Elephant, White-throated Guenon, chimpanzees, Other animals found in the park include Dwarf crocodiles, Red river hog, Sitatunga, Warthog, Civet cat, Maxwell's Duiker, Grass cutter, Mona monkey, Thomas's galago and Tree pangolin.

Birds are not left out because over 150 species of birds is found in the park which include Angolan Pitta, Grey Parrot, Wrinkled Hornbill, Fish Eagle, hawks, woodpeckers, Great Owl, Grey Hornbill, Cattle Egret, Black-casqued Hornbill, Yellow-casqued Hornbill, Sabine's Spinetail, Cassin's Spinetail, Black Spinetail, White-breasted Negrofinch, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Pale-fronted Negrofinch and Yellow-throated Cuckoo.

Another distinctive feature of the park is the Okomu River that runs through it. It is from the river that the park derives its name. Though there are other rivers and streams, such as Osse River and Arakhuan stream within its space, the one that appears most captivating and holds potential for a number of water leisure activities, is Okomu River.

One thing a tourist or even a first time visitor to the park would not forget in a hurry is the rich flora and ecosystem of the park. As a rainforest park, God has endowed the park with very rich and awe-inspiring flora. The beauty of the park is something that beckons at you the moment you walk into the wild. The air, the green luscious expanse of wild that stretches ahead of you is most luxuriating and captivating.


Acknowledgement: Travel by logbaby,Tun Henry,Tun Extra,

ADDRESS DELIVERED BY DR OMOBOLA JOHNSON, MINISTER OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AT DEMO AFRICA 2014

Welcome to Nigeria, the most populous country and the largest economy in Africa. Welcome to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, a vibrant mega-city and our melting pot. And for those of you, for whom it is your first time in Africa, welcome to Africa, the rising continent

Nigeria is particularly delighted to be hosting the third edition of Demo Africa, arguably the most exciting place for African start ups to be. Securing the hosting rights to this event this year is indeed a validation of the Federal Government’s renewed focus on the ICT industry in general and the software development industry in particular.

Africa is indeed rising but this has not always been the case.

On May 13th 2000, The Economist, an international current affairs magazine, had on its cover page a silhouette of the African continent, within it was the image of an armed guerrilla fighter; its caption read: “The Hopeless Continent”. Within the pages of that edition, the prognosis on Africa encapsulated the prevailing beliefs held not only by the majority of those living outside its borders, but also by those that considered themselves ‘trapped’ within it. Africa – a starving, poor, disease ridden, fractured, war-torn, corrupt, dying mass of humanity … described by former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, as a “scar on the conscience of the world”.

Fast forward a decade; December 3rd 2011, the cover page of The Economist bears the image of a boy running across a savannah landscape at sunrise, flying a rainbow coloured kite shaped in the image of the African continent. The caption reads: “Africa Rising”. Within its pages the magazine paints a scenario of dynamism, resilient entrepreneurial activity, fledging…yet growing economies, nascent…yet stabilising democracies, a population getting healthier and more educated, an expanding middle class signifying a potential to even out the distribution of wealth. An Africa, that is “getting its act together”. 54 countries of different ethnicity, culture, language and different levels of development, home to 1.1bn people, the second fastest growing regional economy (second to Asia) and home to more than half of the world’s fastest growing economies.

But not without its challenges, which IBM has encapsulated and coined as Africa’s Grand Challenges. These include education, access to water, energy, healthcare, financial inclusion, public safety and transport and agriculture.

The combination of an Africa Rising and one that still has to overcome challenges represents a significant opportunity for African start-ups especially those in the tech sector.

Mobile subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa are forecasted to exceed 635 million by the end of this year (2014) and predicted to rise to around 930 million by the end of 2019. The increase in the number of mobile subscribers has fuelled increases in mobile internet use in Africa and we are considered to be at the cusp of a mobile internet revolution. Predictions are that mobile internet use in Africa will increase twenty fold in the next five years … this is double the estimated growth rate in the rest of the world. Lower priced devices (in particular smartphones and tablets), increase investment in network infrastructure, and increase availability of spectrum for mobile broadband, are among the factors that will drive this growth.

One report that highlights this potential predicts that the Internet can contribute up to 300 billion United States dollars to Africa’s GDP by 2025; and this is from an estimated 18 billion in 2013. This translates directly to opportunities to generate income, to create wealth, to create jobs, new business opportunities, economic expansion, etcetera. The very opportunities African governments are looking for and need to transform their economies and the economic lives of their populations.

Over the next two days we will witness 40 African start-ups pitch their solutions to these great opportunities and challenges with a hope to secure funding and support to take their ideas and innovations to the next level. I understand that in the two years of Demo Africa, alumni have generated over $8m worth of investments, businesses and partnerships. This is how you create jobs, new business opportunities, expand economies, improve social well being of citizens.

Importantly, these outcomes also speak directly to our ‘companies and not code’ philosophy in the Ministry of Communicaiton Technology. It is good to show prowess in software development but it is even better to develop businesses and companies that are powered by that software. The recent IPOs of Twitter and Alibaba are testimonies of what is possible.

I can’t imagine that it is too often that you get this level of government participation in DEMOs around the world. And this is because government, innovation and entrepreneurship are rarely mentioned in the same breath. But governments, indeed African governments have an important role to play in catalysing the start up industry as evidenced in the US and of course Israel.

The Nigerian government has done and will continue to do her bit to support the software development industry
We are contributing to the development of a robust pipeline of start-ups with our industry focussed Techlaunchpad software competitions and our IDEA incubators and accelerators (last time in this hall was to graduate 7 companies out of the hub). Today we have added 70 start-ups to this fledgling but vibrant ecosystem and 4 IDEA incubatees have emerged finalists for Demo Africa 2014.

In the next few days we will be conducting the first close of the government seeded IT Innovation Fund. Government has committed $9m as seed capital to this fund to be managed by EchoVC and we are literally a month or so away from making our first investment in a number of Nigerian/African tech start ups.

But there is still a lot to be done, infrastructure to be built to connect more and more Africans to the internet, more ideas to be birthed, more companies to be nurtured and more investments to be made in these companies. African governments must support and sustain this.

I wish all the finalists well. I know this has been an exciting but tough journey, but you have a great product, you have been extremely well prepared to make your pitch, come up here and blow the judges away, All the very best of luck.

Finally I would like to thank visitors from all over the world for taking an objective view of the ebola virus disease risk and choosing to travel to Nigeria for this important event. As we speak Nigeria is not treating any cases of Ebola but we remain vigilant in the face of the heart wrenching situations in other West African countries and are doing everything we can to ensure that we remain ebola free.

Thank you.

Ebola: Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry issues travel advisory

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to bring to the attention of all Nigerians that as a result of the outbreak of Ebola cases in Nigeria, following the visit of a Liberian-American, the late Mr. Patrick Sawyer, many countries have introduced stringent measures to stop the spread of the disease to their countries. These include closure of borders, screening at entry points, repatriation of passengers from Ebola infected countries including Nigeria, quarantine of passengers from affected countries for up to 21 – 40 days, etc.

These measures are clearly contrary to the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and are therefore not acceptable. Against this practice, the Ministry has strongly protested the treatment being meted out to Nigerians in some countries.

In the light of the foregoing, it is advisable for Nigerians planning to travel abroad to be aware of the measures introduced by various countries around the globe, to contain the spread of Ebola virus. In order to avoid any embarrassment, Nigerians are hereby advised to check on the websites of the Embassies and Consulates of the countries they are visiting, for updated travel information before embarking on their journeys.

For further information, check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: www.foreignaffairs.gov.ng or the Consular and Immigration Services Division of the Ministry

Announcer : Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nigeria

Random Reflections With Okafor: ‎Lessons From Scotland

By Okafor C Udoka

"We would be deeply diminished without Scotland. This matters to all our futures. And everyone in the UK can have a voice in this debate... If we lost Scotland, if the UK changed, we would rip the rug from under our own reputation. The plain fact is we matter more in the world together... From us to the people of Scotland – let the message be this: We want you to stay." David Cameron, British PM

After all these months of intrigues, suspense and tensions, the people of Scotland have spoken; they spoke in clear terms. And their declaration preserves 307 years old British union amidst tears, disappointments, opportunities and joys that have enveloped Scotland, and indeed UK, since Friday.

Almost 60 years ago, Harold MacMillan argued that "Alliances are held together by fears; not love." Perhaps no other recent political event has proved MacMillan absolutely right than the Scottish referendum of last week.

Before the Scottish referendum, political pundits had argued that an independent Scotland would be a country which could do great things and open a new vista of progressivism and prosperity in Europe if its inhabitants vote "Yes" to Scottish independence.

From political and socio-economic analyses, we were inundated with opportunities that shall work for the benefit of an independent Scotland. Those analyses aided to push the "Yes campaign" to its peak in the dying days of the referendum campaigns. And at a time during the campaigns, it did appear as if the "Yes team" are going to carry day eventually.

But in reality, the people voted "No" to independence out of what experts claim was the "fear of the unknown;" they voted "No" to a new country and hope. And the United Kingdom is better off with the scottish trust in the union. However, the British Union appears safe today but it is hard to guess if the "sword" of division has finally departed the land of the Brits.

In the days to come, United Kingdom would be the centre of all eyes as the country begins the process of reconciliation, forgiveness and wholesome re-integration of Scotland into the British union in words and deed on the strength of Alex Salmond's resignation as the First Minister of Scotland. Of particular interest would be how and when the English man would start seeing the Scottish as equal and erect firm foundation which shall set the stage for the devolution of power, respect, equality and justice in the United Kingdom.

And the ability of the United Kingdom to do all these genuinely would indeed settle the question of Scottish independence forever, not in a generation as David Cameron enthused as he celebrated the victory of the "No team" last Friday. This is because secession, in history, is always a child of manifest imbalances and unfair structure in the polity. Fact is, you can't keep yelling, crying and telling a lady how mightily you "love, cherish and adore" her any time she wants a divorce and fail to show her "love" when she decides to stay in the union of marriage.

Hopefully, Scotland has won the debate for more powers over tax, welfare and government spending issues through the "No" victory in the just concluded referendum.

For me, having meticulously followed the Scottish Independence debate over the last 2 years, the Scottish question seems settled and Nigeria has some key lessons to learn from the Scottish referendum which shall improve our Nigerian union and make it work for all of us.

One, there is limit to politics and opposition once national issues are on the table for discussion. The British political leaders, irrespective of political leanings, rallied in unity to save their union. From Ed Miliband to Nick Clegg, the campaign was intensely pushed with one goal; from Gordon Brown to his successor in office, David Cameron, the message was clear: "we want Scotland to stay in UK." Can we say the same of Nigeria as we battle domestic terrorism fostered on us by Boko Haram?

Two, Nigeria is not the only country with chequered history. Of course, we cannot claim monopoly of fighting a civil war to save our country. Indeed, England and Scotland had fought the most bitter wars in human history but they have elected to allow reason, forgiveness and patriotism rule their minds. We can learn from them, if you ask me.

Three, debate, consultation, dialogue and consensus are indispensable in solving and resolving all human and national challenges. Thus, I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the impulsive and youthful exuberance induced Nigerian Civil War of 1967-70 which cost us over 3 million lives was an avoidable disaster. And we must be eternally ashamed of that dark spot in our history with its attendant war crimes and work against such nightmare today and in the future given that Scotland had the option of picking up arms against the UK to gain its independence but it chose to be civil and use democratic tools to settle its problems.

Four, elsewhere I have had the opportunity to debate issues with the school of thought which hold that the Nigerian Civil War was a "child of necessity." It was not; for me, it was a child of immaturity and failure of dialogue and insincerity of the key actors of our national politics then. And that explains why manifest injustice, inequality and imbalances in the structure of the Nigerian State are by-products of the war. So, there is the overriding urge to discuss the restructuring of our federation along the principles of true and fiscal federalism to make our union take its rightful place of respect and pride in the comity of nations.

In a way, I hear someone echo that we have started the discussions geared towards making Nigeria work through the recently concluded National Confab convened by President Goodluck Jonathan. Truest truism! However, we must follow up on the products of the confab and ensure that its resolutions are given the weight of reform and law through the National Assembly by altering our constitution as it is presently obtainable.

Five, we have deliberately made crude oil found in the bellies of Niger Delta region of the country the sole binding power of our union since the end of the Civil War; our Scottish friends teach us that patriotism, national ethos, solidarity, compassion and freedom should be our inspirations if we must build a strong, resilient and prosperous Nigeria. Therefore, tribal and religious undertone of our national debate must give way for healthful virtues of patriotism, reconciliation, forgiveness, reason, etc to ride the crest now.

Six, I have always had some fears for unity of Nigeria but the result of the Scottish referendum impels me to reason that Nigerians are not unmindful that our world thrives collectively on plurality and numbers. Indeed we have passed the era when a section of this great nation hoped to excel as an Island to itself. The irrevocable fact is: US, China, Switzerland, Netherlands, India, South Africa, etc are nations of diverse customs, tribes and religions which fused together by common rules, basic vision and destiny to attain socio-economic and political el dorado. And they are better off in their respective unions today.

Ultimately, we're better off as Nigerians under a united, progressive and prosperous nation-Nigeria- but the structure of our country must be reviewed to enthrone true and fiscal federalism. Also, we have the vital urge to study, isolate and elevate those finest qualities which unites us while discarding those ones that divide us as a nation.

Together, we can make great impact and contributions to the world of dynamic progress as a nation. Don't you think so too?

http://skytrendnews.com/index.php/column/monday-column/3972-random-reflections-with-okafor-lessons-from-scotland

Nigeria Airforce Graduates First Set of Helicopter Pilots in its Enugu School

An important milestone in the history of the Nigerian Air-force was witnessed yesterday with the successful graduation of its Helicopter Pilots in Enugu.

Capacity building and re-positioning has been top on the agenda of the Air Force and that is why the vision for an indigenous flying school of international standard was pursed to realization.


The school now boasts of its first set of highly trained 42 professional helicopter pilots.

World Health Organization commends Nigeria over Ebola

The World Health Organization, WHO, has commended efforts by the Nigerian government in containing the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.
Speaking during an Emergency session of the United Nations Security Council on Ebola, on Thursday, the Director General, WHO, Margaret Chan, told participants to take a cue from the stable conditions in Nigeria and Senegal.

She said that the disease which could be contained will take some time. “It will take some time, but the Ebola outbreak can be contained. Look at the stable situation in Nigeria and Senegal,” Ms. Chan said.

She said the outbreak which has affected five West African countries is likely the greatest peacetime challenge that the UN and its agencies have ever faced, with reports showing that over 5000 people have been infected with the disease that has killed over 2,500 others.

Nigeria witnessed a blow from the disease outbreak when a Liberian- American, Patrick Sawyer, imported the deadly virus into the country on July 20. Mr. Sawyer had evaded surveillance in Monrovia, Liberia, after his sister died of the Ebola disease. He died on July 24 at the First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Lagos State. Following the outbreak of the disease, Nigeria recorded 19 confirmed cases with 12 survivors and seven deaths.

The last case of the disease was successfully discharged on September 10 from the Ebola Isolation Center.

After weeks of fighting the deadly disease, Nigeria celebrates one week as an Ebola free country.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/168371-world-health-organization-commends-nigeria-over-ebola.html#sthash.7385ryaT.dpbs

SOYINKA… The ‘visiting’ husband, ‘absentee’ father, but dotting Grandpa

Grandpa Oluwole Akinwande Soyinka is many things but the Lion of the literary forest, terror to unruly leaders, and die-hard bringer of surprises to his grandchildren. To his children, he has for a large chunk of his adult life being the unorthodox father. “Yes, I play father role to my children but I am not an orthodox father, and all my children got it early that I am an absentee father,” he once said.

His depiction of the conventional family man is surprisingly not complex: “An orthodox family man is one who gets up in the morning, see members of his family before going to work, know exactly what they are doing and they know when you are going to sleep. At least once a day, they have meal together. He knows where he would be tomorrow, on the average. Me, sometimes I am not sure where I would be tomorrow. Something I am involved in may demand my attention sooner than I expect.”

While Soyinka might not be a father in the true sense that fathers are like changing diapers, cuddling a baby, dancing for a crying tot and singing one of those lullabies to comfort the whining baby to sleep or perhaps place the child on his bosom, he has had to shed his iron cast and played Grandpa Soyinka in the orthodox way, in spite of the inadequacies of time catching up with crunching schedules across the world.

Not once has he confessed to being more comfortable seeing children once in a while and you can breathe easy with his raison d’être. “Children for me lead their own lives. Even when they are in the house, let them stay on their own and I stay on my own. But the important thing is for them to know that you are there for them, even if you are on the other side of the world. That’s what matters.”

He does not regret the path he has chosen in life: “I always tell my family, ‘you have no choice. You didn’t ask to be my relation. I didn’t ask to be a member of your family.’ They can’t deny enjoying people saying, ‘Oh, you’re the child of Soyinka’ or ‘you’re the brother of Soyinka’. So they have some compensation.

Soyinka has been married thrice, and divorced twice. His first marriage, a short one, was to Barbara Skeath, now late (a writer of English courses, Institute of Adult Studies, University College, Nairobi, Kenya). The English lady in November 1957 gave birth to his first son, Dr. Neil Olaokun Oluwole Imodoye Soyinka, who is the Commissioner for Health in Ogun State. Barbara and Soyinka met while he was at Leeds University, where he also later did his postgraduate studies.

Dr. Olaokun described the Kongi’s relationship with his children as an unconventional tight father. “He finds children more interesting when they develop their minds and personality. He is a parent, who prefers the older children that he can interact with on an adult level. Obviously, he is a very busy mind. So, even as his children, we have to know when to meet him and when to leave him alone.”

He recollected that growing up with his dad in Ibadan, he found it extremely difficult most times figuring out what the Soyinka adulation was all about. “I first of all got to know him through the eyes of other people, which I was then constantly using to test my own reality. As a child, I used to see people praising my father, telling me ‘you look like your father, you are as clever as he is, your father is a fantastic man, your father is a hero’, and I would be looking for the evidence of this at home.

Soyinka’s second wife was a librarian, who worked at the University of Ibadan (UI) and Olabisi Onabanjo University until her retirement. They met at UI where she was admitted to read Arts. In 1963, he married former Miss Laide Idowu from Ijebu-Omu. Their wedding was well attended and guests included the late Bola Ige and wife, Atinuke Ige, Professors Muyiwa and Bolanle Awe and Peggy Harper. They would later divorce in 1985. They had four children, three females (Moremi was their first daughter) and one male, Ilemakin. However, their court wedding after Moremi’s birth had just two witnesses: Fehintola Sonuga being one of them and Dapo Adelugba was the other. When Soyinka left for OAU to work, he left Laide with the kids back in Ibadan. His imprisonment during the civil war had its toll on their union as it fell on her alone to take care of the family.

According to Prof. Olumide Awe, a friend and Pyrate Confraternity founding member, the credit for his meteoric rise in the literary world should go to Laide, the ‘unsung heroine’. Soyinka later dedicated his book, The Man Died to her, with the words: ‘To Laide, who rejected compromise and demanded justice.’

While Soyinka was conquering the literary world, Laide took care of the home front and all Soyinka’s children, an attribute, which in the eyes of close observers won her the title of “Unsung Heroine.” Although Chief (Mrs.) Laide Soyinka was more into university administration than traditional affairs, she was adorned with the chieftaincy title of Iyalodeof Omu-Ijebu. “It is an honour,” she said. “After all, Iyalode is Oba Obirin (a female equivalent of a king).

If there was one moment when Soyinka’s elderly wife ever felt proud of her husband, it was when the famous professor received the celebrated Nobel Laureate award in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1986, just when an equally famous Nigerian journalist, Dele Giwa, first Editor-in-Chief ofNewswatch magazine, was bombed out of life through the infamous letter bomb.

“That was the crowning glory of his literary achievements,” said Chief (Mrs.) Laide Soyinka. “That was the international stamp of authority that he is the King of Literature in Africa, indeed, in the Black World.” Asked how she feels about the Kongi, she said: “Of course, I love him. How do you marry somebody you don’t love? Indeed, I love him. I admire him. It was this affection between us that led to the marriage.”

His third and present wife is Mrs. Adefolake Soyinka (nee Doherty), his former student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), who teases him as a ‘visiting husband.’ “My wife once called me and said ‘you are not a visiting Professor, you are a visiting husband,’” he joked during his 70thbirthday celebration. They married in 1989 and have three children. He dedicated his memoir, You Must Set Forth At Dawn to her.

During an interview he granted with BBC, he was asked if he believed in polygamy, he laughed and replied: “I don’t believe in polygamy; I am just a serial monogamist.” This in itself depicts that he actually believes in the institution of marriage and it explains why he has attempted it three times and is presently married to his third wife.

Very private, Soyinka says he doesn’t like “telling it all”, and in 1986 when it was reported that he had seven children (he was divorced from Laide in 1985), he replied: “In Yoruba, we don’t count our children. We just say the gods have been kind to us. In my case, the gods have been kind -maybe overgenerous.”

But he is a very proud father. He once said of his children, after receiving the Nobel: “One is a doctor, one a lawyer, one has just completed a degree in international relations and another, a girl, seems interested in following my footsteps. I just let every one of them follow their path. I never push them but if they come to me for help, they get it.”

Sadly, tragedy struck late last year, precisely December 29, when the news broke that one of Soyinka’s daughter, Iyetade, passed on while receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Iyetade, a mother of two and aged 48, attended Staff School and Queens School, Ibadan before studying Medicine at the University of Ibadan.

By Temitope Templer Olaiya

Ebola: World Bank Excludes Nigeria From $105m Grant

The World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $105m grant to finance Ebola-containment efforts in West African countries infected with the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease.

A statement issued by the bank in Washington on Wednesday, however, excluded Nigeria as a beneficiary of the fund.

The bank said the fund would help families and communities in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone cope with the economic impact of the Ebola crisis, and rebuild and strengthen essential public health systems in the three worst-affected countries to guard against future disease outbreaks.

The new grant is part of the $200m Ebola emergency mobilisation first announced by the WBG in early August.

The WBG said its new Ebola Emergency Response project will mobilise $52m for Liberia, the country with the highest number of Ebola infections; $28m for Sierra Leone, and $25m for Guinea.

According to World Bank, the allocation of the Ebola fund was calculated according to the World Health Organisation’s road map and assessments of the relative severity of the epidemic in each country.

Although international organisations and the United States have praised Nigeria for the effective containment of Ebola which was imported into the country by Liberian American, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, on July 24, many Nigerians travelling abroad have faced embarrassment as a result of the disease.

The WBG said that it would almost certainly mobilise more financing for the countries since the immediate response is still significantly under-resourced for the purposes of curbing the outbreak.

Presenting the new project to the WBG Board of Executive Directors, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, said the Ebola grant would have a long-term regional development impact.

He said it was an important part of a coordinated international response led by the United Nations and WHO.

Kim said, “The world needs to do much, much more to respond to the Ebola crisis in these three countries.

“This new World Bank grant, which will arrive soon in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, will have an immediate, positive impact on their collective Ebola containment campaigns.

“I would like to personally thank our Board of Directors for responding so quickly to this crisis.”

In its project document for the new operation, the WBG noted that Ebola-related restrictions on people’s movements were leading to food crises in the quarantined and most affected areas where the three countries intersect.

In the Mano River region, food insecurity is spreading rapidly. More than one million people in the region are facing a food crisis in the coming months. Furthermore, as the crisis continues to evolve, this threat may spread to other areas due to quarantine or other disruptions in movement of goods and people, the bank said.


Acknowledgement: Punch, Tun Henry

Online Spare Parts Sale Debuts in Ladipo Market

Chairman, Aguiyi Ironsi International Trade Centre, who also doubles as chairman, Online Spare Parts, Mr Ajibade Hassan Olajoku, has said the popular Ladipo spare parts market has launched its online sales as a way of decongesting activities at the market.

Olajoku said the introduction of the online sales was to cater for upwardly mobile individuals who are busy to visit the market. It will also discourage the rising incidence of touts at the market who fleece visitors to the market .

“We are determined to remove the middlemen who specialize in frustrating the customers, with http://www.youseeam.com, we are online for 24 hours. We have engine parts, shock absolvers, bumpers, gear buses, brain buses, car stereos, full light, doors, seats, rear lights, and exhausts of different cars.

“We operate within the Ladipo market and have enough delivery vehicles to satisfy customers from all over Nigeria. We also have network of partners who will supply us with brand new products to our customers. We have an internal mechanism to ascertain the products, the new ones have warranty of one year, while the Tokunboh have guarantee of 30 days.


By: Temitope Templer Olaiya

First Made In Nigeria Mobile Phone Set To Hit Market

Nigeria is about to score another goal in the area of communication technology as an indigenous company, the Slok Group, is set to roll out the first made in Nigeria mobile phones.

The Nigerian behind the company, former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, while dropping this hint in Lagos, on Tuesday, said the Slok mobile phone had been built to be sold in Nigeria and across Africa.

Kalu, who said the phone would have the lowest end of the mobile phone market, assured Nigerians that the presence of the phone in the market would meet their yearnings for the type of utility phone they have long desired.

“Very soon, the Slok Group is rolling out the first ever indigenously made mobile phone called Slok Mobile. It is a phone we have built to be sold in Nigeria and across Africa.

“I am rolling out the Slok Telephone in less than eight weeks time. We will have the lowest end of the mobile phone market. The Slok Telephone has all the packages of a modern phone, it is going to be a utility phone that Nigerians have been looking for.

“We are a truly an African company but proudly Nigerian. So, this is what is coming on board. In the next eight weeks, the phones will be on the streets of Nigeria. We are going to roll out the phones on the Nigerian, Congo, Guinea, South Africa and other African markets,” he said.

According to Kalu, the phone has patent right in the United States and other countries as well as Europe.

This is the first time a Nigerian conglomerate will be rolling out a phone to take over the market.

Acknowledgement: Tribune, Tun Extra

LAGOS LIGHT RAIL: FASHOLA SAYS STATE’S HUGE LOAN PROFILE IS USED TO FINANCE CAPITAL INTENSIVE PROJECTS

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, Wednesday inspected progress of work at the Iganmu Terminus of the Lagos Light Rail Mass Transit project explaining that the loans obtained by the administration is used in financing such capital intensive projects as the Light rail, expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Mile 12 – Ikorodu, among others.

Governor Fashola, who fielded questions during a media interaction with State House Correspondents after the inspection, said the projects embarked upon by his administration was aimed at adding value to the life of the average Lagosian adding that it is the only way to finance such projects.

The Governor declared, “So if the people of Lagos want rail, if they want to see a 10 lane highway on Badagry Expressway, if they want the work we are doing in Mile 12 into Ikorodu expansion to continue, if they want to see all of the developmental works that will add value to their lives, that is the only way to finance it”.

He argued that if the State does not borrow, it means it has to wait every month for those who want to pay rent, Land Use Charge, Tenement Rate, Drivers License or a parcel of land and other rents pointing out that no government could accomplish rapid development at that rate.

“If we wait, it is a bit-by-bit income. If you look at all our IGR, it is all secured against these assets. I can’t tell our contractor that wait, let me go and collect money from licensing office to come and give you. This is how it works because a contractor has designed a project which is going to benefit our people, it would cost Billions of Naira to do”, he said

The Governor said the best thing to do was go to a bank, get the money so that the contractor could be paid adding, “As the income comes in through IGR, we will use it to defray the loan and that is why the banks are lending because they see that the funds are coming in and that is how to run a government”.

Reiterating that the money borrowed goes to finance capital intensive projects for the benefit of the people, Governor Fashola told newsmen, “You can see people working on this construction site, you can see supply and you can see labourers. That is how an economy works, people are taking value from government infrastructure initiative, from government borrowing funded by tax payers money so anybody who is worried must either not know his economics or must have a voodoo intention to achieve”.

He expressed pleasure at the progress of work so far at the project adding, however, that the project suffered the delays in terms of the fact that it is a large and complex project. He expressed the hope that work on the project could move faster.

The Governor said much progress has also been made at the Mile 2 end of the project, where work started the last time, to the Iganmu end which is about seven kilometres, adding, “Track has been constructed, the rail has been laid and four stations are now completed”.

He noted that what is currently being done is to cross the water to the final station in Marina “which is another five kilometres of heavy construction work, concrete and iron rods”.

“They have to build 150 piles across before we can get there. This should come to another 12 months to get to Marina because we have suffered delays. They have to pass through existing properties to get permission, Right of Way and compensation issues; but we are making progress”.

Governor Fashola noted that with the contract and the financing in place, the only thing left was how much time to log on to on a day to day basis, adding the State Government has always come to the public when it was raising Bonds and were never conducted under the table.

Speaking further on the recent publication that Lagos owes a huge amount of foreign debt, the Governor noted that his administration had never borrowed secretly adding, “When we were doing the DPO you were there. I have been to the House of Representatives to say that we have a loan application with the World Bank for 600 million Dollars”.

Governor Fashola maintained that Lagos is the only sub -national government in Africa that has benefitted from such a facility adding, “Of all the sub-national governments in the whole of Africa, we are the only beneficiary government. The only other two countries where their sub-nationals have benefitted is in Brazil and in India”.

He explained further, “The thing to understand is that there was a debt of about One Billion Dollars which is roughly around N160 Billion. I could not decipher the intent and purpose of the publication, but if it was to inform the public, the State has always kept the public informed every time she borrowed money and if there were other intentions, only those who make the publications will know what their intentions are”.

The Governor added that when people talk about debt of a State like Lagos they forget that after Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt and one other country in Africa, Lagos is the fifth largest economy in the whole of Africa adding, “When people are talking about one Billion Dollars debt to a population of 21 million people, they should also be measuring the responsibility as the debt is being measured and should not be kept in isolation”.

“Our rating as a State is the same as Federal Republic of Nigeria-BB Minus stable, with a positive outlook and we are the only State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that has that rating,” he emphasized.

Governor Fashola explained that what those who have been publishing the debt profile do not say is that no state in Nigeria can borrow money from any other multi- national agency outside the country without the Federal Government’s approval.

“So what they did not say is that they approved it. No state can raise money by Bond the way we have done without the Federal Government approval. They would not do it. The Security Exchange Commission (SEC)and the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) are all Federal Government regulatory bodies through which we must pass. So if they say okay, it must mean that there must be something good about that debt”, he said.

He noted that the first tranche of the Bond that was taken during first tenure has been paid, adding that the next one would fall due around 2016 or 2017. “We are already making the provisions and the provision which will be there will be in excess of what will be needed to pay it”, he added.

Speaking on what support the State has received from the Federal Government Fashola said there has been no support by way of direct cash support as the projects are being carried on with the State’s strength and with the support of the people of Lagos who pay taxes, adding that Lagos has taken her destiny into her own hands.

“As a Federal Government, we can’t borrow money outside the country without them giving us the approval and that is all and even at that in the last two years, there were a lot of delays and frustration which led to my going to the House of Representatives to get them to pass this and even now may be this week the credit was finally made and so we are going to pay as a State not the Federal Government”, he explained

According to him, “Nobody has done us any favour. The law just says that if any part of the country is going to borrow money, the country must approve but the debt is our own and that is why they are publishing and we acknowledge it as our debt. We have never moved away or denied it”.

“We have always said we took the money and this is part of where the money is going. You can see people constructing, you can see supply and you can see labourers. That is how an economy works, people are taking value from government infrastructure initiative, from government borrowing funded by tax payers money so anybody who is worried must either not know his economics or must have a voodoo intention to achieve”, he reiterated.

Climax of the Osun Oshogbo Festival 2014

Osun Oshogbo Festival finally came to an end on the 2nd of September 2014 with a successful wrap up of the 21 days Beer Village in Oshogbo, Osun state.

For the 2nd time running, Goldberg leveraged the festival as the official beer brand of the Osun Oshogbo festival, as exclusive sponsor in the beer category.

In telling the Festival story, the brand themed this year’s edition “Nkan Iyi Wa” meaning Our Befitting Festival.

This was in line with the Goldberg brand essence, and the story was amplified in various communication channels (Through the Line) in Oshogbo and its environs.

Goldberg’s brand presence at the Oba’s palace, streets, groove and beer village stood out, thereby giving the traditional celebration a corporate feel; a clear sign of the brand’s pride in associating with traditional values of the Oshogbo People.

The 2014 festival may have come to an end, the story lingers on in the mind of the people of Oshogbo.

Nigeria Receives Accolades As Water Resources Minister Showcases KASHIMBILLA DAM

Nigeria yesterday in Sweden was applauded for her efforts in constructing the multi-billion naira Kashimbilla dam as one of the global example of connecting the nexus of food, water and energy.

Speaking at the African Focus Day at the 24th edition of the World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Reng Ochekpe said that the Dam which cost the federal government $1 billion would generate about 30 mega watt of electricity to Benue and Taraba states.

Ochekpe said that project was undertaken by the government as a preventive measure to cushion the likely eventual breakage of Lake Nyos in the Cameroun would also be used for irrigation purposes.

The Kashimbilla/Gamovo Buffer Dam and Associated Structures in Taraba State of Nigeria is a multipurpose dam, principally designed to check the threat of the flood anticipated from the imminent break of the structurally weak volcanic Lake Nyos, situated upstream along the Cameroun line of volcanic activity; the Kashimbilla Dam project is therefore a proactive preemptive response by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the report of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) of great catastrophe that might result from imminent collapse of Lake Nyos.

Lake Nyos is a deep lake high on the flank of an inactive volcano in the Oku volcanic plain along the Cameroon line of volcanic activity. A volcanic dam impounds the lake waters.

A pocket of magma lies beneath the lake and leaks carbon dioxide (CO2) into the water, changing it into carbonic acid. Nyos is one of only three known exploding lakes to be saturated with carbon dioxide in this way, the others being Lake Monoun, also in Cameroon, and Lake Kivu in Democratic Republic of Congo.

She said that Kashimbilla Dam Project was conceived with the principles of integrated water resources management in mind understanding that water drives the economic and social development of nations and has a basic function in maintaining the integrity of the environment.

“In developing the Kashimbilla Dam project, a holistic approach to water management in which many different aspects are closely connected and work successfully together was adopted,” she said.

Ochekpe said that the Kashimbilla multipurpose dam project has three components comprising of 40MW hydropower which would utilize about 140 m3/second, water supply component including a water treatment plant with a capacity of 60,000m3 /day to provide water to about 400,000 people, irrigation component designed to utilize 86,400m3/day to irrigate about 2000ha of farmland.

There are also ample provisions for fisheries development, tourism and provision of water for sustenance of the environment and for downstream residents.

“A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources has been adopted in order to maximize the resultant economic activities and social welfare of benefiting communities in an equitable manner taking due cognizance the sustainability of vital ecosystems, in line with the Global Water Partnership’s definition of Integrated Water Resources Management,” she added. 

Participants at the conference were particularly impressed by the Federal Government's 100% funding of the project.

The prompt response of government of Nigeria to the warning given by the UNEP report of the devastating effect of an eventual breakup of Lake Nyos was highly commended by the participants.

$100,000 couldn't tempt me — Orphan who found money left in hotel

By Soni Daniel and Damilola Faniyi

His name does not ring a bell and he is not the type that seeks public attention. But Yusuf Umar, 38, and Chief Receptionist with Jigawa Hotels, is now a celebrity and cynosure of all eyes because of what he did in June this year, lifting the name of the hotel and his family from obscurity to limelight.

On June 27, 2014, Umar, while working in the Jigawa three-star hotel, saw something he had never seen in his life. He was working round the hotel garden around 1am when he came across an Ipad pouch that a guest, who lodged in the hotel and left earlier that day, had forgotten as he was leaving the lodge. Out of curiosity, the Dutse-born hotelier picked the small bag and opened it. What he saw shocked him and he quickly went away with the bag to his duty post. He did not tell anyone but his manager.

Inside the small bag were crisp $100,000 notes neatly packed in rows that would have made the man an instant millionaire in Nigeria. At the current exchange rate of N170 to a dollar, the money translates to N17 million and would have been enough to change the social and economic status of Umar, an orphan, who was brought up by his uncle, Kadi Umar, who resides with him at Garu Quarters, Emir s palace in Dutse.

Although Umar saw the money in the jacket, he never counted it, he presented it as it was to the manager of the hotel to keep. But it was not long before the man, who forgot the money discovered that he had misplaced the money and the Ipad bag. He rang the hotel, fearing that his worst moment had come. What would he do if the money was not found and who was he going to report to given the fact that there was no evidence that he even came to the hotel with such amount of money?

Many troubling thoughts continued to ravage his mind and he could not sum up courage to come back to the hotel or call the staff to inquire about the missing money. However, the woman, who booked the lodge for him, rang the hotel and reported the loss of the money to the Head Receptionist, who happened to be Umar, whom she had known at the point of booking the place for the man.

’’Hajia, the bag is with me’’, Umar answered when the lady called. I don’t know exactly how much is in the small bag but it is neatly packed inside the bag, In a jiffy, the woman landed at the three- star hotel and was handed the bag containing the money by Umar. She could not believe it was real. She almost fainted after counting the money and realizing it was complete. Not a single note was missing from each of the ten packs of $10,000.

She disappeared in ecstasy and returned in a short while clutching two envelopes, one containing some money for Umar in appreciation for his honesty and the other for the hotel management for being exceptionally transparent in dealing with its clients.

The singular act by Umar has continued to reverberate two months after the money had been found and returned to the owner. But Umar himself, an Ordinary National Diploma Student at the Jigawa State Polytechnic, who lost both parents at a tender age and joined the JHL at inception in 1999, is enjoying the fame and positive publicity he is getting daily.

Like a good product, he is being sought after by visitors to the hotel and top government officials, who have heard about him. Some regularly come around to shake hands with him while others drop by to give him some gratis all in a bid to identify with one-of-a kind Nigerian, who has lifted the name of Jigawa State to the international limelight.

’’I could not have taken the money because it was not mine’’, Umar told Sunday Vanguard at Dutse, adding that he was taught by his parents not take what does not belong to him so as to prosper in life.

He said he was not also tempted to disappear with the huge sum because as far as he was concerned, his conscience had already told him that the money did not belong to him, and that he should quickly present it to the owner in line with his religious values of speaking the truth no matter how difficult the situation may be. According to Umar, three factors influence his decision not to keep the money.

First, as soon as he took it, he remembered his God that it would be an offence to take what does not belong to him; second, he remembered his father’s injunction not to take what does not belong to him if he wanted to prosper in life and; finally, the fact that it is a policy of the hotel management not to tamper with any item left behind by any guest. There is a tradition in the hotel that even if a guest forgets an item or money it should be kept for him in a strong room that now accommodates undisclosed large amount of cash and valuables as a demonstration of its commitment to honesty and integrity.

Umar said a man, who had forgotten N200,000 came back and was given it in the same currency that he left in the hotel. The money was picked up by a cleaner while sweeping the room and returned to the management for upkeep until the owner showed up two years later with evidence of lodging there and proof that the money was in certain denominations.

Umar’s act of honesty has already attracted the attention of Governor Sule Lamido, who, at a public ceremony, last week, showered praises on him and urged him to continue to exhibit the virtue of integrity.

As a reward, the governor presented Umar with a motorcycle and a plaque and a certificate personally signed by him during the 23rd anniversary of the state. It was an honour that excited Umar the most in his life. He never expected to have a handshake with the governor but the single act of honesty provided the platform and lifted his family name beyond Dutse.

Before the governor honoured him publicly at the Mallam Aminu Kano Triangle on Wednesday, Umar was blessed on Monday with a bouncing baby boy by his wife, increasing his family members to two. He already had a boy.

I really value the certificate and plaque given to me by the governor more than the motorcycle because the gesture means that I am known within and outside Nigeria. I am really really excited about that, Umar said.

For that reason, Umar has decided to change his course of study so as to give the opportunity to become a diplomat one day. I want to go into the Foreign Affairs Service so that one day I can work as a diplomat and make my country proud, the father of two said.




http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/100000-couldnt-tempt-orphan-found-money-left-hotel/

Italian Couple Celebrates Wedding In Nigeria

For Kevin Prattico and Camola Guardsch, their love would not have been complete without a solemnization of matrimony in Nigeria. Having lived in Nigeria for many years and fully entrenched in the culture and norms of the society, the couple surely found home away from home.

According to Kevin, their decision to tie the nuptial knot at Umuduruzo community was because of their love for the Nigerian culture as he considers himself and his wife a part of the community since they have worked and lived among-st the people for so long.

He further revealed that the members of the community are very hospitable as they readily accepted them as part of the community with so much support and care.

Kevin and his wife Carmola , work for Azione Verde, a Non-Governmental Organization located in Umuduruzo in Amaigbo, Nwangele council area of Imo State.

The couple had both their traditional engagement ceremony and Church wedding in the town to the delight of members of the community who trooped out en masse to witness their marriage.

Afrocab, Ride-Hailing App Enters Nigerian Market

AfroCab, the ride-hailing app which entered the Nigerian market recently, is already being hailed as the leader in its category. This innovative service allows you to hail a taxi using your mobile from anywhere you are in Lagos or Abuja. Early adopters of the service point to its ease of use and speed.

Speaking on the giant strides already achieved by the app, the MD, Afrocab, Taj Zadhra-Ogunsola noted that “AfroCab is set to change the way people move in Nigeria and we have put everything in place to make this happen. We are all about easy, fast and safe transportation for Nigerians. We want to put power in the hands of passengers- power they never imagined they could have”.

Indeed the app provides an interesting and hassle-free way for people to move from one destination to the next. Unlike the regular way of hailing a ride, all you need to do is download the app and order a ride. You can do this from anywhere you are in Lagos or Abuja.

The cab then picks you up and drops you off at your destination. Perhaps the most interesting feature, that sets AfroCab apart from the other ride hailing apps, is the feature that lets you set your own price. It also allows you pay cash to your driver if you wish.

Laying emphasis on AfroCab’s values, Zadhra-Ogunsola reiterated that “speed and ease is key to us at AfroCab. We want you to get to your destination fast and effortlessly. It’s why we are here and are committed to it. Safety, speed and ease are our watchwords.”

Undeniably, for people concerned about safety a trial of Afrocab shows you vital information about your driver, which will put your mind at ease. You get to see your driver’s photograph, name and car’s licence plate number even before he arrives. This proves to be an important selling point of the service to some of its early adopters.

Speaking on the AfroCab experience, Mrs. Funso Adejare, said “Really the best part of it for me is the power it puts in my hands. I can choose my time, I can choose my price, and I even know my driver very well. At first I was not keen on trying AfroCab out, but now that I have, I am hooked, trust me.”

Tunji Kuti, a 28-year-old Tech buff, opined that “The truth is technology has changed the way we live and transportation is no different. It will be a discredit to yourself if you choose not to take advantage of all it offers. I started using AfroCab two weeks ago and the experience has been smooth. The app is really intuitive! For me, I try to pay attention to how fluid the experience is. Afrocab shouldn’t be a hassle for anyone to use. Those guys at Afrocab sure know what they are doing.”

The Afrocab App is currently available to all android devices in Nigeria. According to Taj Zadhra-Ogunsola, the app will be available on other operating systems before the end of the year. The service currently runs in Abuja and Lagos. It will be extended to other parts of the nation, later.

Acknowledgement: www.thisdaylive.com, Tun Extra

THE NIGERIAN PRESIDENCY: Things You Must Know

If you stop and ask randomly on the streets of Nigeria the question: ‘What do you want your child to become in the future?’. Many would answer - ‘President of Nigeria.’!

How many people do really know what it takes to become a president, the responsibilities therein, as well as the perks and privileges of office. A glimpse into the presidential is attempted in this write-up. 

To be eligible for the Office of the President of Nigeria, you must meet the following criteria:

AGE: You must be at least 40 years old.

CITIZENSHIP: You must be a citizen of Nigeria 

POLITICAL AFFILIATION: You have to be a member of a political party or being sponsored by one.

EDUCATION: The Constitution is also very clear on this. A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President if he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.

That said, a person shall not be qualified for election to the Office of the President if: (subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution)

(a) he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country; or

(b) he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections; or

(c) under the law in any part of Nigeria, he is adjudged to be a lunatic or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind;

(d) he is under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud (by whatever name called) or for any other offence, imposed on him by any court or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal; or

(e) within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election to the office of President he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or he has been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct; or

(f) he is an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in Nigeria or any other country; or

(g) being a person employed in the civil or public service of the Federation or of any State, he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days before the date of the election; or

(h) he is a member of any secret society; or

(i) he has been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry or an Administrative Panel of Inquiry or a Tribunal set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, a Tribunals of Inquiry Law or any other law by the Federal or State Government which indictment has been accepted by the Federal or State Government, respectively; or

(j) he has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

THE OATHS
An oath can be summarized to be  “a solemn appeal to God to witness the truth of a statement or the sincerity of a promise, coupled with an imprecation of divine judgement in the event of falsehood or breach of obligation" The Seventh Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution makes provisions for Oaths.

The President must take two different oaths- The Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance.
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE:
I, ………. Do solemnly swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So help me God.

OATH OF OFFICE OF PRESIDENT:
I, ………….. do solemnly swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will discharge my duties to the best of my ability, faithfully and in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law, and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will strive to preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions; that I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will abide by the Code of Conduct contained in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favor, affection or ill-will; that I will not directly or indirectly communication or reveal to any person any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as President; and that I will devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria. So help me God.

SPECIAL PRIVILEGES
It is the custom and tradition to bestow on a sitting or former Presidents the nation’s highest honor, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR). The GCFR is the highest of the four grades of the Order of the Federal Republic (which is one of the two orders of merit of Nigeria, the second one being the Order of the Niger) with others being the Commander of the Order of the Federation (CFR), Officer of the Order of the Federation (OFR) and Member of the Order of the Federation (MFR).

Also,when there is the launch of new currencies, the President would be the first person to see them and he/she also gives approval for such currencies before it is then put into circulation.

Only the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces and some others (Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federation, State Governors, Deputy Governors and any other permitted by protocol) are allowed to mount and fly the National Flag on official vehicles.

By virtue of being the Commander-in-Chief, the Nigerian Presidency can wear the highest ranks in the Nigerian Armed Forces which no military officer has attained in the history of the country. These ranks, all of which correspond to a five-star General are: Field Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Marshal of the Nigerian Air Force and Admiral of the Fleet of the Nigerian Navy.

The portrait of the Commander-in-Chief appears usually right to the Coat of Arms at government establishments like ministries, agencies, state government houses, national assemblies, state assemblies, parastatals and other similar bodies. As for other Principal Officers/Chief Executives are automatically placed on the left of the Coat of Arms.  You must have noticed these portraits as they are quite ubiquitous. The portraits also appear in some non-governmental institutions. Do observe while inside a banking hall the next time you are there. You would see boldly the portrait of the President hanging on the wall.

Do also note that when the President and Commander-in-Chief is addressing the nation, the Coat of Arms is usually encapsulated in the Seal of the Nation and placed just above the Seat of the Commander-in-Chief. It is in offence for these portraits to be absent in government institutions or placed improperly or desecrated.

Furthermore, the  Nigerian international passport is also valid and relevant because the President has vested some of his powers in it. Without the presidential authority vested in it, the Nigerian international passport is useless. The following words validates the presidential authority:

'These are to request and require in the name of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford him or her every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need'

FUNCTIONS / DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT
Contrary to what many think, the job functions/duties of the President according to the Nigerian constitution is as follows:

1.Assenting to and signing of Bills.

2.Referring a Bill back to the National Assembly (Legislative Arm of the Government) for the reconsideration of the Bill’s constitutionality.

3.Summoning the National Assembly, (or the Parliament) to an Extraordinary Sitting to conduct special business.

4.Making any appointments that the Constitution or legislation requires of the President, apart from those of being the Head of the National Executive.

5.Appointing Commissions of Inquiry.

6.Calling a National Referendum in terms of an Act of Parliament.

7. Receiving and recognizing foreign diplomatic and consular representatives.

8. Appointing Ambassadors, Plenipotentiaries, and Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

9. Pardoning or reprieving offenders and remitting any fines, penalties or forfeitures.

10.Conferring honors.

THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA
This is the official residence of the Nigerian President. This is better described as a fortress and it is the most heavily-guarded in Nigeria. It has various names: Aso Rock, Aso Villa, State House, The Rock or simply, The Villa. It is not just a single structure but has many buildings .

THE PRESIDENTIAL AIR FLEET/ YATCH
The Nigerian President travels in style and comfort. Stationed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja are 11 aircraft for the use of the Presidency.

Although it is not quite pronounced, there is also a Presidential Yacht. Under the control of the Nigerian Navy, the Presidential Yacht is called NNS Amariya. and it also doubles as a training ship.

OFFICIAL SYMBOLS: THE PRESIDENTIAL SEAL AND THE PRESIDENTIAL FLAG
The Presidential seal is the official symbol of the Nigerian President and it was used for the first time in 1979 by Nigeria’s second President. It was not used again, even by the successive military regimes, until the coming of the Fourth Republic in 1999 when its use was reincarnated, and that is in place till date. The following are features and details of the Presidential Seal:

ARMIGER (In heraldry, the person entitled to use a coat of arms. Such an individual is said to be ARMIGEROUS): The Armiger or Bearer of the Presidential Seal is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

CREST: On a wreath, Argent and Vert (means Green and White, in heraldry) with an eagle displayed gules. In heraldry, gule is a tincture of red colour.

ESTUCHEON (this is the shield or shield-shaped emblem that displays the coat of arms): Made of blazoned sable a pall wavy argent. A blazon is a formal description of flag, coat of arms or similar emblem. In heraldry, the black tincture is referred to as sable.

SUPPORTERS (in heraldry, these are figures normally placed on both sides of the shield, and are shown holding it up. They are usually animals or mythical creatures): Two horses Argent.

MOTTO (a phrase to serve as a formal summary reflecting the intent of a group, organization or nation): UNITY AND FAITH, PEACE AND PROGRESS.

The Presidential Seal is one of the most visible symbols of the Presidency. It is used on documents emanating from the Presidency and sent to the National Assembly. It is also used on the presidential vehicles, lecterns (pulpit-like reading desk for speeches, lectures and presentations) and other places deemed applicable. (A photo of the seal is seen above)

THE PRESIDENTIAL FLAG (OR STANDARD) : As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Nigerian Head of State is entitled to fly his own flag (the Presidential Flag is also called the Presidential Standard). One very interesting thing about this flag is that it is quite visible but not many have noticed it. 

By Tun Henry

Acknowledgement: Abiyamo, Naija Archives, My Nigeria, Nigerian Constitutions Till date, More of Nigeria