Kayode Tokede

Ecobank and the African Guarantee Fund (AGF), yesterday joined forces in a groundbreaking $200 million risk-sharing agreement, aimed at catalyzing economic growth and supporting entrepreneurial ventures – including women-owned (SMEs) on the continent.

The two organisations signed a strategic partnership agreement yesterday on the sidelines of the Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS) in Togo, in the presence of their respective leaders.

The $200 million risk-sharing agreement marks the third renewal of Ecobank’s partnership with AGF. The initial guarantee, provided by AGF in 2013, covered seven countries with a total guaranteed portfolio of $50 million.

Commenting on the partnership, Ecobank Group CEO, Mr. Jeremy Awori in a statement expressed enthusiasm about the potential impact on SMEs and the overall economic landscape, stating, “Our enhanced partnership with the African Guarantee Fund marks a significant step forward in our commitment to supporting SMEs across Africa with affordable financing. Through this partnership, we are taking bold steps to enhance green financing and gender financing. In doing so, we aim to eliminate the rigorous and restrictive requirements for collateral, particularly hindering women-focused businesses’ access to credit.”

Also, the CEO, African Guarantee Fund Group, Jules Ngankam acknowledged the longstanding partnership between AGF and Ecobank Group and its transformative impact on the SME landscape: “The renewal of our partnership with Ecobank Group to now span 27 countries is proof of the importance of risk-sharing mechanisms that banks should leverage to grow their SME portfolio. This partnership will catalyse close to $1 billion of financing for SMEs, who are the real drivers of growth in African economies.”

“Ecobank’s “Ellevate” program will also largely benefit from our “AFAWA Guarantee for Growth” facility to significantly boost financing of women led or owned SMEs,” he added.

In 2018, the scope of the guarantee expanded to encompass 14 countries, resulting in cumulative disbursements of $230 million since that time. The renewed partnership now extends to 27 countries within Ecobank’s African network, offering 50 coverage for qualifying SMEs across all target markets.

By leveraging Ecobank’s extensive network and financial expertise and merging it with AGF’s proven track record in risk mitigation, the collaboration aims to address the challenges faced by SMEs in accessing affordable financing.

Key highlights of the partnership include: enhanced 75per cent guarantee cover for Gender Financing and Green Transactions: Favourable terms have been set to ensure more women-led and green transactions are fast-tracked, incorporating reduced pricing.

Increased Lending Capacity: The $200 million facility allows Ecobank to significantly boost its lending capacity to SMEs, enabling the Bank to extend more credit facilities to SMEs seeking to expand, innovate, and contribute to job creation.

Risk Mitigation: AGF will play a pivotal role in mitigating the credit risk associated with lending to SMEs, fostering a more conducive environment for financial institutions to support these businesses without compromising their risk profiles.

Financial Inclusion: By channeling funds towards SMEs, the collaboration aligns with broader financial inclusion objectives, ensuring that a diverse range of businesses, including those in underserved and remote areas, can access the financial resources needed for growth.

The $200 million risk-sharing agreement is expected to have a ripple effect on various sectors, contributing to increased economic activity, job creation, and sustainable development across sub-Saharan Africa.

The risk-sharing agreement is positioned to become a landmark initiative in the financial landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating the collaborative efforts of key players in driving economic growth and fostering entrepreneurship. Countries covered in the partnership, listed in alphabetical order, are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Michael Oloyede, the talented and visionary artiste, has released his much-anticipated album titled “Native Brains.” Drawing inspiration from the legendary Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade, the Lagos-based drummer and singer has crafted a musical masterpiece that delves into life, love, and the pressing social issues of our time. With captivating lyrics, funky horn lines, and an irresistible groove, the album is a true reflection of Michael’s passion for creating music that resonates with listeners and leaves a lasting impact on society.

As the founder and bandleader of Native Brains, an exuberant Afrobeat band. Michael has cemented his position as a prominent figure in the vibrant Lagos music scene. Through his artistry as a renowned Nigerian drummer, composer, educator, and producer, he has made an indelible mark on the music landscape.

With a heartfelt commitment to addressing the social challenges faced by his country, Nigeria, he aims to awaken and inspire the downtrodden minds of his fellow country folk with songs of hope and love. Over the past two decades, he has become one of the most sought-after touring and recording drummers in Lagos, collaborating with an impressive roster of local and international artists and producers.

Among his notable collaborations are performances and recordings with esteemed names such as Lagbaja, Marcus Miller, Pilani Bubu, Nathaniel Bassey, Cobhams Asuquo, Kaline, ASA, Ayetoro, Wole Oni, Enitan Adaba, SOMI, Omar, Hamish Stewart, Temidayo Balogun, Timothy Ogunbiyi, Perpie, Olamide Timothy, Tosin Aribisala, and many more.

His musical journey has taken him to prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including headline shows at the Alliance Francaise, Lagos, as well as appearances at the Muson Music Festival, Lagos Jazz Series, Lagos International Festival, AACW Blues and Jazz Festival in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Leaf Festival in Black Mountain, NC, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and Festival International de Louisiana in New Orleans, among others.

Beyond his exceptional performance skills, Michael is also a respected educator and author. In 2019, he published the instructional drum book “Afrobeat Drumming: Coordination Exercises and Grooves,” offering a comprehensive system of study for aspiring drummers.

Driven by a passion for empowering the drumming community in Nigeria, Michael founded “Drum Quarters” in 2021, an educational and entertainment channel for drummers. The channel quickly gained traction, amassing over 158,000 views on YouTube within its first year of establishment.

Michael’s dedication to his craft and his country is evident in his educational background, which includes a diploma in Computer Science from Yaba College of Technology, Nigeria, and completion of the MUSON School of Music Performance Diploma program. Additionally, he enriched his musical knowledge by attending the 5-Week Summer Jazz Performance Program at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, USA.

“Native Brains” is a testament to Michael Oloyede’s artistic brilliance and his unwavering commitment to using music as a tool for societal impact and restoration. This album is set to captivate hearts, spark conversations, and uplift spirits, making a lasting impression on listeners far and wide.

HighLife

Death has a way of unhinging the mind. It can upend everything bright and gay about an individual, including ambitions, and turn it all into grey stuff and ashes. It takes a strong heart to throw all of death’s shades back at it and forge on. This is what the lawmaker representing Oyo Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Teslim Folarin, has done. Barely four months after he lost his wife to death, Folarin has turned his eyes back to life and is intent on making the most of it.

In January 2022, quite a number of prominent individuals passed on. One of these was his wife, Angela.  Although not much was published about the cause of death, except that the late wife, mother, sister, traditional Chief, and barrister died in the United Kingdom, those she left behind felt her passing strongly. This includes her dear husband, the political figure, Folarin.

 Many people assumed that Folarin would continue to mourn the passing of his wife and thereby lose his edge in the deep political waters of Oyo. After all, he is one of the ‘undertakers’ of politics in the state who serve to remind others politics is not for the faint of heart. However, very few people could have imagined that Folarin would be back to himself, that is, an aggressive politician going for the jugular of his opponents, so soon.

This time Folarin has upended the table of expectations by declaring his intention to run for Oyo governorship under the auspices of the All Progressives Congress. In other words, Folarin will be going against fellow political undertakers, especially Adebayo Adelabu who is also after the seat of Governor Seyi Makinde.

So, for those wondering how one gets over death, Folarin is a good reference.

HighLife

Being a public figure and being susceptible to controversies are not mutually exclusive. For some of the most prominent political figures in Nigeria, being in the eye of the storm is an everyday affair. The routine is simple: mistakenly fall into the storm, get out, lay low for a while until it all blows over, and get back into the limelight. Unfortunately for Senator and former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, the process is taking too long. To make it even worse, she appears to be stuck at the ‘mistakenly fall into the storm’ stage.

Social media has been roused once again to the person of Oduah, former Aviation Minister with controversies trailing behind her. This time, it is not a matter of indebtedness, forged academic certification, or misappropriation of funds. Instead, it is the justice system refusing to hurry things up and allow Oduah the time to rest, get out, lay low for a while until it all blows over, and get back into the limelight.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has reportedly restricted the proceedings of Oduah’s fraud case. Reports on this front state that Oduah was in court a few days ago with several others. The court was supposed to fiddle around with papers and figures, and come to a conclusion about the alleged N7.9 billion money laundering charges levelled against Oduah. But things did not go like this.

The court, for one reason or the other, could not conclude when to begin the proceedings that would see Oduah exonerated or penalised. Before, Oduah reportedly made a point to hide away from the law and the courtroom. However, now that she is present, she is being told to return home and come to court to fight another day.

The entire thing can set one on edge, so a few people sympathise with Oduah. After all, this is the fifth time the case is being forced to sit on the bench for a while. In fact, it is very unlikely that Oduah is having the time of her life right now.

HighLife

Friendship is an interesting concept. Most times, against even the recommendations of the conscience, one may be forced to pick a side on account of friendship. Of course, one might also be willing to go against the rest of the world because of a friend. For the former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), this is exactly the case. Boxed in, the taxman has to choose who to support for the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.

It is no secret that the incumbent Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, is one of the most promising aspirants for the mantle of Presidency. Osinbajo, like several other aspirants, has a queue of supporters behind him. Some of these supporters are new friends and others are old pals. However, one of the interesting aspects of this entourage is that someone, Fowler, is suspiciously missing.

From the observations of some political analysts, Fowler has not shown any public support for Osinbajo despite having the opportunity to do so many times. The argument on account of this vacillation on the part of the former FIRS man has given these analysts enough material to construct new narratives about Osinbajo’s political future.

Fowler and Osinbajo go way back. They refer (or they used to refer) to each other as fellow old boys of Igbobi College, Lagos. Fortune had it in for them: one went on to be FIRS Chairman, and the other became the Vice President. However, in recent times, neither has had any serious reason to throw a party.

For Fowler, it has been a struggle shrugging off the old weight of the FIRS, the agency out of which he was booted unceremoniously. For Osinbajo, it is a struggle of shrugging off the presidency he deputizes. But Fowler can be a lot of help to Osinbajo. However, it looks as if he is not willing. After all, one of the aspirants that Osinbajo will have to go against is someone who has been a big help to both of them.

Thus, the consensus from the keyboard-crunching cubicle of political analysts is that Fowler will not be supporting Osinbajo. Even if he does support his pal, he wouldn’t do it publicly.

HighLife

Nigerians are peerless. Put a typical Nigerian in a crowd of people with different nationalities and that Nigerian would stand out. It has nothing to do with having dark skin or ancestors that were colonised by the attention-revelling British. It has to do with being Nigerian. This is why we all celebrate individuals like Igho Sanomi who are doing amazing things in and out of the country. At 47, Sanomi has experienced so much, but he continues to be a cheerful giver, a humble businessman, and a medal-deserving patriot.

Sanomi is as much a businessman as he is a philanthropist. When names are compiled of the most charitable businessmen in Nigeria, his name is almost always among the first five. This is not because he wants to be known as a patron of humanity, as we can see from his very private lifestyle. No. It is just that he realises that life is meaningful when you help other people.

And Sanomi has been helping a lot of people. The area that is often mentioned to demonstrate Sanomi’s largesse is his contribution/grant to the Bobby Moore Fund for cancer research in the United Kingdom. He simply got up one day and decided that it was time to put a large amount of money into prostate cancer research. And what a big help that turned out to be.

What about the foundation he established with his siblings to honour his father, the Dickens Sanomi Foundation (DSF)? DSF has done more good for Nigerians than a lot of governments have thought to replicate for their people. All of this Sanomi has done and he is still three years away from the golden age of 50.

At 47, Sanomi is a sight for sore eyes and a beacon of hope for every Nigerian. To give because one can is a rare thing, but that is exactly why Sanomi is given to charitable work.

HighLife

Among men, there are a few that have the grace to make things happen wherever you put them. These are the individuals that just get it: they get the dynamics of life, the flow of resources, the fluctuations of the future, and the vast infiniteness of wisdom. Barrister Allen Onyema, the CEO of Air Peace, is one such man. His charm is up there with the mythical demi-deities of old Greece, and even amid high-flying peers, he is peerless in his achievements.

This is not the first time that Onyema is getting the limelight spreading around him. From the very start, the man has held that special position in the hearts of informed Nigerians everywhere. Maybe, it is because he had the cojones to start up an airline business where his associates and peers were still busy looking for where to invest their money and get the biggest ROIs. Regardless, Onyema has managed to climb to a height that others are having to crane their necks to catch a glimpse of him.

Onyema made his big debut in Nigeria’s corporate corridor in 2013 when he officially established Air Peace. Onyema’s name and brand began to make the rounds back then, and it has continued to the present. After all, it is rare to have businessmen whose minds are fixed on goals other than aggressive profit-making.

With Onyema’s intelligence, it is not surprising that he is also a dedicated philanthropist. He may not be given shots or corners in national dailies, but Onyema has made his contributions to the small people. And he continues to, regardless of the happenings around him, some of which are often very unpleasant to read about.

But Onyema is one of those people with a magic wand to have things go their way. Thus, regardless of the issues that hold him back a bit, he always bounces back.

HighLife

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Good things will always be celebrated. This is a principle that is written into the architecture of the world. The same principle applies to human beings. As long as the character and temperament are acceptable, the humble, the high achiever, and the ambitious will be celebrated. And when you are all three, as KieKie is, you are positively loved by all and sundry. KieKie has become the new face of Ruba Beauty and the number of people who are happy for her is enough to start a country.

KieKie (real name Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori) is a professional public figure in Nigeria. She debuted as a TV personality sometime ago but has gone on to become one of the most iconic content creators, models and fashion icons in the industry.

A few days ago, the widely acclaimed Beauty Brand, Ruba Beauty, announced that it had made KieKie the Global Brand Ambassador of the beauty establishment. And KieKie just happens to be the first person to have that honour.

Of course, the ambassador deal was not handed over to KieKie simply because she has a likeable personality. The lady is talented and diligent. Plus, she does not upend her wardrobe or dress sense simply because she wants to be followed on social media. Yet, she has more than 1.3 million followers, a fact that has catapulted her from being a run-of-the-mill content creator to a full grown influencer.

Indeed, KieKie and Ruba Beauty together are a force waiting to rock the world. The brain behind Ruba Beauty, Mo Olowu, is as much a determined and charming individual as is KieKie. So, we can expect rounds and rounds of applause every time they collaborate on a promotional gig.

Good things will always be celebrated. This is a principle that is written into the architecture of the world. The same principle applies to human beings. As long as the character and temperament are acceptable, the humble, the high achiever, and the ambitious will be celebrated. And when you are all three, as KieKie is, you are positively loved by all and sundry. KieKie has become the new face of Ruba Beauty and the number of people who are happy for her is enough to start a country.

KieKie (real name Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori) is a professional public figure in Nigeria. She debuted as a TV personality sometime ago but has gone on to become one of the most iconic content creators, models and fashion icons in the industry.

A few days ago, the widely acclaimed Beauty Brand, Ruba Beauty, announced that it had made KieKie the Global Brand Ambassador of the beauty establishment. And KieKie just happens to be the first person to have that honour.

Of course, the ambassador deal was not handed over to KieKie simply because she has a likeable personality. The lady is talented and diligent. Plus, she does not upend her wardrobe or dress sense simply because she wants to be followed on social media. Yet, she has more than 1.3 million followers, a fact that has catapulted her from being a run-of-the-mill content creator to a full grown influencer.

Indeed, KieKie and Ruba Beauty together are a force waiting to rock the world. The brain behind Ruba Beauty, Mo Olowu, is as much a determined and charming individual as is KieKie. So, we can expect rounds and rounds of applause every time they collaborate on a promotional gig.

HighLife

There are many individuals in Nigeria whose deeds can be recorded in a tome. The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab is one such person. As he joins the golden club to become 50, countless individuals are getting on their knees to say a prayer to God on his behalf.

There is not one thing that can be used to describe Wahab that will not appear as an exaggeration. Due to the man’s humble temperament and complementary self-driven personality, Wahab has won the hearts of Lagosians everywhere with his many good deeds in Lagos. Today, the state is truly a place of excellence in terms of education at the very least. As such, Wahab has inadvertently built himself a legacy that will be passed to newer generations as the waves of time rush by.

Who knew that Wahab was yet to clock 50? In truth, there was always the assumption that his breadth of wisdom had to have been something that accompanied his many years on the earth. But this is not the case. Wahab is good at what he does and he does it with deep wisdom, enough to put some elders to shame.

We blame all of this on his humility. If Wahab was even a bit like some of his peers who would get their homelands a dozen mosquito nets and get newspapers to write about them, we would have known that he is still a very young man. Thus, to have revolutionised the education sector in Lagos state in just a little over three years is something really amazing.

So, as Wahab joins the golden club, there is even greater expectation regarding his ambition and aspirations.

HighLife

In the Biblical account of history, there were representatives of God who figuratively belched out fire whenever they wanted to change things. Someone said that these people were a kind of social entrepreneurs, except that their methods were tribulative. Even though such prophets do not dwell among us today, we have those that continue to make things happen in the name of the Most High God. Have you met Pastor Tunde Bakare, the man who works the pulpit with as much gusto as in Nigeria’s political space?

If you know Pastor Bakare, you will know that some of the men of God that we have today breathe fire in their own unique ways. Bakare is an outspoken public figure, with the Good Book in his left hand and a rod of correction in his right. He is not one to shy away from discourse, be it social, economic, or political. So it came as no surprise that he intends to run for president under no canopy but that of the All Progressives Congress (APC)?

What is Pastor Bakare’s agenda? The clergyman has declared this himself: peace, progress, prosperity and possibilities. With each of these elements, Bakare hopes to pull Nigeria out of the darkness of mediocrity, stagnation in some areas, and full-on relegation in others.

Bakare’s path is blazing and that is primarily because he is coming from a religious angle without apologies. Whether this is enough to get him out of the ‘Presidential Hopeful’ or ‘aspirant’ status and into the title of ‘Presidential Candidate’ is something else entirely. One thing is for sure, and that is that regardless of the results of his campaign, Bakare will shine in the limelight for a long time.

HighLife

For the average Nigerian person, a wedding is a thing of two to three hours, laden with worries about who will come and who won’t, which caterer is owed some money and which might burden the ‘wedding rice’ with an extra bag of salt. For those of the wealthy class, it is a day of sublime rapture, expressed affection and several other things that generally come with satisfaction. These are the expressions one could see on the faces of the wedding guests at the prestigious Landmark Event Center, Lagos, where Tayo Ayeni gave out his daughter’s hand in marriage.

We can claim to have known and attended classy weddings, but the one that the Skymit boss threw for his daughter, Mathilda Ayeni, is out of this world. Not only were the settings fine and the guests finer, but there is no comparing the joy on the faces of the bride, Mathilda, and her husband, Olamide Akintayo, at having their friends and relatives mingle with the flag bearers of industry in Nigeria.

Among the individuals that graced the occasion were the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who was the Chairman at the event. There was also Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu with whom Abiodun passed the time asides nodding to the music. Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara was also present and brought his executive-ness to cheer the event.

Several other individuals of national and even international prestige were also available. These include Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; philanthropist and businessman, Aliko Dangote; BUA founder, AbdulSamad Rabiu, former Ogun Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; Otunba Bimbo and Kemi Ashiru; Farouk Saleh; Francis Ogboro;  Bola Shagaya, Greg Uanseru; Biola Akinola; Tokunbo Wahab; Senator Lanre Tejuosho; Lanre Ogunlesi; Ibukun Awosika; Oye Odukale; Biodun Shobanjo, and many others more.

As the event was ongoing, one could tell from Ayeni’s satisfied expression that he was pleased with himself, his family and the bride and her new family, as well as the guests who came from far or near to celebrate with him.

HighLife

“Honourable Speaker, off the mic! Off the mic! Minister Akpabio, off the mic!” This is the fragmented memory that often springs upon the mind at the mention of the name Godswill Akpabio. Whether this recollection is accompanied by amusement, helpless anger, or something altogether different, depends on the individual doing the recollection. Nevertheless, Akpabio remains an individual whose actions cannot be judged without an absorbing and concentrated gaze.

It is with growing helplessness that several news agencies reported that Akpabio, the honourable Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs and most prominent face of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has declared his intention to run for the president position in 2023. The aforementioned helplessness is not only because every reputable and disreputable public figure appears to be gunning for the position, but because it is Akpabio, a man whose ledger of controversies reaches to the moon, that is indeed the subject of discussion.

What is Akpabio’s legacy at the NDDC? Before Akpabio assumed the office of Minister of Niger Delta, he was already battling several individuals who were convinced that he had almost sunk Akwa Ibom, the State over which he was captain between 2007 and 2015. Of course, Akpabio was elected as a Senator after his gubernatorial tenure, but that period zoomed by without significance, some people say. It was the same spirit of flippancy that Akpabio waltzed into the NDDC.

Perhaps people would have ignored Akpabio’s presidential ambition if he had quietly announced it and left the podium. However, Akpabio made claims regarding what he did at NDDC, which according to some people,  is nothing. The least Akpabio could have done before hightailing to Aso Rock would be to constitute an NDDC Board. But the man in question did nothing of the sort, and instead, in his words, “effectively repositioned the agency to meet its core mandate.”

Really, one cannot fault Akpabio. Political figures continue to thrive in Nigeria even when they have never actively contributed to the growth and development of the nation or its people.

HighLife

True politics, the art of state management and development, has to do with standing up for what is right. It is presenting oneself to be burned by public opinion if need be if only the people would be better as one. This is what Otunba Kayode Fasae (OKF) is set to accomplish with his political ambition to stand in for Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1 in the House of Representatives.

Ekiti is a blessed state in Nigeria. Each senatorial district and federal constituency has brilliant people representing them at the top. It is consequently obvious that the people are continually chasing the goals of the whole rather than those of the self. No selfishness, one might conclude. And this is the case for OKF.

It is generally believed that to know the true character of an individual, one only needs to observe how they have managed the role they have been given. For OKF, this position is the DG of Ekiti State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA). This is the institution responsible for the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ekiti State.

As one might guess, OKF’s leadership at MEDA requires him to be very close to the innovative people of Ekiti. And so it is. OKF has greatly improved the conditions of SMEs in the state, helping to increase the access of their operators to needed resources and tools to ensure that there is a high degree of participation in the socio-economic growth and development process in Ekiti.

Judging from OKF’s many accomplishments in MEDA, there is every likelihood that he is going to extend the same line of performance to the House of Reps position he is currently vying for. Can one think of a better person for the job? Surely not.

Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, during his visit to Kwara State recently,�� rated Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq very high on performance and project deliveries, saying his administration’s achievements have surpassed that of his predecessors, Kayode Alfred writes

A sudden excitement seizes on Kwara as you read; it’s subdued yet electric. The chatter pauses for an instant, then erupts with cultured determination, sometimes, in wild abandon. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is on song. He is the poetised visionary and the crowning progressive, the nurturant leader on whose watch Kwara has regained its greening.

Governor AbdulRazaq has earned the citizenry’s good graces, no doubt. He is a revolutionary leader and Prince Charming in one breadth. Before him there was nothing. Kwara careened and listed to the plunder of rapacious oligarchs. But at Abdulrazaq’s foray into the state’s political arena, Kwara, hitherto distraught, like the proverbial bride who lost her beauty and allure to the ravage of foul-minded suitors.

Kwara, proudly identified as the “State of Harmony,” lost its congruent repose amid the ruckus of rancorous oligarchs. The state, erstwhile notable for its rich melange of culture and ethnicity, lost its fabled peace and unity to the dissembling of felonious sons of the soil.

But no sooner did Governor AbdulRazaq assume the mantle of office than Kwara experienced the rejuvenation that eluded it throughout the locust years of the Bukola Saraki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government and Saraki’s successor, Abdulfattah Ahmed’s unremarkable administration.

Infinitely gracious and sagacious, yet elaborately simple, Governor AbdulRazaq, has redirected the affairs of the state towards more promising trajectories, since he took over.

With unequalled grace, he has quietly gained the confidence of his people courtesy of the massive developmental projects that he initiated in the state. Many of these projects are ongoing in the state.

For instance, before his administration came into being, pipe-borne water was hard to come by in the state. Most residents relied on water tankers for their daily usage, while some who have the means provided their personal water supply system. Even the Government House suffered a dearth of water supply hence it also patronised the water vendors. This was undoubtedly an eyesore in the estimation of concerned citizens and illustrious sons of Kwara State, like Abdulrazaq, hence he intervened.

To put an end to this ugly situation, within his first year in office, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq embarked on projects that will ensure a seamless supply of water in the state. These include; rehabilitation of Lafiagi Water Works, rehabilitation of Asa-Dam Water Works, rehabilitation of Patigi Water Works, rehabilitation of Igbaja Water Works, rehabilitation of Kaiama Water Works, rehabilitation of Gwanara Water Works, rehabilitation of Up Kwara Water. 

The Governor also ensured the refurbishment of Agbabiaka Water Tanks Ilorin, rehabilitation of Yashikira Waterworks, rehabilitation of Oro-Ago Water Works, Inter-connection of Eastern Reservoir, and Awolowo Road in Tanke, diversion of ductile iron pipes across Alagbado stream, repair of Lafiagi Water Works and its environment, among others.

Abdulrazaq’s intervention attains better resonance at the heel of water scarcity foisted on the state by previous administrations. In 2019, for instance, just about 6,725 households were connected to public water sources in Kwara. However, none of these households was getting water since the waterworks were either non-active, inoperative even as water corporation staffs were on strike to protest their unpaid salaries. The people were left at the mercy of politicians who moved round with water tankers in exchange for votes.

This has changed. To date, Governor Abdulrazaq’s administration has increased the number of households connected to public water supply to 10,426, that is, about 55 percent with defined access to potable water.

The number of public water stand pipes has risen by 1,107 more, or 72.31%. Measured against the population of the state, the figure is low but it represents a significant turnaround in the system. The administration has not only revived many of the moribund waterworks, including the one in Oyun, it is also building two new ones in Jebba (Moro) and Dumagi (Edu). 

Aside from his remarkable success at restoring the state’s water supply, Governor AbdulRazaq has scored inspiring feats in the state’s erstwhile comatose education sector. Since he assumed office, Governor AbdulRazaq has given priority to education in the state. The sector had hitherto suffered neglect by previous administrations leading to the state being blacklisted from accessing the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund for more than seven years before his emergence as the governor.

It would be recalled that, prior to AbdulRazaq’s emergence as Kwara governor, the state foundered under the leadership of his immediate past predecessor, Ahmed. A major legacy of the Ahmed and Saraki administrations was the ghostly nature of the Kwara hinterlands.

That was a function of many things, atop of which is the lack of basic amenities like functional schools with teachers, healthcare facilities, drinkable water, and access roads.

Most schools in the Kwara hinterlands were without teachers, worsening the out-of-school children syndrome and drastically reducing the quality of education. In Isin and Oke Ero local governments, for instance, less than 50 percent of their senior secondary school teachers’ needs were met. Kaiama had just 68 teachers, falling below 45 percent of its needs, across its vast communities. Patigi had just 121, while Ekiti boasted just 135. 

AbdulRazaq’s intervention in education, however, ensured new dawn of effectiveness and promise in the state; on his watch, Kwara accessed a backlog of N7.1 billion UBEC counterpart funds with a matching grant of N7.1 billion – these funds have been instrumental in no small measure to the gradual repositioning of schools and general improvement in education delivery in Kwara. The state is also carrying out renovation works in, at least, 43 basic schools. With the grants from UBEC now in the state coffers, about 600 basic schools are to get a facelift while teachers are also to be trained.

In order to increase the quality of education in the state, the governor recruited 4,701 qualified and competent teachers into the public primary, junior and senior secondary schools in the state.

The private school owners have also profited from his developmental efforts in the education sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, proprietors of 1,119 private schools were given soft loans to help cushion the effects of the pandemic due to the shutdown.

Enthusing about AbdulRazaq’s achievements, incumbent Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, recently rated him very high on performance and project deliveries, saying his administration’s achievements have surpassed that of his predecessors, Bukola Saraki, and Abdulfatah Ahmed. According to Lawan, Governor AbdulRazaq has achieved in two years, what Saraki and Ahmed struggled to achieve all through 16 years of their administration. 

Saraki, who is also Lawan’s predecessor as Senate President was Kwara’s governor from 2003 to 2011, while Ahmed took over from him in 2011 to 2019 before the ‘Otoge’ movement that ushered in the incumbent governor on the platform of All Progressives Congress.

Speaking in Kwara, at the mega constituency empowerment programme organised by Senator Umar Sadiq representing Kwara North in the National Assembly, Lawan urged Kwara residents to support AbdulRazaq in consolidating on his remarkable achievements in the last two years.

The Senate president said the governor’s administration has delivered on key components of governance in a style not seen before over the past decade in the state.

Likewise, a former member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmumin Katibi, said, “In May 2019, water tankers were the source of potable water in most parts of Ilorin, the capital city, even in the Government House. Today, pipe-borne water is back and stable in the metropolis while nearly 500 boreholes have either been dug or rehabilitated across the state. No fewer than nine waterworks have been fixed since this governor came on board while contracts for more have been awarded.”

“Et tu, Brute” are the words that William Shakespeare put in the mouth of Julius Caesar, the great emperor of Rome. It was an exclamation of shock and despair and one of the biggest turnarounds in scripted theatre. It is also what former Anambra Governor Willie Obiano is likely chanting inside his mind.

It is not news that the ascension of former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, to Anambra Governor was accompanied by a number of events. Among these events, the slap was the most prominent, especially because it happened while Soludo was being sworn in. The runner-up is the arrest of Soludo’s predecessor, Obiano.

While Soludo might not have had anything to do with Obiano’s tangle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), experts at these things have begun saying that Soludo is not helping matters. This is after the newly instated governor revealed that the finance of Anambra State was in jeopardy.

As people who are up-to-date on the matter are well aware, Soludo declared that he inherited about N300 million from the old (Obiano’s) administration, as well as debts that were over N109 billion in value. Any mathematician can tell that the accounts do not balance and Obiano’s administration virtually handed over a mountain of debt to Soludo. At least, that is the vibe that Soludo’s declaration almost immediately after his swearing-in ceremony brings.

Here’s the question some people are asking: is it not too early for Soludo to throw Obiano under a bus? It would be a different matter if they were enemies before Soludo’s victory but they were not. One could argue that Soludo climbed to the gubernatorial position because Obiano had cleared the way for him. So, the question again: Is it not too early for Soludo to throw Obiano under a bus?

Maybe there is indeed more to the story, as some analysts have commented. Soludo himself has said that he won’t have problems with Obiano. But it is not looking like that to the rest of the world, not with Obiano with his red shorts in police detention.

HighLife

John Keats said: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever, whose loveliness increases (continually).”

 In other words, truly beautiful things only come to stay, never becoming things of the past or wisps of memories. And so it seems to be with Rahmat Indimi and her former husband, Mohammed Babangida. The union that was torn apart with suspicions and heated debates appears to be whole again.

Social media in Nigeria has been thrown into excitement at the news of the Babangidas, Rahmat and Mohammed, back together. This news began making the rounds after Rahmat posted on her Instagram handle that she was grateful to several people for contributing to the reunion that has been a long time coming. “Reunited at last after so many years apart… ” are the words that keep coming back to participating Nigerians who want nothing but the best for the two of them.

This is the first time this year that Rahmat, the daughter of the Maiduguri billionaire and Founder/Chairman of Oriental Energy Resources, will be trending with her ex-husband (if the rumours turn out to be true) Mohammed, the first son of former Nigeria’s military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB).

For those that did not follow the story of their breakup, the marriage that took place in 2004 came to an abrupt close in 2016. It was messy and even required Nigeria’s judicial system to mediate. But even that intervention did not accomplish much by way of total resolution, especially as the couple vied for the custody of their children.

Now, that horrendous past is truly the past. There’s only goodness and joy to look forward to now. Going by the photo that Rahmat posted, even the thing with the children has been settled. Indeed, happy families are all alike; all devoted, all together.

HighLife

From the way things are going in Nigeria, it wouldn’t be too fantastic to declare 2022 as a year for new things, new achievements, and breakthroughs, considering the many milestones that the country’s super business people have begun erecting. Take Aliko Dangote’s new fertility plant, for example. That single project has established the man as the biggest employer of labour in the country. But more than that, the project is a sure guarantee that more youths are going to stop dusting their school certificates as they trudge through dusty streets for work.

President Muhammadu Buhari recently inaugurated the Dangote Fertilizer Plant in Lagos a few days ago. Speaking on the plant, Buhari said that Nigeria will not have to depend on multinationals and the generosity of foreign nations for the development of its agricultural sector. Now that there is a fertilizer plant, the possibility of exporting these products to the United States, Brazil, India, etc., is very high.

Indeed, Dangote’s establishment of the plant is a big opportunity for growth on every side. Regarded as Africa’s largest Granulated Urea Fertilizer complex, the plant will be a source of employment for Nigerians and also a source of pride.

Dangote has been making moves to revolutionise Nigeria’s economy. In February 2022, he was joined by the Kano and Kaduna State governments as he announced the partnership of his company with Stellantis Group, the parent company of car-making multinational, Peugeot. From then on, there have been calculations on end about how many Nigerians will be employed in the Peugeot-assembling factory in Nigeria.

Indeed, in terms of the provision of employment opportunities, Dangote is ahead of his peers in Nigeria and Africa. He should be the model used for the encouraging phrase that we rise by lifting others.