Nigeria’s Apex Bank In Foreign Public Relations Contract Scandal

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has given itself a new mandate and it has nothing to do with money matters. It does not even have anything to do with stabilising the foreign exchange regime or strengthening the naira, desirable as that task is.
The new role of Nigeria’s apex bank is to launder Nigeria’s image abroad.
In what is the latest in a trend of frivolous and wasteful spending of tax payers’ money, the apex bank in April engaged the services of APCO Worldwide Inc., a public relations and political consultancy firm based in Washington DC, to help launder the image of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the country in the United States.
In the last three years, the icirnigeria.org has tracked many of such controversial contracts amounting to over $6 million dollars awarded by different agencies of the Nigerian government to foreign firms to launder the country’s image abroad.
From our investigations, such contracts, it appears, are mere conduits for siphoning public funds.

Hush! Agagu’s Children On Spending Spree As Family Discovers Huge Money In Late Politician’s Bedroom

This is the best of times for the children of the late former Minister of Power and Steel and ex-Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Kokumo Agagu with news that a huge discovery was made recently when the family was sanitising his bedroom.

The politician’s Bodija, Ibadan home is said to be the late politician’s vault where he kept his valuables while alive and the family didn’t really have the time to check the house based on the unfortunate circumstance that trailed the late politician’s death when the plane conveying his corpse from Lagos to Akure crashed and many sympathisers lost their lives.

The family were said to have checked the house recently and behold! Stuffed inside the late politician’s closet were wad of crisp notes in foreign currency which they didn’t know existed.

One of the late politician’s children, Feyi is said to have been making good of his share of the money with the acquisition of some properties in Lagos while he is presently making request into choice properties also in Ibadan.

Before his death, Agagu was a University teacher, Deputy-Governor, minister of power and steel, minister of aviation and later the Governor of Ondo State.

Presence Nights to be unveiled in Ibadan

Presence Nights, a quarterly worship event of Halleluyah Ajayi Ministries will be birthed in Ibadan on the 29th of July at the New Covenant Church hall, situated at Zion Complex, Alawo Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

The worship event, according to the convener, Hallelujah Ajayi is set in motion with the aim of creating an atmosphere to experiencing the presence and glory of God.
“The goal of the outreach is not to add to the number of many other Christian outreaches, but to specifically stir the move of the Holy Spirit and trigger a new dimension of the presence of God”.

He stated further that Nigeria is in distress economically, politically, morally and spiritually, “which has impacted Nigerians negatively as people meddle in all kinds of ungodly activities to survive. He continued: “But the good news Presence Nights has brought is that; when each of us is imparted with God's presence and glory, it will transform us inside-out and inspire ideas and favour upon our lives so much that each person who endeavor to attend will be a solution to Nigeria.”

The two-hour program is expected to start by 5:30pm.

Hallelujah Ajayi is the convener of Presence Nights; a dynamic young teacher and preacher of the word of God with over a decade of service to God through evangelism and as well serve in different departments in New Covenant Church, Zion Complex branch, Dugbe, Ibadan.
He is also a volunteer in Liberty international.

Zenith Bank is Most Customer-Focused Bank – KPMG

Zenith Bank Plc has again been ratedNigeria’s most customer-focused bank by the leading Advisory and Consultancy firm, KPMG.

In the 2016 edition of the annual banking industry Customer Satisfaction Survey recently released, Zenith topped other Nigerian banksin the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) with a total of 74.6 pointsto clinch the prime positionin the retail banking category; thereby re-enacting the feat it achieved in 2013 and 2014.Guaranty Trust Bank came second with 74.1 points closely followed by Diamond Bank and Stanbic IBTC with 73.5 and 73.1 points respectively.

The survey, launched in 2007, draws responses from customers across the retail, SME and corporate banking segments on customer preferences, levels of satisfaction and expectations from their banks.

Zenith Bank has featured prominently in the survey since it was launched 10 years ago, according to organisers;“to heighten consciousness of service delivery among Nigerian Banks”. In 2014, the bank cleared all three categories: Retail, SMS and Corporate Banking; having similarly won two of the three categories but SME the previous year.

The Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) measures customer satisfaction with banks, and are ranked based on the perceived level of satisfaction derived by customers surveyed fromthe different categories. The key factors considered by CSI include convenience, product/service offering, executional excellence, value for money and customer care.

Zenith Bank is one of Nigeria’s strongest financial institutions with a shareholders base of over one million and the largest bank in the country by market capitalization and tier- 1 capital. The Zenith brand has also maintained a consistent track record of performance in several parameters including profitability and liquidity managerial competence.

The bank’s impressive growth and performance over the years have earned it excellent ratings, recognitions and endorsements from local and international agencies and institutions; some of which include: Best Customer Service Bank Nigeria 2015 by Global Banking and Finance, Best Corporate Governance Bank Nigeria 2015 byGlobal Banking and Finance and Best Bank in Corporate Governance 2012, 2014 and 2015 by World Finance.

Others include; Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria 2013 by World Finance, thirdbiggest company in West Africa by Forbes & CNBC Africa and Best Commercial Bank in Africa by Capital Finance International (CFI)

The Bank is certified on three key International Standards Organisation’s (ISO) standards namely; ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management), ISO 20000 (IT Service Management) and ISO 27001 (Information Security Management).

OONI OF IFE, ASEYIN, OTHERS MAKE HISTORY IN GHANA

Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi(Ojaja II) accompanied by prominent Obas from south west states made a historical visits to the Rep. of Ghana.

Oba Adeyeye Enitanm Ogunwusi who was accompanied  Adetoye Obatuga, Elerinmo of Erinmo-Ijesa HRM Oba  Odunayo Ajayi and Alayemore of Ido-Osun HRM Oba Adedapo Aderemi, the Arode of Ife Chief Johnson Awe and Akogun of Ife Chief Muritala Adedoy on the invitation of the President of Ghana, President John Mahama.

 According to the Director of media and public affairs, Moses Olafare, Oba Ogunwusi was received warmly the Nigerian community in Ghana, Special assistant to Nigeria President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the President of Ghana and his executives where they discuss on issues bothering Africa on peace and regional integration at the Flagstaff House, Office of the President of Ghana.

Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi(Ojaja II) w2ho is on a four-day visit to rep. of Ghana, admonished President John Mahama of Ghana and his government to prioritise the unity of Africans by relaxing policies that encourage the physical and mental boundary set between African countries by the colonial masters with the emphasis that Africa must unite for prosperity as his mission is to promote peace, unity and progress of the black race.

“it’s my vision as Ooni Ife to promote unity, peace among African countries, Africa must unite to prosper”. Emphasizing on the importance of African unity, Ooni of Ife who's a descendent of Oduduwa believed to have been the root of all Yoruba race stressed that unity among African countries and blacks around the world is the key to Africa's prosperity and peace.

He added: "As traditional leaders we are the custodians of culture and tradition, that's why I have taken it upon myself to preach this gospel of peace, and unity. There's strength in unity, and it's time for Africa to go beyond lip service and unite”.

Also on Friday 22nd July 2016 Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi planted a tree of honour in remembrance of the country's first president Dr Kwame Nkruma who he described as a hero of African unity and emancipation.

The tree planting function was performed by Ooni Ogunwusi in company of his charming queen, Ooni Wuraola Ogunwusi(Yeyelua) and some notable traditional rulers at the Kwame Nkruma Memorial Park(KNMP) located in downtown Accra the capital of Ghana during his visit to the Mausoleum built in his honour by the military government of Jerry Rawlings in the early 90s.

The African king of peace and unity urged the leaders and people of Africa to always remember former President Nkruma not just as a politician but also as a great Pan Africanist who dedicated his life to the liberation of Ghana and total emancipation of the entire  Africans.

It with recalled that President Kwame Nkruma was overthrown by military in 1966 nine years after he led his country to freedom in 1957 and was subsequently exiled in Guinea Conakry where he lived till his death in 1972 at a hospital in Bucharest, Romania while receiving a medical treatment.

On Saturday Ooni of Ife and his team also visited one of the slave trade centers along the Gold Coast known as Cape Coast Castle to inspect various sections of the monument such as dungeons, cells, door of no return and others that explains the level of maltreatment suffered by the African slaves in the hands of the European slave traders.

The Castle visited by President Barack Obama of America was built around 1555 and used first by the Portuguese and later by the European slave merchants to keep their slaves who were brought from all over Africa to be transported into various unknown destinations.

Protest, Anger Trail Mass Sack At OAGF

No fewer than 71 accounting Officers, employees of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF),who were recently disengaged by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), have petitioned, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, Accountant General of the Federation, (AGF) and Joan Ayo, Chairman the FCSC, over what they termed unjust termination of appointment.
They alleged that for no just cause, the appointment letters they were offered in 2014 after undergoing interview, screening and documentation, were suddenly withdrawn in 2016 without cogent reasons.
They averred that their engagement followed laid down civil service rules and regulations and therefore were at loss of what led to the termination of their appointment after waiting for two years to be posted to offices across the country.
They also alleged that while some who have people in government were retained and posted, they were shown the exit door for reasons unknown to them.
They asserted that the way they were treated was “malicious, insensitive and the height of injustice”
According to them, “this petition relates to issues which involve sizeable number of Nigerians whose careers are being put at stake through malicious actions of the two officers of FCSC and AGF”

The petition reads in part: “We were offered career civil service appointment of the Federal Government through the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) as Accountants on different levels for the office of the Accountant General of the Federation via offer letters issued by the FCSC in 2014 and signed by the Director (Recruitment and Appointment) for Chairman FCSC.
“Both the office of the Head of Service of the Federation and that of the Accountant General were appropriately notified.
“In compliance with the civil service practice, all necessary documentations and medicals on us were concluded by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) at their pace in May 2015 and we were appropriately listed for further postings to places of primary assignment. We were equally given our respective file and staff numbers.
“Since that May 2015, we have been resuming at the office of the Accountant General in fulfillment of the employment contract already in place but the AGF has willfully failed to approve our posting in spite of our everyday presence and request. They kept on appealing to us to have patience and that they are preparing new intake induction programme.
“Curiously, about a week ago, we got the rudest shock that our appointment has been declared irregular and revoked by the Chairman Federal Civil Service Commission. This action is malicious, insensitive and the height of injustice on which we appeal to your good office not to be allowed to stand based on the following:
“The appointment followed due process and Letters of Appointment legally and legitimately issued and signed by the Director (Recruitment and Appointment) of the Federal Civil Service Commission for The Chairman, FCSC.
“The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation wrote to FCSC to confirm the authenticity of the offers which the FCSC confirmed via their Letter References (copy attached).
“The office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation also carried out a verification exercise on each of us during Personnel Data Revalidation Exercise and issued to each of us Clearance Certificate in May 2015.
“The FCSC again re-verified each of us as employees of the Federal Government of Nigeria and issued us with IPPIS validation receipt in 2015. It is therefore, sheer fraud, ineptitude and indeed inhuman for the same Chairman of Federal Civil Service Commission to say their (FCSC) action is irregular and revoke our appointments after being on this course for close to two years.
“Some of our colleagues who are either children of the Directors at the OAGF/FCSC or their close relations have been surreptitiously posted by the AGF.
“

Biafra Day Celebration: We have invoked spirit of 140 Igbo people killed to haunt their killers – IPOB

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has declared that the spirit of 140 defenceless Igbo people allegedly killed during the May 30 Biafra remembrance day by Nigerian security operatives have been invoked to trouble their killers and accomplice.

This is as the group asserted that the event organised in remembrance of Biafra fallen heroes was not an Igbo affair.

IPOB made the disclosure in a statement signed by its Deputy Leader, Uche Mefor.

The statement said, “The souls and spirits of 140 unarmed, defenceless, non-violent and innocent citizens of Nigeria of southeast and south-south extractions, mostly composed of Igbo sons and a number of Igbo daughters between the ages of 20 and 35 years, who were brutally massacred in broad day light on May 30, 2016 have been invoked to eternally go after their killers and enemies of the Igbo nation as well as those who aided and abetted the gruesome massacre until they pay for their heinous crimes and atrocities committed.

“Other victims of killings in Igbo land, including those killed during the IPOB non-violent protest and jubilation marches on December 2 and December 17, 2015 in Onitsha; and IPOB peaceful protests in Aba on January 18 and 29, February 9, 2016 as well as the Ukpabi-Nimbo massacre of April 25, 2016 by the Fulani were also remembered using the Igbo’s four sacred traditional market days/birthdays of Nkwo, Eke, Orie, and Afor.”