Dismal Power Situation: FG apologizes to Nigerians, fingers sabotage

ITRealms:

The Federal Government has apologized to Nigerians over the dismal power situation in the country, alleging sabotage, reports ITRealms.

In a press statement made available to ITRealms by Segun Adeyemi, SA Media to Hon Minister of Information and Culture, quoted his principal, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said all efforts are being made to rectify the situation and ensure a gradual improvement in the power situation.

''There will be a decent improvement in the power situation from this weekend, thanks to ongoing remedial efforts that will double the current power supply to 4,000WM. Getting back to the 5,074MW all-time high that was reached earlier will take a few more weeks,'' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said at a time the routine maintenance by the Nigeria Gas Company has affected the supply of gas to power stations, forcing down power supply from an all-time high of 5,074 MW to about 4,000MW, a combination of unsavoury incidents further crashed the power supply to about half that figure.

''The vandalization of the Forcados export pipelines forced oil companies to shut down, making it impossible for them to produce gas. Then, workers at the Ikeja Discos, who were protesting the disengagement of some of their colleagues after they failed the company's competency test, apparently colluded with the National Transmission Station in Osogbo to shut down transmission.

''Finally, the unfortunate strike by the unions at the NNPC, over the restructuring of the Corporation, shut down the Itarogun Power Station, the biggest in the country. Due to these factors, only 13 out of the 24 power stations in the country are currently functioning. It is this same kind of unsavoury situation that has affected fuel supply and subjected Nigerians to untold hardship,'' he said.

The Minister strongly condemned the situation in which some Nigerians, under the guise of the various unions in the oil and gas sector or sheer vandalization, will continuously sabotage the country's power infrastructure.

''The bitter truth is that for as along as these groups of Nigerians continue to sabotage the power infrastructure, Nigerians cannot enjoy a decent level of power supply. We therefore admonish all Nigerians who may be agitating for their rights in whatever form to refrain from any action that will further hurt the same people they claim to be protecting,'' he said.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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Buhari backs Western Sahara self-determination

ITRealms:

President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigeria will stand with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in line with several resolutions of the African Union (AU) on the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence, reports ITRealms.

Buhari gave this assurance while receiving Mohammed Salem Ould Salek, Minister of Foreign Affairs of SADR in State House, Abuja, on Friday President Buhari assured him that outstanding issues on self-determination for the country would be scrupulously attended to.
  According to Buhari, the issue first came up when I was in office as military head of state. After I left government, Nigeria remained steadfast on it, stressing that in his maiden outing at the UN General Assembly last September, the issue of Sahrawi was in his speech. 

“You have no cause to doubt our commitment. We stand with our African Union colleagues on this issue. Nigeria will maintain focus till everything is finally resolved positively,” President Buhari told Salek, who visited Abuja as Special Envoy of President Mohammed Abdelaziz of SADR.
  Salek said his country would never forget the role Nigeria and its then military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari played in recognizing his country in 1984, when it sought self-determination from Morocco.
  “It paved the way for the UN to adopt several key resolutions on Western Sahara, elaborating a peace plan. History is now repeating itself, as you are the President of Nigeria at a time the Sahrawi issue is being put on the front burner again.”
  The Special Envoy told the President that his country needed a special push from Nigeria again, as it received in 1984, “to accelerate matters”.
 

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TechPlus 2016 unveils plans

PR@ITRealms:

Riding on the success of its maiden edition, Connect Marketing Services has unveiled plans for the 2016 edition of Nigeria’s biggest tech event – TechPlus.

According to the organisers, the 2016 Techplus event is billed to hold from 21st to 23rd July at the Eko Hotels Conference Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. The theme for this year is ‘A Connected World’.

In its second year, Techplus is a gathering of everything technology, providing a robust tripartite tech experience through its conference, exhibition and gaming structures whilst serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, networking and marketplace for consumers and businesses.

Convening over 6,000 techy and non-techy participants with 30 other speakers and panelists at its 2015 edition, Techplus has positioned itself as the premier and most authoritative tech gathering in Nigeria. The maiden edition of the event also saw the display of hi-tech innovations and gaming solutions, recording over 1,096 gamers.

In a statement published on the event website - www.techplus.ng- the 2016 edition of the event will provide an avenue to advance technological discourse, ideas, displays and networks in and around Nigeria.

“TechplusConference and Expo is a place where new technology comes to life, new products are launched and innovations converge, providing manufacturers, concept generators, software and hardware companies, content developers a platform to bring their products and services to life.”

The event is primed as the “main platform for innovations and new products to be introduced to consumers and businesses.”

Relating the plans for Techplus 2016, Executive Director, Connect Marketing, Kazeem Abimbola, noted that the event will capture emerging realities of global technological revolutions and how Nigeria can benefit from such.

“We are excited to announce the 2016 edition of Techplus Nigeria – the leading convergence of everything tech in Nigeria. This year, we will showcase more of Africa’s technological innovations that will advance both the human and social development of the country. Ultimately, this will yield value for both customers and businesses. This year, the event will include a Hackathon and a Pitch Event”

Techplus 2016, ITRealms gathered has been billed to hold from 21st to 23rd July at the Eko Hotels Conference Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. Interested participants can pre-register atwww.techplus.ng.

Interested brands can visit www.techplus.ngfor sponsorship and partnership opportunities.

You can also connect with the event on major social media platforms via @techplusngand join the conversation of ‘A Connected World’ via the official event hashtag #TechPlus2016.

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Olajumoke Orisagun: From slum to fame

Commentary@ITRealms:

Like many Nigerians, I felt elated about the story of Olajumoke Orisagun, the bread-seller turned model and since then, it has been all about her. Olajumoke was unknown on the streets of Lagos hawking bread. She was a trained stylist, got married and had to leave her family in Iree, Osun State, to "hustle" as it were in Lagos.

The life of a bread seller in Lagos is easily imaginable: exposure to the elements, sundry abuse, including the possibility of being defiled by unruly artisans, who will offer to buy bread and something else along with it, if the hawker is willing.

Photographer TY Bello was in the process of a photo shoot with British-Nigerian, Tinie Tempah in the street of Lagos when Olajumoke mistakenly stepped into the shoot. Her life has changed since then. She has been enrolled as a model. Her story has appeared in all newspapers, on CNN, Huffington Post and virtually everywhere online.

Two companies: Stanbic IBTC and PayPorte have made her their brand ambassadors. The former even awarded her two daughters scholarship up to university level. Olajumoke is a student of Poise Finishing School, an intern with two beauty salons.

Also, a construction company has given her a luxury apartment in Lagos, from hawking Agege bread, she has become the darling of corporate Nigeria, the poster lady for corporate social responsibility and a role model. She had probably never seen the inside of an aircraft, that is now history.

Call it an unexpected, unplanned and unprepared rise to fame and you won't be wrong. A friend just asked me, if one must hawk Agege bread, so as to encounter TY Bello or rise to stardom? Be the judge. Do you even know that bread sellers in the country see themselves as potential Olajumokes. 

Let me say here that, Nigerians know what suffering is all about. We are hard-working, resilient people but the conditions are not just right. Hence, most people resign to fate in frustration waiting for a miracle or an element of luck just like the Olajumoke story.

Call Olajumoke "waka-pass" who became a superstar if you like. Most of those posing for photos with Olajumoke would never have noticed her presence before now. A school of thought believes that there is nothing in Olajumoke's background or exposure that has prepared her for the moment she is savouring. Another believes that, her skills in bread selling and stylist cannot take her that far.

Also, there is this thought that after the reggae is over, she then competes for job and attention.

Olajumoke is now learning to speak English Language, but her husband is a humble, sliding door installer who probably speaks only Yoruba, and might not be fluent in speaking English Language. 

Considering our kind of society, and cultural background of the parties involved, I hope the families won't start to do psycho-analysis about Olajumoke?

In all,I wish Olajumoke Orisagun the best in her new found lease of life.

*Chris Uruakpa contributed this from Lagos. 
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SAFFGLIA berths in Lagos to promote good governance

ITRealms:

The Segun Adeleye Foundation for Good Leadership in Africa (SAFFGLIA) has berthed in the commercial centre of the nation, Lagos, to encourage governments across the continent of Africa to embrace good governance in order to improve citizens standard of living, reports ITRealms.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the chairman of Bi-Courtney, Mr.  Wale Babalakin, were both represented by the Head, NAN Lagos operations, Mr. Joe Bankole and Head Corporate Communication, Resort International, Ms Molara Wood, respectively.

While Mohammed was the guest speaker, Babalaki chaired the event as “Setting Agenda For Good Leadership in Africa. 

The three in one event also witnessed the launch of a book: So Long Too Long Nigeria, authored by Mr. Segun Adeleye, Founder of SAFFGLIA and President/CEO World Stage Limited.

The minister who was represented by the Director, Lagos Operations, News Agency of Nigeria, Joe Bankole described the birth of SAFFGLIA as the beginning of a new done for good leadership in Nigeria.  According to him the present administration is a representation of the values that the Foundation stands for, adding that the government is proud to associate with the foundation.

The minister identified corruption as the biggest challenges facing African development. He noted that the administration of President Mohammed Buhari is committed to fighting the menace in order to secure the future of the unborn generations.

“Leadership is about integrity and accountability and Nigerians has voted for President Buhari to change the face of leadership in Nigeria and transform the nation for the benefit of all, and Nigerians  really need to give him time to enjoy the promised change,” Minister said.

While reviewing the book, Managing Director, Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo  cited the relevance  of Segun Adeleye’s  articles written about  eight years ago on infrastructural decadence, corruption, government policies, unemployment  among others  to present day Nigeria.

While recommending the book to those in authorities, government and corporate organizations Akinadewo noted that, “The fact that majority of issues captured in the book are testimonies of present realities in the country today shows that Nigeria has not changed over the years.”

In his opening remarks titled, Africa: The Tragedy of Wrong History, Mr. Adeleye went memory lane from the first coup in January 15, 1966 trying to identify where things went wrong. 

He pointed out how bad leadership had held Africa hostage for years preventing the young generations from attaining their full potential. 

He highlighted the visions of the foundation to include, to draw attention to activities of governments from local to national levels and encourage/ compel them to do things in the best interest of the people;  it will engage in leadership training programmes that will champion the spirit of development of their societies in Nigeria and Africa; it will promote research into good leadership in Africa, among others”.

The Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor, Dr Adeleke Ipaye, who represented Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the event commended the author, saying his crusade for positive leadership is in line with the agenda of the current leadership in Nigeria.

 

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Pix: R-L: Dr Adeleke Ipaye, Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor, representing the Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Molara Wood, Head Corporate Communications, Resort International Ltd, representing Dr Wale Babalakin; Mr Segun Adeleye, President/CEO World Stage Ltd and founder Segun Adeleye Foundation for Good Leadership in Africa (SAFFGLIA); Mr Joe Bankole, Head of Lagos Operations, News Agency of Nigeria representing Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Mrs Tosin Adeleye, Trustee of SAFFGLIA at the launch of the foundation and a book, ‘So Long Too Long Nigeria’ by Segun Adeleye at the Afe Babalola Hall, University of Lagos.