Self-styled ‘king’ Ugboma sparks uproar in Ossomalla, community pushes back - ITREALMS

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The emergence of a surprise claimant to the royal throne of the Ossomalla community in the Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State has unsettled residents and stirred intense controversy across the region, reports ITREALMS.

The community’s recognized traditional ruler, His Royal Highness (HRH) Igwe Victor Awogu, alongside his cabinet chiefs and stakeholders of the agrarian, riverine town on the banks of the River Niger, has strongly questioned how one Patrick Ugboma, popularly known as Sule, came to proclaim himself king over the people.

FirstBank, NLNG, Shell back QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit - ITREALMS

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Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, First Bank of Nigeria, has joined forces with Mighty Media Plus Network Limited for the maiden edition of the QEDNG Creative Powerhouse Summit.

Also supporting the event are Nigeria LNG (NLNG) and Shell Nigeria, two major players in the country’s energy and development sectors.

Is CBN pushing Nigerians back to banking halls? Asks Elvis Eromosele - ITREALMS

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Public institutions in Nigeria have a knack for policy inconsistency. They can aggressively pursue a course of action one moment and, the very next, introduce measures that directly contradict their stated objectives. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is currently at the centre of one such paradox.

Everyone alive in the last couple of years witnessed the CBN champion financial inclusion, digital banking and cashless transactions. It actively encouraged banks to expand their digital footprint, increase adoption of digital payments and decongest the banking halls. Nigerians responded positively. People embraced digital banking, relying on ATMs, mobile transfers and POS terminals instead of entering the banking halls.

NCC, ALTON, MainOne back Oketola's book on tech evolution - ITREALMS

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The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida, has confirmed his participation as the immediate past Editor of The PUNCH, Dayo Oketola, launches a book on Information and Communications Technology evolution.

The book, ‘The Catalyst: Nigerian Tech Evolution Through a Journalist's Lens,’ will be launched on September 17, 2024, at an exaugural lecture to mark the end of Oketola's time as Editor, The PUNCH and celebrate his nearly 20 years in journalism and leadership practice.

SDG Digital urges UN members to help put SDG back on track - ITREALMS

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The ​​​​​​​​SDG Digital has received financial, and operational commitments from U.N. member states, the private sector, finance bodies, international organizations and philanthropic foundations to help put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track, reports ITREALMS.

The high-level SDG Digital event, convened by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at U.N. Headquarters, stepped up digital support for the world's 2030 Agenda as part of the SDG Action Weekend of the United Nations.

50 MDAs back Nigeria Digital ID4D project - ITREALMS

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At least, no fewer than 50 public institutions in Nigeria, on Tuesday, pledged their support for the implementation of the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) Project, reports ITREALMS.

Revealing this, the Manager, Communications, Nigeria Digital ID4D Project, Dr. Walter Duru, informed ITREALMS that rising from a 1-day Roundtable for Desk Officers of Ecosystem Implementing partners of the Nigeria Digital ID4D project, held at Peniel Apartments, Abuja, the stakeholders described the project as timely, reiterating their willingness to participate in its implementation.

NCC, ALTON back 2021 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue - ITREALMS

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Apex telecommunications regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) have drummed support for the 2021 edition of the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue scheduled at Adam’s Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Ikeja, Lagos by 9am next Thursday.

Just as experts from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) and E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (EPRON) to name a few, have lined up to dissect the theme of the dialogue “e-Waste in Nigeria: Consumer as key to Circular Economy & 20 years of GSM."

Group warns Adelabu, APC: You can’t take gov seat through back door - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

Oyo State-based socio-political group, the Oyo Kajola Group (OKG) has chided the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 election, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu and his party for seeking to snatch the governorship seat through the backdoor, reports ITREALMS.

The group, in a press statement made avaialble to ITREALMS on Thursday by its Media Coordinator, Adebayo Ayandele, said that the statements credited to the APC and its candidate were targeted at provoking the good people of Oyo State.

“We cannot understand what Mr. Adelabu meant when he said he had a date with history in a statement he made after the ruling of the Court of Appeal on his election petition. We can also not understand the enthusiasm of the APC on the same matter.

“Rather than creating false hopes and hiding under the banners of lies and confusion to deceive their followers, we wish to urge the APC to face the reality of it all and accept that the 2019 governorship election in Oyo State has been won by Engineer Oluseyi Makinde.

“Let us warn very clearly that the election of the Governor of Oyo State was done within the purview of the law and not extra-legal factors.

“We, therefore, reject in its entirety, any form of ambivalence or ambiguity written into the judgement of the Court of Appeal on the Oyo State election matter and stick to the truth of it all: that Engineer Seyi Makinde remains the man voted for by the people of Oyo state and that his mandate will be in force till May 28, 2023.”

The group described the statement credited to Adelabu that some agents of darkness perfected the plan to steal his mandate,” which led to his “recourse to the judiciary to proof (sic) their wrongdoing,” as hogwash, and an insult to the good people of Oyo State who massively rejected him on March 9, 2019.

The statement also warned the APC not to keep the hopes of manipulative tendencies too high as according to it, no one can supplant Makinde through the back door.

The group urged Makinde to continue the good works he has started in Oyo State, which it said have made him a cynosure of all eyes and a worthy example for other governors.

It noted that “the APC’s plot to take a mandate given to Governor Makinde by Oyo State people through evil machinations will not succeed.”

“We read with amusement a statement credited to Adelabu that the pronouncement of the Election Appeal Tribunal has rekindled his and his party’s hope in their march to keep a date with history. They, indeed, will have their date with history at the Supreme Court and it will end in disappointment and shame, as we are sure that the court, as the last bastion of hope for the common man, will not allow itself to be used for the APC’s evil intention.

“In the said statement, like a similar one released by the APC a day after the judgment, Adelabu had robed himself in borrowed gowns, stating how some imaginary people knew he was the best candidate among the lots that sought the mandate of Oyo State people. He had equally prided his campaign as most organized and issue-driven.

“We in the Oyo Kajola Group would not have bothered with whatever borrowed gowns Adelabu chose to robe himself in, of course, no one can stop a butterfly determined to pride itself as a bird.

“Indeed, we would have considered his statement and that of his party as a bit of blarney, an amusing nonsense that should be laughed at and ignored but knowing the evil machinations of the APC and its tendencies to pervert the cause of justice and snatch popular mandates through the judiciary, we will like to place it on record that the APC did not and could not have won the 2019 governorship election in the state. The result of the election in which Makinde won in 28 out of 33 local governments, polling 515,621 votes to defeat the Adelabu, who polled 357,982 votes.

“The people of Oyo State reacted rightly by voting against the APC, a party that nearly ruined Oyo State in eight years; turned nearly every institution and processes upside down and tore into the core of the state’s nobility and prestige as a pace-setter state. The people voted against a reign of terror synonymous with the APC campaigns.

“It is, therefore, amusing that the same party is laying claim to victory and putting its hopes in the Supreme Court. We will like to call on well-meaning Nigerians and members of the international community to be watchful at a time like this so that some desperate individuals do not sabotage democracy using ill-gotten wealth to pervert the cause of justice.”

Ayo  Midele/Editor
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Pix: Ayo Makinde, Gov. Oyo State

Computer Village: Stakeholders finally back relocation - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

Key stakeholders of Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos State, have finally backed the relocation of the popular computer market to Katangowa area of Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, reports ITREALMS.

This, ITREALMS reports, follows a successful stakeholder’s meeting where issues affecting the take-off of the project were resolved.

The meeting attended by heads of plazas, officials of trade associations and representatives of the ethnic groups at the market, seized the opportunity to hold a closed-door meeting during which they resolved the internal wrangling that essentially slowed down the movement to the new site since April, when the agreement was signed between the Lagos State Government and Bridgeways, the developer.

Apart from endorsing the project, the stakeholders also appointed Mr. Ademola Olaifa as interim chairman and Barrister Osy Ijeomah as secretary of the committee which was setup at the venue to act as bridge between Bridgeways Global Projects Limited, and the Computer Village community.

Olaifa who is also the Public Relations Officer of CAPDAN, expressed  delight to be involved describing the project as “a viable one, a life-saving project that everybody that is alive want to identify with. It is a thing we have been struggling for over the years. We are grateful to God almighty for sparing our lives to witness the taking off of the project.”

Also, he said, that the project is a laudable one that will benefit the Computer Village, Lagos State, Nigeria as a whole, and Africa generally.”

In his remarks, Mr. Jimmy Onyemenam, CEO Bridgeways, said the whole essence of the meeting was to establish an all-inclusive vehicle that will serve as coordinator through which the developer could interface with the occupants of the market.

“At the moment the project is at the verge of flagging off, with the state government commencing a lot of expansion work, by clearing of the site and to hand over the site to us. We expect that to commence anytime from now. On Monday, we had a meeting with the squatters on the site and they are actually on standby to move. Fortunately, the state government is putting a human face to all of these and efforts are being made to make their relocation as painless as possible for all there is going to be a lot of movement but not as gruesome as experiences of the past,” he said.

In a brief presentation, Mr. Onyemenam gave a simplified account of the project, its scope, and size and the facilities that would be provided at the new Computer Village, stressing that when ready, the Katangowa project would be the biggest ICT Park in West Africa and will offer over 4,000 shops, incubators, accelerators, technology laboratories, exhibition halls, hotel, shopping plaza, industrial park, warehouses, Kee Klamps (small shopping shades), a helipad, malls, banking halls, parking lots, conference centre, food courts, security and power, and delivered in a carefully laid out plan to remove the chaos currently bedevilling the Computer Village, Ikeja.

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Konga goes hot on back to school promo - ITREALMS

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As part of efforts aimed at giving its loyal customers the best summer shopping experience, Konga, Nigeria’s leading e-commerce giant, has put on sale thousands of products from its massive inventory at unprecedented discounts for its Back to School promotion which runs from Monday August 27^th to Sunday September 9^th 2018.

The promotion will offer eager shoppers access to the wide range of products online @ Konga.com and offline in every Konga retail store nationwide.

Tagged #BacktoSchoolwithKonga, the two-week campaign will see genuine products across multiple categories including mobile phones, laptops and other computing devices such as notebooks, smart printers and Kids tablets, fashion items and accessories, a wide range of Electronics and the best Home and Kitchen appliances from the biggest brands.

Further raising the excitement for the Konga Back to School campaign is a series of social media activities including quizzes which will pitch parents against their kids, a hashtag campaign that will see lucky winners visit the Konga office for a one-minute shopping fiesta, a photo contest on how kids spent their holidays, with winners getting Back to School essentials and school supplies as well as kiddies and adult games, among others.

“With #BacktoSchoolwithKonga, we intend to offer not only returning students and other individuals a chance to shop a wide range of essential products for the new school season at amazing prices, we are also making a bold statement with bulk purchases and sweet deals for educational institutions nationwide, corporate organizations, small businesses and other bulk shoppers with flexible payment terms,” disclosed Konga CEO Online, Nick Imudia.

“In addition, shoppers can enjoy same day delivery on select items for orders placed before 12pm plus flexible payment such as pre-payment and our recently relaunched payment on delivery options, among others. You also enjoy multiple delivery options by K-Express as well as the choice of being able to pick up at any Konga retail store of your choice. Our customers can also walk into any of our stores nationwide and with the help of our staff, order the items not available in-store, then pay and collect when it is delivered at the store or we deliver it at their door-steps,” he concluded.

The Konga Back to School campaign is expected to whet the appetite of Konga’s numerous merchants and customers nationwide in anticipation of its year-end campaigns including the Independence Day sales and its much-awaited Black Friday promotion tagged Yakata.

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‘No going back on Broadcasting Code’

ITRealms:

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has declared that there is no going back on Broadcasting Code, reports ITRealms.

According to the Minister, the Federal Government will not be stampeded into abandoning the ongoing efforts to amend the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to ensure the production in Nigeria of 'Nigerian content or local content' programmes.

The Minister stated this in Abuja on Friday when he received a delegation from the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOC), led by its Nigerian representative, Dr. Tunji Asaolu John.

He said those who deliberately twisted his comments to allege that the Federal Government will ban the shooting of films and music videos abroad are being mischievous, and reaffirmed government's commitment to protecting local creative talents and generating employment.

"We will not be intimidated or stampeded by anybody," Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said the amendment of the Code will also encourage people to invest in the establishment of world-class studios in Nigeria to guarantee that producers get the same quality of work as obtained abroad.

"We are not going to export jobs to other countries and say our economy will grow. Most of the arguments which are being proffered, honestly, are unrealistic. One of them said where in Nigeria are we going to produce our music and our films when there are no studios.

What they don't understand is that nobody is going to invest in (building studios) in Nigeria if the law allows you to go and do the same thing outside Nigeria," the Minister said.

He said the Federal Government is consciously developing the Creative Industry in its renewed drive to diversify the economy away from oil.

The Minister pledged the ministry's support for the African Festival of Arts and Culture, to be hosted in Nigeria in November.

Earlier, Dr. Asaolu said the AU is currently implementing Agenda 2063, which is a framework to promote growth and social development in Africa.

"Out of this Agenda 2063, Aspiration No. 5 talked about Africa with strong cultural identity, common heritage, values and ethics. Sir, even this aspirations alone if you put it out to the market it can solve the problems that we are facing in Africa," he said.

The AU-ECOSOC, which is the AU's platform for the Civil Society, used the opportunity of the courtesy visit to confer the Distinguished Fellowship of African Arts and Culture on the Minister.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Newsdiaryonline bounces back after database attack

ITRealms:

The Newsdiaryonline has proclaimed its return with readiness to offer better services after its database was allegedly attacked, last weekend, reports ITRealms.

The publisher an editor-in-chief, Newsdiary Communications, Mr Danlami Nmodu, said the online newspaper has resumed publication again after it came under malicious cyber attack last Thursday evening.

He expressed gratitude to the Almighty God and the wizardry of the firm’s Information Technology (IT) professionals.

“We also thank all those who called us or sent messages of solidarity and encouragement through social media platforms,” he said, describing it as the worst attack “we have suffered since we started publishing Newsdiaryonline in 2008.”
ITRealms recalls that Newsdiaryonline commenced operations in Lagos before its headquarters was relocated to Abuja in 2010.

“Some have asked whether the attack was from government agencies or Buhari loyalists. We simply do not know where it came from. We are however, convinced that evil cannot triumph over good. We are also careful not to point accusing fingers because  we know cyberattacks have become a widespread  phenomenon in our global village. Recall the United States is still grappling with the impacts of alleged cyberattacks  during the last presidential elections. Just as we know institutions can target whatever they wish, we also know there are freelance attackers,” he said.

Further, Nmodu said the attack was a sad experience, because Newsdiary lost a lot from it.

“But it has turned out to be very good as we have learnt some security lessons from it. We are happy to announce that Newsdiaryonline is back to continue serving you better,” he said.

For them at Newsdiaryonline, Nmodu said, the right of the people to know what is happening is the priority of the company.

“We cherish our credibility and we shall continue to uphold the tenets of  good, ethical and responsible journalism on our  online platform. Also, we urge you to expect some  changes  soon as we move to make your engagement with Newsdiaryonline even more pleasant,” Nmodu assured.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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PayPorte brings back Big Brother Naija 10-yrs after

ITRealms:

A decade after, acclaimed preferred online store, PayPorte, is set to sponsors the Big Brother Naija, a popular reality television show, reports ITRealms.

This season’s competition, ITRealms reports promises to be the most astonishing fun and excitements to millions of viewers in Nigeria, Africa and around the world. It would be an opportunity to showcase the exhilarating talents from Nigeria.

Speaking about the sponsorship, the CEO, PayPorte Global Systems, Mr. Bassey Eyo, said, “as a brand, PayPorte believes in bringing out the creativity and talents that abounds in Nigerians, so, the Big Brother Nigeria platform is an opportunity for these talented Nigerians to harness their talents and make it a reality”. As a Nigerian owned company, part of our Corporate Social Responsibility is to enhance people’s lives and give them reasons to believe in themselves.”

He added, “PayPorte is a brand that loves to be associated with innovative ideas that unify people irrespective of their background, which is what the BB Naija stands for, and that is what we hope to achieve with this sponsorship. We believe in changing lives positively. We are glad that someone’s life is about to change for the best."

Head, corporate strategy & planning, Irene Kayoma, said, “We believe strongly in the Nigerian youth. We are glad to provide the platform for young people today to apply their skills and push themselves to make Nigeria and the world a better place.”

She added, “With thousands of people expected at this season’s edition, viewers can expect to be amazed and astounded by the remarkable line-up of personalities competing to be crowned winner of the Big Brother competition with a grand prize of $ 100,000 and other modeling and endorsement deals that comes with the big brother crown”.

Big Brother Naija auditions is going down on 26th and 27th November at Westown Hotel in Ikeja. Participants are to bring along a valid Nigerian passport, they have to be over 21 years and definitely need to BE BRAVE. Auditions begin 7am.

The show will air on dedicated event channels on DStv and GOtv in January 2017.

Launched in 2012, Payporte.com, your Preferred Online Store is where you can find the highest quality products ranging from fashion wears, accessories, shoes, electronics, smart phones, perfumes, home appliances, etc. for the best prices. We pride ourselves in our timely delivery, innovative services, highly skilled and friendly customer care representatives and we deliver to your doorstep.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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NERFUND crisis resolved: Adeosun orders staff back to work

ITRealms:

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun has ordered all staff of the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND), to immediately return to their duty posts as the crisis within the organisation has been resolved, ITRealms reports.

NERFUND, ITRealms  recalls, were directed in a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse on June 15, 2016,   to stay away from work to forestall further breakdown of law and order as a result of disputes between the Executive Management, Senior Management and other staff of the organisation.

The National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) was established in 1989 to provide medium to long-term financing to viable Small and Medium scale production enterprises to increase the quantity of goods and services available for local consumption and export, provide needed employment, expand our production base and add value to the economy.

Director of Information at the Ministry in a press statement available to ITRealms, Salisu Na’Inna Dambatta, noted that the Fund so far extended credit facilities for 2,829 projects valued N9.5 billion between 1989 and 1999.

He also pointed out that all Nigerians are qualified to apply for NERFUND loans, either as individuals, associations, cooperatives or corporate entities as well as partner institutions.

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