CBN infuses $195 into Forex

ITREALMS:

The apex financial regulator, Central Bank ofNigeria (CBN), has infused the sum of $195 million, about N70,395,000,000 trillion, into the inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market, reports ITRealms.

CBN on Monday, said its offering $100 million to authorized dealers in the wholesale sector of the market; the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector got the sum of $50 million. Those requiring foreign exchange for invisibles such as tuition fees, medical payments and Basic Travel Allowance, BTA, among others, were allocated the sum of $45 million.

Confirming this, the acting director, Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, expressed confident that the level of transparency CBN has entrenched in the market, stressing it would help the Naira to sustain its steady run against the dollar and other major currencies around the world.

“The market will remain very stable as long as every player sticks to the forex guidelines,” he said.

ITRealms recollects that the CBN last week also intervened in the various sectors of the Forex market with the sum of $195 million.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Cisco intent-based solutions debuts

ITRealms:

Cisco Systems Nigeria has unveiled intent-based networking solutions that represent one of the most significant breakthroughs in enterprise networking, reports ITRealms.

The introduction, ITRealms reports culminates with Cisco’s vision to create an intuitive system that anticipates actions, stops security threats in their tracks, and continues to evolve and learn. It will help businesses to unlock new opportunities and solve previously unsolvable challenges in an era of increasing connectivity and distributed technology.

This new network is the result of years of research and development by Cisco to reinvent networking for an age where network engineers managing hundreds of devices today will be expected to manage 1 million by 2020.

“The network has never been more critical to business success, but it’s also never been under more pressure,” said Chuck Robbins, chief executive officer for Cisco. “By building a more intuitive network, we are creating an intelligent platform with unmatched security for today and for the future that propels businesses forward and creates new opportunities for people and organizations everywhere.”

Today companies are managing their networks through traditional IT processes that are not sustainable in this new age. Cisco’s approach creates an intuitive system that constantly learns, adapts, automates and protects, to optimize network operations and defend against today’s evolving threat landscape.

“Cisco’s Encrypted Traffic Analytics solves a network security challenge previously thought to be unsolvable,” said Olakunle Oloruntimehin, General Manager of Cisco Nigeria. “ETA uses Cisco’s Talos cyber intelligence to detect known attack signatures even in encrypted traffic, helping to ensure security while maintaining privacy.”

With the vast majority of the world’s internet traffic running on Cisco networks, the company has used its unique position to capture and analyze this immensely valuable data by providing IT with insights to spot anomalies and anticipate issues in real time, without compromising privacy. By automating the edge of the network and embedding machine learning and analytics at a foundational level, Cisco is making the unmanageable manageable and allowing IT to focus on strategic business needs.

Already several leading global enterprises and organizations are conducting field trials with these next-generation networking solutions, including NASA and Accenture.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Our achievements are real says Buhari

ITRealms:

President Muhammadu Buhari has said his Administration has recorded concrete achievements which are there for all to see, contrary to the opposition's statement that the administration is running on propaganda and lies, reports ITRealms.

The President, who was represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the assertion at the opening of the two-day Nigeria Governors' Forum Conference for Media Handlers of States' Chief Executives in Abuja on Monday.

''For our Administration, our achievements are there for all to see. We are delivering in the broad areas that formed the plank of our policies: Security, fight against corruption and the economy, which includes the massive provision of infrastructure, ease of doing business and agriculture, just to mention a few,'' he said.

Providing facts and figures, the President listed the Administration's achievements in ending subsidy and yet ensuring the availability of petroleum products; in raising power generation, transmission and distribution, in the massive provision of infrastructure; in tackling insecurity and making a success of the agriculture revolution, among others.

''Those who accused this Administration of 'propaganda and lies' in the fuel supply sector, for example, did not tell Nigerians that whereas they paid between 800 billion and 1.3 trillion Naira as 'subsidy' yearly in their time, without making the products available even at regulated prices, this Administration is not paying any subsidy, yet all products are currently available at competitive prices and fuel queues are now history. In their time, they paid subsidy of 3.7 billion Naira daily in 2011; 2.2 billion Naira daily in 2012 and 2013, and 2.5 billion Naira daily in 2014, all for products that were never available.

''Those who accused this government of 'propaganda and lies' also said we have not achieved anything in the power sector. Comment is free, facts are sacred, as they say. When this Administration assumed office on 29 May 2015, available power on the grid totalled 2,690MW, transmission capacity was around 5,000MW and distribution capacity was 4,000MW.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Ihaba, Rwanda partner on AIS’18

ITRealms:

The Ihaba is partnering the Government of Rwanda for the second Africa Innovation Summit (AIS II) slated for 6 through 8 June 2018 at the Kigali Convention Center in Kigali, Rwanda, reports ITRealms.

The AIS II, ITRealms gathered, will build on a very successful first Summit, to include activities before, during and after the Summit.

ITRealms reports that AIS seeks innovative and disruptive solutions for major challenges facing African countries, which include energy access, water, food insecurity, and health systems.

Director of AIS, Dr. Olugbenga Adesida, said, AIS II will be a three-day event and the program will include a set of plenary sessions on major thematic issues, over twenty facilitated workshops in focused workgroups to deepen the dialogue and to seek solutions to challenges facing African countries, as well as many side events and special programs.

He said, the summit will also include Satellite events in three to five locations within the continent, an exhibition by 50 African SMEs and institutions with scalable innovative ideas, products and/or services, and a Youth Innovation Challenge.

Adesida further said, leading up to the Summit, AIS will organize hackathons and blogs to mobilize practical popular engagement. Post-Summit, the AIS will work on a series of knowledge outputs, including policy briefs and book with case studies, as well as promote the implementation of the recommendations.

Ogo Nebenanya/GEE
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NEMA boss assures of safety on use of electricity across value chain

ITRealms:

The re-appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) Engr. Peter Ewesor has assured Nigerians of safety on the use of electricity, lives and property across the value chain, reports ITRealms.

Ewesor also identified the issue of standardization of equipment and materials as well as existence of quackery as major problems plaguing the sector.

For him, these have led to many unfortunate incidences of electrical accidents and electrocutions in Nigeria.

The Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation has however assured that these problems will be further strongly addressed as he begins his second tenure in earnest.

Earlier at the mini hand-over ceremony during which Engr. T. T. Aliyu presented the report of his brief stewardship during the period he acted to the MD/CEO, Ewesor commended Aliyu and itemized the focus of the current management.

"First is our unalloyed commitment to the implementation of the mandate of this Agency. As I had noted severally, the major challenge of the sector is quackery and we have evolved multiple strategies. We will make life unbearable for any group or individual who insist on endangering Nigerians through refusal to abide by professional safety standards. 

“Recently, we secured a conviction of four accused persons at the chief magistrate court of Kaduna State for the offences of criminal conspiracy, forgery of the NEMSA Certificates and cheating contrary to section 59, 345 and 308 of the penal code of Kaduna State. This will serve as deterrence to those contemplating forging and counterfeiting NEMSA Certificate/instrument”

"We are going to intensify our efforts in terms of enforcement of technical standards and regulations, technical inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations, electricity meters and instruments to ensure the efficient production and delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable power supply and guarantee safety of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and other allied industries/workplaces safety standards.

"The second focus is our determination to empower our staff to effectively discharge their responsibilities by ensuring a conducive environment for work, scale up on the necessary work equipment and investing in human capital development. Importantly too, we are already expanding our services, getting closer to people by inaugurating new Inspectorate field offices, such as the new Owerri Office, Bauchi and one coming up in Uyo.

"And last but not the least is our rededication to the culture of integrity, transparency and openness in the management of the Agency. We are passionately committed to the anti-corruption crusade of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. We have always ensured due process in our operations and that has earned us the 12th position amongst 166 public institutions assessed by Public and Private Development Center (PPDC) in the 2017 FOI ranking recently conducted. Going forward we will ensure continuous maximum compliance with relevant extant rules and other regulations", the Chief Executive said.

He assured Nigerians that the Agency will be more visible as it intensifies efforts to enforce safety of use of electricity and safety of lives and property in the industry and Nigeria at large", he said.

ITRealms recalls that Engr. Peter O. Ewesor completed his first tenure on 10th September this year before his reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 3rd of October 2017 for a further term of four years in accordance with the provisions of section 7(3) of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency Act, 2015.

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IPV6 Council adduces need for early migration, visits Internet Solutions

ITRealms:

The Internet Protocol version Six (IPv6) Council in Nigeria has adduced need for early migration and adoption in the country, especially in the Information and Communication Technology sector, reports ITRealms.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Internet Solution Nigeria, a leading Internet Service Provider in the country, Council chairman, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, noted that the visit was designed to interact with Internet Solutions Nigeria, which the Council believes could be paving the way towards the realization of IPV6 migration, which is seen globally to provide enhanced Internet service experience.

Rudman decried the low level of IPv6 ready networks, as well as usage in Nigeria, despite the fact that the country occupied first and eight positions in internet usage in Africa and the world respectively. “We are worried that some countries in Africa have started migrating to IPv6 networks, yet Nigeria that prides itself as number one in terms of Internet usage in Africa is not making a serious move,” he said.

He commended Internet Solutions for deploying IPv6 on its  network and urged other service providers in the country to consider migrating to IPv6  for Nigeria to maintain its position in Africa and move higher in the global ranking.

He also said that migrating to IPV6 would create more robust and realtime end-to-end  Internet connectivity and avert the possible blockade from the exhaustion of Internet Protocol version Four (IPv4) addresses.

Responding, the Head, Network Operations at Internet Solutions, Mr. George Olunwa said that Internet Solutions has since deployed and advertised IPv6 block on the Internet, but the challenge is largely apathy from the enterprise customers, who are yet to see a pressing need for the implementation of IPV6 on their networks.

While thanking the IPV6 Council Nigeria for the advocacy visit and efforts so far, Olunwa assured that Internet Solutions would continue to push the idea of implementing IPv6 to its customers, admitting that the cost of migrating from IPv4 to IPv6 is next to nothing.

“What we have seen is that most of the clients are still going for IPV4, even though the cost of getting IPv6 is minimal. But, we believe that with this sort of advocacy being carried out by the IPv6  Council Nigeria, service providers as well as enterprise networks will begin to see a need for the deployment.

He also suggested a possibility of providing virtual lab for IPv6 within country, saying that will assist towards capacity building which can help to upscale the deployment and adoption of IPV6.

IPv6 is the most recent version of IP, the communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the internet. 

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is essentially a postal address for each and every Internet-connected device. Without one, websites will not know where to send the information each time a person performs a search or try to access a website.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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Pix 1 -Courtesy Visit: L-r Chairman, Communication & Advocacy Committee (CAC) IPv6 Council Nigeria, Remmy Nweke, Council Member, Chief Chris Uwaje, Finance Manager, Internet Solutions (IS), Safiriyu Abiodun Rosenje, Chairman, IPv6 Council Nigeria, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Project Manager IS, Ms Ifeoma Egbe, Head, Network Operations, Mr. George Olunwa, and member CAC, Mr. Chike Onwuegbusi, during a courtesy visit by IPv6 Council Nigeria to Internet Solutions, recently in Lagos. 

Pix 2 -Courtesy Visit: L-r  Member, Communication & Advocacy Committee (CAC) IPv6 Council Nigeria, Council Member, Chief Chris Uwaje, Chairman, IPv6 Council Nigeria, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Project Manager Internet Solutions (IS), Ms Ifeoma Egbe, Head, Network Operations, Mr. George Olunwa,Finance Manager, Internet Solutions (IS), Safiriyu Abiodun Rosenje, and Chairman, CAC IPv6 Council, Mr. Remmy Nweke, during a courtesy visit by IPv6 Council Nigeria to Internet Solutions, recently in Lagos.

Shareholders approve InterBreweries, Intafact, Pabod merger

ITRealms:

The shareholders of International Breweries (INTBREW) Plc, Intafact Beverages Limited and Pabod Breweries Limited have approved resolutions authorizing the merger of the three companies, reports ITRealms.

Shareholder approvals, ITRealms gathered, were granted during separate court ordered meetings of each of the Merging Entities which held on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 October 2017.

Prior to the approval by the shareholders of the Merging Entities, ITRealms also gathered, requisite pre-merger approvals had been received from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

ITRealms reports that with the shareholder approvals in place, the SEC and NSE will now be re-approached for their final approvals, to be followed with an application to the Federal High Court to sanction the merger, after which, the merger becomes effective. 

FCMB Capital Markets Limited and Odujinrin & Adefulu are advisers to International Breweries Plc while Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie serving as advisers to Intafact Beverages Ltd and Pabod Breweries Ltd.

Chairman of the Board of International Breweries Plc, Sunday Akintoye Omole said they are of the opinion that the merger will create a platform where significant synergies can be obtained for the benefit of “our shareholders, employees, customers, distributors, suppliers and the economy as a whole.”

Commenting on the merger, His Majesty, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, Chairman of the Board of Intafact Beverages Ltd said “It is envisaged that the merger will be beneficial to all stakeholders involved, while providing the new entity with an extremely compelling economic opportunity.”

Gustav Wilhemus Van Heerden Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pabod Breweries Limited said the merger will “improve, and expand growth prospects for the new entity and will also maximize value for all stakeholders.”

International Breweries Plc commenced production with the launch of its flagship product, Trophy Lager in December 1978. The company now produces Beta Malt as well as Castle Milk Stout, Castle Lager, Redds, Hero Lager, 1960 Rootz and Grand Malt which are produced and sold under co-packaging and franchise agreements.

Intafact Beverages Limited was first incorporated in February 2007. The company’s principal activities include the manufacturing, distribution and sale of a variety of beverages such as Hero Lager, as well as Eagle Lager, Trophy Lager, Castle Milk Stout, Grand Malt, Beta Malt, Chibuku, 1960 Rootz, Redds and Super Shake Yogurt drinks.

Pabod Breweries Limited was incorporated in 1978 under the leadership of His Excellency Melford Okilo. The company’s principal activities include the manufacturing, distribution and sale of a variety of beverages and its brands include its flagship product Grand Malt, as well as Castle Milk Stout, Eagle Lager, Hero Lager, Trophy Lager, Beta Malt, Redds and 1960 Rootz which are produced and sold under co-packaging and franchise agreements.

Combined, the three companies, which are subsidiaries of AB InBev, will be one of the biggest beverage manufacturing and distribution companies in Africa, based on installed production capacity. 

Nonye Dom/GEE

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ACCI lauds FG on economic planning, development efforts

ITRealms:

The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has lauded the Federal Government over its economic planning, and development efforts, reports ITRealms.

ACCI, ITRealms gathered, particularly commended Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who is lead proponent on economic matters of this administration, for the conclusions reached at the recent National Economic Council (NEC) meeting saying they are critical first steps towards harmonising economic planning and development among the various levels of government.

The Media & Protocol Officer at ACCI, Mr. Lubem Gena, in a press statement made available to ITRealms, quoted President of the Chamber, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), as describing the new approach by the Vice President and his leadership as "a determined step to create synergy in national economic planning to provide  a common sense of development direction for the country”.

He observed that until now the National Economic Council (NEC) has not fully launched out to initiate and coordinate national economic direction for which it was established by the constitution.

"The ACCI commends the Presidency and particularly the Vice President for finally activating the constitutional authority of the NEC to initiate, integrate, and direct the focus of national economic development so that the various tiers of government will no longer be working at cross purposes, or in silos.

Prince Kayode who was cabinet minister in four capacities, explained that under the 1999 Constitution, the structure for effective political and economic  governance of Nigeria is broadly divided.

The legal luminary noted that, while the President as Chief Executive presides over the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Defence, Security and Police Councils and also chairs the National Council of States (NCS), on the other hand, the Constitution mandates the Vice President to chair the NEC with membership including all state governors, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and others.

“It is thus clear that the constitution intended the Vice President to superintend the economy, of course, under the general direction of Mr. President.  So if the Vice President is enabled to fully implement the authority already given to his office by the constitution then as the focal authority for the management of the national economy along with the state governments, we can easily develop an integrated approach to economic planning and execution.

“The NEC is a potent and veritable platform to ensure a concerted approach towards national economic development, the surest way forward for economic growth and betterment.

“The next stage is now for the NEC to be fully institutionalized with a functioning secretariat through which inter - governmental economic planning can be coordinated with the National Planning Commission (also by law chaired by the Vice President),  the state governments and other government agencies under the leadership of the Vice President", the Organised Private Sector chief said.

“For the economic prosperity, growth, peace and progress of our country, the Vice President must work towards strengthening the National Economic Council so that joint efforts at planning can make a difference in Nigeria's quest for greatness", he concluded.

Doris Minimah/GEE

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Anambra Guber'17: Elders, youths lauds Ojiba, commence voters mobilisation for ACPN

ITRealms:

Elders and youths at Nsugbe at the weekend (on Friday) pledged support for the governorship ambition of the candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Comrade Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba, reports ITRealms.

The elders and youths who came out in their numbers to welcome his campaign team on a consultative visit to the area, chanted "O jebego, o jebego", meaning he has won.

Nsugbe is the home town of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tony Nwoye.

The elders and youths, some of whom are other political party leaders, shunned the flag off of the APC candidate to welcome Comrade Ojiba, who they described as their own.

Nsugbe is the home town of the ACPN candidate's grandmother.

Speaking on behalf of the other elders, Obi Nwoye Ogbuagu said, "Ojiba is our own and for remembering us, his mother's people, we are happy and we pledge all our undivided support him."

The elders in turn prayed for Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba and and his campaign team, asking God to see them through to the government house Awka this year.

On their part, the Chairman of Enugwu Youths Organization, Nsugbe, Mr. Francis Bosah and the Chief Task of the youths group, Mr. Onyebuchi Udeze, reiterated that Ejoh Ojiba is their own and has the support of the youths.

"We are giving him full support, he is the one that will go for us", Udeze added.

Earlier, the Director General of the Akunwata Ejoh Ojiba Campaign Train, Chief David Okagbue urged the people of Enugwu Nsugbe to support the party.

Leaders at the meeting were the South East Coordinator of the party, Engr. Ikechukwu Okagbue, the State Chairman of the party, Comrade Sam Anumba, the Onitsha North Woman leader of the party, Hon. Ndidi Olieh, among others.

Comrade Ojiba is a retired Customs Officer and says he has a divine transformation agenda for Anambra State. 

Ozo Nweke Ozo/GEE

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Coming from Catholic family prepared me for today – Bishop Badejo

Interview@ITRealms: 

On Thursday, October 19, 2017, all roads led to the ancient city of Oyo, venue of the 10th enthronement anniversary of Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo. Widely acclaimed for his communications expertise and love for music, Bishop Badejo is also the founder of the Catholic Artistes and Entertainers Association of Nigeria (CAEAN). He spoke to TONY AGBUGBA about his childhood and how he handled the expected news of his appointment as Bishop of Oyo ten years ago. 

Excerpts.

Being bishop of Oyo diocese:
I have been bishop of the Oyo diocese for ten years now. But I have been in charge of this diocese for the last eight years when my bishop emeritus, Bishop Julius Babatunde Adelakun retired. I am glad and fortunate to say that my childhood was a happy one; happy because I was born into a very Catholic family. My parents were very particular about making their children grow up in the way of God, and grow up in the Church. 
As a family and as children, we had only three choice places to go to everyday; we go to school, we go to Church and we come back home. It was an exceptional thing that you went anywhere else, except you were on an errand. And that helped to form our character. You went to school for your education, 
Church for your awareness of God and home in order to be properly brought up. And the Church has always been right that the family is the first church, is the first school, is the first formation house for every child. And that is why, today, when the church defends the family, and does everything possible to defend marriage, it is for the benefit of society, because the family has done nothing but good all through the history of humanity. So I am happy to have been born a Catholic.

Becoming a priest:
                As long as I had been aware that I was a human being, I have always wanted to join those who were priests and who were around us. They always came visiting my family. My mother was a great lover of priests and seminarians. I do remember that any time a seminarian was sent to our parish, or a new priest came, my mother would send my dad to go and tell that seminarian or the priest, that he has his family somewhere around there. She would ask him to bring the priest or seminarian to the house. And that was always what happened. That means as a child I got to know practically all the priests and seminarians who came through Oshogbo at that time. And because it was the seat of the bishop, quite a number of them came. 

We weren’t a wealthy family. But every time a priest or seminarian came, we knew that my mother was going to give them the best that the family had. That was one reason why I wanted to associate with them. You know, if your dog stays close to you, it is likely to eat the bone of the chicken. And I was the closest to the priests because they were not just Nigerian priests, but even our missionaries who were still Europeans at the time. 

Fortunately, when I was in primary school, I used to be quite good in English, or a little bit better than the rest; a bit better than my brothers.  So, when the expatriates wanted to speak I was like the interpreter for the others. So, there was the initial desire to be like them, to join them.

Entrance into the Seminary:
                When I was in primary five, my brother was going to do the entrance examination to St. Kizito Minor Seminary, Ede. He was in primary six. I remember a missionary came and asked me, himself and the headmaster, asked me to join the group that was going to do the examination to the seminary. And so I went. I remember many of them who were in primary six failed the exam and I passed. So I went ahead of them and they had to come back to the school to try another year. And so my road was charted practically by divine wisdom. I had to go to a minor seminary, and from there, there was no looking back.

Appointment as bishop:
                I felt like I had run into a tipper while riding a motor bike. And I mean that. Because I had come back from a holiday in the United States (US) and I felt it was my time to have a long drawn out time after work at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN). After working at the CSN, I had returned to my diocese to do more work because I practically believed I had been away from the diocese for too long. I indeed worked at the cathedral at Oshogbo for two years and it was hard work because I knew my bishop had agreed that I was going to work for only two years and proceed for my sabbatical. 
So, I went for this sabbatical, and it was in the seventh month that I came back for a holiday. I wanted to come and see my dad who was 90 at the time and then go back. But in the seven months I had spent in the U.S, I had already chunked up a communication project which was to write my doctorate on a communication related topic.

Spirituality in Nigerian movies:
                A lot of people at that time were saying that there was too much fetish activities being portrayed in Nollywood. I wanted to draw out spirituality from under that; because even an outcry in fetishism is a desire for spirituality, deep-down. And I had gathered materials; I had the benefit of meeting some very good families abroad who gave me accesses even to Hollywood; to actors and actresses there. I had done interviews, I had put them down. 

So I knew that writing a doctorate in the next three years would be like a piece of cake. I had all what I needed, and I had got a scholarship in Rome to come and write it there.  I wanted to write it in Rome because as you know, in the Catholic Church, if you write a doctorate in Rome and you passed, then, it was practically a public material for the Church. And I had sent even my book and my instruments like laptop to Rome. I was merely to go back and begin to write this project. And I came home, went to visit Bishop Felix Ajakaiye who was then a parish priest in one of the parishes in Ekiti. I was on my way back when a call came from the Nunciature that I should come to the Nunciature. And I said to the caller that I had no business with the Nunciature.

Indeed, I thought it was about my visa. After a few hours, the call came again and started talking about the bishop. And I said I don’t have any business with the bishop of Oyo. And they insisted that I had to come. That was how it all started. And for days I just didn’t agree to go to Abuja until my bishop then, Bishop Abegunrin called me and said I am to go to Abuja and see the Nuncio. So I went. It wasn’t an easy day at all. We had quite a bit of argument. In the end, he sent me to the chapel; I went to the chapel, I came out, I wasn’t feeling any better. 

But I had no option than to say; well, what do I do now? And he asked me to choose a date when it would be announced. And that is what happened. Since then, I have been the way I am; still surprised till today that I am bishop of Oyo diocese. Not because I am afraid of work or anything, but I had never dreamt in my life that I would be bishop of anywhere. I was really enjoying the priesthood; enjoy doing what I was told to do and doing it in the most creative way possible. I thank God for giving me the privilege to serve in this exalted position as bishop of Oyo diocese. 

But you must understand that when you are placed in a position when you have to tell everybody practically what they have to do, or if you are advising them and they know what you are advising them are things that should be done, then it is a huge responsibility, and I feel the weight of that responsibility. And I can only thank those who have so far worked with me to carry out those responsibilities in the Catholic Diocese of Oyo.

Past ten years been:
                I have seen the goodness of a lot of people. Goodness of God, definitely. Right from the moment I was made bishop, there were many people who came here to help me access the huge challenges that we have here, and have been making their contributions to make sure those challenges don’t drown us and that we can begin to resolve them bit by bit. All I can say is that there have been challenges, but there have not been defeat. And I think that can be attributed to God and the cooperation of the priests that we have here, the religious who work here and the people of God who work with us.

                As you know, every one of us is marking time in history. Nobody is ever going to exhaust the conquering of all the challenges in the world. We need to do our bit. And I can just say that these past ten years, we have seen that there is nothing God cannot do.  Great things happen when God mixes with man. It is just the beginning. In these ten years I can say I do know every corner of Oyo diocese. The diocese is a very vast geographical area.  But we are few in number as Catholics. But to the glory of God the influence of the Catholic Church here is not to be relegated at all to the background.

Other churches, the Muslim community and those who are neither Muslims nor Christians, if you ask them today about the most influential Church in this geographical area called Oyo diocese, most people would probably mention the Catholic Church. Not just because of our presence in the most remote places but also because of the social services that we give to the people. And also our foray into the area of inter-religious dialogue – ecumenism; trying to bring peace while the others would rather bring a rupture, and in the area of education of people who don’t have anything to do with the Catholic Church. 

Schools in this area, for instance, have a population of 75 per cent Muslim children. And we thank our Muslim parents who entrust their children to us. For African families, their children are their most precious possession. If they entrust their children to you, it shows a high level of trust even if they don’t say it in words. 

And so far, we have not had any terrible incident about their children being maltreated or anybody having any regret for sending their children to us here. On the contrary, we even have occasional conversions of Muslims to Christianity in our schools. And many Muslims who work with us, they testify that the Catholic Church is different when it comes to relating with people and affecting the society in these areas.

Then, we must not forget to mention the work of Justice and Development Commission which practically every diocese now has. It was born during the year 2000 when Pope John Paul asked the Church to be liberal and be more proactive in social issues. And they have done tremendously well here.; helping farmers, helping in the formation of young people,  empowerment and intervention in anything that has to do with justice and prisoners, making life much better for prisoners, etc. 

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