Monday 3 December 2018

GTBank Wins Bank of the Year, Nigeria, Sierra Leone



Foremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc has won the award for "Bank of the Year Nigeria” for the second year in a row at The Banker's Bank of the Year Awards, regarded as the industry standard for excellence within the global banking sector. Guaranty Trust Bank Sierra Leone Ltd, a subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, was also recognized as the “Bank of the Year Sierra Leone” at the event, which held on November 29, 2018 at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, London, United Kingdom.


The Banker, a publication of the Financial Times, is the world’s leading monthly journal of records for the banking Industry, with over 90 years expertise in publishing developments in the banking industry in Africa and on the global scale. The Magazine’s Bank of the Year Awards celebrates leading financial institutions within the global banking sector who are setting new industry standards and driving innovation in financial services and customer experience.


Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, Segun Agbaje, Managing Director/CEO of GTBank said; “We are honoured to be recognized as the 2018 Bank of the Year in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. These awards serve as further motivation for us as we continue to go beyond traditional banking services by creating innovative digital services that are less about us as bank and more about our customers and how we empower them with everything that they need to better their lives.”


He further stated that “Our vision has always been to create an oasis in the financial services industry that leads, not only in earnings and returns on equity, but also in maintaining world class corporate governance standards and pushing the bounds in service delivery and customer experience. These awards reflect our sustained commitment towards this vision, which we will continue to pursue, driven by our passion for excellence and guided by our founding values of hard work, discipline and integrity.”


Alongside its record for consistent year-on-year growth, GTBank is widely regarded by industry watchers as a trailblazer in the banking industry due to its many innovations in digital and financial services.

Recently, the Bank launched Habari, Nigeria’s largest platform for music, shopping and lifestyle content and the first mobile platform created by a financial institution in the country that focuses on enabling people’s needs and lifestyle rather than providing regular banking products.

Union Bank Shines @ 2018 Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards

Union Bank has won the Best Company in Environmental Excellence Award and the ‘Peoples’ Choice Award for the Most Outstanding Company in CSR/Sustainability’ at the 2018 Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards
(SERAs). The awards were presented at the SERAS ceremony which took place recently at the MUSON centre in Lagos.


Following an extensive vetting process that included on-site inspection of applicants’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability projects and initiatives, Union Bank was nominated across seven award categories including The SERAs Innovation Prize, Best Company in Education and Best Company in Sustainability Reporting.


Commenting on the two awards received by the Bank, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem, Head Corporate Communication and Marketing at Union Bank said:



“Corporate citizenship is a core pillar of our brand and business strategy. We are committed to being a sustainability champion in Nigeria and we are always improving our business operations, social engagement and innovation practices to ensure beyond compliance, we are leading the charge to deliver a sustainable future for Nigeria. We thank the SERAS team and all members of the public who recognise the work we are doing.”


Now in its 12th year, SERAs is an annual project organised by TruContact CSR, which aims to promote and raise awareness about the roles organisations play with emphasis on their responsibility towards stakeholders and the social development of Africa.


The theme for this year’s edition was ‘Poverty Eradication through sustainability: Turning Challenges into Opportunities’.
As part of its Citizenship and Sustainability efforts, Union Bank represents Nigeria on the global financial inclusion working group at the World Economic Forum. The bank is a member of the Business Call to Action (BCtA) group and United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and has recently published its first UNGC Communication of Progress report.


Union Bank also publishes an annual Citizenship, Sustainability and Innovation report which highlights its strategic approach, initiatives and impact made in these areas within the last year.

Police Parade Small Doctor For Threatening Officer With Gun!

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Adekunle Temitope, popularly known as Small Doctor, for unlawful possession of firearms and for allegedly threatening to shoot a police officer.
Edgal Imohimi, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, revealed this to the press on Monday while parading the musician along with three other persons.
Small Doctor was arrested on allegations that he threatened a Police officer who was on traffic duty along Oshodi, Lagos.

Sunday 2 December 2018

Kidnappers Kill Ekiti Young Lawyer After Collecting N3m Ransom!

A y

oung, promising lawyer identified as Mr. Adeola Adebayo has been killed by kidnappers after paying N3 million ransom.
Mr. Adeola who was the secretary of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikole branch in Ekiti state, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on Saturday, 17 November 2018 at Erio, a town in the Ekiti.
According to reports, Adeola was driving from Osogbo, Osun capital with his wife and parents where they attended a social event when he was stopped and kidnapped.
His death had been announced in a press statement released by the Secretary of NBA Ikere Ekiti branch, Mr. Michael Afolayan.

"I'm Not Jubril of Sudan" ...Buhari reacts to cloning rumour





President Muhammadu Buhari this evening in Kraków, Poland, responded to a question of him being cloned that went viral recently.

‘‘It's real me, I assure you. I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday and I will still go strong.’’

Those were the words of President Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday in Krakow, Poland, at an interactive session with the Nigerian Community in the country.

Responding to a question from a Nigerian in the Diaspora who wanted to know if he was real or the much talked about ‘‘Jubril from Sudan’’ -his supposed double- President Buhari described the authors of the confusion about him as ‘‘ignorant and irreligious.’’

‘‘A lot of people hoped that I died during my ill health. Some even reached out to the Vice President to consider them to be his deputy because they assumed I was dead. That embarrassed him a lot and of course, he visited me when I was in London convalescing… It's real me; I assure you,’’ he declared.

The Nigerian leader said he was looking forward to celebrating his 76th birthday on December 17 and jocularly added: ‘‘If I am getting harassed by anyone, it is my grandchildren, who are getting too many.’’

The President used the occasion to reiterate that his government will continue to maintain focus and deliver on the three focal points of his campaign in 2015: security, economy and the fight against corruption. 

‘‘Those in the North East will tell you that in spite of the recent setbacks, there is a difference between the time we came and before. 

‘‘We are not doing badly on security, economy and agriculture. We have virtually stopped the importation of food especially rice and we are saving a lot of money.

‘‘We now have food security and that has come with fiscal security because a lot of young educated people have not regretted going back to the farms and earning a respectable living.

‘‘I am afraid, this is not receiving good publicity… but a lot of people in the rural areas are enjoying the benefits of our interventions in agriculture,’’ he said. 

President Buhari, who is in Poland to attend the UN Climate Change Conference, COP24 reaffirmed that no territory of Nigeria is under the control of Boko Haram terrorists, calling on Nigerians to remain vigilant and supportive of Federal Government’s efforts to ensure the security of lives and property in the country.

While acknowledging that it has not been easy financing the security sector in the country, the President said the Nigerian Armed Forces were equal to the task. 

The President noted that it was regrettable that herdsmen and farmers clashes in the country have been politicised, assuring that the Nigerian government will continue to prioritise security because that is what many investors consider first before investing in the country.

On the fight against corruption, he said all recovered stolen assets will be sold and the proceeds returned to the treasury for the benefit of Nigerians.

On women representation in his government, the President told the meeting: ‘‘I have plans for all Nigerians. I am not a male chauvinist. If I’m a chauvinist will I give the Finance Ministry to women?’’

In his remarks, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Poland, Mr Eric Adagogo Bell-Gam praised Nigerians living in the country for being worthy ambassadors of the country.

Among those who met President Buhari were Mr Larry Ugwu, an Artist and Curator, who has lived in Poland for 40 years and has contributed immensely to promoting Nigerian cultural heritage in the Polish society; Anthony Egwuatu, a Gynaecologist, who has lived in the country for 30 years and Mr Olomofe Larry, a human rights activist, who has fought for justice for fellow Nigerians in the host country, among several others.

The event was put together and anchored by Hon. Abike Dabiri, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Diaspora.

"Atiku Won't Go To US Now, It's Campaign Period" ...media office source

Sources close to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, have dispelled claims in some quarters that the former Vice President was set to jet out of the country to the United States of America (USA).
It was learnt that Atiku had travelled to the UK last Thursday, but returned to the country to kick off his presidential campaign on Sunday in Sokoto.
A top source in the Atiku Media Office, who pleaded not to be mentioned said, “His Excellency embarked on a private visit to the UK, shortly after the inauguration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja. He has since returned. I think that addresses the issue.”
When asked for more details, he said, “I just left him at his residence. He moved immediately to the Airport from the venue of the inauguration on Thursday, and then came back on Saturday.”

Saturday 1 December 2018

Nigeria's Super Falcons Beats South Africa's Bayana Bayana, Picks AWCON 2018 Trophy

The Super Falcons of Nigeria beat their South African counterparts 1-0 in the final of the 2018 African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) in the final played in Accra on Saturday, December 1.

In a game of few chances, neither side could get the goal as the game stretched into extra times and then penalties.

The Bayana Bayana lost two of their penalties to hand the title to Nigeria who now have nine AWCON trophies.

Nigeria continue their dominance in African women’s football by winning nine of the 10 AWCON titles in the history of the tournament.