NiRA Press Release: The Third (3rd) .ng Awards commences

The 2018 .ng Awards, the third edition of its kind is up and running.

The .ng string is a National resource and Nigeria’s unique identity on the World Wide Web. The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) an Industry-led stakeholder organization, is the Registry for the .ng domain name and maintains the database of names registered in the .ng country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) name space in the interest of Nigerians and the global Internet community.

NiRA seeks to recognize and acknowledge those who are contributing to the growth of the .ng domain name registration and promotion of the DNS Industry. Using the .ng Awards, NIRA celebrates the achievements and innovation of Nigerian Internet initiatives.

In a new relase by the managers of the Country Code Top Level Domain Name  (ccTLD) Managers, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) is inviting the general public to participate in the 2018 .ng Awards, scheduled to hold on Friday, April 27, 2018 in Lagos. Nomination for the .ng Awards by the general public is expected to commence on Friday, March 16,  2018 and to close at midnight on Friday, March 30, 2018.

The statement added that members of the public are invited to participate in nominating any organization or individual. Nomination criteria is stated on its website (http://www.nira.org.ng/nomination/).

The 2018 .ng Awards serve to promote and commend the excellent achievements of members, stakeholders and the general public, who contribute towards building a sustainable economy using technology, uplift the image of .ng locally and internationally and stimulating the development of local content on the Internet space.

Voting for the shortlisted nominees would commence today, Friday, April 6, 2018 and end by midnight on Saturday, April 21, 2018. NiRA encourages the active participation of Nigerians in nominating and voting for preferred organizations and business in the different award categories.

NiRA appreciated the active role(s) of govenment and citizens in the growth and development of DNS industry in Nigeria and look forward to a successful 2018 .ng Awards Ceremony.

Considering various calls on Local Content promotions with Acts and Executive Order, Nigerians are encouraged to register .ng domain name(s) (.com.ng, .org.ng, .net.ng, .sch.ng, .mobi.ng, .i.ng, .ng) with NiRA Accredited Registrar via www.nira.org.ng/ng. 

Opomulero (c)

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2018.

Who is Chima Onyekwere ?

Elder (Chief) Chima Uzoma Apugo Onyekwere, OON hails from Amachara in Umuahia South Local Government of Abia State. He attended the elite Federal Government College, Kano, which unwittingly served as a first level learning platform in understanding and appreciating Nigeria's fundamental complexities and the character and personalities of the major actors in the Nigerian political drama.

He further obtained a degree from University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University. A Masters in Information Technology- Information Assurance from UMUC. A post graduate professional management education for Chief Executives from Lagos Business School Lagos State and Harvard Business School, Boston USA.  He is an active and effective Alumni of both Business Schools, and their very rich pool of contacts and opportunities that can be harvested in the service of our Nation. These are part of the formidable academic armory Chima secured.

He Started his working career in Mobil in the Exploration Department. But driven by his quest to explore the emerging opportunities in the nascent Information Technology Industry he established and ran Saap-Tech Nigeria Limited in 1986, www.saaptechafrica.com which was a technology distribution Company and a pioneer company and leader in ICT from then onwards.

Born Innovator, he championed the internet revolution in Nigeria by establishing the first Internet Service providing (ISP) company Linkserve Limited www.linkserve.net  which earned him the sobriquet “Father of Nigerian Internet” by the Federal Government of Nigeria cited during his conferment in 2008. He also received the Pathfinder Award in ICT, ICT personality of the year, Titan of Technology and so many other awards industry awards over a thirty (30) Years career.

He has also funded other companies such as, Well Drill Limited and Parkhill Limited which has provided employment and stability to lots of Nigerians from across the Nigerian landscape.
In 2007, he was nominated for the conferment of a National Award by the Presidency for his pioneering work in ICT. On February 14th 2008, then President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Musa Yar’Adua Awarded him the prestigious National honour of OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF NIGER (OON).

Chima has served and is still serving Nigeria in so many High-Profile Boards such as Chairman Internet exchange Point www.ixp.net.ng and Chairman Board of Trustee of Nigeria Internet Registration Authority www.nira.org.ng. He also served as a pioneer board member of FATE Foundation www.fatefoundation.com  (an NGO involved in the development of entrepreneurs focusing on younger generation).
He also served as a President General  of his elite school  Federal Government College Kano Old Students Association.

In 2011, Chima moved back to Amachara, Umuahia to engage in community development from his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos. A move that saw him experience, first hand, the poor level of all developmental milestones in the lives of our people. Haunted by the observance of lack of basic infrastructure, frightening figures of unemployment, lack of primary skill sets, abysmal education and rampaging hunger amongst our people, Chima chose to cast his lot in service to the people at the most primary level by accepting the honor of community service to his village, Amachara as president General, a position he has held for 5 years running and which has served as a platform for better understanding the most needful requirements of our people. With his team, he resolved several nagging communal disputes:  land, commerce, agricultural practices and other major matters of interest. He championed the now acclaimed Amachara Day which is in its 5th year and waxing stronger, and currently stands as an annual unification event for Amachara citizens in Nigeria and the diaspora and also a veritable tool for community development. Chima, worked with others to start a daily free clinic for children and the elderly, located and optimally functional within the precincts of the Amachara community Civic center, caring for society's most vulnerable population.

He has partnered and endowed several empowerment programs, where skill set acquisition is key, taking to heart the Chinese adage that says "it is better to teach a man to catch fish than to give him fish". He has also helped in the acquisition of tools and machinery for trainees and various others so they can have a head start.  He has assisted many young and aspiring business men through funding and logistics, and engaged others to help with business incubation requisites, and provided scholarship schemes to the indigent and financial succor to the bewildered widow.

Thus, it is in the course of his role as community leader that he suffered gunshot attacks as a result of his resolve to defend the oppressed but was never deterred on a course he was determined to pursue in the service of humanity.

He is an ordained Elder and a Qualified Lay Preacher in Methodist Church. Presently servicing as the church Steward for English Service at the St Stephen Cathedral Amachara in Umuahia South LGA of Abia State.

Chima Onyekwere was On December 26th 2017, within the hallowed grounds of Ama-Ukwu, Amachara, conferred with the traditional Chieftaincy title of Iyi Udo Amachara (River of Peace), by AMACHARA ELDERS COUNCIL, for his Sterling qualities of remarkable leadership. This is the first time ever of such a conferment with all the elders in the community endorsing. His citation acknowledged his love for peace, leadership competency and ability to draw development and transformation to his community.

Iyi Udo Amachara is an amazing family man, husband and father to five accomplished now independent children one of whom is Nigeria's representative in shot-put and discuss. He's a celebrated business man, a role model, a proven community servant and leader, an outstanding trailblazer whose skills, courage, depth, vision and reach are needful for these times.

Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye: Worthy Models.

NIGERIA shone brightly on the global stage as the news broke early in the week of a successful surgery a team of medical doctors, led by Nigerian-born Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, carried on an unborn baby at a Texas hospital in the US.

According to medical reports, the unborn baby had sacrococcygeal teratoma, a rare tumour that appeared at the base of the baby’s tailbone. These types of tumours, it is estimated, occur in about one of 40,000 pregnancies, and if left unchecked, could continue taking the baby’s blood supply and eventually cause heart failure.

The baby’s mother, Margaret Boemer, first sensed that all was not well when her ultra-sound technician stayed unusually quiet during a routine 16-week prenatal checkup. Subsequent tests later showed that Boemer’s unborn child was suffering from the rare tumour.

One of the hospitals she visited in Houston, according to reports, “strongly recommended” that she should terminate the pregnancy. The report further had it that the hospitals reasoned that performing open fetal surgery -removing the baby before term in order to operate on the fetus—was too risky.

But Margaret Boemer’s story changed when she got to the Texas Children’s Hospital, where the doctors examined the tumour and gave her some words of hope. Interestingly, two doctors at the hospital, Oluyinka Olutoye and Darrell Cass, had about seven years ago, successfully performed a similar surgery.

Seven years after, Oluyinka Olutoye and Darrell Cass, alongside a team of about 20 others, performed yet another ‘miracle’ when it carried out a successful surgery on the unborn baby to remove the tumour and returned it to the mother’s womb; a feat that has generated global recognition of the baby as the baby born twice.

To carry out the operation on the baby named Lynlee Hope at 23 weeks, Olutoye and his team removed her from her mother’s womb, operated on her and then returned her to the womb where the injuries from her operation healed and she continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks.

According to reports, while Olutoye and his team were in the middle of the procedure, the baby’s heart stopped and needed to be restarted. She also required a blood transfusion at a stage.

Coming at a time when the image of the country is being bashed on the international scene by loads of negative reports about her citizens, Nigerians from all walks of life shelved their tribal and religious differences and rolled out the drums to celebrate the rare feat by one of their own.

The Federal Government had set the tone for the celebration when it felicitated with Olutoye and the people of Nigeria on the feat. According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, President Muhammadu Buhari received the news of Dr. Olutoye’s unique feat with excitement and fulfillment and looked forward to meeting with him soonest.

“Nigerians are great people, making greater positive impacts in all fields of human endeavour in the Diaspora. Dr Olutoye’s feat is one of such testimonies,” the statement added.

In an exclusive interview with The Nation, Dr. Olutoye said he was humbled by all the attention the feat had generated.

He said: “I am truly humbled by all the attention that this has received. It is a privilege to work at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, to lead a team of talented physicians, nurses and others to provide care for Margaret Boemer and her baby Lynlee. It is a blessing to be able to care for families like the Boemers in their time of need.

“We should not forget that these brave parents are the ones who did not give up on their child but sought to do all they could to improve her outcome. They deserve the focus and attention. For me to be caught up in all this excitement is only by the grace of God.”

Olutoye, who obtained his medical degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1988 before his doctoral degree in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996, had relocated from Nigeria to the US to seek further educational opportunities.

He said: “At the completion of my medical education in Nigeria, I realised that I read about a lot of different aspects of medicine that I didn’t have the opportunity to be exposed to locally. I therefore sought further educational opportunities in the United States.”

The Ido Ani, Ondo State-born surgeon is a son of Major-General Olufemi Olutoye (rtd) and Prof. Omotayo Olutoye. He described his childhood as wonderful.

He said: “I had a wonderful childhood. I was born in Lagos and grew up with two loving parents, (Major-General (rtd) Olufemi Olutoye, OFR and Prof. Omotayo Olutoye); three sisters (Dr. Bunmi Okanlami, Funke Olugboji, ‘Toye Gansallo) and two brothers (Air Commodore (rtd) Dr. Femi Olutoye, Dr. Segun Olutoye); grandparents, numerous cousins, uncles and aunties.

“It was, and still is, a wonderful loving environment. We were all taught the importance of hard work and a solid education, and most importantly, the fear of The Lord. I hail from Ido-Ani in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, and my father is the Alani of Ido-Ani, Oluwatomiloye the 1st.”

As a son of a soldier father and an academic mother, Olutoye said he was introduced early in life to a life that placed emphasis on the need to strive for excellence. He maintained that the character his parents helped him to inculcate as a child has endured till now.

He said: “The quest for excellence was introduced at an early age. I attended elementary school at Lagos University Staff School and subsequently King’s College Lagos. The character and friendships established in those formative years have endured to date.

“I proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife for my medical education at the Faculty of Health Sciences. There I met my beautiful bride (Prof. ‘Toyin Olutoye, nee Balogun) who is an anesthesiologist.   We are blessed with two children. I had further training at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, prior to seeking additional training in the USA.

“In the USA, I started my post-graduate medical education in pediatrics at Howard University and District of Columbia General Hospital. I then had my general surgery training at Virginia Commonwealth University Hospitals, Richmond Virginia, during which I took time off for research and obtained a Ph.D in Anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University.

“Following my training as a general surgeon, I sought additional training in pediatric, fetal and thoracic surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I then took up a faculty position at Baylor College of Medicine and, with my colleague, Dr. Darrell Cass, established the Texas Children’s Fetal Center at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston Texas.”

Growing up in such a family, the surgeon said he never wanted to be anything else but a medical doctor. “I always wanted to be a medical doctor,” he said in response to what his childhood dream was.

Despite the deluge of negative stories about Nigerians back home, Olutoye and many other Nigerians in the Diaspora have continued to do great exploits in their host countries. According to Olutoye, such feats are possible when they have access to resources and infrastructure.

“Nigerians are a talented people. If they decide to apply themselves, they can achieve much. When they then have access to resources and infrastructure, they can attain even greater heights,” he said.

In the face of growing desperation by young Nigerians who risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean just to get to Europe and America, Olutoye urged Nigerian youths to always note that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the divide.

“Do the best you can with what you have where you are. To quote Eleanor Roosevelt, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Look before you leap,” he said.

Given the global attention the feat may have attracted to Olutoye and his colleagues at the Texas hospital, one may want to believe that the people behind the feat would now walk around town with shoulders raised. For Olutoye, however, “such glory should be given to God.”

“I am the same person I was before. It is not about me. I give God all the glory.”

The Negative impact of Governor Ajimobi: Shittu writes APC.

The Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari; the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; and a national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over the “unbecoming conduct” of the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, according to a report by Punch Newspaper.

Punch reports that in the petition dated December 18, 2017, the minister accused the governor of high-handedness.

Shittu said that from the information available to him, he ran into trouble with Ajimobi because he frustrated the governor’s attempt to remove unjustly the APC Chairman in the Ido Local Government Area of the state, simply identified as Pastor Akintokun.

Shittu also claimed that the governor was not happy that he accepted the chieftaincy title of Agba-Akin Afiwagboye from the Olubadan of Ibadan land.

Shittu said his problem with Ajimobi might also be connected with his (the minister’s) 2019 governorship aspiration.

He accused the governor of ordering the demolition of his Computer Based Test Centre under construction in Shaki.

He said he decided to draw the attention of the President and the national leadership of the party to the alleged manipulation of the governor to save the party from total disintegration in the state.

Shittu wrote, “I am constrained to bring to your notice the unsavoury development in our great party in Oyo State and the unbecoming behaviour of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who is expected to provide sound moral and exemplary leadership to the citizens of our dear state.

“This line of action becomes imperative in view of the sad turn of events in the Oyo State APC.

“It is an open secret that the fortune of the APC has nose-dived in the state due to Governor Ajimobi’s undue arrogance, grandstanding, nepotism, caustic and unguarded utterances and creating unnecessary divisions among party leaders and members, thereby balkanising the party along group lines.

“Worse still, the traditional media and the new (social) media are awash visible proofs of various commentaries on the negative impact of Governor Ajimobi’s behaviour on the fortune of our party."

He added, “It is on the basis of these facts and some decisions of the Ajimobi’s government as it affects the generality of our people that I have had cause in the past to criticise him and insist that the overall interest of the APC as a political party in power should be paramount, rather than the egoistic feelings of the governor and his co-travellers.

“In doing this, I don’t have anything personal against Governor Ajimobi, but to stress the importance of him not destroying the very platform that made him governor. The signs that Ajimobi is set to destroy the party are glaring to political watchers as the voting population in the state is becoming disillusioned more than ever before.”

The minister stated that when it was clear to him that the governor was harbouring animosity against him, he called for a meeting at the Oyo State Government House, Abuja. He said that a day after the meeting, the CBT Centre which was part of the issues discussed with the governor was demolished.

When contacted on the telephone on Wednesday, the minister confirmed that he wrote the petition. His petition was yet to get response as at the time we went to press. 

The Argument for Buhari

by Ajayi Temitope

I participated actively in the electoral campaign that brought in the Buhari administration at the highest level. On the strength of the work i did with other Volunteers at the Buhari Support Organizations, i was nominated into the APC Presidential Campaign Council's Media & Publicity Directorate.

During the campaign and after election some of my colleagues and co-volunteers asked me about my expectations. I told all who cared to listen that i would not expect much in the first 4 years because it would be tough but i prayed for the best. I knew Buhari and his team would only be able to clear the debris of the mess already created by Jonathan's administration. I was clear that Buhari's second coming will be to restart the country.

Nigerians will not see the positive impact of the government until the 4th year i reckoned.

I also admonished my colleagues to moderate their expectations in terms of what they hope to benefit as individuals and for the country because Nigeria wont become Dubai, London and Paris in 4years. And all the problems wont disappear just because Buhari has become the President.

I learnt early in life to appreciate the circumstances around me. My upbringing also helped me to learn how to moderate my expectations from anyone.

I have seen posts and comments of those who are apologetic and expressed regret for voting for Buhari. What were they expecting? That Buhari will turn stone to bread? Some said he has not fulfilled his campaign promises. Are campaign promises meant to be fulfilled in two years or in the life of an administration?

What did Buhari promise?  And in two years has the administration really failed on them? The answer is no. The administration has done very well in fulfilling the campaign promises under the broad themes of the Fight Against Corruption, Economic Diversification and Security. The administration has relentlessly pursued the three broad thematic focus with missionary zeal.

We had an administration that inherited a broken down country that was at the brink of collapse. Nigeria was buffeted by Boko Haram, Kidnapping, Militancy, Armed Robbery, Criminal Armed Herdsmen and Rustlers, industrial scale corruption and impunity never seen in history.

The economy despite 5 years unprecedented oil boom collapsed since late 2013 when previous administration had been borrowing from China to buy arms and other lenders to pay salaries. By 2014 States were already in trouble with months of unpaid salaries to workers. By May 29, 2015 when Buhari took over Nigeria was already on life support with 33 states owing between 12 and 8 months workers salaries and that of pensioners. The price of crude, the only major source of foreign exchange had plummeted to about $30 per barrel from the height of $120.

It was obvious Buhari was starting from below ground zero. What should have been done 30 years ago are the things the administration is still battling with. Getting Nigeria out of this morass wont be a picnic.

It will be serious hardwork. The administration that earned a record $440 Billion oil revenue in 5years and highest in Nigeria's history didn't improve infrastructure beyond tokenism, depleted foreign reserve, demolished Excess Crude Account, accumulated more foreign and local debts, owed contractors, left unpaid N600billion fuel subsidy bill, unpaid N60billion fertilizer subsidy bill, unpaid salaries and pension arrears for workers and retirees.

Nigeria was down and out. A consumerist economy where anything and everything were imported with unsustainable import bills and demand of Forex will go down. It was an economy built on consumption and oil revenue.

What has Buhari done?

Buhari administration identified the implosion and civil unrest that will happen with distressed 33 states owing salaries. He approved bailout funds to the state to help them pay salaries and pension arrears. For two years, the states have been given special funds and Paris Club refund in excess of N2trillion.

The administration paid N600b inherited fuel subsidy bill. Paid N60b inherited fertilizer subsidy bill. Paid inherited salaries and pension arrears of Federal workers. Started paying contractors that have not been paid since 2013 on Federal projects especially road construction across the country.

To diversify the economy away from crude oil, President Buhari insisted Nigeria must produce locally things we can produce easily and he anchored this on Agriculture and Solid Minerals. The two sectors have consistently grown in contribution to GDP in the last two years according to NBS quarterly reports.

Nigeria has cut import bill by more than 50 per cent on rice and ramping up production in wheat and other produce. The FG through CBN banned 41 items from accessing forex from official Windows. This was mercilessly criticized by the 'experts' but the Buhari administration is winning the argument today with increased local production and industrial capacity utilisation by factories/manufacturers sourcing raw materials locally.

With the rice and wheat success in Kebbi and other states especially in the north, private capital is flowing into the processing sector of the agriculture value chain. Wacot just opened N10b Rice Mill, Dangote opened Tomatoe Paste Factory in Kano, Olam will commission N20billion Livestock Feed and Chicken Hatchery Plant in Kaduna in September among other investors.

Buhari went to Morocco and signed a deal on Phosphate and Gas pipeline between Nigeria and the North Africa nation. The phosphate is a major component for fertilizer production. With the deal the FG working with the Sovereign Wealth Fund had reactivated 11 moribund fertilizer Blending Plants in Nigeria in the last 1 year that have created 50,000 jobs and producing 1.3metric tonnes of fertilizer. Today the N50b annual fertilizer subsidy is gone while a bag of fertilizer sells for N5,500 which is 30 per cent cheaper than what it used to sell while the FG no longer pay N6000 subsidy per bag for farmers. Six more dead Fertilizer Blending Plants will come back to life before end of the year and Nigeria will be in a position to start exporting fertilizer.

Segun Adeniyi, Chairman Editorial Board of Thisday and a Buhari arch-critic couldn't hide his praise in his recent Thisday Backpage Column where he wrote that a revolution is happening in Nigeria's agricultural sector under Buhari with millions of Nigerians now embracing farming and with increased local production of fertilizer from the 11 revamped Blending Plants.

On infrastructure, the government under Buhari is spending more money to revive abandoned projects - roads, power, rail, pipelines, housing etc. The Lagos-Ibadan rail project has started. The administration has negotiated foreign loan that will connect the entire country by rail network from Lagos to Calabar and Port Harcourt to Kano. The Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard Guage rail line that had been abandoned since 1987 has been reactivated and FG already set June 2018 as date when it will be commissioned.

Despite acute low revenue, the Buhari administration is saving more money into the ECA and boosting Foreign Reserve. The Foreign Reserve went up by over $500million by CBN records last week. To further stimulate the economy the administration recently approved N2trillion Bond to pay local contractors who have been owed by FG for 10years. A committee is working to verify all debts to contractors already.

The same government for the first time in our recent history is committed to improving the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria and National Productivity with Executive Orders already yielding positive results with some MDAs such as Immigration, Customs, FRSC, FIRS, CAC, NPA etc.

If previous administrations had done what Buhari administration is doing now our development trajectory as a country would have been far better than we currently have.

The President is confronting corruption squarely. The administration is recovering billions of naira, hundreds of Millions in dollars in cash and real estate never done before. He confronted corruption in the Armed Forces and touched serving and retired Generals. He confronted corruption in the Judiciary and broke the unwritten code of Judicial untouchables. It is only a Buhari without a moral and corruption baggage that could do these.

I should think these are what those who genuinely campaigned and voted for Buhari asked for and wanted him to do.

The local and global inventors' confidence in the economy is at an all time high because of the global approval rating of the President and the fight against corruption. Market Capitalisation at the Stock Exchange was at N13trilion last, week breaking 3 years record. Nigeria just reclaimed the 3rd position as the destination for FDIs in Africa with $4.6billion inflow in 2016 following Angola and Egypt after 5years year on year decline from 2010-2015 under Jonathan administration. The government that had unprecedented oil revenue and a super Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

All these happening in two years under an administration that was challenged with low revenue yet the administration is still investing in social intervention programs- School Feeding for primary school pupils which has taken off in 19 states, NPower which has employed over 200,000 jobless young people who are now adding value to the communities where they work and to themselves.

I recognize missed steps and areas where things should have been done better especially proper  coordination at governmental and inter-agencies levels. These are not reasons to be disillusioned or regret voting out a government that wrecked Nigeria.

At this point i can only pray and wish President Buhari good health and may he return strong and healthy enough to finish the second half of his 4years tenure.

If he will be on the ballot in 2019, God sparing our lives, i will campaign and vote for him again. Nigeria needs 8years of his steady hands to clear the mess with a solid foundation that a younger and visionary successor will build on.

In my estimation, Nigeria needs at least 20 years of focused and honest leadership to be a great country we want.

GENESYS IGNITES TECHNOLOGY FLAMES IN SOUTH EAST

• ·         3 Startups Win USD$10,000 Each
• ·         Witnesses over 2000 Attendees

Enugu, December 15, 2017: Technology has been identified as a powerful tool to redeem and redirect the economy of Nigeria, especially the South East region. This is the unanimous view of speakers and panellists at GenesysIGNITE 2017, regarded as the biggest annual convergence of technology hubs and start-ups in the region.

The GenesysIGNITE start-ups convergence was held in Enugu on Friday, December 15, 2017  by Genesys Tech Hub in collaboration with CFAtech.ng; where three start-ups presented with cheque worth USD$10,000 each after emerging victorious at the pitch sessions.

Speaking at the epoch-making event with over 2000 start-ups drawn from Enugu, Abia, Uyo, Imo, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi and other neighbouring states in attendance, Senator Ken Nnamani, erstwhile President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, reiterated that the future of Nigeria belongs to the digital economy and will become visible if the country strategizes properly.

Senator Nnamani who chaired the event, underscored the need for educational institutions, especially the universities to ‘feed’ the technology industry with skilled manpower and graduates fit for purpose. He also showered encomiums on Genesys for the foresightedness in organising the event capable of igniting mind shift among the youths “from election ballot box snatching to technological evolution in the region”.

“What Genesys is trying to ignite in the South East and Enugu State in particular is awesome, by opening the eyes of our young people to tech disruptions and opportunities. It is important, because our people are ingenious and if we can apply the ingenuity in the tech ecosystem we can compete with the Silicon Valley. It is high time we shift our ingenuity from snatching ballot boxes during elections, and channel the strengths towards technology.”

Meanwhile, Kingsley Eze, founder and CEO of Genesys Tech Hub, said the main objective of the GenesysIGNITE was to discuss latest technology trends that impact the regions, and to proffer strategies for unearthing benefits in the various sectors of the Nigerian economy at large. Through the event, he said, they are also promoting innovative business solutions and ideas, currently propagated in the form of start-ups, within the region, culminating in capacity building and other exigencies to help them thrive.

Presenting the cash prizes to Tutor Finder, PlayJoor and House of Uwe, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology, said that it was high time various research and development results were pulled off the shelves from the Nigerian universities and turned to commercial products. Any nation that produces science and technology experts is always the toast of the world. Genesys is doing what the Government has in mind with regards to youth development - capacity building, incubation, providing venture capitals. I can tell you that the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology will support this platform to ensure that the young people are given a space to express themselves and add value to the economy.”

Dr. Onu added that the Ministry through the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), the Federal government is addressing issues related to patent and intellectual property as means to safeguard investments and ideas of the young people.

Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata Jnr., founder, CFAtech.ng who moderated the panel session informed the youths in attendance that this is the type of events that has helped fuel the tech revolution in other parts of the country and that they owe themselves a duty to take full advantage of the opportunities that will follow GenesysIGNITE 2017.

On his part, Professor Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) tied digital innovation and development to digital literacy, stating that Government needs to move towards the “pull” strategy with emphasis in the development of appropriate legal framework, applications and local content.

“Digital Access Programme (DAP) is being implemented by the regulator to equip secondary schools across the country with internet connectivity. More than 223 schools have benefited. Internet clouds are being provided within Nigeria’s university and polytechnics to foster improvement in digital literacy and application,” the EVC said through Mr. Tony Ojobo, director, Public Affairs at the Commission.

GenesysIGNITE 2017 has laid a solid foundation for technology development in the south east and south south regions of the country.

ABOUT GENESYSIGNITE

GenesysIGNITE is an annual Southeast Startup Convergence that seeks to congregate young entrepreneurs/start-ups and innovation hubs from all parts of the south-east and south-south regions. For more information, please visit http://www.genesystechhub.com/genesys-ignite

EFCC destroying Local Content concerning Innoson ?

It is a shame that's the *#EFCC* could throw tear gas on  *Savage Crescent* road not minding the people living in its environs. 
Thereby making the *kids* who came for their *Christmas party in Solid 100.9Fm on  number 10b savage Crescent suffer pain* and cried for over one hour because they were trying to arrest Innoson Group who lives adjacent *#solid1009fm.*

If what I read below is true,  then the entire savage crescent needs an apology from *EFCC WITH immediate effect.* *#Ijele*

 Crescent#Innoson group Vs GTBank : 30 Key Points you need to know about their dispute

1 - At all Material time , Innoson Nigeria Ltd operates a Current Account with GTBank .

2 - Innoson obtained , and had repaid same , a loan of N1.3billion from GTB Which was secured with a legal mortgage of its properties valued at more than N1.4billion .

3 - Innoson discovered that GTBank imposed excess and unlawful charges in its Current account .

4  Innoson Group Complained to GTBank on his discovery of access charges on his account .

5 - Both parties ( Innoson and GTBank ) agreed to invite an independent auditing firm that will be agreed by both parties .

*6*- At the end , MULTI-WINGS Consulting Firm of Auditors was invited to properly audit Innoson Nigeria Ltd Current account No 0043753636 domiciled with Nnewi Branch of GTBank . The audit covers a period from March 2004 to Dec 2011 .

7 - After the account was audited , it was discovered that GTBank has been illegally deducting excess bank charges on its overdraft facility to the Innoson to the tune of seven hundred and Eighty-Six Million, Two Hundred and Five Thousand , Nine Hundred and Fifty-Five Naira , Ninety Nine kobo ( N786,205,955.99).

8 -  GTBank was shocked at the audit report when the report was forwarded to it .They replied in their letter to Innoson on 20th January , 2012 that it will investigate the issue raised and will get back to Innoson on the Conclusion of its investigation .

9 - In the month of September 2012 , GTBank wrote to Innoson that from their personal audit report , the excess bank charges was Five Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million , three Hundred and Seventy-Two naira ,Nine kobo ( N 559.3Million).

10 - Innoson agreed to their version and decided to accept payment from it in the spirit of amicable resolution.

*11*- Innoson also requested that the said agreed amount of N559.3million be paid with a 22% interest rate because Innoson had been repaying all his loan with GTBank at 22% interest rate.

12 - GTBank refused and said that the best they can repay excess and illegal deduction is at 7% interest rate . This led to another disagreement between Innoson and GTBank .

13 - As a result , in 2012 , Innoson sued GTBank at Federal High Court Awka with Suit No : FHC/Awk/Cs/2012 .

14 - Federal High Court, Awka delivered Judgement in favour of Innoson in excess of N4.7billion against GTBank.

Delivering Judgement in suit no : FHC /Awk/ CS / 139/2012 , the FHC awarded N4.7billion to Innoson Motors against GTBank .
The court also ordered GTBank to pay 22 % (percent ) interest on the Judgement debt until all the payment had been made to Innoson .

15 - In 2013 , GTBank appealed against the judgement to the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, appoxite appeal No: CA/E/288/2013 .

16 - The Court of Appeal , Enugu in a Considered ruling ordered GTBank to pay the Judgement debt of N6billion Inclusive of the accrued interest and any interest that would subsequently accrue thereon into an interest yielding account in the Name of the Chief Registrar of the Court .

17 - In its various affidavits, particularly at the Court of Appeal in suit no : CA/E/288/2013 , GTBank deposed that if it pays the outstanding Judgement debt of N6billion , much less the N8.5billion , it could go bankrupt and be out of business .

18 - GTBank went to the Supreme Court .The case is still in the Supreme Court , while the Judgement debt is about N8billion now to be paid to Innoson by GTBank .

#Another Cases:
IBADAN Cases : Innoson /GTBank/Nigerian Custom Service :

19 -  Nigerian Customs Service Auctioned Innoson goods .

20 - Innoson challenged the action Nigerian Custom Service for auctioning its goods at Federal High Court , Ibadan .

21 - On July 29 ,2011, In a Garnishee Order Absolute , the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan ordered GTBank to Pay Innoson #2,048,737,443,67 (#2billion) from Nigerian Customs account in GTBank .

22 - Rather than Comply with the Garnishee Order Absolute of the Court , GTBank on February 6, 2015 appealed the Judgement , but the Court of Appeal in Appeal no. CA/1/258/2011 affirmed the Judgement of the Federal High Court and ordered GTBank to pay the Judgement debt of #2,048,737,443.67 (#2.048billion) to Innoson .

23 - GTBank , instead , appealed to the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal's decision where GTBank claimed through a motion in suit no : Sc /694/2014, that the Court of Appeal Judgement in Ibadan (CA/I/258/2011) was procured by suspicious means .

24 - On May 12,  2017 , Supreme Court in its wisdom and rightly , dismissed that unfounded and exasperating claim of GTB against Innoson .

25 - As a result , Innoson commenced a N400 billion suit against GTBank , in the suit No: FCT /HC/CV/2448/2017 at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja .

#Another issues

26 - Consequently , in order to save itself from paying the outstanding Judgement debts to Innoson , the GTBbank filed a petition against Innoson alleging forgery  which led to the suit No : FHC /L/565C/2015 by Police .

27 - On February 17, 2016 , Police properly and Competently withdraw the charges against Innoson , saying they needed to properly investigate the bank's complaints first and see if they had merits .

28 - On September 1 , 2014 ,  GTBank secured an ex parte order on Innoson Nigeria Limited, dated September 1, 2014 with suit no FHC/L/CS/1119/2014 , filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos , between GTBank and Innoson Nigeria Limited , issued by *Justice Okon Abang* , ordering that , pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit , all Commercial Banks in Nigeria were restrained from accepting in any manner whatsoever to any mandate or instruction presented to them by Innoson Companies or any of its agents or nominees for withdrawal of any sum of money standing to the credit of any account maintained by the company in all the banks.

29 - However , on June 10, 2015 , *Justice Saliu Saidu* of the Federal High Court , Lagos , in a Considered ruling set aside the ex parte order of September 1, 2014 , by Justice Okon Abang and the writ of summon as well .

30 - Innoson then slammed a N30 billion suit on Guaranty Trust Bank for what it had suffered in monetary terms and reputational terms during the months when the accounts of its companies in all Nigerian banks were frozen.
With Innoson winning both cases at the High Court and both cases at the Appeal Court, and GTB appealing, both cases are awaiting the verdict of the Supreme Court. Meanwhile the fresh N30 billion naira suit has just gone to the High Court to start its legal journey.

....

In all , Innoson has won two High Court cases and two Appeal Court cases all against GTBank .

Innoson as at today has Judgement debt over about N10billion based on 22% interest rate against GTBank .

#Questions for EFCC :

(i) Now where is the EFCC coming from in all these ?

(ii) Does EFCC actually understand their duties here ?

(iii) Is EFCC by their action not sabotaging Nigerian economy ?

(iv)  If EFCC should to arrest any of the parties , shouldn't GTBank who dubiously deducted Innoson money from his account and have debt of about N8billion to pay Innoson that they should arrest ?

Courtesy: Ikechukwu Emeka Onyia ©2017