celebrity radar - gossips
Adeduntan: FirstBank is reducing poverty, deepening financial inclusion through its 31,000 agent network
Adeduntan: FirstBank is reducing poverty, deepening financial inclusion through its 31,000 agent network
By Okafor Endurance
In its quest to deepen financial inclusion, FirstBank is channelling its resources to reach those at the bottom of the pyramid through its agency banking.
The tie-one bank has over 31,000 agents spread across Nigeria with 9,000 assigned to provide financial services to the highly excluded Northern region.
According to Adesola Adeduntan, the MD/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, the bank took it upon itself as part of their strategic plan to be the bank that can be the right partner to the CBN and the government by helping to achieve the right social impact.
“If there is that bank on ground to help the country to address the seeming geographical gap in terms of financial inclusion, it is FirstBank, because we are already doing a lot,” Adeduntan said.
With over 125 years of unbroken existence in Nigeria, the lender has the largest branch network in Nigeria with over 750 branches spread across the country.
Nigeria has an exclusion rate of 36.8 percent as at December 2018; this translates to about 36.6 million Nigerian adults who are not included in the formal financial net.
The Central Bank of Nigeria plans to ensure it drive that number to 20 percent by the year 2020. But with less than five months to the deadline, the regulator has about 16.8 percent exclusion gap.
“So with over 31,000 agents and 750 branches spread across all the LGAs in Nigeria, FirstBank is indeed a frontrunner at not just providing banking to all Nigerians but importantly improving their respective businesses and developing the Nigerian economy,” Adeduntan noted.
According to Emeka Onwuka, CEO, Parkway Project, a Lagos-based Fintech company known for its popular ReadyCash product, when it comes to financial inclusion, the distribution is really “where we have the problem.”
“It is not about wallet rather it is about the touch point where people can actually go and have access,” Onwuka added. In January 2019, the central bank unveiled a revised version of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) in which it projected that it will enroll about 500,000 mobile money/bank agents available to serve about 105 million adult Nigerians by the year 2020. The figure translates to about 476 agents per 100,000 adults.
Less than five months to the projected deadline, Nigeria’s financial institutions have however enrolled a joint 65,753 mobile agents, data obtained from the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) showed.
This is 86.85 percent less than the 500,000 mobile agents which are going to serve about 105 million adult Nigerians. If the industry regulator is to meet the target by 2020, it would have to enroll about 434,247 agents in five months.
According to data by EFInA, a huge population of Nigerian adult still lack access to financial products and services. The number is however highest in the northern part of the country.
Compared to other regions of Africa’s most populous nation, the northern part of the country reported more unbanked people owing to high illiteracy level, insurgency in some parts of the region coupled with high poverty rate, as compiled from BusinessDay survey.
“Currently we have up to 9,000 agents specifically in the northern part of the country and the same thing goes for the statistics of our ATM,” Adeduntan said.
celebrity radar - gossips
Oba Ara Releases Emotional Tribute to Late Taiwo Adegbodu
Oba Ara Releases Emotional Tribute to Late Taiwo Adegbodu
Taofik Afolabi
The gospel music community continues to grieve the painful loss of Taiwo Adegbodu, a beloved figure whose sudden departure left a deep void among fans, colleagues, and loved ones. In response to this loss, renowned gospel minister Rotimi Onimole, popularly known as Oba Ara, has released a moving tribute song that captures both the sorrow of the moment and the enduring legacy of the late singer.
Oba Ara, a proud son of Isale Eko, channels raw emotion throughout the song, using heartfelt lyrics and soul-stirring melodies to reflect on his personal connection with Taiwo Adegbodu. In the tribute, he openly expresses how deeply the news of Adegbodu’s passing shook him, describing it as a painful and unexpected loss that is difficult to come to terms with.
The song goes beyond mourning, it celebrates the life, ministry, and impact of Taiwo Adegbodu. Oba Ara highlights the late artist’s dedication to spreading the gospel through music, his inspiring voice, and the spiritual influence he had on many within and beyond Nigeria. Through powerful verses, he paints a picture of a man who lived for God and touched countless lives through his ministry.
Listeners have described the tribute as both comforting and deeply emotional, as it resonates with the collective grief of the gospel music community. It serves as a reminder that although Taiwo Adegbodu is no longer physically present, his music, message, and legacy will continue to live on.
In honoring his late colleague, Oba Ara not only pays his respects but also offers a source of healing for fans and fellow ministers, using music as a tool to process grief and celebrate a life well lived.
celebrity radar - gossips
Buratai, Fagbemi , Shagaya, Olofa, Others Eulogise Olowu Kuta’s Olori On 60th Birthday, Foundation Launch
Buratai, Fagbemi , Shagaya, Olofa, Others Eulogise Olowu Kuta’s Olori On 60th Birthday, Foundation Launch
Eminent personalities across the Nigeria stormed the TFK Event Centre, Bala Mohammed Way, Guzape, Abuja, to celebrate the 60th birthday of Olowu Kuta’s Olori, Queen Jumai Amoke and her Foundation Launch on Saturday 28, March 2026.
From former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai rtd, to the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Olofa of Offa, HRM Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi. Even top businesswoman and socialite, Chief (Mrs) Bola Shagaya, was in attendance.
Other dignitaries were newly promoted Deputy Inspector-General of Police and former AIG Zone 2 , Lagos , Adegoke Fayoade, Major General Abdumalik, Major General Samuel Adebayo rtd (Fmr CDI);
Major General Anthony Omozoje rtd (Fmr Copp);
Alhaji Tajudeen Owoyemi (Asiwaju of Offa and CEO Radisson Hotel Nigeria;
Dr Waheed Olagunju, former managing director of Bank of Industry, Oniba of Iba, Lagos State, HRM Oba Dr Suleiman Raji ;
Justice Falola, Olu of Ile-Ogbo , Oba Adetoyese amongst many traditional rulers and captains of industry too numerous to mention.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chief Host, Olowu of Kuta, HRM Oba Dr Adekunle Oyelude Makama, CON , Tegbosun iii, who is also the husband of the celebrant commended Queen Jumai for ‘ her slender arms full of kindness’ to establish such humanitarian Foundation, ‘Amoke Children and mother in Need Foundation’ at a time Nigerians are going through economic crisis occassioned by the global meltdown.
Olowu also commended her steadfastness and love for the less privileged and downtrodden.
The monarch refrenced the task before his wife’s humanitarian gesture said her best is yet to come.
” Olori Amoke Jumai, I celebrate you. You will celebrate 70, 80, 90 and continue to shine as you continue to put a smile on people’s faces. I love you, “Olowu Kuta added.
To Lt Gen Buratai, a former army chief and former Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, the reward of hard work is more work.
Buratai, who also doubles as Balogun Agba of Owu Kuta, a chieftaincy title reserved for a generalismo congratulated Queen Jumai for attaining the age of 60 in good health.
The retired army General said he’s not surprised by the turn out of eminent personalities across the country to celebrate the Olowu Kuta’s Olori because she merited it through her hospitality to all, adding that Allah the most merciful, most beneficial would accept all her act of ibadah.
The minister of Justice, Prince Fagbemi, was full of praises for Queen Jumai for deeming it fit to have a place in her heart to accommodate the needy and less privileged in ‘our society.’
Prince Fagbemi urged the guests to contribute generously to support the Foundation in order to continue to alleviate poverty and put a smile on the faces of the people.
” I congratulate you on your 60th birthday and Foundation Launch. I wish you many happy returns of the day and many more fruitful services to the country and motherland”, Prince Fagbemi added.
The celebrant, Queen Jumai who was grining from ear to ear thankfully said she was excited by the turn out and the response of the people to her foundation.
Queen Jumai, however, promised to continue to use her resources and donations received for the good of the needy and less privileged in the society.
” I want to appreciate my own Kabiesi Olofa of Offa , for his presence and im I’m using him as a point of contact to all other Kabiesis present here, the minister of justice and Attorney-General, you’re welcome, sir; Mrs Bola Shagaya, I salute your enterprise, Lt Gen Buratai, I’m grateful, sir; DIG Fayoade, Justice Falola and other dignitaries too numerous to mention, I thank you, all. To my darling husband, Kabiesi Olowu , I thank you immensely for your support. And to my family and friends, I thank you , all. E se pupo!”, she said.
celebrity radar - gossips
Adron Homes Elevates Cultural Pride as Dignitaries Grace 39th Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta
Adron Homes Elevates Cultural Pride as Dignitaries Grace 39th Lisabi Festival in Abeokuta
The ancient city of Abeokuta came alive in a grand display of culture, history, and unity as dignitaries from across Nigeria converged at the iconic Ake Palace Ground for the 39th edition of the Lisabi Festival, an annual celebration deeply rooted in the Egba people’s heritage.
The event, proudly supported by Adron Homes and Properties Limited, witnessed an impressive parade of distinguished personalities, traditional rulers, government officials, business leaders, and cultural enthusiasts, all captured in vibrant pictures that tell the story of a people united by history and pride.
From richly adorned monarchs in regal attire to elegantly dressed guests reflecting the depth of Yoruba tradition, the images from the festival encapsulate moments of honour, reverence, and celebration. Each photograph portrays not just faces, but influence, leaders, and stakeholders who continue to shape cultural preservation and community development.
At the heart of the celebration was the revered Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, whose presence underscored the festival’s significance as a symbol of Egba resilience and identity. Surrounding him were eminent dignitaries whose attendance further amplified the prestige of the event.
Adron Homes and Properties Limited stood out prominently, not only as a sponsor but as a key driver of cultural sustainability. Through its strategic support, the company reinforced its commitment to preserving indigenous heritage while fostering community engagement. The brand’s visibility across the venue and within the pictorial highlights reflects a deliberate alignment with culture, tradition, and people-centered development.
Beyond real estate, Adron Homes has continued to position itself as a cultural partner, investing in platforms that celebrate history and strengthen communal bonds. Its involvement in the Lisabi Festival is a testament to its broader vision of building not just homes, but legacies rooted in identity and pride.
The 39th Lisabi Festival, as captured through the lens of dignitaries in attendance, is more than an event, it is a narrative of continuity. And through its unwavering support, Adron Homes has once again set the pace, demonstrating that corporate institutions can play a vital role in sustaining the cultural heartbeat of a people.
As the echoes of drums fade and the colours of the festival linger in memory, one thing remains clear: the story told through these images is one of unity, heritage, and the enduring partnership between tradition and progress.
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