Business
Clam Pastor Wole Oladiyun Completes N200million World Class SOTERIA Hospital ‘My passion for the poor influenced it’
At last, CLAM church led by Pastor Wole Oladiyun has completed her world class hospital in Lagos at the church’s estate along Omole bus stop, Lagos, saying it is opened for the public. The project which began in 2009 was just completed last month and it would be commissioned today, Saturday, 13 June 2015. It has been named SOTERIA Hospital and the church says it’s not a profit making entity.
It would be recalled that APOSTLE Wole Oladiyun who is the shepherd-in-charge of fast rising Pentecostal church, Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry, popularly known as CLAM in an exclusive interview with Encomium Weekly on Thursday, June 28, 2012 opened up on why he has just completed a multi-million naira paediatric hospital in Ondo State allegedly worth over N50 million, a world-class general hospital which is near completion then at his headquarter at Omole, Ogba, Lagos and a multi-purpose hall said to cost about N500 million alongside the equipment which have been acquired.
It’s interesting to know that you just completed a standard paediatric hospital and a general hospital and a multi-purpose hall. What informed that and when will you unveil them?
First, I give thanks to God for the grace because every good gift comes from God. I want to say my background informed that and it was a mandate from God. I came from a very poor background and I have seen and suffered poverty in its real sense. But I had an enterprising father who was a lover of God. When he died, I asked myself how I would bail my family out of poverty. Thus, I became a man at the age of 11. I was engaged in all manners of trade in other to make my young mother survive the travails of poverty with seven children. She did all manner of odd jobs like selling firewood. That was where and when I pledged that as God blesses me, I will help humanity. Thus, when I found myself in the arena of serving God, it became a platform to serve humanity and wipe away tears. My own definition of prosperity is wiping away tears. Due to my late dad’s instruction, I have always known the fact that health is wealth. He even wanted me to be a medical doctor. I have gone round a lot and discovered that people are really dying of diseases. That triggered the desire within me to bring doctors together and give people free medicare. And the response has been overwhelming. In my hometown, I discovered they didn’t have provision for children and by God’s grace I have built a world-class children hospital which I will give to the Ondo community next month. And I am setting up a foundation so that they can keep children there. And this hospital at CLAM will be dedicated this year. When I was 50, that was three years ago, I promised God I will build a hospital and a maternity that will take care of women, children and every other person. And He heard my prayers. The money that came into my hands was ploughed into the project. As people blessed me, I invested on the humanitarian business.
What is the machinery put in place to ensure the hospitals are well managed?
That’s why we are setting up a foundation called, Wole Oladiyun Foundation. And I have told my children and foundation that while I am gone the family must maintain that place. I will soon embark on an eye and teeth clinic for the community.
As an apostle, what’s your take on the socio-political problems of the country?
First, Nigeria is a blessed country. I believe in Nigeria. The problems with Nigeria dates as far back as the era of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, who is one of our political forefathers. Our political forefathers shouldn’t have allowed the British to bring about the amalgamation of the North and the South. What the British did then was divide and rule. They saw the Upper Niger as a backward place and Southern Niger as a productive place. Per capital income of Southern Nigerians as at then was over four million pounds while in the North, it was just below 400 pounds. And on the socio-political formation then, the security apparatus of Nigeria, showed that the Northerners were very wild. And they needed to be pacified. In other to get what they wanted, they looked at their system of government and fooled them to ensure that power remained in the North. They were using the money in the South to service the North. It would have been better if the North were left alone so we could have a Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria. It would have been a wonderful formation. The integration now brought together two strange bedfellows. There is no way this equilibrium could be maintained in all spheres. We have different outlooks. The culture and orientation differ a lot. In reality, we need to do something, it could be a national conference, regional government and state police of which I am an advocate. When you send a Kanuri man to Ondo, there would be clash of interests. Look at America, with over 50 states, they have regional and state police and still stay together. I believe National Conference is ideal where we would air our differences and tell them that our representatives at the House of Representatives are not bringing the dividends of democracy to the grassroots. They are using the local government to commit fraud. The senators are fraudulent. I owe them no apology because they have to change.
An average politician is not interested in alleviating the pains of the people as we do. Rather, he is interested in what he can get from the people. We lack moral values. We have to go back to the basics. We have to go back to family values. I told my children that there is nothing in this world. Therefore, whatever they can do for God and humanity, they should do. Be exact and contented with what you have. You can’t sleep on three beds. We should eliminate greed. That’s how I live my life. My members can attest to it that the tithe and offering I collect are ploughed back into the ministry’s projects. That is the secret of the success of this ministry. I am very open and accountable. People queried why I do that and I tell them I am accountable. If I send you to buy Tom Tom, you have to bring a receipt or sign for it so that I can account for all the money spent. We also need a mindset revelation by changing the way we think. Our thinking is lopsided.
But it’s obvious that the clergy are some of the godfathers of these politicians, what’s your take on that and the Boko Haram issue?
God is the way out for Nigeria. Our problem surpassed Boko Haram. Where we have different men and women of God, definitely there will be divergent views about issues. Your primary value system will determine your orientation. The primary value system affects every man and woman of God. I can only speak for myself and those who are aligned with my vision.
Talking about vision, it’s interesting to know that few days to the Dana Airplane crash, you informed your church that God showed you a revelation of a plane crash in Lagos…
One thing about me is that I don’t like blowing my trumpet in the public. Visions are meant to build faith not to create fear. The only reason I announced the plane crash before the incident was because I made concerted efforts to get in touch with the airline owners and warned them of the impending doom and that they should not fly any ailing plane but was not successful. Thus, I informed the church so we can pray and see if we can get someone who has their connection. As to the vision, all I know is that God speaks to me. Over the years, I keep records. But we are very careful and that is why we don’t air such on TV because prophecies are meant to better the lot of this country and not to create fear. God has revealed to me a model on how to better the lot of this country and I have written them down. We are too reactive instead of being proactive in dealing with issues. I don’t indulge in such. I don’t agree with issues where they say the Presidency asked the clergy to come for emergency prayer of 30 seconds to change issues. I don’t do such. As a prayer priest, prayer is a serious issue. We need serious intercession in Nigeria. There are sins in this country, how can someone be stealing money and still say he/she is fasting and praying. Ask anybody here, I declare it openly that if you are a thief or fraudulent person don’t pay tithe and give offering. I have returned so many people’s cheques once I know it was gotten fraudulently. Even so called men and women of God lack the fear of God. At the Villa they sent some people here to verify if one man would become president and I said he would not and that if he should try it, he would have fractured legs. They said I should pray to change the vision and I said I can’t do such because that’s not God. The youths are angry and that’s why I empowered them because if we let them loose a great revolution would erupt. Let Nigeria go on one year leave of not stealing and it will be a paradise. We steal too much.
Have you ever had an embarrassing moment?
I make mistakes and I correct them. I make mistakes in my judgements. I am a core administrator. I mind details a lot. I have embarrassing moments in many ways in terms of temptation, women and men have tempted me and even people with money have tempted me. But God’s grace has helped me to overcome and that’s why I can say it openly that I have no skeleton in my cupboard. My members know that I don’t toy with women because God has blessed me with a good woman and we work together. And I am open. If I have challenges, I declare them open to my people so they can pray along with me. The higher you go, the higher the temptations. The greatest temptation I have ever had is people come here to tempt me with dangerous money and I have always said no. I can’t take blood money.
How do you cope with such a huge ministry like CLAM?
God has been helping us a lot. It’s a full gospel ministry where you are trained to be a total person. My area of strength is soul winning and prayer. My mentor in prayer is Dr. D. K. Olukoya of MFM. My father, Dr. Aboderin trained me and Pastors Adeboye, Ashimolowo love me as their son. We are now 14 years and will soon start a world class farm settlement in September.
The raging issue in Christendom is the separation of Rev. Okotie and wife, Stephanie, what is your reaction? Is it permissible for Christians to walk in and out of marriage?
Bob Marley sang a song that every man has the right to decide his own destiny but on judgement day, there is no partiality. I used to be a reggae DJ (laughs). I don’t want to talk about Rev. Chris Okotie, because he is a senior minister of God but I would rather be praying for him. I would only talk about the Biblical standard. The Bible does not permit nor allow divorce. No other thing. If the Bible has said that, the onus is now on you to follow the injunction of the Bible or not. I will pray for Rev. Chris because he has labored in Christendom. He is a lover of God who must make heaven. God is merciful. Nobody is perfect. We have our strength and weaknesses. Where we have not done well, God can give us another chance. However, the Bible does not support divorce.
GTCO Launches “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, Opens Call for Applications
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has announced the launch of “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
Now in its third edition, the Hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion. Under the theme “Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy,” participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
Applications are now open, and interested teams can find full guidelines and registration details on the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
Speaking on the initiative, Eduophon Japhet, Managing Director of HabariPay, stated: “Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve. Through “Take on Squad” Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future. Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact. This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress.”
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
About HabariPay
HabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.
Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.
HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.
About Squad
Squad is a complete digital payments solution that is reliable, secure, and affordable, making receiving in-person and online payments simpler and convenient.
Thousands of merchants currently leverage Squad’s payment solutions for their daily business operations. Squad’s current products and service offerings include SquadPOS, Squad Payment Links, Squad Virtual Accounts, USSD, and E-Commerce Storefront.
Find out more at www.squadco.com.
Electric 8-Seater Tula Moto Keke Enters Nigerian Market, Targets Higher Operator Earnings
LAGOS — A new electric-powered tricycle with an expanded passenger capacity has been introduced into Nigeria’s urban transport sector, offering operators a potentially more profitable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional petrol-driven “keke.”
The newly launched 8-seater electric tricycle, now available in Lagos with plans for nationwide distribution, features a dual-row seating arrangement capable of accommodating up to eight passengers per trip—significantly higher than the standard three-passenger configuration common across the country.
Promoters of the innovation say the increased capacity is designed to boost daily earnings for operators, particularly amid persistent fluctuations in fuel prices. By running entirely on electric power, the vehicle eliminates dependence on petrol, reducing operating costs and shielding drivers from fuel price volatility.
According to the distributors, the tricycle is equipped with a durable battery system capable of covering extended distances on a single charge, making it suitable for commercial operations across high-traffic routes, residential estates, campuses, and marketplaces.
“The concept is straightforward—enable drivers to earn more while spending less,” a company representative stated. “With higher passenger capacity and zero fuel requirements, operators can maximise each trip without the burden of daily fuel expenses.”
Beyond its cost-saving potential, the electric keke is also said to require less maintenance than traditional models, offering additional long-term savings. Its quieter and smoother operation is expected to enhance passenger comfort and overall commuting experience.
Industry analysts note that the introduction of electric mobility solutions reflects a growing shift toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation alternatives in Nigeria, particularly in densely populated urban centres such as Lagos.
The distributors added that the product is currently available under a limited promotional offer, with delivery options across the country.
For inquiries and purchase: 📞 08153432071
📞 08035889103
Office Address:
📍 Plot 9, Block 113, Beulah Plaza,
Lekki–Epe Expressway,
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
As transportation costs continue to rise and environmental concerns gain prominence, innovations like the electric 8-seater keke may signal an emerging transition toward more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions nationwide.
Business
A Pipeline, a Licence, and a Storm Brewing: Corruption allegations Draw global oil giant, Shell, Into Nigeria’s Reform Test
*A Pipeline, a Licence, and a Storm Brewing: Corruption allegations Draw global oil giant, Shell, Into Nigeria’s Reform Test*
By Deji Johnson and Mustapha Bello
t begins with a pipeline that should have been completed by June 2026. It widens into a regulatory dispute. And it now risks becoming a defining test of Nigeria’s gas reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
At the center is a stalled 80 kilometre gas pipeline from Sagamu to Ibadan, a project backed by over 100 million dollars in investment and built on a protected Gas Distribution Licence issued under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. The licence granted NGML–NIPCO exclusive rights to distribute gas within Ibadan for 25years based on Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act.
On paper, the law is clear. On the ground, the situation is anything but.
For more than three months, construction has been halted following a stop work order issued by the Oyo State Government led by former Shell Contractor and engineer, Governor Seyi Makinde. No detailed public justification has been provided that aligns with existing federal approvals already secured for the project.
What might have remained a quiet regulatory disagreement has now escalated into something far more politically charged. How?
In recent remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is of the same political party as Governor Seyi Makinde, made a pointed allegation that has since rippled across political and industry circles. He suggested that the Governor of Oyo State and Shell were in what could be described as an “unholy alliance.”
It is a serious claim. One that, if substantiated, would raise profound questions about the intersection of corporate influence, state level action, and federal law.
Neither Shell nor the Oyo State Government has publicly responded in detail to the allegation.
But the silence is now part of the story.
*THE SHELL QUESTION*
For Shell, this moment carries particular weight.
The company has operated in Nigeria for decades, building one of its most significant global portfolios in the Niger Delta. But that history is not without controversy. From corruption claims to environmental damage claims and community disputes amongst others, Shell has faced years of litigation and, in several high profile cases, adverse rulings tied to its operations in the region.
Those cases, many adjudicated in foreign courts, have shaped a negative reputation that continues to follow the company.
Now, a new question emerges.
Is Shell once again operating at the edge of Nigeria’s regulatory framework seeking to exert undue influence in circumventing Nigeria’s petroleum laws, or firmly within it?
Industry sources including a widely reported meeting between their representatives, Oyo State Government representatives and the newly appointed midstream and downstream chief executive, indicate that engagements involving Shell and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority could enable the company to enter a gas distribution zone already licensed to another operator in breach of the PIA.
If true, the implications are immediate and far reaching.
A licence meant to protect investors and investments in Nigeria’s gas space ceases to be exclusive against the dictates of the guiding laws. A framework begins to look flexible, and a reform risks appearing reversible.
To many, it seems more than just a commercial dispute and is not just about one company versus another.
Nigeria is in the middle of an energy transition where gas is expected to play a central role in powering industries, stabilising electricity supply, and reducing reliance on expensive diesel. President Bola Tinubu has emerged as a global champion of using gas as a transition fuel in Nigeria and Africa whilst rolling out elaborate but clearly defined plans to achieve it. Yet gas availability remains inconsistent, constraining power generation and limiting industrial output.
Projects like the Sagamu to Ibadan pipeline are designed to close that gap. To halt such a project is to delay not just infrastructure, but impact. To undermine its legal basis is to question the system that enabled it and to introduce competing claims within the same licensed zone is to risk regulatory confusion at a time when clarity is most needed.
This is where the issue moves from commercial to national because at stake is not only an investment, but the credibility of the reform architecture itself.
*OYO STATE AND THE FEDERAL QUESTION*
The role of the Oyo State Government adds another layer of complexity.
Energy regulation in Nigeria, particularly in the gas sector, is governed by federal law. Yet implementation often intersects with state authority, creating spaces where jurisdiction can blur.
The stop work order issued on the pipeline has become the clearest manifestation of that tension. Was it a regulatory necessity?
A precautionary measure? Or, as alleged by Minister Wike, part of a broader alignment with external interests? Without transparency, speculation fills the vacuum and the regulator must avoid finding itself mired in such allegations.
*QUESTIONS THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY*
For Shell, the questions are now direct and unavoidable:
Is Shell, a global energy giant, seeking to operate within the Ibadan gas distribution zone already licensed to NGML–NIPCO?
What assurances, if any, has it received from regulators or state actors?
How does it reconcile such actions with the exclusivity provisions of the PIA?
For the regulator, NMDPRA:
Can a Gas Distribution Licence be effectively shared, diluted, or overridden after issuance? According to Nigerian laws, the answer is No.
What precedent does this set for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure market?
For the Oyo State Government:
On what legal grounds does the stop work order stand, given federal approvals already in place?
And how does this action align with national energy priorities or the state’s gas needs?
Nigeria has spent the last two years telling a new story to the world. A story of reform, of discipline, of a country ready to compete for global capital. And it has worked so far with stability returning to Nigeria’s economy and over $20bn of energy investments looking to enter the country in the short to midterm.
But reforms are not tested in policy papers. They are tested in moments like this.
Moments where law meets influence, investment meets interference and promise meets pressure.
For Shell, long mired in issues surrounding ethical operations in Nigeria, this is more than a business decision. It is a reputational crossroads.
For Nigeria, it is something even larger. Whether the country’s laws will hold when they are most challenged or Whether its reforms will stand when they are most inconvenient or even whether Nigeria’s energy investments future will be shaped by the rules of law, adherence to regulatory protections and provisions or by unethical and corrupt relationships.
Until those questions are answered clearly, publicly, and decisively, the pipeline in Ibadan will remain more than steel in the ground.
It will remain a symbol of a country still deciding which path it truly intends to follow. Nigeria must act quickly and decisively because the world is watching.
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