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FIRSTBANK, ROTARY EMPOWER 102 BENEFICIARIES WITH N20M START-UP KITS   By Grace Alegba

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FirstBank has announced that its FirstEdu product designed to put schools at an advantage in the financing of capital projects such as the acquisition of new property, school expansion and reconstruction has been remodeled to a period of up to a maximum tenor of 48 months.

FIRSTBANK, ROTARY EMPOWER 102 BENEFICIARIES WITH N20M START-UP KITS

 

By Grace Alegba

 

The First Bank of Nigeria Limited, with Rotary Club International, District 9110, has distributed N20 million worth start-up kits to 102 beneficiaries in Lagos to empower them across various trades.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that start-up kits distributed included: grinding machines, plumbing kits, deep freezers, sewing machines, generators, gas burners and cylinders, barbers and hairdressers kits, among others.

NAN further reports that the community intervention project had beneficiaries from the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria drawn from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

Mrs Helen Ihonre, Unit Head, Other SME Products e-Business and Retail, FirstBank, during the presentation, offered insights on financial management and economic discipline. She emphasised the importance of maintaining records and accessing low-interest loans to support business growth and expansion.

She urged beneficiaries to prioritise saving from the inception of their businesses, while discouraging them from keeping funds at home, which might lead to misuse. “Start saving from the beginning of your business. Don’t wait till you sell then keep the money in your house”, she said.

Rotary District 9110 Governor, Ifeyinwa Ejezie, spoke on the significance of economic empowerment in Rotary’s initiatives and called for government collaboration to reach grassroots communities effectively. She emphasised the role of Rotary in complementing government efforts and stressed the need for recognition and partnership to enhance community development. She added that the N20 million items distributed were the largest the district had done in one empowerment initiative in recent times.

Bukola Bakare, Rotary International District Governor Nominee Designate, explained the process and challenges of raising funds for the project and how they incorporated Rotary from Singapore to absorb shocks from inflation. She said, “everything that has been given here today is free for the beneficiaries”.

She mentioned that FirstBank was a major sponsor for the project, adding that the 102 beneficiaries were chosen based on a needs analysis from Igbos, Hausa and Yorubas resident in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.

“FirstBank is our major supporter for this programme” she said.

Mr Babatunde Adewale, Permanent Board Member, Lagos State Universal Basic Education, lauded the empowerment programme, while reeling out contributions and projects of Rotary International to schools in the state. “We really appreciate Rotary and SUBEB will always continue to collaborate with them,” he said.

Mrs Kemi Kalesanwo, Director, Lagos State Agency for Mass Education, said that 22 out of the 102 beneficiaries were from the agency’s vocational training centres. Kalesanwo said that the state government believed in public, private partnership and was happy with the collaboration with Rotary and FirstBank.

She listed projects donated by Rotary to include construction of one of the eight vocational training centres, owned by the agency in Igbogbo area of Lagos. Kalesanwo, therefore, urged other Nigerians to support government programmes.

Otumba Wemmy Osunde, Chairman, Illisan Development Association, Ogun State, pledged personal commitment to ensuring beneficiaries utilise the items for economic gain. Adekunmi Adeniyi, an industrial gas burner and cylinder beneficiary alongside other beneficiaries expressed gratitude to Rotary International and FirstBank for the initiative. He acknowledged the impact on their respective trades and crafts.

Culled from NAN

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Between Primate Ayodele and Sacked NNPC Boss, Mele Kyari, Who Laughs Last?

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Between Primate Ayodele and Sacked NNPC Boss, Mele Kyari, Who Laughs Last?

By Shina Dayo

 

“Primate Ayodele may have taken sides in the ongoing misunderstanding in the nation’s hydrocarbon community. Using his platform to rally support for the oil cabal, he sends message to the President, who was not visible in his vission in 2023. Fortunately President Tinubu knows Primate Ayodele better than Kyari”, these were the words of Olabode, one of the defenders of the sacked NNPC Boss, Mele Kyari when Primate Ayodele told President Tinubu to sack him for incompetence.

Primate Ayodele had in August 2024 called on President Tinubu to replace the NNPCL Boss, Mele Kyari, due to the issues in the oil sector. The prophet had said that if President Tinubu doesn’t replace him, Nigeria’s oil sector will continue to be disorganized, and a continued crisis in the oil sector would lead to protests against the government.

These were his words:

“One of the major important things Tinubu should do if he wants to see the prayers of Nigerians. He should sack the GMD of the NNPC. If it is possible, he should be sacked before the end of this month; otherwise,another big protest is coming. This protest can sack Tinubu and can make Tinubu’s government ungovernable. If he doesn’t do this urgently, Tinubu would put himself into the hot pot. Sack the NNPC. There is a lot of rot in the NNPC. Protest not yet over. I’m seeing another protest that would seize the economy for 120 hours.”

This statement, which was contained in a video that went viral obviously didn’t sit well with the camp of the sacked NNPCL group CEO and in retaliation, they began to sponsor several publications against Primate Ayodele.

Among some of their publications were cooked up lies against the personality of the prophet, calling him different unprintable names, referring to him as one whose clients are oil bunkerers, twisting his past prophecies just to say they didn’t come to pass, and all sort of things.

Even when some followers of the prophet debunked some of their lies against the man of God, individuals in the camp of Mele Kyari went all out, paying several blogs to peddle false stories against Primate Ayodele. They even warned him to desist from mentioning Mele Kyari in his prophecies, but Primate Ayodele didn’t flinch.

Instead of listening to their rants, Primate Ayodele continued to warn President Tinubu to sack Mele Kyari, not because of personal issues but in the interest of Nigeria and what God has told him about the administration of the NNPCL boss. Due to his continued clamour for Kyari’s sack, his ‘boys’ thought the prophet had any relationship with oil cabals in the country, they tried to investigate him but found absolutely nothing. The prophet was only doing his job as God’s mouthpiece in the country.

One would have thought that as he advised President Tinubu to sack Mele Kyari, they would have at least sought spiritual guidance on how they can make things right for the good of Nigeria’s oil sector in order to avoid the embarrassment of being removed from office but rather, they started boasting of how the President will not listen to Primate Ayodele, listing the achievements of Mele Kyari including those that didn’t even benefit Nigeria, they were saying all sort of things to discredit Primate Ayodele.

However, months after, Mele Kyari has now been sacked by President Tinubu, alongside all members of the NNPCL Boss with replacements announced immediately.

I have just one question for the Mele Kyari’s camp, where has all the boastings now gotten them to? Primate Ayodele remains a major prophetic voice in Nigeria but what has Mele Kyari become? A sacked NNPCL Boss who may even face more persecutions. If there’s one thing these folks need to take away from this issue is the fact that pride goes before destruction.

“He who laughs last laughs longest”

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STERLING BANK LEADS PROTEST FOR REMOVAL OF BANK TRANSFER CHARGES

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STERLING BANK LEADS PROTEST FOR REMOVAL OF BANK TRANSFER CHARGES

 

LAGOS, NIGERIA – In a landmark move that sets a new benchmark for customer-focused
banking in Nigeria, Sterling Bank has championed the cancellation of bank transfer fees by major banks, announcing it will no longer take any money for itself for any local online transactions by its customers.

The announcement, made on April 1st, initially sparked widespread arguments, with many
assuming it was a marketing prank tied to April Fools’ Day. However, Sterling has confirmed that this is no stunt: the zero-transfer-fee policy is real, and effective immediately.

With this move, Sterling becomes the first major Nigerian bank to take a definitive stand against the long-standing practice of charging customers for everyday digital transfers, an issue that has grown increasingly contentious as digital banking adoption deepens.

“We believe access to your own money shouldn’t come with a penalty,” said Obinna
Ukachukwu, Growth Executive leading the Consumer and Business Banking Directorate. “This is more than a financial decision, it’s a values-based one. It reflects our commitment to making banking fair, inclusive, and truly customer focused.”

“We’re not yet the biggest bank in Nigeria, but we’ve been the boldest,” Ukachukwu added. “Sterling fearlessly believes in the future of Nigeria, and this is us backing Nigerians with more than words.”

Under the new policy, Sterling customers will enjoy free transfers for all local transactions
conducted via the bank’s mobile app. This translates into significant savings, particularly for individuals and new small business owners who make frequent daily transfers.

This customer-first orientation is not new for Sterling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the bank stood out by providing supplementary payments to healthcare workers in public hospitals—at a time when few others were willing or able to offer additional support. From that moment to now, Sterling has continued to redefine what it means to be a responsible and responsive institution.

The bank’s latest move has been met with widespread public approval, sparking positive
reactions across social media and placing pressure on industry peers to follow suit.

We’re proud to lead this change,” Ukachukwu added. “We hope it inspires others to think
differently about what customers truly need from their banks, not just in services, but in values.”

Online communities were not excluded as WhatsApp Nigeria lit up with viral broadcasts as users forwarded the news across various groups, including one from a prayer circle that read: “Please my good people this is not a joke!!! Sterling Bank has just shocked Nigeria today o!! My neighbour Justina just transferred N100k and no charges!!! God bless Sterling Bank!!”. The message quickly gained traction, sparking massive public interest and mounting pressure on other banks to follow suit.

Sterling’s zero-fee policy is part of a broader strategy to transform the customer experience and deliver transparent, ethical banking solutions at scale.

 

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Dr Ifeoma Eze gives reasons on how to know A Genuine Vision

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Dr Ifeoma Eze gives reasons on how to know A Genuine Vision

Dr Ifeoma Eze, a mentor and author of different books gave an insight from her book ” Becoming A Person Of Exceptional Value”, shed more light on The Elements Of A Genuine Vision.

*THE ELEMENTS OF A GENUINE VISION*

There are five key elements that must be present whenever you receive a genuine vision. They are;

1. *Knowing what to do.*
Every genuine vision must be clear, and the terms well spelt out on what to do. It should be tangible and clear enough for anybody to understand. Hab. 2:2.

2. *Knowing when to do it.*
Every genuine vision impacted by God has a time of appointment. Eccl. 3:1-3, Eccl. 9:11, Ps. 31:15. When a man is in the right purpose at the right time, he won’t miss his honour. Knowing the time of your vision requires a lot of prayers which will lead you to high level of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:1-3.

3. *Knowing where to do it.*
Every genuine vision has an appointed place because destiny answers to the location. Divine location provokes divine allocation. Places are important, hence, God makes places before bringing you on. Gen. 2:15. He made the garden before placing Adam in it! When you get to that God’s appointed location, you will also meet provision for the vision.

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

[11] And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and
said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

[12] And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

[13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. [14] And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen

me 15. ht me oly

Gen. 22:1, 11-14.

ace ine are ore den hat neet

In the scripture, we saw that God deliberately and patiently waited for Abraham to obediently relocate and get to the God-appointed place for the sacrifice and having a readiness to obey God in full; before God made provision of the lamb for the sacrifice. Hence, Jehovah Jireh is the name of God because it is a place where provision met with the discovery of the God-appointed place.

4. *Knowing who to do it with*.

Every God given vision will require some Godly and God-given relationships to make it work. Where there is no vision, the people perish; but where there is vision without people, the vision becomes a burden. The best gift a leader can receive from God is the gift of men.

5. *Knowing How to do it:*

Every vision has a pattern. When God asks you to do a thing it is important that you obtain clear instructions on the structure, pattern and style required to fulfill that vision!

And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. [9] According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. Exodus 25:8-9 KJV

Building outside the pattern is setting yourself up for failure. Adherence to set pattern is guarantee for divine presence and guidance.

*VISION KILLERS*
It is possible to receive a vision from God but still experience frustration in life because of the following vision killers. Some vision killers include;

1. *Tradition.*( Mark 7:13.)

2. *Fear*- It paralyses creativity.

3. *Stereotypes structural rigidity. Break the satus quo.*

4. *Lack of Discipline and Laziness*

5. *Comparison*

6. *Procrastination*

7. *Wrong Association*

*Coined from the book, Becoming A Person Of Exceptional Value By Dr. Ifeoma Eze, The King’s Rubies*

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