Connect with us

Uncategorized

Obasanjo to bridge gap between old and new generations – Cleric

Published

on

As American-Africans Promise Investments

A prophetic message that the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will be one God will use to bridge the gap between the country’s old generation and the new one has been revealed.

The President of the African Economic Empowerment Initiative (AEEI), His Eminence (Archbishop) Samson Mustapha Benjamin made the revelation, when he joined delegation of the Nigerian Association for Young Adults of Canada (NAYA), the Polling Units Ambassadors of Nigeria (PUAN) and some American-Africans on a courtesy visit on Obasanjo at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta.

The development came even as the leader of the American-Africans team and President of California Congressional Black Caucus, Dr. Zyra Macloud promised to initiate investments to Nigeria using the pedigree and personality of the former President in order to create job opportunities in the country.

The man of God, who declared that there was no pre conversation with Obasanjo before the meeting, said that the role to be played by him was sacrosanct and could not be changed.

“Nigeria knows him and he knows Nigeria. That is who Obasanjo is. At every junction of Nigeria’s history, he is a divine destiny. You still have a lot to do for Nigeria. Before I drop the microphone, the truth is that you still have a task to achieve, to do this country.

“Whether they like it or not, you will still be alive to achieve the task. You will be alive to bridge the gap between the old generation and the new generation. It will be one task that it is like standing between the living and the dead. The Sun will soon set on the old generation and the Sun will rise on the new generation. And the man that will be in the center of this is Olusegun Obasanjo.

“You may not have been told, but, but I am very sure that in your dreams, aspirations and no matter what ever anybody feels this task must be achieved. Even if death comes here now, death has to excuse you to accomplish your mission for Nigeria. And if you all look at him, as i am speaking, he has already given himself up. I am only opening the book of the future,” Benjamin said.

The National President of NAYA, Shola Agboola had earlier explained that the group was in the country to further tap on the pedigree of the former President to seek the American-Africans interest in bringing investments to Nigeria.

According to Agboola, NAYA has partnered with several reputable international organizations to carry out many of its socio-economic programmes and intervention in virtually all the geo-political zones of the country with social investment worth several hundreds of millions of dollars.

‘Some items donated in Osun State, Oyo State, Abia State, Ogun State, Imo State, Bayelsa States, Kebbi state e.t.c include free medical equipment and supplies, hundreds of laptop and desk-top computers, hundred of thousands of post-secondary & primary textbooks to many schools as well as thousands of clothing to people in rural areas.

“We have been using your name to achieve all these. And we believe that with your presence today in the midst of the California Congressional Black Caucus, with the President personally present, I want to believe that they are convinced to come forward with their plan to bring investments to Nigeria,” Agboola said.

The President of California Congressional Black Caucus, Dr. Zyra Macloud who could not hide her feeling for meeting with Obasanjo and coming to Nigeria for the first time, assured that the United Department of Commerce was aware of the visit, which is meant to bring investments to Nigeria in order to create job opportunities.

Obasanjo while reacting to Archbishop Benjamin’s prophecy, said it is only God that can make all things possible.

He posited that it was only important to learn from the mistake of the past, stressing, “and it is only a wise man that learn from the mistake of the past. May God grant each and every one of us the wisdom to move this country forward.

“God will never give you a task without providing the necessary wherewithal to accomplish the task. We shall continue to pray for this,” Obasanjo said.

Members of the California delegation include, the Executive member of the International Black Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Eddie McCloud, Ms Arlise Hamilton, Mr. Kenneth Eywrick and Amb. Capt. Dabas Suleiman, the Ambassador General of the Polling Unit of Nigeria (PUAN).

@@@@@

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Uncategorized

Top 5 Most Visited Countries in The World

Published

on

Top 10 Most Visited Countries in 2024

Top 5 Most Visited Countries in The World

 

International tourism has come a long way to returning back to pre-pandemic levels. The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reports that international arrivals reached 80% of prior levels during the first quarter of 2023. That’s an estimated 235 million tourists traveling internationally in just three months, more than double the same period in 2022. The recovery has been robust across various regions, including Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East

Why has this happened? In addition to few (if any) restrictions on travel, the popularity of online travel and booking platforms makes it easy for jetsetters to buy flights from their phones. They can compare real-time prices, plan out personalized itineraries, and pay for bookings with a few button clicks.

We’ve also seen a blending of business and personal travel into longer, more flexible trips. Termed “bleisure” by travel fans, the concept gives business travelers an excuse to book a few extra days to see the sites and even bring friends or family along. It’s not surprising to see some of these trips lean toward the more exotic, with luxury accommodations and excursions becoming the norm for trips of all lengths.

So, where are people traveling? The Global Tourism Data of inbound tourists from the UNWTO gives a peek into the most popular destinations across the globe from data collected in 2023.

1. France

100 million visitors ($68.6 billion USD in receipts)

Tourism in France took a big jump in 2023, with Forbes reporting a 12.3% increase in just the first quarter. France currently has around 29,000 tourist accommodations for travelers to stay, with hotels making up 17,600 of those locations. Luxury hotels alone saw a jump in occupancies, an incredible 31.4% increase from the year before.

The region with the most hotels is the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, followed by Île-de-France, where Paris can be found.

2. Spain

85.17 million visitors ($92 billion USD in receipts)

Spain has seen phenomenal growth in its popularity as a tourist spot, with the Spanish Statistical Office reporting 5.2 million international tourists in December. This was an increase of 26.2% from the previous December and represented part of the total 18.7% increase for the entire year.

Where were visitors from? The United Kingdom sent the most tourists (907,752 million), followed by France (819,405 million) and Germany (561,521 million). All three countries had more tourists in 2023, with increases of 18% to 23% over 2022.

Spain is known for its lovely year-round weather, which may be why so many flock to its warm temps when other places turn cold. More visitors came in January than other months, and June was the least popular.

3. United States of America

66.48 million visitors ($175.9 USD in receipts)

While the U.S. is at number three on this list, the post-pandemic recovery it’s seeing lags a bit behind other countries. The U.S. Travel Association reports international travel volumes at 84% of 2019 levels, with a full recovery expected by 2025.

Visitors to the U.S. spend around $4,000 per visit and add $155 billion to the U.S. economy each year.

Of the countries that send the most tourists, many have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. These include the Caribbean and other countries in the Americas, as well as Europe. Visitors from China and Japan have been reluctant to return after COVID. Both send around half of the tourists they used to, leaving the U.S. economy with four million fewer shoppers to spend their vacation dollars.

4. Italy

57.25 million visitors ($55.9 billion USD in receipts)

Reuters reports that Italy broke records in 2023 with more international tourists visiting the country than domestic travelers. This hadn’t happened since the pandemic.

The influx of visitors created a boon for the hospitality industry, and Italy saw a 13.4% increase in hotel stays. The 134 million registered guests was an all-time high, with 10% more total nights booked in 2023 than in 2022.

However, all the buzz about Italy caused the country to rethink its hottest tourist spots, even limiting the number of hours vacationers could visit and charging for the most popular sites. Venice, for example, has instituted a fee system to move about the city during peak hours; Capri, Linosa, and other locales created an outright ban on cars for everyone but the locals.

5. Turkey

55.16 million visitors ($49.5 billion USD in receipts)

Turkey is known for its amazing scenery and year-round popularity, and over 550 of the country’s beaches were awarded blue flag status in 2023. The voluntary award recognizes beaches and marinas based on several “environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility” standards.

Its geographic location helps it attract tourists from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Of all the places people come to see, Istanbul tops the list. In fact, the city was ranked as the most visited city in the world in 2023.

Each visitor spends around $952 per trip to Turkey, a 27% increase over 2019 (the last year tracked at pre-pandemic levels).

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming Features Star-Studded Lineup with Dbanj Gandoki, Akpororo, Taooma, Seriki Dariya, others

Published

on

Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming Features Star-Studded Lineup with Dbanj Gandoki, Akpororo, Taooma, Seriki Dariya, others

 

Legendary comedian Gbenga Adeyinka is set to host the much-anticipated third edition of his comedy show, Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming on November 17, 2024. The event will take place at the prestigious Balmoral Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos, promising an unforgettable night of laughter and entertainment.

The lineup features a mix of iconic comedians and musicians, including Omobaba No.1, Gandoki, Dr. Smile, Bash, Queen Salawa Abeni, Reminisce, and a host of surprise acts, with D’Banj headlining the show.

Gbenga Adeyinka remarked, “Laffmattazz: Lagos 3rd Coming will be the biggest comedy show of the year! We’ve curated an incredible roster of iconic headliners, and I’m excited to bring this level of entertainment to Lagos.”

Laffmattazz has cemented its place as a leading comedy brand, showcasing Nigeria’s finest comedic talent. This year’s event is poised to outdo its predecessors, featuring performances from Akpororo, Forever, Seriki Dariya, Princephelar, Dee One, Taooma, Baba Alariya, Madiba of Comedy, ATM, and more.

The night will also include musical performances by Tee Famous, The Countryman, Dami Cruz, and others, with DJ Wiki spinning on the decks.

Event Details:
– Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024
– Time: Red Carpet (3:00 PM), Show Start (5:00 PM)
– Venue: Balmoral Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos

Ticket Information:
– Regular: ₦7,000
– VIP: ₦20,000
– Table of 8 Gold: ₦1.5 million
– Table of 8 Platinum: ₦3 million

Purchase Tickets at:
1. Ile Iyan by PODs, GRA Ikeja
2. Ofada Boy, Surulere
3. Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Lekki

Online Tickets Available at:
1. Ariiyatickets.com
2. Grandtickets.ng
3. Laffmattazz.ng

For ticket purchases, sponsorships, inquiries, and collaboration opportunities, please contact: (+234) 08156111111.

Brought to you by: Maltina, Goldberg, Ace Roots, Goldberg Black
Supported by: Parralex Bank, Enclave Green Homes, FIRS, Lagos State Government
Media Partners: African Magic, Royal Roots Cinema, Hip TV, Views Channel, Vybz FM, Ibrand TV, Rapid Broadcasting Network, City FM, Jordan FM, Rainbow FM, Mainland FM, Boom Radio, TVC, Kennis FM, Beat FM
Outdoor Partners: Nimbus Media, FPL Media, Folham, Media Crush, Elev8 Media

Stay updated by following Laffmattazz on social media @laffmattazz_ga1st for the latest news and behind-the-scenes content.

Don’t miss this epic comedy event! Secure your tickets now and join the conversation online using #LaffmattazzLagos3rdComing #GbengaAdeyinka.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

We Must Build A Virile Legislature For The Future, Speaker Obasa Says

Published

on

We Must Build A Virile Legislature For The Future, Speaker Obasa Says

 

 

Speaker Mudashiru Obasa of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Sunday, counselled members of the House to strengthen the legislative arm of government ahead of the future.

Dr. Obasa gave the advice in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the opening of a three-day budget retreat for lawmakers and staff of the House with the theme: ‘Optimising the legislature’s power of the Purse’ for effective service delivery in Lagos State’.

The Speaker challenged the lawmakers to be committed in their legislative duties as they must leave lasting legacies for the future, strengthen governance, responsibility and accountability.

He charged the lawmakers on improved and effective legislative oversight functions being one of the responsibilities of the legislature.

“What we do now is really not about us; it is for the totality of the system.

“I appreciate this budget retreat. Each one of us must be responsible in carrying out the assignments we are tasked with. This is very essential.

“We carry out budget scrutiny based on what is presented by the executive. Once we give a go-ahead, it means the executive must comply and treat it accordingly because it has become a law.

“Going forward, all the reports of each committee must be presented at the floor of the House. This will help us decide on how to act for the sake of transparency and accountability,” the Speaker said.

He advised the lawmakers against docility in the task of ensuring that Lagos continues to weather economic storms.

“We all have roles to play and, in doing that, sentiments and self-benefits must be removed. The day you start with self-benefit, you have become a failure.

“If you do your job the way you should do it, you will earn your respect and will be held in high esteem by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“We are here today again to look at how we can improve on the laws we make at the House of Assembly as well as our oversight functions.

‘Let’s continue to be dedicated and loyal and I am sure we will get there. Let’s always straighten the path for Lagosians and those coming behind us,” he urged.

In his opening remark, the Clerk and Head of Service of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, described the retreat as an avenue to have insights into the state’s budget.

While commending the Speaker, he urged the participants to “be attentive and take home fresh ideas and knowledge.”

 

We Must Build A Virile Legislature For The Future, Speaker Obasa Says

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending