Photo Caption: From left: Head of corporate marketing &key accounts Folorunsho Alaran, Chief Operating Officer, West Africa (Pharma) Business Operations, Shalina Healthcare, Arun Raj, overall winner of the Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA), Abiona Damilola Peace of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Dr. Ezekiel Akinkunmi, National Chairman, Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA) and Prof. Sunday Idowu Dean Falculty of pharmacy University of Ibadan at the Grand Finale and Presentation of Prizes of Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA) Season 4 in Lagos on Tuesday.
A good number of stakeholders in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry has commended a leading pharmaceutical company, Shalina Healthcare for its efforts in promoting the development of pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
These came in Lagos on Tuesday at the Grand Finale of the fourth edition of Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA), a national level competition for final year pharmacy students in the Nigerian universities. A value adding initiative by Shalina Healthcare.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman, Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA), Dr. Ezekiel Akinkunmi commended the pharmaceutical company for yet another effort in ensuring a genuine development of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria. According to him “Shalina has again raised the bar in intellectual contribution to the development of the industry in Nigeria. And this idea of promoting the best brains among the pharmacy students in the Nigerian universities deserve the commendation and support of every stakeholder.”
In this same regard, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Professor Aderonke Adepoju-Bello hailed the pharmaceutical company for the impact it is making in uplifting the knowledge of the students as well as the pharmacists in general saying “the company has done very well, it has brought unprecedented knowledge-based development by going to the universities to discover young talents in the industry. They brought something new to the students, and the students were excited. It is my hope that they won’t relent and sustain this great initiative. And go further to expand it.”
Meanwhile, in his welcome speech, the Chief Operating Officer, West Africa (Pharma) Business Operations, Shalina Healthcare, Arun Raj said the initiative is centered on “rewarding young talents in pharmacy practice in an usual way. It is the biggest hunt for the best pharmacy brain in the Nigerian universities. We are standing on our founding principles – giving quality products at affordable prices and going beyond business to drive our purpose of making access to quality healthcare a right for every African so they can lead healthy productive lives. This is by ensuring that we are doing something different to make impact in the society, especially in the lives of our teeming consumers.”
The competition which is for the final year pharmacy students in the Nigerian universities. The grand finale featured zonal winners from seven Nigerian universities of University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, University of Lagos, University of Jos, University of Uyo, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
At the end of the day, after five rounds of contest which include, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Rapid Fire, Debate, Case Study and Viva, Abiona Damilola Peace of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan emerged the overall winner after pooling 90.29 points and won a cash prize of three hundred thousand naira while Ogunmekan Temitope of University of Lagos with 73.9 points and Adebimpe Ebunoluwa of University of Ibadan with 72.64 points emerged first and second runner-up and won two hundred thousand naira and one hundred thousand naira respectively. More so, in addition to this Arun Raj, Chief Operating Officer, West Africa (Pharma) Business Operations, Shalina Healthcare promised that all the fourteen participants at the Grand Finale will be absorbed into the company after graduation if they so wish.
Dr. Abigail Adesina Olagbaye, CEO Desigo Tourism Development and Facility Management Company Ltd and founder, Sayari Dunia Sustainable Tourism Foundation, a seasoned tourism practitioner with 23 years of experience (out of which 21 years have been in Tourism), has announced her candidacy for President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), the oldest and premier tourism trade Association in Nigeria.
With a proven track record of driving innovation and sustainable growth, Dr. Olagbaye is poised to transform Nigeria’s tourism landscape.
” Her vision is to re-position ATPN as the leading voice for Nigeria’s tourism development,” Dr. Olagbaye stated. “I’m committed to empowering our members with the training, resources, and networking opportunities they need to excel in their careers and elevate industry standards.”
Dr. Olagbaye’s campaign focuses on five key objectives:
– Strengthening Industry Partnerships: Fostering collaborations and alliances that drive growth and development.
– Capacity Building: Providing training, resources and opportunities to enhance professionalism.
– Advocacy: Amplifying the voice of tourism practitioners in Nigeria and beyond.
– Tourism Promotion: Showcasing Nigeria’s hidden gems both domestically and internationally.
– Improved Member Benefits: Enhancing the overall experience for ATPN members.
Additional initiatives to consider include:
– Faith-based International Conference Tourism: Tapping into the MICE potential of faith-based tourism.
– Medical Tourism: Promoting Nigeria as a hub for medical excellence.
– Sports Tourism: Leveraging sports to drive tourism growth.
– Language Training: Enhancing language skills to improve tourist experiences.
– Youth Tourism: creating opportunities for youths to be actively engaged in Tourism leveraging their potentials, talents and energies and enabling them to benefit from the socio-economic opportunities that tourism offers.
– Agro Tourism: Develop agro-tourism as a sub-sector of Tourism through partnerships and collaboration with the ministry of agriculture to ensure regulatory support, international organisations for cross pollination of ideas and knowledge transfer and capacity building, encourage our members to organise more farm stays, rural tours, food tourism events for more authentic experiences. Advocate for infrastructural development for rural roads and other amenities. Collaborate with locals for sustainability and inclusion.
To further enhance Nigeria’s tourism industry, Dr. Olagbaye plans to create robust social media platforms for the association. This will enable people at home and abroad to access tourism companies in Nigeria with international standard websites and social media focusing on major sites.Social media being an essential tool for promoting tourism.
As the pioneer of initiatives like Africa Tourism Climate Action Forum ATCAF and Africa Tourism Day, a nouveaux initiative in Africa which she started in 2020 in collaboration with the African Tourism Board, now in its 5th edition, Dr. Olagbaye has demonstrated her passion for sustainable tourism practices and her ability to drive meaningful change. “I invite fellow tourism practitioners to join me in transforming Nigeria’s tourism landscape,” she concluded.
In a move that underscores her commitment to excellence, Sade Balogun, the mastermind behind Redbrick Homes International Limited and Amen City Ltd, has introduced TIARA Estates and Amen Estate Phase 3, expanding the renowned Amen City in a big way!
Situated in the picturesque Ibeju-Lekki area, Amen City has become synonymous with luxury and elegance. The launch of TIARA and TIARA 2.0 by Amen City Ltd soon after Amen Estate Phase 3 is set to elevate this community to new heights.
With its refined homes and superior amenities, the TIARA series embodies royalty and opulence. Amen Phase 3 enhances the living experience with modern architecture and top-tier facilities.
A nearby hospital at Amen Estate Phase 2 offers swift healthcare access, contributing to residents’ peace of mind. This proximity to medical facilities is especially important in emergencies, ensuring that help is always close by.
A large supermarket within the estate provides convenience for everyday shopping, eliminating the need for long trips to distant markets. The presence of excellent schools nearby ensures quality education for children, making it an ideal location for families. The coastal road that reduces travel time to Victoria Island to under 40 minutes makes Amen City a practical choice for professionals who need to commute to the city.
The estate 24-hour light supply from a dedicated turbine engine ensures uninterrupted power, which is a significant benefit for those seeking reliable energy solutions.
Sade Balogun’s innovative vision has transformed Amen City into a model of luxury living and community development. This expansion marks another milestone in her illustrious career, reinforcing Amen City’s status as a premier investment destination. With her ability to foresee market trends and deliver projects that exceed expectations, Sade Balogun continues to set new standards in Nigerian real estate.
In a world where the bonds of love and faith should transcend earthly judgments, Alhaja Enitanwa Muibat Lanre Shittu finds herself battling not only for justice but for the affirmation of her dignity and place within her late husband’s legacy.
Alhaja Enitanwa, the widow of renowned business mogul Lanre Shittu, faces an overwhelming injustice as she appeals a ruling by the Ifako Ijaiye Customary Court. This court dismissed her case by claiming it lacked the jurisdiction to do so.
This judgment, for Alhaja Enitanwa, represents a painful contradiction. The Ifako Ijaiye Customary Court had been specially designated to hear cases rooted in Islamic law—a foundation of faith and tradition that defined her marriage to her beloved husband. How, then, can this same court deny its duty to preside over the case she brings forward, a case so deeply tied to her faith and rightful place within her family?
At the heart of her appeal is a plea for recognition, not only for herself but for every Muslim woman whose rights are meant to be upheld by the legal protections guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution. Her counsel, Barrister Kayode Ademiluyi, stresses that this Constitution embraces Sharia law as a personal and protected path for Muslims, enshrining the rights of individuals like Alhaja Enitanwa to have their marital bonds honored by the law.
The Customary Court Law of Lagos State further cements these rights. By law, designated courts are empowered to adjudicate in matters of Islamic law—marriage, divorce, and family bonds. Yet, for reasons unknown, the Ifako Ijaiye Customary Court has chosen to ignore this mandate, casting aside the deeply personal matter Alhaja Enitanwa brought to its doors.
She seeks more than validation; she seeks justice. For Alhaja Enitanwa, this appeal is an urgent call for the court to correct a decision that, in its oversight, has left her in limbo, questioning the very foundations of her marriage and her place within a family she holds dear.
Her appeal will journey through the Customary Court of Appeal, a court of immense authority, with the power to oversee customary law matters. Here, the court will have the solemn duty to interpret her case in the spirit of fairness, upholding the principles of religious and personal freedoms granted under Nigerian law. Alhaja Enitanwa’s case is not just about her suffering but about restoring the dignity of every Muslim woman who looks to the law to honour her faith and protect her rights.
Let us remember that at the heart of this case lies a woman—a mother, a widow—whose only desire is to protect the bond she shared with her late husband and to honour the life they built together under Islamic law. Alhaja Enitanwa’s struggle resonates far beyond her plight; it is a struggle for justice, for the rights of Muslim women, and for the values enshrined in the law.