Showbiz impresario, Charlyboy, popularly known as AreaFada, has expressed disappointment at Nigerian singer, Tiwa Savage and her husband, Teebillz, for making public their marriage crisis.
Charlyboy, in his reaction to the marriage feud between the couple, said that he was disappointed at the duo for airing their marriage issues to the public.
He said that there was nothing wrong in the couple handling their marriage problems differently.
He wrote on his Instagram account: ‘TeeBillz and Tiwa Savage una fall my hand no be small.
“I must confess that my heart breaks a little each time I hear/read about celebrities who self destruct because they couldn’t handle fame or the ones whose marriages are falling apart, because they don’t know how to hold it down.
“It’s sad, especially if they are amongst stars that I admire and love.
“Commenting on people’s private lives is a no go area for me, but when celebrities wash their dirty linen in public, I owe my reading fans to comment on trending news and issues.
“Una no know say MUTUAL RESPECT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE for marriage, why yeye una self for public like this.
“Una no know say competition na for business no be for marriage? What’s the bullshit?
“Haba, una no just try.
“I know that artiste/celebrities are more fragile than normal people. However, they must understand that they are role models to millions of people, so no matter how deep you are hurting, you need to always come out strong.
“Celebs must understand that their private life is their private life and they must keep it to themselves. It will earn them more respect that way.
“I know that people stay married because they want to not because the door is locked.
“Biko keep your shit to yourselves, keep private private.
“No marriage can escape bad weather even my own, I dey sometimes see Oba for the matter but like I say, “marriage is not about being compatible but how couples deal with their incompatibility. Make I no hear una problems for loudspeakers again, joor.
“Area Fada don talk him own,” the 64-year-old son of late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa stated. (Daily Star).
The estranged husband of sensational singer had called her out on the social media, accusing her of infidelity, alongside other shocking allegations.
In less than 48 hours, the singer had revealed disturbing truths about her husband in an interview on Pulse Tv which went viral and got people commenting. [myad]
Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), has announced the discovery of the “spiritual” book with which members of Boko Haram have been deceiving Nigerians to join the group.
The Commandant of the Corps in Borno, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, said that the book the book, written in Arabic, was discovered during an operation by the corps officials at an abandoned house in Dikwa Local Government Area of the state.
“It is sad that many innocent souls had been dragged into submitting to Boko Haram through spiritual indoctrination.The book, named ‘Guduma’, was used by the insurgents as a powerful charm to indoctrinate followers into submitting to the dictates of leaders of the sect.
“Our findings revealed that the book was also used in deceiving victims and members of the sect into believing that it could make them invisible and also offer protection against bullet shots and bombs.
“The spiritual book was abandoned by ‘Boko Haram’ after the takeover of Dikwa from the insurgents, two years ago.” [myad]
We in Greenbarge Reporters heartily welcome President Muhammadu Buhari from his, all added together, 14-day break from the hassles of running the difficult affairs of a country like Nigeria with diversity in all its ramifications. The President left the shores of Nigeria for London, the United Kingdom on Monday, June 6, 2016, initially for 10-day break, during which time he was advised to see an ear expert for his ear infection. As a born-again democrat who has learnt fast the tenets of democracy, one of which is openness, he made his health status public before he took off. And like in democracy, such disclosure became the major topic of discussion or even controversy while it lasted. What has become clear from the scenario that played out over President Buhari’s 14-Day leave and his health matter is the issue of transparency, which did not happen in the previous regimes, safe for the period of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. This was what many people took for granted. As a matter of fact, the previous Presidents had, one way or the other, gone on break like the one Buhari just undertook, but never made it public. Worst of all, some of them had even gone on more serious health related problems quietly without anybody knowing and therefore, never elicited public discourse as to the propriety of such move. Indeed, one or two of the past Presidents had even gone out of the country on birthday, and therefore dinning and drinking jamborees without anyone raising an eyebrow because it was not made public. Of course, if President Buhari had quietly gone on his 10-day leave and or not disclosing what he would be doing while on such leave, no one would have known anything about it. Or, every other thing that would be said about it would have been speculative, yet Nigerians took his transparency as part of his weakness.
[quote]if President Buhari had quietly gone on his 10-day leave and or not disclosing what he would be doing while on such leave, no one would have known anything about it. Or, every other thing that would be said about it would have been speculative, yet Nigerians took his transparency as part of his weakness.[/quote]
As we said earlier, this happens to be a country where everybody claims to be right even though most of them are liars; this is a country where one issue is seen and interpreted in thousand ways by thousand people and each person claiming to be right. This is the country where jobless people, for lack of anything to do, would lock themselves in the confine of their rooms to send hate-messages and blatant lies clothed in make-belief facts across the internet to the whole world about what they know not about the President, simply because they do not like his face. This is a country with upcoming youths unfortunately imbibing the culture of materialism and steel minds to kill or maim anyone standing on their way to attaining such materials, mostly in crooked way. Therefore, this is a country where different ethnic and tribal groups in different regions and states see and discuss matter of national importance from the point of view of their ethnicity, tribe and even religions. This is the country that Buhari’s transparency, even about his health status, has generated suspicion, doubts, insinuations, hate-talks, pure lies told to elicit hatred and therefore create a picture of confusion. How transparent President Buhari and his handlers could have been other than disclosing the exact thing that happens, either about the country or about himself? [myad]
The governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose has cried out that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led Federal government has concluded plans to impeach him through the use of the economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Fayose, who spoke to news men on Sunday in Abuja, alleged that part of the plot to impeach him was to arrest his Chief of Staff and four members of the state House of Assembly, detain them indefinitely and force them to start impeachment process against him.
“I called you here to intimate the public through your various medium, the new clandestine plot by the President Mohammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government to destabilize the Ekiti State Government, using the instrumentality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“A few days ago, we got it on good authority that there was a meeting with some politicians from Ekiti State, including an Ekiti born Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and self-professed human rights activist by agents of the Federal government, with the agenda solely, on how to bring down my administration as the governor of the state.
“Activities of these elements that are obviously afraid of facing another electoral defeat in 2018 are being coordinated through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal and the Attorney General of the Federation.
“Certain top functionaries of the Ekiti State government and some important members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, and some associates of mine, have now been penciled down for arrest and indefinite detention by the EFCC under the guise of investigating the funds spent by the PDP on the June 21, 2014 governorship election and the Presidential election.
“The game plan is to make those to be arrested get detained indefinitely, forced them to make statements incriminating me, while at the same time feeding the public with orchestrated fake reports, using their usual media organs.
“This is coming after their failure to use the Department of State Services (DSS) to coerced members of the State House of Assembly to buy into the impeachment plot against me with a view to silencing me being a major voice of the opposition.
“The plot to arrest and detain indefinitely my Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo and four honourable members of the state House of Assembly for treason.
“To achieve this sinister plot against the government and people of Ekiti State, we have been informed that some of their trusted allies in the EFCC have been mobilised to move to Ekiti any moment from now.”
The governor wondered why the EFCC has not beamed it’s search light on petitions written against some former officials of the state government but are now occupying key positions in the Buhari administration. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Nigeria after spending 14 days in London, United Kingdom.
The presidential jet that conveyed the President landed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 5.33pm. Buhari exited his plane waving to ministers and army chiefs who came to greet him.
He was received by Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; members of the Federal Executive Council, top government officials, federal lawmakers and service chiefs among others.
On arrival, Buhari inspected a guard of honour mounted by men of the Guards Brigade.
With the elaborate airport ceremonies over, the President and some top aides left for the Presidential Villa.
The President flew to London on June 6 to see an ear, nose and throat specialist after two doctors in Nigeria recommended further evaluation “as a precaution,” his team said. [myad]
Presidency has described a private lawyer, Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha who declared that President Muhammadu Buhari had no school certificate and declared him guilty on the pages of newspapers as unethical.
A Presidential Media Aide, Malam Garba Shehu, while reacting to Nwokocha’s press interviews, in a statement, said: “it is unfair for a lawyer who is a litigant to a case in court to go out of his way to hijack the power of a Judge by declaring the President guilty of what he is accused of.” According to Malam ShehuL “newspaper pages are not alternative courts where a lawyer can declare anybody guilty of anything when the court has not formally given a definitive judgment on an issue before it.
“The two-page interview splashed on pages 56-57 of ThisDay edition of Saturday June 11th breaches a lawyer’s ethical code and we hope that the court and the Bar Association will take notice of this.”
The Presidential Media Aide said that any lawyer that sincerely believes in judicial process and the rights of other parties to a case would not have engaged in the inappropriate and unprofessional practice of trial by media, especially a situation where Nwokocha openly declared the President guilty when the court didn’t make that declaration.
Malam Garba Shehu noted: “gag orders emerged in the United States on account of lawyers’ inappropriate conduct on trying and convicting people on the pages of newspapers or the court of public opinion.
“Free speech is not synonymous with recklessness and wanton abuse of the rights other parties to a case in court.
“The litigant’s unabashed claim that he was a card-carrying member of the opposition PDP which lost power in the last election clearly indicates a scheme that seeks power by circumventing the democratic process of elections.
“If Nwokocha has not stopped his unfair and professionally inappropriate abuse of free speech, the President’s competent team of lawyers will seek the instrumentality of the law in dealing with his unethical actions.” He said “you cannot be a litigant and be a Judge at the same time.” [myad]
Head of Service of the Federation, Ms. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita has threatened government institutions that are indebted to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to the tune of N9 Billion to pay the debts or risk having a chunk of their overhead expenditure deducted from the first line charge to settle such debts.
Ms. Oyo-Ita who spoke when the Chairman, Ministerial Task Team on the recovery of N9 billion owed the AEPB, Baba Shehu Lawan led members of the Task Team to her office in Abuja, made it clear that MDAs have no business owing the AEPB as these expenses ought to have been fully catered for in their annual overhead budgetary expenditures.
She said that her office has similar understanding with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) or the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to deduct at first line charge all indebtedness by government institutions to the company.
She warned that her office had no option than to write the budget office to authorize this arrangement, should these MDAs fail to defray their indebtedness to the AEPB.
“We want to convey a very strong message to all the MDAs under the office of Head of Service, that is the Ministries and various Parastatals that if efforts are not made to clear these debts by the next overhead allocation, we will have no option than to ask the budget office to make deductions at first charge.”
“That is the arrangement we even have here with the PHCN or Abuja Electricity Distribution Company. We’ve given the budget office approval to deduct our bills and they are still doing it.”
The Head of Service said that a committee will be set up, comprising members from her office and FCT Administration to negotiate with the erring MDAs for the purpose of reconciliation and payment of these outstanding debts.
Earlier, the Chairman, Ministerial Task Team on the recovery of N9 billion owed the AEPB, Baba Shehu Lawan said the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, had constituted the Special Task Team when the Administration realized it was unable to offset its rising indebtedness to the companies which it had contracted to provide these services.
Lawan emphasized that due to the dwindling revenues of the FCTA, the Administration is finding it very difficult to settle these bills, which he said, amounted to more than N200 million per month.
“The level of indebtedness to the FCTA by federal government agencies exceeds N9 billion. We have organizations, the residents, the plazas, the commercial banks, the hospitals and so forth that are all indebted to the Administration. Because of this fact, this Special Task Team was constituted and given 8 weeks to recover such funds. We are now in our third week.”
The Chairman then appealed to the Head of Service to prevail on the MDAs to oblige and defray their balances within the shortest possible time to avoid discontinuation of solid and liquid waste disposal services.
“The FCT Administration is by no means willing to embarrass federal institutions either by dragging them to the mobile court or to discontinue the services of either solid or liquid waste.” [myad]
“I want the enemies to see our President shining, prospering and moving majestically in glory. The chances of his healing may be little but now with our prayers and faith, the chances of his coming out is high.”
These were the words of the Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria, AMEN, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, when he led his congregation to pray fervently for the healing of President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been away in UK on a 13-day break, during which time he had doctors looked at his ear infection.
Father Mbaka, in one of his Adoration programmes, said that with the prayer of the members of the congregation, the President would receive healing even as he attributed the trouble with the President to some people who were not happy that he is alive.
“Such people hate everything about the President”, he said, while narrating the vision which he saw before the President’s present trip to London.
According to him, in the vision, the President was critically sick and was being flown abroad for treatment.
“His health was in a bad shape and he was asking that (Fr Mbaka) should pray for him. None among the people I have called, picked my calls. “People think I speak with Buhari every day. When people climb into power, they are dazed. It is a long dream. Our job is to pray for him but there are things that he must do and there is no way to communicate it to him,”
He asked the congregation to stand up and lift their hands up as he began to pray for the health and healing of President Buhari.
The prayer went thus: “We call on Michael the arch angel, Uriel the archangel, Gabriel the archangel to carry you in their wings back to life. They angels are bringing you back in their wings. In Psalm 79:11 the Lord restores those who have already being appointed to die. Are you the one that has been appointed to die? God Himself will bring you back to life. Remember His word that when the thief comes to steal, kill you and destroy you, I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly. Have life now more abundantly in Jesus name Amen.
“We pray for our President and anyone that is suffering such a dangerous disease. We lift our healing hands for divine healing upon our president. Wherever he is, may he be healed in Jesus name Amen.
“The doctors in Nigeria are nursing fear that he may not survive but we have a healing God. His name is specialist in impossibilities. In Mathew 19:26, He can make the impossible, possible. In Mark 10:27 He can make the impossible, possible. In Luke 1:37, He can make the impossible, possible. In Jeremiah 32:17, He can make the impossible, possible. In Job 42:2, He can do all things and no purpose of His can be thwarted. Hallelujah.
“We stretch our hands of healing upon our President and you that may be sick here. I take you as somebody who is as if to say he is dead already. Have they said that you are dead and there is nothing that can be done in your situation? Have your kidney died? Have your liver died? Have your heart or any organ of your body been confirmed dead? Look at what happened in John 11:39. When Jesus asked them to open the tomb of Lazarus, they told him that by now he must be smelling for he was dead for about four days now. After all this, I heard Jesus talking in verse 43 telling Lazarus to come out. Let that thing that is dead come back to life in Jesus name Amen. Let your dead vision come back to life. Let your dead destiny come back to life. Let your dead passion come back to life in Jesus name Amen.”
“The spiritual energy with which we make this prayer is enormous that it shall do this for us. If you are ready for testimony, my God is ready with miracles.”
President Buhari is expected back in Nigeria today, Sunday and will resume duty tomorrow, Monday, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. [myad]
There has been no shortage of controversy and hair-raising incidents from the 8th National Assembly of Nigeria, but nothing breaks the heart more than the name-them-shame-them letter that has been sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the US Ambassador in which he accused three Nigerian lawmakers of sexual misconduct during an April 7-13, 2016 participation in the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP).
The three lawmakers are Mohammed Garba Gololo (APC, Bauchi), Samuel Ikon (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and Mark Terseer Gbillah (APC, Benue). In his letter to the Speaker, James Entwistle says Gbillah and Ikon “allegedly requested hotel parking attendants to assist them to solicit prostitutes” while Gololo “allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex”. This was reported to the hotel management. The use of the word “grabbed” sounds quite deliberate in its Nigerian-ness.
Whoever threw that phrase in knows certainly well, that Nigerian lawmakers who spoke against a Gender Equality Bill, and who have done nothing to protect the Child Rights Act which pegs the age of marriage at 18, are most likely to abuse women and grab anything that their libido finds attractive. Of course as expected, the three indicted lawmakers have claimed that they are innocent, that nothing of such happened and that they have been denied the benefit of fair hearing. Mark Gbillah has written a windy protest letter, like a petition for a visa denied, in which he not only affirmed his innocence, but he is also alleging defamation and the threat of possible lawsuits. Gbillah is even asking for a video-tape proof! You’ve got swag hen, bros, the way you just dey halla…
But I will advise you and the two others to just drink cold water and chill, and as they say, calm down. Without any technical or express malice intended, the truth of this matter is that the US Embassy in Nigeria and the US Department of State have just thrown you and the two others under the trailer. Read Ambassador Entwistle’s letter again, the word “allegedly” is used but the letter suggests that the weight of the law of the United States could have been brought to bear upon the three of you right after the reports were made, but now, two clear months later, after investigations have been conducted and the US Government is convinced, the decision has now been taken to name and shame you, and punishment has been issued: your visas to the United States have been cancelled. The case against you is already closed.
Your threat that you will go to court amounts to nothing. It is your word against theirs. And it is not just the three of you the Americans are shaming, it is the rest of us, and so the shame is an embarrassment to Nigeria. If you guys don’t think so, please hire an intelligent person to decode the following excerpt: “The conduct described above left a very negative impression of Nigeria, casting a shadow on Nigeria’s National Assembly, the IVLP, and to the American hosts’ impression as a whole. Such conduct could affect some participants’ ability to travel to the United States in the future”. What? All of these insults -just because three male Nigerian lawmakers could not manage erectile functionality?
It seems to me that part of the problem with many of our public officers is that they enjoy free meals and free rides so much that they hardly pause to understand the implications. They jump at every invitation to dinner from foreign embassies without knowing what it means to go there and start blabbing. Every word gets recorded! They also don’t know what it means to accept a free ride to the home country of those embassies under whatever guise. Everything you do during the visit is monitored and every one around you, including the programme guides and the staff of the hosting hotel, has been specifically detailed to keep an eye on you. The IVLP is organized by the US Department of State through US embassies across the world. It is a “premier professional exchange programme.”
The American government funds it, and in its 75 years of existence, 200, 000 persons, mainly “current and emerging foreign leaders” from 190 countries have participated in it. The objective is to provide an opportunity for interaction and exchange of ideas with counterparts in the United States and to offer exposure to the workings of the American system and democracy. People don’t usually apply; they get invited. In its wisdom, the US Embassy in Nigeria chose ten lawmakers from Nigeria including Gololo, Ikon and Gbillah. These three gentlemen should go and take a second look at whatever documents they signed before they collected a free ticket, free accommodation and some dollars, to cover the cost of their stay in the US as guests of the American people. They should check the small print carefully. They may just discover a line about good conduct somewhere; and what the US Embassy in Nigeria has just issued is a report and a testimonial on a trip that was paid for by the American taxpayer! If so, can the Americans be blamed for protecting the integrity of the American woman, who paid the taxes that provided funds for the US trip by Gbillah, Ikon and Gololo? I am tempted to write something else on the in-context onomatopoeic suggestiveness of this last name but good conduct says No. Let me just ask then: should the US Congress fund a programme that allows foreign visitors to come and harass the unwilling American woman for sex or solicit for prostitutes?
I must say this though: it is not only Nigerian lawmakers who act sometimes as sexual predators, either at home or abroad. The United States also has a long list of lawmakers who attracted odium and sanction, because they could not keep their libidos in check. The only difference is that whereas in the United States, such predators when caught out are named and shamed, and they often show contrition, in Nigeria high social status is taken as a licence for sexual predation and that is why the indicted have been sounding so arrogant and defiant. When Nigerian public officials go on any trip, local or foreign, they usually make special arrangements for what is called “Man no be wood”. This is the euphemism for the money that is set aside by an individual for taking care of prostitutes, female companions, or accidental bedroom partners during such trips.
There are male public officials and even company executives who in fact swear that they will never sleep alone on a bed during any offshore trip. They will therefore either travel with what they call “a handbag” (this is the word for a mistress taken on a trip), or may be their wives who are knowingly introduced to others on the trip as Madam, but generally no trip is deemed successful without the accompaniment of a “cover cloth” (that’s another word for a woman whose task is to satisfy the sexual needs of a Nigerian travelling offshore). There are even more denigrating terms in the local languages. In Yoruba, such women are referred to as “agbesun” or “aso ibora”.
And of course, in many countries, female hotel attendants, particularly house-keepers are ready targets. Nigerian men are known in some countries to be quite generous, when paying for such special services. This instructively has nothing to do with religion. One of the guys in the present case, is said to be a devout Muslim (yet, he was allegedly soliciting for a prostitute), the other is said to be a practising Christian and an elder in the Apostolic Church of Nigeria (these religious labels hen?) and the third is described as a Christian (in this matter, there is obviously no religion!). What has also not been said is that some personal and special assistants to Nigerian big men attend to this same matter as part of their job definition. The sociology of misogyny, sex-solicitation and phallocentrism in Nigeria is quite an embarrassingly interesting subject.
The present scandal under review will not put an end to it, but the testimonial from the US Embassy is a cautionary note to all future Nigerian travellers to the US, especially public officials. Gbilla, Ikon and Gololo have had their visas to the United States cancelled. They may never again be given a visa to that country. And it may also be the case that other embassies in Nigeria would have taken note of their indictment by the US Embassy, and hence refuse them visas or opportunities such as the one they have just enjoyed and abused.
The leadership of the House of Representatives has reportedly set up a panel of inquiry. We expect in typical Nigerian fashion that the panel will stand by the three lawmakers, declare them to be honourable, guiltless gentlemen; the panel may also summon the American envoy and possibly interrogate him, but all of that will not change anything about the Americans’ decisions about a programme they organized and sponsored and whose terms and conditions the three indicted lawmakers agreed to. By the way, in the state of Ohio, US, where the lawmakers visited, sexual harassment, prostitution and solicitation are illegal. The allegations against the trio are akin to a breach of contract and trust and a shameful record.
The indicted lawmakers probably do not understand how serious this is. But I accuse the US Embassy in Nigeria of overstating its case and it is like this: All that talk about negative impression of Nigeria, and the National Assembly and the threat to future participants is too saccharine. It is unfair to label the rest of us in that manner. Many Nigerians have participated in the IVLP over the years and they behaved well. Even in this instance, out of 10 Nigerian participants, there has been no need to complain about the seven others. So, we should always name and shame the ones who fall short of standards and expectations but save us the stereotype, don’t jump from three to 200 million Nigerians and start tarring all of us with the same brush. The terms of participation in the IVLP should be between you and the individuals involved and not the House of Representatives or the rest of Nigeria. Gbillah, Ikon and Gololo do not represent me, just as they do not represent many readers of this comment. [myad]
Godwin Obaseki who until recently, served as the Chairman of the Edo State Government’s Economic and Strategy Team (EST), has emerged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the party’s primary election that was held last night in Benin City, capital of Edo state. The election ended in the wee hours of Sunday.
The result of the election was declared by the governorship primary election committee headed by Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina state. It was contested by 12 aspirants.
About 2,873 delegates from 192 wards of Edo state were accredited for the primary election. Obaseki scored a total of 1618 votes to emerge APC’s flag bearer over his closest rival, Pius Odubu who happens to be current deputy governor, having 471 votes.
Here is a breakdown of the results per candidate:
Agbarha Justina 3
Chris Ogiemwonyi 137
Oserheimen Osunbor 10
Godwin Obaseki 1,618
Kenneth Imansuangbon 247
Blessing Agbomhere 5
Charles Airhiavbere 11
Fredrick Amadasun 8
Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula 10
Austin Emuan 7
Peter Esele 8
Godwin Obaseki was born in Benin City, Nigeria to the famous and illustrious Obaseki family.
He had his early education in St. Matthews Anglican Primary School Benin City from where he proceeded to Eghosa Anglican Grammer School, Benin City for his secondary schoool eductaion. He attended the University of Ibadan where he obtained a BA in Classics.
Mr. Obaseki attended the Columbia University and Pace University in New York and has an MBA in Finance and International Business. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, Nigeria and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive Program.
He was nominated a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) by the World Economic Forum in 2001.
Godwin Obaseki began his career over 30 years ago and has established track records in Investment Banking, Asset Management, Securities Trading and the Public Sector both internationally and in Nigeria. He started out in 1983 with Capital Trust Brokers Limited Lagos as a stockbroker where he excelled and subsequently worked with International Merchant Bank (an affiliate of First Chicago Bank). In 1988 he joined AVC Funds Limited, Lagos where he served as a Project Manager and led the core team that set up two of the new generation banks which eventually reshaped the face of the banking industry in Nigeria. Between 1993 and 1995 he worked in New York as a principal of Equatorial Finance Co, a Financial Advisory firm with a focus on Africa and providing Structured Trade Finance for African related transactions through credit, financial advisory and risk insurance.
He Founded Afrinvest West Africa Limited (formerly Securities Transactions & Trust Company Limited (SecTrust)) in 1995 as the pioneer Managing Director. The firm has since grown to become a leading Investment Banking and Investment Management firm in Nigeria. In 1995 SecTrust was appointed the correspondent stockbroker for Nigeria by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). In 1996, SecTrust established the first derivative product, the Nigerian International Debt Fund (NIDF) on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which allowed Nigerians invest local savings in US Dollar instrument. This fund has outperformed projections on returns.
SecTrust pioneered and was local adviser on the first global offering by a Nigerian bank through the issuance of Global Depositary Shares (GDS) to raise UD$50 million from the international Capital market. Afrinvest has acted as advisers on some of the largest and most significant transactions in the Nigerian capital market since 2005.
Afrinvest is one of the most trusted advisory firms in the domestic corporate finance market, pioneering major innovations and providing leadership in the Nigerian Securities market. The Firm has advised on numerous landmark transactions including the first Eurobond Issue by a Sub-Saharan Africa Corporate (outside South Africa); the first ever simultaneous merger and tender offer transaction in Sub-Saharan Africa and the largest ever listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Afrinvest has been ranked as a major Investment Research firm which is at the forefront of playing instrumental roles in the introduction of new financing products such as Eurobonds and Global Depository Receipts to Nigerian Companies. Mr. Obaseki is presently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the firm which won the Best Asset Management Firm in Nigeria (2014) Award by the Wealth & Finance International Magazine Finance Awards.
Mr.Godwin Obaseki, was until his election as APC candidate, Chairman of the Edo State Government’s Economic and Strategy Team (EST), a position he has held since March 17, 2009 Pro bono publico.
Key achievements as chairman of the economic team of Edo state Government include: Documentation of State Economic Development framework through Sectors’ Strategic Planning which is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis; Introduction and enculturation of retreats as a platform to ensure all parties engagement not only in planning and executing state development initiatives but also in monitoring and evaluation of outcomes; N25 Billion Infrastructure Development Bond from the Nigerian Capital Market in 2010; $225 Million Concessionary rates Development Loan from the World Bank with the 1st Tranche of $75 Million already accessed; Successfully hosted Sector based Economic Summits and Policy Dialogue Series including the Power Round Table in 2010, 2011 Education Round Table and 2012 Agribusiness Round Table.
These summits have translated in measurable and desired outcomes including:
Azura-Edo IPP project with over $1 billion in FDI currently under development in Ihovbor, Uhunwode LGA
Education Reforms which have translated to significant improvement in Educational Infrastructure and student performance in WAEC and other Exams.
Following the 2012 Agribusiness Summit, the state has attracted investment in the Rubber Sub-sector for the development of the single largest Rubber Plantation project in Nigeria in Sokponba in Orhiomwon LGA under a privately developed and financed initiative;
A framework for Local Economic Empowerment through out-growers schemes is being finalised to attract funding into the development of key crops for which Edo State has natural endowment including Oil Palm, Rubber, Cassava, Cocoa, Rice and other grains
Other Committee activities in Edo State Government
Tax Assessment Review Committee for Edo State Internal Revenue Service (TARC) – Chairman
Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) – Chairman
Committee on the Implementation of the Law Establishing the Edo State University of Science and Technology, Uzaire – Secretary
Committee on Contributory Pension Scheme – Member
Edo SEEFOR/DPO Steering Committee – Member
Committee on the Report of the Audit of the Credentials of Teaching Staff in Public Schools in Edo State.
Land Use Charge Committee – Chairman
State Steering Committee on the European Union Assisted Niger-Delta Support programme (NDSP) Component 3 (Development of Edo State Water & Sanitation Policy and Law.
Professionally, Mr. Obaseki has served on the Presidential Committee on the Reform of the Nigerian Pension System. He also served on the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission Committee on the Re-activation of the Nigerian Bond Market and the review of the Investment and Securities Act. He served as a member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange Council between 2006 and 2009. He also serves on the board of some companies such as Dorman Long Engineering Limited, Pillar Oil Limited, Seric Impianti International Limited.
He was the founding secretary of a New York based US Africa Chamber of Commerce in 1992, which promoted US organisations doing business in Africa. He was a Director in Junior Achievement of Nigeria – the local affiliate of the worldwide Not for Profit organisation which trains students to appreciate market economy values. He also participates actively and serves as Trustee, in the Dr. Jackson Owen Obaseki Foundation, a family owned NGO which is involved in providing free educational and health services to the less privileged. He is a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and has participated actively in all elections since 2009 and was Chairman Fund Raising Committee for the Oshiomhole-Odubu re-election bid in 2012. [myad]
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