Featured

My Suicide Attempt in London

Published

1 month ago

March 23, 2024

Eric

By Mike Awoyinfa

My brother and friend Chief Dele Momodu, in an impromptu speech on Instagram and Facebook, uplifted a distraught lady whose world came crashing after she was denied a visa to Canada. Listening to Momodu’s homily, I was impressed enough to use it here as a piece of evangelism, as a motivational, newsworthy, mentorship speech for all our Japa-conscious youths in search of a better life abroad:
***

Being denied a Canadian visa is sad but it is not the end of the world. Every disappointment has taught me that there is a blessing if you look deeper. Don’t even lose faith. Just hold on to your God. Go to church tomorrow and dance more than ever. All shall be well. Trust me, trust me.

I wanted to be a teacher as a young man. I applied everywhere after my Master’s degree in 1988, and I got denied. I wanted to be a lawyer. I applied for law at the University of Ife. I got denied. My mum broke into tears. She thought the reason I was being denied everything was because I have a first degree in Yoruba. Everything I tried failed. At a time, I was the only jobless person in our house. Everybody would go to work in the morning and I would be the only one lying down on my mattress in our Boys’ Quarters. And my brother would enter, look at me, shake his head and slam the door. He would say: “It’s good to be jobless.”

And at a time, I thought maybe witches and wizards were after me. But I didn’t know God was preparing me for a life of a journalist. I never planned to be a journalist. I never went to journalism school. When I came to Lagos, I applied to work at The Guardian newspaper, I was rejected. I have been rejected in my life so many times. I failed School Cert, I wrote School Cert three times: 1976, 1977, 1978. I did university exams three times. So we became the first set of Jambites in 1978. Three times I failed. I am telling you the story of my life. I lost my father at the age of thirteen – I was thirteen when my father died in 1973. And I was left with a poor illiterate mother. Looking at you, you are not even a village girl. I was a village boy. So, I am begging you in the name of God, don’t think that Canada is the only place you can make it in life. People are making it in Nigeria. Aliko Dangote is not in Canada. He is in Nigeria. Mike Adenuga is in Nigeria. Abdul Samad Rabiu is in Nigeria. Femi Otedola is in Nigeria. We all went to school at different times in Nigeria. And we are doing our work.

I can live anywhere I want to live today. But I am living in Nigeria. Trust me. We will make it. When you make it and you have money, no country will dare reject you for visa. In fact, they would be begging you. The Ambassador would come and visit you at home.

I am prophesying into your life today. So, trust me. For every disappointment, there is a blessing somewhere. I told you I was rejected by The Guardian newspaper. And then, my friend suggested I should go to Concord and try my luck. But I said “No, I don’t like Concord. I hear MKO Abiola is a fanatic, is this, is that. Fela sang against him.” You see, that is why you should not hold any bias against anybody. You won’t believe what happened. I didn’t know Concord was where my life was going to turn around. MKO Abiola later became my adopted father. This is a man when I was going there, people were discouraging me, saying “Don’t go there, it’s a bad place, he is a bad man.” Look, the experience of my life has shown that there is God. Yes, as a human being, you will feel pain when you are rejected once in a while. But I am telling you, I am a good example and testimony to the greatness of God, to the awesomeness of God, that when it is God’s time, all these visas you are talking about would all be yours.

When I started Ovation magazine, at a point, I got totally broke. And I was ready to kill myself. So, don’t think that it’s an easy story or easy journey. I was ready to die. And then, I entered my car in London, I was driving, I didn’t know where I was going. I was telling God: “Just take me away. This shame will be too much. I have failed.”

From my experience, what makes people disappointed sometimes is the shame of failing. There is nothing wrong with failing. When you fail, you rise up again. And God will lead you to your destination. I was ready to die. And then, my godfather called. My phone rang. Chief Alex Duduyemi was on the line. Someone had told him that the way they are watching me, I would go and injure myself. And he called. And I reluctantly picked the call. He said: “Dele, where are you?” And I replied: “I don’t know, Daddy.”

“Why won’t you know where you are?”

“I just don’t know, Sir. I am just in the car driving.”

“Please, don’t injure yourself. Turn back wherever you are. Turn back and come to my office.”

And I went to his office and he lectured me that day. He told me: “What is not enough today would become so plenty it would be overflowing tomorrow.”

And that is what I am prophesying into your life. I don’t know why I am doing this today. I have not done this on Instagram in a long time: chatting with people and bringing them on my programme. So maybe God wanted me to speak to you. I left my food just to be able to talk to you, to encourage you and to tell you that don’t let the devil make you unhappy. The job of the devil is to make you unhappy. Don’t let anything in this life make you unhappy. Going to America or Canada or wherever, it’s not the end of the world. There is so much you can do. Even the money you are going to spend to buy a ticket to Canada would probably cost you three to four million naira. Trust me, and I am not just making mouth, three or four million naira will take you far in Nigeria today. You can set up a business that would turn you into a billionaire in Nigeria today, if you think of something original.

When we started Ovation, we didn’t have all the money we needed. We needed one hundred and fifty thousand pounds when we did our business plan. We were able to raise only twenty thousand pounds. And that twenty thousand pounds was what we sowed. Against all odds, we were just trying this and that. And we turned it into a multibillion naira business. So in life, I am telling you, nothing is impossible, if you don’t give up. Only if you give up. So, that money for your ticket, if you already have it in a bank, keep it very well. And go and tell experts what your passion is. If it is food, if it is cooking, if it is trading, whatever it is, they would do a business plan for you and with that four million naira, you will become a billionaire by the grace of Almighty God. God doesn’t want you to go and burn money, maybe to go and be washing plates or whatever. It doesn’t mean you won’t get a better job abroad but I am telling you, maybe God has a better plan for you. So don’t close your eyes, don’t close your heart, don’t close you mind to what God wants to do for you. God will be with you.

Featured

I’ll Continue to Take Difficult Decisions Tough times Notwithstanding – Tinubu

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Eric

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, told the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at The Hague that his administration is committed to taking difficult decisions for the benefit of the Nigerian people, despite the short-term challenges.

Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria has weathered the worst of storms and that his administration’s actions are guided by a long-term vision for the country’s prosperity.

The president highlighted the vast trade opportunities between Nigeria and the Netherlands, spanning multiple sectors. He also underscored his government’s efforts to enhance the investment climate through ongoing reforms.

Notably, Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s potential to drive the global clean energy transition with its high-grade lithium deposits, positioning the country as a key player in Europe’s energy future.

Tinubu stressed the importance of balanced and mutually beneficial partnerships, particularly in solid minerals, to create value-added opportunities.

He expressed confidence in the Nigerian people, citing their resilience and determination.

This confidence, he said, empowers him to make tough decisions on their behalf, knowing that these choices will provide Nigerians with the tools they need to succeed in the long term.

The president stated: “I am a determined leader of my people. I have and will continue to take the difficult decisions that will benefit our people, even if there is short-term pain.

“We have gone through the worst of the storms. I am unafraid of the consequences once I know that my actions are in the best long-term interests of all Nigerians.

“Taking a holistic view of the world order, there is a tremendous opportunity between us across trade spheres, but especially in solid minerals, where we have high-grade lithium deposits that we know can power the clean energy future of the world.“There is excellent value-additive opportunity in Nigeria. The world knows us for oil. They will soon know us for greater innovative exploits in other areas.”

The meeting with Prime Minister Rutte at The Catshuis, the official residence in The Hague, underscores the strengthening of diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the Netherlands.

Tinubu’s remarks reaffirm his administration’s commitment to bold leadership and strategic decision-making, even in the face of challenges, to secure a brighter future for Nigeria.

Featured

Rivers: Wike’s Men Reject Reployment, Resign from Fubara’s Govt

Published

3 days ago

April 25, 2024

Eric

Two Rivers State commissioners have resigned their appointments shortly after they were redeployed in a cabinet reshuffle by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. They are the Attorney General and commissioners for Justice, and Finance; Zacchaeus Adangor and Isaac Kamalu respectively.

The duo were affected by a minor cabinet reshuffle made by the governor on April 23.

Kamalu and Adangor are loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the immediate former governor of Rivers and incumbent minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Last year, the commissioners resigned from their positions following the political feud between Wike and Fubara.

They were later reinstated after Wike and Fubara signed a peace accord facilitated by President Bola Tinubu.

While Adangor was moved to the ministry of special duties (governor’s office), Kamalu was moved to the ministry of employment generation and economic empowerment.

Kamalu’s resignation came hours after Zacchaeus Adangor, tendered his resignation.

In a letter addressed to Tammy Danagogo, secretary to the state government (SSG), Kamalu said the governor’s “inability to maintain peace” in the state was the reason he quit the cabinet.

The former commissioner said he could not give his best in an atmosphere of rancour.

“Your Excellency would recall that I served under the Administration of His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, GSSRS, POS (now Honorable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja) originally as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning (2015-2019) and subsequently as Commissioner for Finance with oversight responsibility for the Rivers State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (2019 – 2023),” the letter reads.

“The mandates of the respective Ministries were to the best of our abilities (as Ministries) duly carried out and at all times material relevant reforms were embarked upon for improved performance and effective and sustainable service delivery.

“Among several others, we successfully carried out the following; “Initiating and (supporting existing) policy frameworks for enhanced internal revenue generation.

“This with (necessary adjustments made on some of the programs) led to the increase in the internal revenue receipts. This steady rise has presently generated though not the figures erroneously claimed in the media.

“Aggressive improvement in Federation receipts by securing recovery by the state of oilfields that were also the subject of the successful claim against International Oll Companies (IOCs) on production sharing contracts; the recoveries arising from 13% derivation and the demand by the state for adherence to the fiscal provisions in the constitution in support of states by successfully removing from Federation receipts institutions of Government whether state or federal not so recognized by the constitution such as the Police Trust Fund and others thus widening the available receipts for States and the last but not the least our success on the subject of Value Added Tax.

“The reason behind these painstaking efforts was to make available a basket of receipts sufficient to enable the state to deliver good governance through the provision of goods and services.

“It was this idea that informed the continuity and consolidation mantra that was the theme of your election campaign and government thereafter.

“You will respectfully recall that when the climate of discord became unbearable I and other like-minded members of the Executive Council that were appointed by you resigned.

“You thereafter engaged His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as Father of the Nation to intervene in the matter.

“In deference to the directive of Mr. President, I and the others were recalled and we all accepted and joined the cabinet again. I expected Sir that with the opportunity provided by Mr.President, every effort will be made to sustain peace.

“Regrettably Your Excellency the peace in Government and governance that we all – citizens and residents of the state desire has remained out of reach despite our consistent efforts and demand for same.

“This has affected our ability to protect and defend the gains that we made these past years.

“In the course of official engagements, I have reiterated the need for this peace and the fact we all are willing and determined to work for this.

“It is very difficult to deliver good governance where there is acrimony and discord. It is not the point of service that is important but the climate. Our present circumstance makes service delivery extremely challenging. I still hold the belief that it is never too late for peace.

“In view of the above, I find it difficult to accept the redeployment. I do not accept it. I reject it and convey to you my immediate resignation as Commissioner and member of the Rivers State Executive Council with effect from the date of this letter.

“While praying that the Good Lord grants us Peace, I thank you for the opportunity and assure you the assurances of my esteemed regards.”

Featured

Tinubu Approves Credit Scheme Takeoff to Facilitate Purchase of Cars, Houses

Published

3 days ago

April 25, 2024

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has approved the takeoff of the first phase of the Consumer Credit Scheme to facilitate the purchase of houses and cars by working Nigerians.

In a statement on Wednesday, presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said the Consumer Credit Scheme will enhance the quality of life citizens by allowing them to “access goods and services upfront, paying responsibly over time”.

“It facilitates crucial purchases, such as homes, vehicles, education, and healthcare, essential for ongoing stability to pursue their aspirations,” the statement added.

“Through responsible repayment, individuals build credit histories, unlocking more opportunities for a better life. Additionally, the increased demand for goods and services stimulates local industry and job creation.

“The President believes every hardworking Nigerian should have access to social mobility, with consumer credit playing a pivotal role in achieving this vision.”

In line with the President’s directive to expand consumer credit access to Nigerians, the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) has launched a portal for Nigerians to express interest in receiving consumer credit.

“This initiative, in collaboration with financial institutions and cooperatives nationwide, aims to broaden consumer credit availability,” the statement noted, adding that working Nigerians interested in receiving consumer credit can visit CREDICORP’s website to express interest before the deadline date of May 15, 2024.

“The scheme will be rolled out in phases, starting with members of the civil service and cascading to members of the public.”

The CREDICORP’s objectives include: “(1) Strengthening Nigeria’s credit reporting systems, ensuring every economically active citizen has a dependable credit score. This score becomes personal equity they build, facilitating access to consumer credit.

“(2) Offering credit guarantees and wholesale lending to financial institutions dedicated to broadening consumer credit access today.

“(3) Promoting responsible consumer credit as a pathway to an improved quality of life, fostering a cultural shift towards growth and financial responsibility.”