It is nothing for nothing that he is regarded as a great son of Nigeria and Africa for his philanthropy. His business acumen also stands him out in the continent. Days after clocking 63, Billionaire philanthropist, Abdulsamad Rabiu reached out to NDLEA with his ever-presence helping hands.

Through his Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) , the billionaire has donated 25 state-of-the-art operational vehicles to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to boost its operations across Nigeria.

The donation to the agency is drawn from the ASR Africa Security Sector Support Grant, which is a security intervention initiative targeted at providing critical support to the agency to boost this operational reach and capacity.

ASR Africa had announced the Security Sector Support grant to Nigeria’s Armed Forces and other security agencies as its support for security operations across the country. Beneficiaries of the grant include the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), The Nigerian Navy, The Nigerian Air Force, The Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Customs, Immigration, Department of Secret Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Correctional Service.

Presenting documents and keys of the vehicles to Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Dr. Ubon Udoh, Managing Director, ASR Africa stated that Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder and Chairman of BUA Group is very passionate about giving back to society and has created the initiative to uplift and restore the dignity and lives of Africans.

Dr. Ubon thanked the NDLEA leadership for its support in ensuring the speedy realization of the project and noted that the operational vehicles would assist the NDLEA in fulfillment of its mandate in the war against drug-related crimes in the country.

According to Dr. Ubon Udoh, “We are very pleased to be here. I want to start by appreciating you and your team for all the collaborations to make this day a reality. This is a testament to your tenacity and will to ensure this handover happens within a short time.



“I want to thank you all for the work you do. This agency has made a very giant stride under your leadership and this is a testament to the quality of your team. On behalf of Abdul Samad Rabiu, we are presenting your 25 operational vehicles to aid the work your do and I can assure you on his behalf that this is just the beginning of better things to come”.

On his part, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, appreciated the Chairman of ASR Africa for the support and redeeming the pledge. He also enumerated the numerous achievements of the agency and promised full utilization of the vehicles donated by ASR Africa.

BY EDU ABADE

In a bid to boost healthcare delivery to thousands of residents, the Lagos State Government has built and unveiled a new Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Ije-Ododo Community, Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), under the Ojo Council Area of the state.
The facility, which has been under construction since 2021 in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria Limited, was unveiled in the community in an opening ceremony attended by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, representatives of the state government, the state Primary Health Care Board, community leaders, as well as traditional rulers of Iba, Ije-Ododo and Ijagemo, among others.
In his welcome address, the governor, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Folashade Sherifat Jaji, said the opening of the health facility under the SSG’s One Community At A Time (OCAAT) initiative, formed part of activities to herald the inauguration of his second term in office on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Maintaining that the attention being paid to the healthcare sector was deliberate to ensure a healthier populace, he said the state government under his watch would deploy more resources to the health sector for easier access to health services, especially in underserved communities.
He enjoined members of the community to take full advantage of the health benefits that will be provided in the facility and charged them to take ownership and protect the assets and the facility at all times.
Speaking, Permanent Secretary, Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ibrahim Mustapha, commended First Bank of Nigeria Limited and the contractor for completing the project within the stipulated time frame, but also requested more assistance to make the facility functional by providing equipment and other necessary medical gadgets.

On his part, Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, who was represented by Mr. Seyi Oyefeso, expressed satisfaction at the successful completion of the project, adding that it was gratifying to know that no fewer than 10,000 residents of Ije-Ododo and neighbouring communities will have access to primary healthcare services in the facility.
He said as a responsible corporate social organisation, the bank’s intervention in the primary healthcare sector aligned with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approach anchored on citizenship, impact management, strategic education, as well as the health and welfare of the immediate and remote communities of Lagos State and other parts of the country.
In his words: “The completion and opening of the primary healthcare centre is to ensure that Ije-Ododo community will become healthier and wealthier since health is wealth.”

In his goodwill message, the Baale of Ije-Ododo, Dr. Abu Jelili Ododo, who spoke in company of the Oba of Iba and Baale of Ijagemo, applauded Governor Sanwo-Olu for the timely completion of the healthcare centre and appealed for the construction of the Ijegun-Ije-Ododo-Abule-Ado road to link the Badagry Expressway, adding that it was high time the Ije-Ododo Community was provided with a motorable road to ease the sufferings of residents.
Responding to the request for the road, Jaji assured that the Lagos State government under Sanwo-Olu was poised to build the road but that the project suffered some setback due to agitations by some members of the community over the location of the project, adding however, that as soon as the governor settles down for his second tenure, construction work will begin on the road.

Sterling bank plc, nigeria’s leading financial institution, has said it is committed to supporting the annual ake books and arts festival because it sees nigeria as part of a larger world and believes that nigeria’s ultimate competitiveness lies in its energy.
 
executive director at sterling, yemi odubiyi, who disclosed this over the weekend in a goodwill message at the opening of the 10th edition of the ake books and arts festival said nigeria can become a leader in the world and its creative people as part of its competitiveness.

odubiyi continued by saying that “nigeria enjoys a comparative advantage in the arts and culture domain, and sterling, being focused on promoting the development of human capital and improving national competitiveness, is thrilled to have been a part of the festival for the past six years and plans to continue to do so.”


also speaking, founder and director of ake books and arts festival, lola shoneyin said, “i’m often amused when people say they can’t believe how long we’ve been doing this. i believe it has been 10 years. it has been 10 years of bringing brainwaves to life, 10 years of learning, 10 years of celebrating the incredible work that so many of you have done and are still doing and 10 years of making lifelong friends.”
 
she said ‘homecoming’ was chosen as the theme of this year’s festival because, “we were going back to abeokuta where it all began, and it was time to reconnect with our ancestral roots. the main reason ‘homecoming’ was so perfect is that we couldn’t wait to have you back at ake after the covid-19 pandemic”.
 
she said, after two years of lockdown and online festivals, the festival is back again as participants can mingle, catch up on news and strengthen their friendships. adding that this moment, this feeling, is what has kept them going.
 
the founder said the priority has always been to ensure that guests feel at home since the very first edition of the ake festival. consequently, during this year’s edition of ake review, guests were asked to express what home means to them, and the common responses were: a place of love; friendship and a sense of belonging, she said.
 
shoneyin thanked the winner of the 2021 nobel prize for literature, professor abdulrazaq gurnah and his wife, professor denise gurnah for honoring the invitation to attend the festival in person. she also thanked the headliner of this year’s festival, professor veronique tadjo, for finding time to be a part of the festival.
 
other highlights of this year’s festival include the hosting of directors of the global association of literary festivals while many of the panel sessions explored different aspects of the theme.
 
some of the sessions focused on why home exerts a pull on us, stirs our creative impulses, influences our creative expressions, evokes profound sentiments, and shapes our perception of the outside world.
 
others explored the impact of conflict, capitalism, and climate disasters as well as what it means to be displaced, to live away from home and, of course, to return. the festival also featured book discussions on the idea of a home and how for some people, the home might not be a place of safety, but a place of violence, among others.oy the t