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Philanthropists, Tony O. Elumelu, Bill Gates discuss the role of global philanthropy on business, politics and culture at Le Club de l’Economie hosted by Le Monde in Paris

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7 years ago

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Speaking at the Le Club de l’Economie in Paris France on Monday, Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman of UBA Plc and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, made a call to the French business community, global stakeholders and influential Africans in the development world to embrace ‘structured philanthropy’ in support of rising entrepreneurs with great potential, as a means to achieving sustainable development in Africa.

 

He made this call during a live interview conducted by Serge Michel, Editor-in-Chief at Le Monde Afrique, to an audience of high level political and business leaders, including the French Development Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of international organisations, such as the World Bank, and the IMF, as well as representatives of civil society and selected journalists. This is coming a few days before the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum, the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurs, scheduled to take place on October 28-29th in Lagos, Nigeria, to celebrate the 2016 cohort of Elumelu Entrepreneurs, selected from over 45,000 applicants in 54 African countries.

 

In what has become a formidable gathering featuring a series of talks on business and economic issues, this special edition of ‘Le Club de l’Economie’ was dedicated to the influence of global philanthropy on business, politics and culture, featuring the world’s most influential philanthropists, including the world’s richest man, Bill Gates. Prior to his participation at Le Monde, Mr. Elumelu paid a courtesy call to the French Development Agency (AFD), where he met with CEO Mr. Remy Rioux to discuss concrete ways in which AFD can be supported by local partners ahead of plans to increase its annual financing commitment to Africa. Mr. Elumelu was joined by Bill Gates, his co-panelist at the Le Monde Philanthropy Forum.

 

Elumelu explained the challenges in developing Africa. “The biggest obstacles to development in Africa are a lack of an enabling environment, infrastructure and access to electricity. Imagine a young entrepreneur having to provide power access for a growing business.”

 

He proffered solutions to some of the obstacles saying: “It is important that Africans increasingly embrace ‘structured giving’ because it helps us, assist worthy individuals who are not part of our families, or neighbourhoods, but who have great need and potential.”

 

Further expounding on the benefits of Africapitalism, Elumelu cited the achievements of the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme as a valid example of how Africans can solve their own problems via entrepreneurship and better governance.

 

“Better governance will solve our problems. We can’t afford to ignore entrepreneurship. We need to do both. We need government to realize that the success of entrepreneurs will lead to more success for government. Government can’t create all the employment opportunities needed in the economy. Only the private sector can do this. Government must create an enabling environment to allow businesses to thrive.”

 

Bill Gates also a panelist at the event buttressed this point during his session,

 

“States can no longer fund themselves their development, by giving back, we tap into the best part of ourselves. Everything significant we’ve done was through partnerships.”

 

Elumelu concluded by encouraging French investors to connect with local partners, while also calling on both the public and private sector to invest back into the continent by focusing on entrepreneurship.

 

Le Club de L’Economie is organised by leading French newspaper, Le Monde. Other participants at the event included Bill Gates, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Jean-Marc Ayrault, Minister of Foreign Affairs, France;

The Aga Khan, spiritual head of the Ismaili Muslim community and Remy Rioux, CEO of Agence Francaise de Development.

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EFCC: 58 Ex-Govs Embezzled N2.187 Trillion [Full List]

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9 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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According to the EFCC’s allegations, a significant number of former governors, totaling at least 58, have alleged to been involved in the misappropriation, embezzlement, or laundering of approximately N2.187 trillion over a span of 25 years.

This amount does not include properties seized worldwide or those currently being investigated, which amount to billions of Naira.

The amount of N2.2 trillion that was looted is similar to the combined budgets of Lagos State and the South-East states for 2024, totaling N2.25 trillion and N2.29 trillion respectively. This figure exceeds the budgets of the North-Central states and North-East states for 2024, which are N1.89 trillion and N1.60 trillion, by several billion.

The EFCC is currently investigating, probing, and prosecuting 58 ex-governors from various regions of the country. Since the restoration of civilian government on May 29, 1999, there have been at least 170 governors serving in the 36 states of Nigeria.

The 58 ex-governors who are currently or have previously faced investigations by EFCC, with alleged amounts in question, consist of:

late Abubakar Audu (N10.966 bn),

TA Orji and sons (N551 bn)

Yahaya Bello (N80.2 bn)

Chimaroke Nnamani (N5. 3 bn)

Sullivan Chime (N450 million)

Kayode Fayemi (N4bn)

Ayo Fayose (N6.9 bn)

Abdullahi Adamu (N15bn)

Danjuma Goje (N5bn)

Aliyu Wamakko (N15 bn)

Sule Lamido (N1.35 bn)

Joshua Dariye (N1. 16 bn)

Timipre Sylva (N19.2 bn)

Saminu Turaki (N36bn)

Bello Matawalle (N70 bn)

Lucky Igbinedion (N4. 5 bn)

Musa Kwakwanso (N10bn)

Peter Odili (N1000 bn)

Jolly Nyame (N1.64 bn)

James Ngilari (N167 m)

Abdulaziz Yari (N84 bn)

Godswill Akpabio (N100bn)

Abdul fatah Ahmed (N9 bn)

Ali Mode-Sheriff (N300bn)

Willie Obiano (N43 bn)

Ibrahim Dankwambo (N1. 3bn)

Darius Ishaku (N39bn)

Ramalan Yero (N700m)

Achike Udenwa (N350m)

Rochas Okoro ha (N10. 8bn)

James Ibori (N40 bn),

DSP Alamieyeseigha (N2.655bn)

Gabriel Suswam (N3. 111bn)

Samuel Orton (N107bn)

Murtala Nyako (N29bn)

Rashid Ladoja (4.7bn)

Christopher Alao-Akala (N11. 5 bn)

Abdulkadir Kure (N600m)

Babangida Aliyu (N4bn)

Abubakar Audu (N10bn)

Idris Wada (N500m)

Ibrahim Shekarau (N950m)

Adamu Aliero (N10bn)

Usman Dakingari and wife (N5. 8bn)

Attahiru Bafarawa N19. 6bn)

Jonah Jang (N6. 3bn)

Aliyu Doma (N8bn)

Tanko Al’Makura (N4bn)

Boni Haruna (N93bn)

Bindow Jibrila (N62bn)

Adamu Muazu (13bn)

Isa Yuguda N212bn)

Mohammed Abubakar (N8. 5bn).

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Dangote University explains how female student died in her off-campus apartment

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10 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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Tragedy struck on Thursday at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, when a female student, Aishat Yahaya Olabisi, was found dead in her off-campus apartment.

Olabisi, a 300-level female student of Food and Science Technology, was said to have been found dead after she returned to her room from the school.

The deceased student was said to have written her first examination in the ongoing first-semester examination at the university on the fateful day.

One of the male students who spoke to PUNCH Online on condition of anonymity on Saturday blamed her sudden passing away on examination pressure.

“The deceased was hale and hearty before she went out to write her first examination in the ongoing first-semester examination,” the student said.

However, following reports in the media that the female student died in the university students’ hostel, the Management of the university clarified the misinformation.

In a statement by the Dean, Students Affairs of the university, Prof. Abdulkadir Dambazau, dated 3rd May 2024, refuted the media claims.

The statement titled “Clarification Regarding False Statement About Student’s Death” read, “It has come to our attention that a recent statement made by DLC Hausa and some media outlets regarding the discovery of a student’s corpse at the students’ hall of residence is entirely false. We wish to address this matter promptly and unequivocally refute these claims.

“On 23 April 2024, we received news about the untimely passing of Yahaya Aishat Olabisi, a diligent and bright student of ADUSTECH Wudil. Aishat spent her last evening engrossed in her studies, diligently preparing for upcoming examinations. The following morning after a shared breakfast with her roommate and a heartfelt conversation with her father, she expressed her intent to rest briefly before resuming her studies. However, destiny had a different plan.

“In the early afternoon of the same day, concerns arose when Yahaya Aishat Olabisi did not respond to attempts to reach her. Upon investigation, it was discovered that she had passed away in her sleep in her off-campus residence. Immediate measures were taken, and she was swiftly taken to the university clinic, where her passing was confirmed by medical professionals.”

The statement added that Olabisi’s remains had been transferred to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for postmortem analysis.

“Given the circumstances, her remains were transferred to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for postmortem analysis to ascertain the cause of her sudden demise. Meanwhile, her grieving parents, who hail from Ilorin arrived the following day to bid farewell to their beloved daughter.

“In honouring her memory and bidding her farewell, Aishat was laid to rest on 24 April 2024, surrounded by family, friends, and members of the academic community who mourned her loss deeply,” the statement added.

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Court Sentence FCMB Branch Manager to 121 years in Prison for embezzling Customers Funds

Published

18 hours ago

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May 4, 2024

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FCMB is a leading financial institution in Nigeria has received a big shock of the year as one of its staff has been thrown to prison for fraud and embezzlement.

Justice S. Odili at the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, sentenced Mr Nwachukwu Placidus, a bank manager at First City Monument Bank FCMB, Onitsha Anambra State to 121 years in prison for embezzling N112 million from a customer’s fixed deposit account.

The Honorable justices delivered the verdict resulting in the conviction and sentencing of a former manager at the First City Monument Bank’s branch in Onitsha, who has now been sentenced to a total of 121 years in prison for misappropriating fixed deposit funds totaling N112,100,000 from a customer for personal use. This is tantamount to a breach of trust by the former manager which has attracted a huge jail term.

 

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