Empowerment
PULP Foundation rolls out maiden outreach, lauds Gambari, Boss Mustapha

Worried by the state of the Nation’s security challenges and its threats to National unity, People United in Love and Peace (PULP) foundation, has during its unveiling flagged off its maiden outreach in Mararaba, Nasarawa state.
PULP which is a non governmental organization was instituted by a group of eminent Nigerians led by Dr. Chuks Victor James.

According to a communique signed by its founder Dr. James the foundation asides its empowerment initiatives is poised to seek various means to foster love, unity, peace and progress amongst Nigerians.
The outreach exercise included the distribution of cash sums to indigent women followed by a Gala Night which witnessed a large turnout of dignitaries from within and outside Nasarawa.
The occasion saw the presence of ; Arewa Youths, HRH Jodan Markinta of Adamawa State, Hon Yusuf Musa Ardo, the Mieti- Allah National Chairman of Fulani Peace Initiative, Alhaji Ahmadu Sardauna, Matarsa Nasarawa State, Comr. Magaji Musa Adamu among other dignitaries.

Speaking during the elaborate outreach in Mararaba, the founder, a U.S. based Dr. James, enjoined Nigerians to develop a positive mindset towards the country, adding that such positive thoughts will propel the nation to greatness.
“This is the first time we are coming publicly to announce the formation of this foundation. The aim of the foundation is to do everything we can, to unite our brothers from the north with our brothers from the south.

“It doesn’t cost us money for us to unite our country, it’s just for us to work on our change of mindsets. I flew all the way from New York, US to Nigeria to speak about the essence, the need for us to live in peace and unity.
Appreciating the Federal Government’s roles in combating the global Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Dr. James commended President Muhammadu Buhari; his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha for taking proactive steps to stem the tide in the spread of the virus.
He said, “The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the entire universe but Nigeria was saved because of the actions taken by Mr President, Mohamadu Buhari, carried out by the Secretary to the Government of the Fderation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, Prof Ibrahim Gambari and the 36 state Governors.
“They played a very good role in making sure that some of the citizens were vaccinated and received the Covid protocols/palliatives.”
Harping on the need for Nigerians to eschew violence and live in peace , Dr. James identified lack of peace and unity as being responsible for love lost amongst Nigerians.
The foundation founder encouraged participants to spread the good news of peace and unity amongst brothers, sisters and parents, telling them of the need to change their mindsets about segregation and unhealthy thoughts against the nation.
The climax of the event was the announcement of PULP Foundation to stage a massive concert to be held at Eagle square in Abuja, where women will be given 1 Million Naira each to support their economic growth. According to Dr. Chuks the reason behind the foundation’s priority for women stems from the fact that women usually turn out first to embrace peace and unity, saying that women are pillars and the stability of Nigeria cannot be fixed without women”.
In his concluding remarks, PULP-F founder enjoined Nigerians to change their habit of negative criticisms and casting slurs at public office holders in the country.
He added that foreign investors take their investments to other countries due to the negative notions created by citizens about its public officeholders. He said that these negative perspectives will do Nigeria no good, he therefore, charged Nigerians to take this message of unity, peace and love to all states, as he also stressed on the need to put the nation first before religion and ethnic divides.
“If you look presently, investors are taking their businesses abroad, away from Nigeria. Nigeria has the man power, we have the population, we have everything but because we’re not speaking together as brothers and sisters, everyone is saying that am from Zamfara State therefore it’s only Zamfara people that will do this, am from Abia state therefore only Igbo people will do that, No! We are first and foremost Nigerians.
“We must understand these facts, that is when developments will start and that is when even the international communities will all come back to Nigeria, bringing in their foreign direct investments because they know that Nigeria has the population and manpower.
“We should shun religion if we must progress. We were born here as Nigerians before religion came to play a part in our lives, so, let’s consider ourselves as nothing but Nigerians first before religion, Dr. James said.
Harping on Nigeria’s unity, he canvasses for the removal of State of origin from the Nation’s constitution, he said that that every Nigerian should be accorded their full rights to engage in any economic and political activity regardless of the state where they hail from.
He said “In my Nigeria and America passports they wrote Benue state but if I want to run an election in Benue, I am told to go to Abia state however in my passport, there’s no Abia state on it.
“If we can remove all these impediments Nigeria will be a better place to reckon with in Africa.
“We must also learn to love our families. Our father, mother, sisters and brothers. Most importantly we must love our mothers greatly because through them we were born. We must give our women enough credit”.
Empowerment
NG-CARES: Kogi CSDA flags off Lab, borehole projects in Apata community

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
KOGI Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) has flagged off construction of a science laboratory block and Rehabilitation of a hand pump borehole for Apata community in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi.

Chief Dauda Momoh, General Manager of the Agency while presenting the Approval Letter and cheque for the commencement of the projects at Apata-Ipatun, said the two projects had a total envelope of N15 million.
He said that the two micro projects intervention were being executed under the Basic Services Infrastructure of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.

The General Manager expressed delight that the Agency was making the desired impact and commended Governor Yahaya Bello for providing and supporting the World Bank-Assisted programme.
He noted that ordinarily, the World Bank stipulated a 10 per cent community counterpart contribution from benefitting communities but the state government in its bid to enable more communities to benefit, reduced the counterpart contribution to 2.5 per cent.
He urged the community to show personal interest in the projects and assume complete ownership saying, “This project is a grant. No government will later come to take it from you. It is yours, own it, protect it.”
The General Manager said the construction of the science laboratory and furnishings would take N13,699,614.00 while renovation of the handpump borehole takes N1,307,250 making a total of N14,976,864.00.
Presenting a cheque of N3,998,362.10 to the Community Project Management Committee (CPMC) chairman, Hon. Adekunle Babatunde, the General Manager charged the committee to judiciously utilize the fund.
He said that the pace of work would determine the release of the next tranche adding that they were lucky to have a royal father who is much interested in their welfare.
Chief Dauda Momoh appealed to well meaning citizens to help improve facilities in their various communities, citing the transformation of a CSDA health facility in Eika-Ohizenyi to a hospital.
He said that wife of the governor, Barr Amina Oyiza-Bello using her pet project, Hayat Foundation reconstructed and equipped the health facility in Eika-Ohizenyi community and transformed it to a hospital.
In his remarks, the traditional ruler, the Olu of Apata, Oba Frederick Durojaiye Balogun thanked the state government and the Agency saying the flag-off of the projects was a dream true for the community.
“This is the appointed time God ordained for this project. if we fail to acknowledge your relentless efforts in making sure that this project is a reality today, that means that we are ingrates.
“The government has passionately, out of its kindness, favoured our community. And I want to say here today, we shall continue to support the government of the day and when necessary we shall do what is expected of us.
“This project, I assure you that I will personally supervise it to ensure that quality job is done here and at the end of it, we will take full ownership of this and take care of it. We are indeed, very grateful”, he said.
Chairman of the CPMC, Hon. Adekunle Babatunde pledged on behalf of members of the committee to ensure proper book keeping, quality and timely delivery of the project. (Ends)
Empowerment
Muri Elite Network imparts skills to youths, adults In Kogi

By Ishaq Dan-Imam, Lokoja
The Muri Governorship support group, Muri Elite Network (M.E.N), has held a training and awareness session on Youth employability and entrepreneurial skills with youths and adults in Lokoja, on Saturday.
About One hundred and thirteen youths from across the state were trained in different vocational skills such as Yoghurt making, bead-making, make-up, baking, and tailoring among other skills.
The interactive session featured presentation on behavioral change Communication, introduction to business ethics, neurolinguistic programming, and importance of regular family session to child’s upbringing and development.
Director, programmes and strategy of Muri Elite Network, Baba Abdul Bala, stressed on the importance of strategic engagement of youths to change their mindset about their ill-being with a view to changing the misconceptions and beliefs about making fortunes, while exposing the participants to the principles of business success in a competitive business environment.
Mr. Bala said the group was in the vanguard of harnessing the potential of youths for greater economic well-being.
Mr. Bala urged the participants to learn the 21st century skills especially the emerging digital skills and channel their creative minds to money making ventures by reviving their spirit of enterprise in order to become entrepreneurs, millionaires and problem solvers with innovative business solutions in Kogi state in line with the economic vision of SDP Governorship Candidate, Hon. Muritala Ajaka.
National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Anthony Idoko, said M.E.N entrepreneurship programme was aimed at reducing youth unemployment and indolence among the youth in Kogi state, as the organization plans entrepreneurship skills for ten thousand (10,000) youths with focus on vocational skills under its entrepreneurship development programme.
Mr. Idoko, who spoke on importance of creative thinking and self-reliance, said youths that were engaged in gainful economic activities with innovative business ideas have the potential to become millionaires and employers of labour in their life time.
” We are working with professionals and inspirational business leaders and experts in different walks of life to bring out the hidden business talents in youths to make them self-employed. We train the youths to embrace entrepreneurship for sustainable livelihoods, overcome low self-esteem, indolence, and poverty through out-of-the-box thinking that will lead youthful members of the group to economic prosperity.
“Our entrepreneurship mentorship Programme is an innovative ways of adding value to society and creating wealth among youths through entrepreneurship training. The Muri Elite Network, Imparts Skills to the youth in Kogi state without limitations as the organization is actively involved in economic emancipation of the youth and the downtrodden in Kogi state,” Idoko, said.
The national coordinator of (M.E.N) also used the occasion to offer voter education to the participants to reduce void votes that may occur due to wrong thumb printing on the ballot paper during voting in the upcoming Governorship election in the state. Mr. Idoko, however, gave a demonstration of ‘the right thumbprinting’ to the participants, adding that “your votes determine your future.”
The youth participants in the training interviewed, said they were psyched up with the inspirational insights of the speakers as they expressed gratitude to the organization for promoting the ideals of youth entrepreneurship in Kogi State.
Empowerment
Tolu Odebiyi Scholarship Foundation doles out 40m as bursary to 400 undergraduates

Tolu Odebiyi Scholarship Foundation has provided N40m as bursary allowances to to four hundred (400) beneficiaries of the foundation in batches.
This is coming as a fulfilment of his promise to continue to provide financial assistance and his desire to create opportunities for exceptionally brilliant students from Ogun West Senatorial District to excel.
The foundation which has also been creating internship, job, and empowerment opportunities for young minds, is making available the bursary allowances promply for their 2023/24 academic year in various public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The beneficiaries, after receiving their scholarship thanked the Patron of the foundation, Sen. Tolu Odebiyi, CON for the invaluable support and contribution towards making their academic dreams reality. The students indicated that the bursary allowances have reduced their financial burdens.
Sen. Odebiyi who is committed to staying true with the passion of building future leaders, noted that the foundation will continue to strive hard to ensure that the students become better citizens who would be useful to themselves and the society.
The CEO of the Foundation, Mrs Folashade Odebiyi expressed gratitude to God for the enabling grace to continue with the initiative and also thanked their very supportive partners.
A beneficiary from Sawonjo Yewa North, Olubiyi Jesutofunmi Moyofanu expressed appreciation to the senator for taking care of him throughout his academic period at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye in the past five years financially and also for the gift of a Laptop that has boosted his online classes.
Ganiyat Adedoyin Akinsanya a student of Lagos State University, Ojo Lagos said, “Very few people can do the things you do, the love, care and consistency. You are so special to us. I received the bursary with thanks. Thank you, our Distinguished Ọmọlúwàbí Senator Tolu Odebiyi, CON and TOD foundation at large”.
Another beneficiary, Olusegun Ayodele Samuel from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye said, his deepest appreciation goes to Senator Tolu Odebiyi (CON) for securing an internship for him at one of the best law firms in Nigeria.
According to him, the senator worked tirelessly to secure the internship for him even when applications had already closed. He is indeed an angel sent from God.
“Senator Tolu Odebiyi is one of the few politicians in Nigeria that gives us hope of a better country. I am eternally grateful to you and your family”.
The foundation, since 2019 has been building a mass of educated youths with morals, knowledge, expertise and mentality to move this great country forward.
The TOD Scholars as they are referred to, have recorded 68 graduates with 14 first class honors.
In addition, 20 graduates are currently serving the nation in their NYSC service year and those that have completed NYSC are employed in top tier companies including Flutterwave and Main One.
-
Crime1 month ago
Police nabs Killer of Varsity Lecturer in Niger
-
News2 months ago
IPOB: Simon Ekpa gives reason for seperatists clamour for Biafra
-
News From Kogi3 months ago
Echocho Challenges Tribunal Judgment ordering rerun in 94 polling units
-
News From Kogi3 weeks ago
INEC cancells election in 67 polling units in Ogori-Magongo in Kogi
-
Appointment2 months ago
Tinubu names El-Rufai, Tope Fasua, others in New appointments
-
Crime1 month ago
FUT female lecturer Murdered in her Minna residence
-
News from Jigawa4 weeks ago
Group applauds Jigawa Gov over N500m Malnutrition Medicine procured for 10, 000 Children
-
Politics2 months ago
Ododo/Oyibo campaign in harvest of decampees as NNPP reps candidate, Amanabo Joins APC with Supporters