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New Scholars for Tekedia CollegeBoost

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Join me to thank a strong partner of Tekedia Institute who is sponsoring three scholars to Tekedia Institute CollegeBoost. She is a private person and we cannot mention her name but we can share her motivation: “God has placed me in a better situation now so I would love to pay for three students that are affected by the strike but can’t afford this class”.

To support students, connect with Eyitayo Adeleke, mMBA or use any of the payment options we have on our website here. Tekedia CollegeBoost is a mini-MBA designed for students in post-secondary schools. Thousands of students have attended it. Last year, the First Lady of Kwara State sent close to 1,000 students from Unilorin, Kwara State University, etc to spend 8 weeks in our program.

Learn more here about the special ASUU strike program.

As Nigeria Seeks Economic Remedy

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Presently, any sane individual or entity that truly means well for Nigeria ought to be concerned with the required remedy for the country’s myriad of economic challenges.

In any circumstance, while searching for the most viable way of putting a holistic end to any menace, it’s imperative to first ascertain the origin of the plight. In view of this, there’s a compelling need to look inwards towards unraveling the genesis of this apparently poignant state.

In some quarters, people are of the view that the predicaments are attributable to the 16-year ‘misrule’ of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Whilst many persons are preoccupied with a belief that the plights are attributed to so many promises made by the current ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In other quarters, most individuals are of the notion that most of the ongoing crises were occasioned by Nigeria’s unending sole dependence on the oil sector. Among all, some schools of thought are strongly of the opinion that the origin of the state of poignancy is particularly traceable to the presumed high level of docility that marred the Goodluck Jonathan-led leadership.

Notwithstanding, there are two major factors responsible for the tantrums and brouhahas currently ravaging all facets of Nigeria’s socio-economic and political space. First, those who are negatively affected by the ongoing anti-graft war or who have perceived a ‘witch-hunt’, as the case may be, had vowed to make the country ungovernable.

The second factor is skepticism on the part of the governed. Most Nigerians had been and are still skeptical over the established notion that President Muhammadu Buhari was the awaited Messiah; they are still in doubt over the sincerity surrounding the ongoing anti-corruption war; the electorate are doubting the ability of the present administration to lead the country to the anticipated promised-land.

It’s invariably the prerogative of everyone to nurture any opinion. But for the interest of Nigeria who is already crying foul, we are not meant to be concerned or bothered over people’s personal opinions, rather how to salvage them from this untold hardship irrespective of whose ox is gored. Thus at this juncture, the most consequential and rational question becomes, what’s the panacea?

For the present administration to be thoroughly described and recognized as a responsible and responsive government, it must be ready to absorb constructive criticism, which remains an inevitable veritable tool in nation-building. It’s expected to spread its hands open for any form of criticism that is aimed at addressing any anomaly or ill.

In the same vein, the leadership must at all cost be willing to adhere to the principles guiding the rule of law. If anyone detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the Department of the State’s Service (DSS), or other related agencies, has reached or tendered all the required conditions to be bailed, he should be released without much ado prior to when next he would be needed for further scrutiny or interrogation.

It’s only the military that does not understand the language of bail. To restrict the person’s movement afterwards, they ought to endeavour to seize his/her International Passport coupled with other traveling documents.

Similarly, anyone who is still in detention that pleads to be allowed to see his doctor abroad or claims to be passing through a severe medical condition, should be allowed to travel out, but in custody of a reliable security team. Better still his doctor should be invited to attend to him in the cell.

It’s noteworthy that the person’s health condition is very crucial in such a situation; a detainee must be medically sound to enable them pass through any stress during arraignment. In other words, one must be alive to attend to any query.

More so, the government ought to be prepared to charge accused persons to court without much ado. Constitutionally, it’s only the judiciary that has the immunity to tender justice. Alleged looters or corrupt individuals cum organizations shouldn’t just return stolen monies and be allowed to get away scot-free. If such practice is being upheld, subsequently public office holders would attempt to steal funds in their custodies since they would only be asked to return them if caught in the process.

In the same vein, the judicial custodians or members of the bench must endeavour to give speedy hearing to any prosecution with a view to salvaging the electorate from the bondage of unending suspense invariably witnessed during court proceedings.

Regarding the renewed Biafra agitation, the government is enjoined to handle the matter with optimum diplomacy. First, it ought to endeavour to unravel what actually prompted the reemergence of a protest believed to have faded off long ago. It ought to equally be noted that the aggrieved group has a constitutional right to ask for freedom if it felt marginalized, hence the need to grant its members a fair hearing. Thus, the treasonable felony established against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu should be reviewed in earnest for the interest of Nigeria at large.

It’s worth noting that the budget remains the bedrock of any nation’s quest for development. Taking into cognizance that currently, none of Nigeria’s fiscal budget could be aptly financed without indulging in borrowing, it’s obviously highly time the government thought outside the box. To ensure a feasible budget, the government must not compromise every effort targeted towards diversification of the country’s economy as it has unabated been sung in various quarters and fora by well-meaning analysts and social commentators.

Against this backdrop, I enjoin the government to take sectors such as education, health, power, science and technology, tourism, agriculture as well as solid minerals, as priorities. These areas that have hitherto been maltreated and relegated need to be strengthened and resuscitated headlong.

Taxing the poor masses by outrageously hiking their electricity tariffs as well as imposing stamp-duty charges on their transactions isn’t the panacea. Honestly, if the needful is done or taken care of as expected, there won’t be any need to sub-charge ordinary citizens; also, the ongoing continuous decline of the crude-oil value would be seen as a blessing in disguise.

The education arena requires a drastic upgrade or total overhaul in order to encourage entrepreneurship among our young ones. Isn’t it ridiculous that among the best one thousand universities in the world, no Nigerian university is included?  Yet, on a daily basis, millions of naira are being transported to foreign countries by most Nigerian parents or guardians, who are mostly serving/past government officials, to cater for their wards’ tuition fees.

The health sector too, cannot be neglected because billions of naira are equally invariably sent to foreign nations by the rich, for payment of medical treatments at the expense of our foreign reserve.

Nigeria is tremendously blessed with enormous cultural heritage, thus it’s time she harnessed the viable and lucrative ones for the sake of tourism. Similarly, it’s so pathetic that the farmers are still using farming implements used by their forefathers.

The governors, rather than depending solely on the federal allocation, ought to be mandated to follow suit as regards diversification of the Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) in their respective states, to enable them not to see payment of the current national minimum wage as a far-fetched consignment as it’s presently witnessed.

Inter alia, the leaders are expected to note that Nigeria requires meritocracy in a bid to actualize her anticipated change or economic turnaround. People should be considered important and relevant based on their abilities and competence rather than their wealth, social statuses or political affiliations.

The electorate on their part must desist from a cantankerous lifestyle. They can’t continue sitting on the fence and expect miracles to happen.

Cyril Ramaphosa’s Call To Russian President Vladimir Putin – Has He Taken A Side?

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Amid the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa recently thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin following a phone call between the two where the South African president sought to gain an understanding of the situation unfolding between Russia and Ukraine. Ramaphosa disclosed that his country was asked to mediate in the Russia-Ukraine crisis, but he refused to disclose who made the request.

Cyril Ramphosa via a tweet, had this to say “Thanking his excellency, Vladimir Putin for taking my call today, so I could gain an understanding of the situation that was unfolding between Russia and Ukraine. I outlined our position on the conflict that has unfolded as well as our belief that the conflict should be resolved through mediation and negotiation between the parties and if need be, with the help of agencies that can help bring a solution to the conflict. President Putin appreciated our balanced approach. We believe this position enables both parties to subject the conflict to mediation and negotiation. Based on our relations with the Russian Federation and a member of BRICS, South Africa has been approached to play a mediation role”.

Although Ramaphosa disclosed that his call to Putin was to mediate and gain an understanding of the situation, as well broker peace. Unfortunately, his actions didn’t sit too well with many, as he received backlash even from his countrymen who accused him of being Pro-Russian and taking the side of the oppressor. Some stated that if he wanted to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, he wouldn’t have called only Putin, but also Zelensky. Cyril Ramaphosa had earlier disclosed that South Africa has remained neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war of which they were among the 35 countries that voted to abstain during the recent UN resolution that saw the global body condemn the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

People have however suggested that Ramaphosa has chosen the side of the oppressor which is Russia, knowing full well that Putin is at fault, yet he refused to condemn his actions. If we look at this issue with a holistic approach, one will be tempted to say that Ramaphosa might have placed a call to Putin to protect his country’s relationship with Russia. It is a known fact that Russia and South Africa have both had a cordial bilateral relationship that stems from the Soviet Union era when they trained the anti-apartheid activists during the cold war. Many have said that if Ramaphosa was playing the role of a mediator, the first thing he would have done was to tell Putin to stop the atrocities he is committing against Ukraine, and to immediately call for a ceasefire.

On the other hand, I feel people should cut Ramaphosa some slack as he earlier hinted that based on South Africa’s position as a member of BRICS, they were approached to play a mediation role. This move might not necessarily have been initiated by him. Asides from the fact that Russia and South Africa have a very strong relationship, one wouldn’t expect Ramaphosa to condemn Russia’s act immediately, to avoid putting their relationship with Russia in jeopardy. South Africans have however warned that Ramaphosa’s love for Europe must be monitored lest he gets them involved in something messy.

Some have opined that Africa must adopt a strict policy of non-alignment in the light of the Russian-Ukraine war, and they must not take sides but rather condemn both sides if need be. They disclosed that there should be a call for peaceful co-existence. Some South African politicians have made it clear that the country needs to play its part to ensure President Putin is brought to the negotiating table, as his violation of Ukrainian territory is a direct infringement of international law and should not be allowed to stand.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Describes The Igbo Apprenticeship System As A Good Way Of Building Wealth Among People

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The vice president of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo recently described the Igbo apprenticeship model otherwise known as ‘Igba-boi’ as a good way of building wealth among people. He disclosed this while speaking virtually from Abuja to participants of a national summit in Awka, who convened to understudy the model, which is said to have produced several millionaires in Nigeria, especially in the Eastern part.

Speaking on the model of Igbo Apprenticeship System which is popularly known as ‘Igba-boi’ in Igbo Language, Osinbajo harped on the need to encourage the scheme to ensure continuation. In his words, “The Igbo Apprenticeship Scheme ‘Igba-boi’ has become the most popular indigenous Nigerian economic institution, globally recognized as the world’s largest business incubator. The scheme has the full potential to do for the Nigerian economy what similar apprenticeship schemes have done in many parts of the world, especially in Germany and India. I commend the organizers of the event, and I am hopeful that the summit will improve the growth and possibilities for the Igbo apprenticeship scheme”.

While speaking on the theme, ‘Repositioning the Igbo apprenticeship scheme for sustainable Economic Development’, the keynote speaker Dr. Obiora Okonkwo recommended that the scheme should be institutionalized. He attributed his success in life to the Igbo apprenticeship scheme which he said he engaged in during the early days of his life at Onitsha main market Anambra state.

It is a known fact that the Igbo apprenticeship System has been recognized as the largest business incubator in the world, as thousands of ventures are developed and established yearly through it. It is interesting to know that the Igbo Apprenticeship system, ‘Igba-boi’ is studied at Harvard Business School London, which was proposed by erudite Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe. Taking it beyond Harvard Business School, Professor Ndubisi also runs Tekedia Institute, where he unveiled the first academic program on ‘Igba-boi’, the Igbo apprenticeship system.

Upon graduation, the institute awards an advanced diploma certificate in ‘Igba-boi’, the Igbo apprenticeship system to those who enrolled in the program. This is indeed a laudable initiative from Prof. Ndubisi as he deemed it fit to take the Igbo apprenticeship system beyond the shores of Africa, to make it globally recognized. It is not just enough for the government to acknowledge and encourage the scheme, they need to take a cue from this and institutionalize the Igbo apprenticeship System if they are hell-bent on building the economy of the country. It is time to walk the talk.

I see no reason why they should dilly-dally on implementing and improving the system when it is already studied abroad. It is displeasing to note that the Igbo apprenticeship system to date is still undocumented in the country. It is time to upgrade the system by documenting it for secondary and tertiary institutions, and also for the global business world. To properly ensure the improvement in the economy of the country, like the Israeli’s mandatory national military service, the government should consider making the Igbo Apprenticeship System mandatory for secondary and Tertiary institutions by including it in their curriculum.

It has often been said in the country that the Igbo apprenticeship system has produced more millionaires in Nigeria than the entire University system. The scheme has been pivotal in the reduction of poverty, especially in Igbo land by mass scaling opportunities for everyone, as it focuses on community and the distribution of wealth. Adopting the system by the government will greatly help in the circulation of wealth in the country thereby reducing poverty and unemployment. More successful entrepreneurs will be created through the system and their economic activities will aid development in the country, thereby boosting the economy.

New Tekedia CollegeBoost Scholars Announced

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Join me to thank Philip Adigwe who provided full scholarships to enable five scholars to attend Tekedia Institute CollegeBoost, a mini-MBA designed for students. The generosity of citizens like Mr. Adigwe is the reason hundreds have access to our world-class business education where some of the finest business leaders teach. Thank you Philip Adigwe, and open doors in 2022 and beyond.

You want to sponsor a student or students? Reach out to our CollegeBoost Program Manager, Eyitayo Adeleke.

Tekedia CollegeBoost is an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration designed for students in colleges. It involves an 8-week program.