By Jaja Agu Kalu Mba

I was already on my way to the East for the Christmas and other celebrations when the authentic news of the merger/acquisition of Diamond Bank with/by Access Bank filled the entire social media. It wasn’t a surprise to me or some others who have been following the developments in the bank. Then I read many of the comments, for and against. I also commented on a few of them, especially on the Facebook page of Diamond Bank employees (past and present).

One comment on the Facebook page really hit me hard and it reads as follows, “Change the name to “Diamonds are NOT forever”. Before then others had suggested closing the group titled “Diamonds are Forever” or changing the name to “Access are Acquirers, etc. I immediately thought about other organizations that I proudly belong and our slogans: CASOR – “Once a CASORite, Always a CASORite”; Heriot-Watt University Alumni – “Once Watt, Never Not”. Nothing is going to change that as far as is humanly possible in my head. Why will I drop “Diamonds are Forever”? It is not possible.

I graduated late 1998 to early 1999 when Nigeria was transiting from military regime to democracy. We graduated without touching and most times without seeing computers. There were few jobs available and reserved for people who knows people. That was the era when IM was a popular slang in Nigeria, especially SE. There were few scholarships local/overseas that you could apply to do postgraduate studies. When there is any, before you hear about it the deadline has passed. It was all paper-based and there was no internet, and you cannot afford to buy newspapers where the adverts appear.

Landing Enugu from Gombe State the hustle started in earnest. I was being invited for aptitude tests almost every Saturday, tests were mostly passed but none became an employment;

National Bank WAEC aptitude test at PH and interview at Lagos.
Arthur Andersen test where only four of us passed and the lengthy interviews, with so much promises that I started ignoring many bank tests, including Diamond bank test at Owerri.
FCMB, Platinum Bank, Several other banks, Guinness, Nestle, Lion Of Africa Insurance, First Bank, Accenture, Capital Alliance, National Oil & Chemical Marketing Coy (NOLCHEM – now Conoil), Insight Communications, WAMCO, etc. The list is very long. 95% of aptitude tests passed no employment.

By this time suggestions were forthcoming. Visit prayer city for deliverance; you can’t have this kind of result without a job waiting for you. A friend even invited me to follow him to see a man of God who prayed for him to get a bank job. That night I brought out two chairs for God and myself and had an all-night discussion with him. Others of course have concluded that with the course I studied and my class of degree that I was good for nothing than being a lecturer. At some of the interviews they will tell me, “I know you have several job offers and came to try us out and make a choice”.

And who said being a lecturer is a bad idea? I packed and went down to UNN, did the necessary documentation and resumed. However, ASUU strike didn’t allow me to work. It wasn’t long and my Oga called me that I have another test with Diamond Bank. He could sense how reluctant I sounded and he urged me to just try. I went for the test at Nigerian Law School where I have become a regular customer. In those our days young graduates dress up on Saturdays and head to Law School uninvited to see if there is an aptitude test they can gatecrash and write. Weekdays we trek around Broad Street and Marina checking offices that are accepting CVs; then we will move down to Victoria Island and continue disturbing security men who by this time dismiss us with the question, “Do you have a minimum of a 2.1?”. Thank God for Nigerian banks; they were majorly the industry that were giving Nigerian graduates opportunities without a connection. The population of candidates in aptitude tests normally will run into thousands, and so it was for this particular Diamond Bank aptitude test. The journey that started with thousands in Law School test center ended up with a list containing only 28 names and I met a GM (Emeka Onwuka) who later became the CEO of the bank in the course of the interviews. Before the ASUU strike was called off I was already at Diamond Bank Training school where I met 49 other interesting trainees popularly known as “BOLOS”.

How could I forget the first time I picked a ‘Diamond’ chequebook, drew a cheque and cashed it? The first bag of rice I gave to my mum in December 2001 was from Diamond Bank. I was to get 10 more bags of rice with cartons of groundnut oil in my course of working for the bank.

I was a single employee yet the bank allowed my medical cover to be used for my family members when I joined. How can I forget the first time I travelled to Lagos by air in 2002/2003 for a training? It was a Sosoliso aircraft from Enugu airport. The closest I came to that airport was when we took children from my church for an excursion and here I was grabbing my luggage to go board a plane. I have heard stories about turbulence in the air and was secretly afraid. The captain had an Edo name and he just dived into the air or so it seemed to me. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep because I am used to flying – imagine. When I opened my eyes I saw small boys running around, going to the lavatory. I had to advise the fear to respect itself. The air travels happened some other time until it became constant and a popular means of travel even for my personal trips. However, I won’t forget the origin.

How could I forget that my house at Ohafia was built when I was at Diamond Bank? When I get distress calls from people asking for financial help to pay bills when their wives deliver a baby at a hospital I will remember that thrice Diamond Bank paid for me, from ante-natal to post-natal with superior treatment. I never paid hospital bills and they even pay a little sum to cater for out of pocket drugs that I bought when I wasn’t treated in a hospital (Medical off the shelf). I became a chartered certified accountant (ACCA) while working for the bank. I bought three cars in seven years while working for the bank, that is excluding the one paid for that I never got. During my wedding, they sent two vehicles to convey colleagues and my wedding gifts.

For the 10 years plus that I worked there I never knew what was bank charges, chequebook, ATM, transfer charges (local and foreign), name it. I once resigned from the bank, met a brick wall, returned and was taken back as if I never resigned. Few weeks down the line, I was promoted. I worked in a bank that thrived in trust and brotherliness. We called ourselves “Pally”. It doesn’t matter if you are a guy or a lady, from North or South. When we see a cheque with “016” and “203” code we have confidence to even part with cash before debiting. Mine was 016-203-000-9895. We trusted ourselves to a fault that we even shared passwords with our Ogas.

I can’t finish talking about “Diamond” in one post. More will come in the future. You may tell me that I worked myself to stupor to earn those benefits, especially for those who knew me in the bank. But I tell you that many Nigerian companies never gave me the chance to work hard.

Lastly, what is the percentage of Nigerians who owns a Rolex watch? Yes, the type worn by Tiger Woods. Because of Diamond Bank I am among those very few. And they invited me to that “White Party” after I left the bank to collect that prestigious watch and a Diamond-shaped crystal plaque.

You see, so many things may have gone wrong, the bank may be acquired, we Diamonds may be unhappy. But one thing remains – “My Diamond is Forever!”

This is appreciation Day 18. Thank you so much Diamond Bank for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to serve.

Are you an African mid-career professional with English proficiency and a degree in an IT-related area? Apply for the Next African Global IT Leaders Program by APRIL 9 to study at higher educational institutions in Korea. More info below!

The African Development Institute of the African Development Bank is implementing the next African Global IT Leaders Programme under the aegis of the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Knowledge Sharing Programme (KSP). The objective of the programme is to create across the African continent a critical mass of global IT experts: highly trained professionals in ICT.

The secondary objective of the programme is to expose mid-career professionals in African countries to the latest techniques and knowledge available through graduate studies at higher educational institutions in Korea. Upon completion of their studies, the scholars are expected to return to their home countries to apply and disseminate their newly acquired knowledge and skills to enhance the development of their countries.

This two-year Masters degree programme in Information Technology provides integrated courses focused on the IT technologies and Korean business strategies. It also offers opportunities for networking with Korean IT industrial companies through classes and seminars; field trips to traditional sites to experience Korean culture and history; and on-site workshops at IT companies.

The rigorous student selection focuses on employees working in the field of ICT in public and private sector in the Bank’s regional member countries. Applicants should additionally have the following qualifications:
1. A certified Bachelors degree in an IT-related area
2. A certificate of English proficiency: TOEFL (iBT 83, PBT 560, CBT 220), IELTS 6.5, TEPS 599, TOEIC 720 or higher). These should have been taken at most two years before the deadline of the application
3. A public official, employee of public institutions or senior-level researcher at national research institutes working in IT fields (employees from private companies will not be considered)
4. Korean citizens are excluded – this also applies to Korean citizens with dual citizenship.

Please apply online on https://apply.kaist.ac.kr/intergradapply before 1700 hrs on 9^th April, 2019 (Seoul time). Further details are available in the attached guideline.

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has endorsed former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, for the February 16 presidential election. Mr. Moghalu is the flagbearer of Young Progressive Party, YPP.

Let me reiterate: there is over-abundant, but stifled leadership material, and there can be no excuse, now that that potential of high quality is being manifested, for constricting the political space in a population that is nudging two hundred million. And that statement is of course specially addressed to those who took part in this exercise, those who deliberated opted out of it, some of whom were assessed anyway. Such potential compelled us to exercise utmost rigour in what proved to be a most daunting exercise. The final determination however is – the flag-bearer of the Young Progressive Party – KINGSLEY MOGHALU.

Full Statement below…

NEW DIRECTIONS IN A TIME OF DECISION

The nation has been brought to her knees. Internally, the blaring media testimony needs no augmentation. Beyond her borders, Nigeria is the tale of citizens designated pariahs of the global community for whom special dossiers are opened, and units of security agencies are specifically assigned.

Online transactions are programmed to reject basic usage once the word ‘Nigeria’ is inserted in the Data profile. There are few nation left, within or outside the continental borders where – no matter the codeword – a Nigerian ‘room’ has not been designated.

Her humanity litters the sand trails of the Sahara, it lines the Mediterranean sea-bed with the bones of a desperate generation, seeking ‘green pastures’. Lines from my poems have been appropriated and embossed as epitaphs on the tombstones of Nigerians washed up the isle of Catania and accorded dignified burials by total strangers, certainly paid more respect than Nigerians themselves consider due to their own humanity.

Other would-be migrants have been slaughtered by religious fundamentalists on the shores of Tripoli, while waiting for their precarious crossing on suicidal boats. Yet others end up as commodities in the slave markets of Libya and Mauritania, hundreds recently rescued and airlifted – credit where credit is due! – repatriated by government.

It was not always thus. Numerous Nigerians believe that it need not remain so. There is always a choice to be made outside any presumptuous orders – in reality associations guaranteed to perpetuate social disorders and the politics of inequality. This is not the thinking of any one individual but of a large section of this populace. If it were not, there would not have been a record number of nearly a hundred political groups aspiring to take over the reins of governance.

We do not need any instruction however to estimate that several of the aspiring groups are mere plants, raised to sow confusion. It redounds to the credit of a few individuals, including some of the candidates themselves, who embarked on efforts to winnow down their own ranks, then seek a consensus candidate as standard bearer for the battle against the two political behemoths.

They did not succeed, but that is no cause for despair. They still deserve the gratitude of Nigerians for their uniquely principled efforts. The CITIZEN FORUM – last heard of during the time of the dictator, Sani Abacha – was pulled out of retirement to join in their effort to arrive at peer consensus. The Forum worked peripherally with them. It made no attempt – I stress this – no attempt whatsoever to impose its own preferences, but utilized material from the deliberations of at least four such selection groups. It remained on the fringe, except on invitation. Our mission today is simply to present the result of that effort by Citizen Forum which, I am especially gratified to reveal, coincides with my own personal preference. The CF conclusion is obviously not binding on other groups or individuals involved in the exercise. May I take this opportunity to advise the public that neither Citizen Forum nor myself, belongs to any Third Force or other Consensus seeking councils by any other name. Please ignore any such attributions.

Over the past few months, we studied the careers, experiences and track records of most of the presidential aspirants, and most intensely those actually short-listed by the opposition parties themselves. Like millions of Nigerians, we watched the debates. I physically interacted with some of the acknowledged top contenders, in some cases several times. We participated in HANDSHAKE ACROSS NIGERIA, where some candidates presented their briefs. Among others, I delivered a keynote address. We watched television interviews. We have exchanged notes with highly respected international Civil Servants. The drive towards Consensus among these dedicated groups sometimes took the form of test questionnaires to the aspirants, including items such as: ‘Who among the contestants would you choose, if you did not emerge as the ultimate preference?’

There was nothing complicated about assessment parameters: mental preparedness, analytical aptitude, response to the nation’s security challenges, economic grounding, grasp of socio-political actualities, including a remedial concern with the Nigerian image in foreign perception etc. etc. not forgetting a convincing commitment to governance and resource decentralization – commonly referred to as Restructuring. The Forum rejected retrograde propositions of a political merry-go-round, which urge the electorate to choose this or that candidate in order to ensure “our turn” at the next power incumbency. Overall, the exercise was exacting but also – therapeutic. It proved yet again that there is over-abundant leadership quality locked up in the nation, and that it is a collective shortcoming that the political space has not been sufficiently opened up to let soar such potential. Well, to cite the Chinese proverb: a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Let me reiterate: there is over-abundant, but stifled leadership material, and there can be no excuse, now that that potential of high quality is being manifested, for constricting the political space in a population that is nudging two hundred million. And that statement is of course specially addressed to those who took part in this exercise, those who deliberated opted out of it, some of whom were assessed anyway. Such potential compelled us to exercise utmost rigour in what proved to be a most daunting exercise. The final determination however is – the flag-bearer of the Young Progressive Party – KINGSLEY MOGHALU.

I shall conclude with a somewhat interesting aside. I met Moghalu again on Monday morning, February 4th, and informed him of the Forum’s decision. During our discussion, I happened to ask him – what is the meaning of Moghalu. I was curious, because it had taken quite some time along the way for me to know to which ethnic group the name belonged. He replied, it means – “Evil Spirit, Leave me Be!” Then I asked him for his other names and he spelt them out: “Actually my full names are Kingsley Chiedu Ayodele Moghalu”. Eyebrows raised, I asked, How come, Ayodele? A piquant revelation resulted: “Oh, that came from Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. She was friends with my father. Mrs. Kuti was my godmother, and she gave me the name Ayodele”.

I was learning this for the first time. Moghalu’s CV is however in the public domain – his publications, record, and vision. The above is just a side-note that contains its own mild, thought provoking instruction, for those who care to examine the distractions of ethnic equivocations, and the rigid mind-sets and stereotypes imposed on products of circumstance.

That immediate task being now completed, Citizen Forum will now join forces with those who pray, “Evil Spirit, leave us be!” – at least those who subscribe to the belief that political elections are not a Do-or-Die Affair!

Wole SOYINKA

Convener, CITIZEN FORUM 2019

LinkedIn Comment on Feed

Soyinka endorsed Buhari in 2015…. he’s not a political yardstick and can’t influence votes for any one.

Kingsley is an ideal candidate, in a nation with functional institutions, with majority of its voters online, where an independent candidate can make a mark.

But apc and pdp candidate are Nigerians realistic candidates, in a nation where majority of the voters are offline…..so no matter your oratory proficiency online, your voice won’t be heard by the locals unless you adopt a grassroot mircocampaings. A nation where the institutions aren’t functional as it suppose to be, a nation with weird value system.

Solution to having an ideal president against realistic presidents includes.

Candidates like Kinsley being in a party with the political muscles to push their message

Candidates like kingsley to join ranks and birth a formidable party, that’s how apc was formed.

Candidates like kingsley to create new ways to take their messages and brand to the grassroots and offline citizens.

In all, the voters are largely offline and poor…. your message must touch their heart, while hoping for a fair and free election

So by the next election, Kingsley and his likes would get it right, but for this 2019 it’s either apc or pdp.

Premium Times is my best Nigerian newspaper – it has the latest meaningful updates and is clearly unbiased. Yes, PT follows the facts and has shown that for years. But PT is evolving as an ecosystem with adverts everywhere. Unfortunately, display advertising is a race to the bottom: Google and Facebook have killed news publishing and what remains will only marginally thrive. By controlling demand (the readers), Google and Facebook have taken over the advertisement money leaving companies like PT to look for clicks to survive.

Everything I have noted above is not new. What is new is what Spotify plans to do: block accounts of ad blockers. Yes, if you think it is fair to visit companies like Premium Times and yet prevent them from showing you adverts, via your ad blockers, it is time to visit Financial Times or WSJ and pay subscriptions. With your subscriptions, no one will show you advert.

Spotify will take a harder stance on ad blockers in its updated terms of service. In an email to users today, the streaming music and podcast platform said its new user guidelines “mak[e] it clear that all types of ad blockers, bots and fraudulent streaming activities are not permitted.” Accounts that use ad blockers in Spotify face immediate suspension or termination under the new terms of service, which go into effect on March 1.

The new guidelines specify that “circumventing or blocking advertisements in the Spotify  Service, or creating and distributing tools designed to block advertisements in the Spotify Service” may now result in “immediate termination or suspension of your Spotify account.”

People, though humans create ad blockers, it is important to understand why we have ads to start with: we enjoy free stuffs online. It is certainly not balanced to expect PT to thrive when visiting it, at no subscription, and yet block the capacity for it to show adverts. While I am not happy the adverts are many, I understand PT is doing it because it has to – there is no alternative as ad money continues to go to Facebook and Google at scale.

That is why I celebrate Spotify decision: if you want to listen to free music, you must be open to listen to ads. But where you think you do not want to hear ads, pay for subscription. But if you try to listen free and yet not open to adverts, by using ad blockers, your account will be blocked. That seems fair – it is time we have balance on the web for creators with the legion of ad blockers.

The Challenge Before Ad Agencies

LinkedIn Comment on Feed

A new business/campaign has emerged: BLOCK THE (ad) BLOCKERS, you cannot have it both ways, something has to give in. Spotify has just set a precedent, expect almost everyone in the web business to follow suit.

Companies pour in tons of dollars, harvesting data and using them for target marketing and the rest, but people don’t want to watch! Maybe a subscription model is about to be resurrected, the free stuff is gradually reaching its saturation point.

We wait to see how stakeholders in the web nation react to this move from Spotify.

By Nnamdi Odumody

The ongoing U.S China Trade War which has led to uncertainty in the global consumer market took a new dimension with the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the Chief Financial Officer of Chinese technology giant Huawei in Canada on charges of financial irregularities. The U.S government in it’s bid to checkmate China’s technology brands like Huawei from taking control in key emerging technologies like 5G where Huawei has released the first 5G chip and will soon release 5G phones is responding to threat of the Middle Kingdom which is challenging her domination on the global technology space.

Canada which along with the UK, Australia, U.S and New Zealand  belong to the Five Eyes Intelligence Network and have accused Huawei of using their networks and communication devices to spy on them for the Chinese Government due to the fact that Ren Zhengfei it’s founder was a former officer in the Chinese Armed Forces. Huawei’s rise to second position in global smartphone sales behind Samsung and dethroning U.S tech giant Apple to third position is a thing of concern and her growth is fuelled by sales in emerging markets like Africa and Iran which is under American sanctions.

Chinese technology brands have taken advantage of The Belt and Road Initiative which President Xi Jiping of China launched in 2013 to create a new economic belt between China and emerging markets as an alternative to the U.S led Organization For Economic Cooperation and Development which was in favor of the developed Western markets.

Transsion Holdings, a Shenzhen based telecommunications equipment maker is the market leader in the African smartphone market. With African centred design of it’s gadgets and pricing targeted at Africa’s middle class, it has beaten Samsung and Nokia which were former market leaders. It’s Tecno range of smartphones sold 80 million units in Africa in 2016 while it’s other brand sold 50 million devices in Africa in the same year.

Huawei Technologies besides it’s smartphone sales in Africa has developed Smart City Technologies which are targeted at African markets as the continent seeks to adopt smart technologies which will accelerate her digital transformation and solve her problems. Oppo, another Chinese telecommunications equipment brand which is fourth in global smartphones which are targeted towards Chinese and emerging market consumers recently showcased the world’s first 5G video call.

Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, Tecno, Infinix launched smartphones which had artificial intelligence features into the African markets in 2018 and witnessed massive sales from African consumers than the elite brands Samsung and Apple.  Alibaba which has helped to promote trade between China and Africa through her platform founder Jack Ma recently at the 2019 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos with African Union and Rwandan President Paul Kagame said the E-Commerce giant will invest more money to boost E-Commerce in Africa and her Ant Financial which is the world’s most valuable Financial Technology company at $148billion is looking at expanding her services on the motherland.

Tencent, the Chinese technology and media giant which owns Wechat wants to take advantage of the Chinese diaspora in Africa and Africans who will be interested in utilizing the platform for interactions with Chinese trade partners as well as play in the financial services sector.

As a developing economy just like Africa, China understands that the key to market dominance and success is to offer products and services which are African centered as well as the best customer experience and are price friendly. This is one area which Apple has failed to exploit in the world’s second largest continent.

Beyond Samsung Galaxy, the Samsung Tecno for Africa