Author: Saint Augustine

By James Eze In one of his many seminal essays on Nigeria, Chinua Achebe poignantly observed that “Nigeria is what it is because its leaders are not what they should be.” Indeed since Nigeria began its current democratic experience, one of the most crucial tests we have had to face is the quest for a responsible and astute leadership – a leadership that represents the best the country has to offer in the management of the affairs of men. It is interesting to note that while the country continues its search for the right set of leaders that will consolidate…

A melodrama reminiscent of Nollywood theatrics ensued over the weekend along Onitsha-Awka end of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway by Nawfia, when the political campaign convoy of Mrs. Ekwunife ran for cover to avoid possible arrest for illegal campaign and breach of the peace in Anambra State. Ekwunife’s convoy which was en-route Awka after campaign stops in near-by towns turned and ran on citing heavy presence of security personnel by the Nawfia axis on the Expressway. The event which took place along the busy Onitsha-Awka end of the busy Expressway drew the attention of the villagers who suddenly noticed many cars in…

The Associate Convenor, Standing Conference for Mediation Advocates (SCMA), Barr. Valention Buoro has described the year 2015 as a year where Mediation as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) would take a major leap into the judicial process in the country. Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, Buoro noted that with the slide in oil prices globally, there was going to be scrambling for the available resources which according to him would trigger off crisis and consequently a lot of people could be hurt. He said that when people were hurt and they did not have money to litigate…

…Explains why December salary was delayed The Federal government has warned Nigerians to be wary of those it said were playing fast and loose with numbers especially as the 2015 general elections gears up with the sole aim of deceiving them. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who made this assertion while reacting to insinuations in some quarters that the Nigerian Economy was broke in a radio programme monitored by Primetime Reporters in Lagos dismissed the rumour as untrue. Okonjo-Iweala who admitted that Nigeria was in for tougher times in the months ahead…

Hundreds of agitated youths converged at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s office at Awka , Anambra State on Tuesday, demanding action by the Commission to stop aspirants not listed as their party’s candidates in the State from continuing electoral campaigns. The youths who marched through the streets of Awka in the scorching mid day sun to vent their anger said they were giving INEC forty – eight hours to enforce the provisions of the electoral laws on party candidacy or forget about holding elections in Anambra State. Presenting their grievances to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Engr Edwin…

A maritime Lawyer, Barr. Osuala Nwagbara has lamented the practice by customs officials to employ every available instrument to frustrate genuine complaint of over-assessment by the Nigeria Customs Service in matters of valuation describing it as a denial of port user’s access to justice. Barr. Nwagbara who was speaking at the 1st Shippers’ Day Celebration organized by the Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS) noted that Paragraph 13 of the 1st Schedule to the Act No. 20, 2003 which made the Comptroller General of Customs a semi-final authority to adjudicate on all disagreements on Customs valuation before a dissatisfied party…

…Says it moved 55, 000 containers from Apapa in 2014 The Nigeria Customs Service has faulted the claims that it focused more on revenue collection and meeting targets set at the detriment of trade facilitation describing it as misleading. Barr. Osuala Nwagbara had in the course of his paper presentation tagged,” Towards A New Port Order; The Journey So Far: A Lawyer’s Perspective”, which he presented at the 1st Shippers’ Day Celebration in Lagos noted that while the Customs Service World over were not only revenue generating agents of government but were also international trade facilitators at the ports, noted…

…wants re-establishment of Price Control Board The Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS) has said that it would vigorously pursue its goal of getting the federal government to give it more concessions which it said may be in the form of a complete duty waiver for industries. The President of the association, Rev. Jonathan Nicol who made this assertion in a welcome address he delivered to mark the 1st Shippers’ Day Celebration in Lagos with the theme,” Working Towards A New Port Order: The Journey So Far”, also called for the re- establishment of Price Control Board. While recalling that…

By James Eze When Governor Willie Obiano took over the leadership of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the Chairman BoT and National Leader on December 17 last year, he quoted the Italian Renaissance man, Michelangelo, to his fellow party men and women. In a powerful emotional voice, Obiano said; “the greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” The tremendous resurgence of APGA since this ambitious statement has since shown that Governor Obiano knew exactly what he was…

Technopreneurs, a team of contestants in the CEO Challenge, from the University of Ibadan, has qualified for the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Phase in the on-going Procter & Gamble (P&G)’s CEO Challenge. With this feat, the team will carry the Nigerian flag at the regional level when it will be competing with other teams from Africa to determine who advances to the final stage of the competition. Technopreneurs team, comprising of Ololade Olaleye, Olamide Oladeji and Dolapo Salawu defeated the HHR, Midas, Incredible and Nudocs from the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Federal University of Technology, Owerri,…