Author: PositiveNaija

Nkemdilim Rose Obi Wins 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award

Mrs. Nkemdilim Rose Obi, has emerged winner of the 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award.

Mrs. Nkemdilim Rose Obi is a Chemistry and Mathematics teacher from Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Onitsha, Anambra.

The award is in recognition for her passionate desire to bring out the best in students and help create a workforce that would redeem the image of Nigeria.

The award instituted by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund was aimed at restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession.

The race for the 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, which generated unprecedented interest from teachers across the country, started on Wednesday, May 20, 2015.

For emerging the overall winner, Mrs. Nkemdilim Rose Obi won ₦1 million cash prize and another ₦1 million to be paid into her account yearly for five years on every World Teachers day. Her school (FGGC, Onitsha) would be a beneficiary of infrastructural development and projects worth ₦25 million.

The second and third place winner, an English Language teacher from Federal Government College, Borno, Mohammed Binta Lawan, and a Chemistry teacher from Northern Annang Commercial School, Akwa Ibom State, Daniel Sunday Udiong, went home with ₦750,000 each, respectively.

This is aside from ₦500,000 cash prize for each of the 19 state champions, from which the last 10 and then the winners were drawn.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, the chairman of the panel of judges and Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, stressed the need for teachers to be regularly exposed to training.

He said but for the groups that were competent and grounded on the job, some of the findings on teachers’ competency during the screening were disappointing.

Prof. Pat Utomi stated:

“We looked at the passion they have for teaching, their general competence on their subject and a particular philosophy of teaching that they deployed to be effective with the students, their commitment to long-term goal.

If, indeed, Nigeria desires to solve the challenges of national progress, she must educate her citizens, and teachers are central in this. We need to continually train our teachers to be able to keep them up with the speed of the world. And teachers must be encouraged to learn how to learn.”

On receiving her award, 37-year old Obi, and a graduate of Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State, said her desire to expose students to rudiments of learning and guide them in career development is her staying power as several opportunities to leave the profession due to poor remuneration has presented itself.

Obi, a masters degree holder, whose mum was also a teacher said:

“I have succeeded in shifting from a traditional method of teaching to a discussion-based methodology. The strategy brings about a synergy between what happens in the classroom and what happens real life. It brings out analytical skills from students.

I am following my mum’s footsteps, my mum was a teacher, and I also have passion to bring out the best from students. Give them the best training and get them prepared to enter the workforce of the country. Secondary education is very important in career development, thus my resolve to give the best to students.”

NNPC Releases First Monthly Oil And Gas Report [2015]

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have released their first monthly oil and gas report as promised by the new General Managing Director of the corporation Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

The report which is in PDF covers the activities of the corporation for the months of January to August [2015]. It showcases activities and financial transactions in the upstream, midstream and downstream sector.

The report shows increase in refining capacity of the nation refineries and also detail crude allocation to them. Other areas covered by the report includes:

Winners of 2015 The Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP)

Junior Chamber International (JCI) celebrates 10 outstanding Young Nigerians at the 2015 The Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) award ceremony.

The award is aimed at motivating and encouraging young Nigerians, by celebrating young business owners and social entrepreneurs from all over the country.

TOYP, a global initiative of the Junior Chamber International which is being replicated in Nigeria, concentrates on formally recognizing young persons who are making giant strides in their chosen fields and creating positive impact on other people, their community and the society at large.

This year’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) were: Adebola Olomo, Oresanwo Lolade, Odjenima Atinuke, Araba Steven Omogbolahan, Uyi-Aivinhenyo Patricia, Abdulkadir Mukhtar, Onitiju Ibukun, Akintayo Stephen, Steve Harris and Olawale Rotimi.

According to the organisers, out of 130 nominations received, 20 were selected. They were further screened by a panel. The public then voted for the final 10. The process was anchored by the JCI’s TOYP Team, panel and a team from the international auditing firm – KPMG.

TOYP Chairperson, Adetola Juyitan, said:

“This year’s TOYP is coming with an unprecedented class, which is reflected through the quality of shortlisted nominees, the quality of the judges, the audit process managed by KPMG, the organisation of the grand finale of the event, among other things.

Junior Chamber International, Nigeria has been participating at the international level over the years, and beyond hosting the edition, we will be taking advantage of the platform of this year’s programme to re-reinforce the presence of JCI in Nigeria.”

Access Bank Wins Women Market Champion Award 2015

Access Bank Plc has received the Global Banking Alliance for Women Market Champion 2015 Award in recognition for its innovative approach to banking women across the shores of the country.

The bank also restated that its W Awards, the first of its kind in Nigeria,
seeks to recognise and celebrate Nigerian women, home and in the Diaspora, who have impacted the Nigerian economy and their immediate environment positively.

During the 14th Annual Summit of the Global Banking Alliance (GBA) for Women in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Access Bank bagged the award for the Women’s Market Champion 2015 alongside banks across the world which had implemented successful women market programmes.

This award is coming on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the bank’s W
initiative which was launched in Nigeria and subsequently in the Bank’s
subsidiaries.

Attahiru Jega Receives 2015 Charles Manatt Democracy Award

Professor Attahiru Jega has been awarded the 2015 Charles Manatt democracy award by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Washington.

He was also given the Integrity Award by the Nigerian Higher Education Foundation in New York.

Continue reading Attahiru Jega Receives 2015 Charles Manatt Democracy Award

2015 Clinton Global Citizen Awards & African Business Awards

President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has been honored with the 2015 Clinton Global Citizen Award for leadership in private sector. Dangote Cement also won the Business of the Year Award at the African Business Awards ceremony.

Aliko Dangote is the founder, president, and CEO of Dangote Group. Founded over 30 years ago, the group’s interests include the production and distribution of cement, sugar, flour, and oil, as well as real estate development. Dangote set up the Dangote Foundation in 1993 to drive his corporate social responsibility initiatives, endowing it with $1.35 billion in 2014.

In 2015, Dangote donated $1 million to Nepal to provide relief to the victims of Nepal’s earthquakes and $153 million to boost Nigeria’s fight against Ebola in 2014. He has been named Forbes Africa Person of the Year (2014), Forbes Most Powerful Man in Africa (2013), and listed on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (2014). He is a member of the World Economic Forum, the Honorary International Investor Council, and the McKinsey Advisory Council.

In 2013, Dangote was appointed to the steering committee of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative. In addition, he collaborates with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fight polio.

The 2015 Clinton Global Citizen Award for leadership in private sector is in recognition of Dangote’s unparalleled contributions to the development of the human society in Africa and the world over.

The CGI said it recognised the Dangote’s exemplary and selfless dedication to a better life by positively impacting the lives of people globally through numerous philanthropic initiatives implemented through the Dangote Foundation.

Bill Clinton, who presented the Clinton Global Citizen award to the daughter of the business magnate, Halima, who represented him, said Aliko had raised the bar of philanthropy by an African, which is worthy of emulation.

In the words of Halima:

“This award is coming at a time we are expanding both business and philanthropic footprints globally and we are optimistic about creating value that transcends borders, while improving the quality of lives of people globally.

I must say that we are humbled by this recognition and we are encouraged to double our efforts as we work towards promoting Africa’s economic renaissance.

While we celebrate Africa’s impressive progress, many of these gains rest on a delicate foundation of extreme poverty, insecurity, hunger, disease and poor education and we are proud of the effort of Dangote Foundation overseeing the implementation of our intervention initiatives along key areas of health, education, empowerment and humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters to bring about sustainable growth.”