Adesina, Fashola, others Honour at NBCC Centenary Dinner

L-R: Former Nigeria High Commissioner to United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, Director of UK Trade and Investment, Mr. Mike Purves (representing the British High Commissioner), President of Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Prince Adeyemi Adefulu MFR and the MD of Guinness Nigeria, Mr. Seni Adetu, at the NBCC Presidential Dinner and Awards held on Friday November 21, 2014, in Lagos.

Distinguished Nigerians and corporate organizations were at the weekend honoured by the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) at a presidential dinner and award organized as part of activities marking 100 years of Nigerian-British trade relations in Lagos. Top on the list of the awardees were the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun,  Jigawa State Governor, Alhji Sule Lamido, amongst others.

Dr. Adesina and Governor Fashola were crowned Minister of the year and Governor of the year respectively for their contribution to the nation’s economy through excellence leadership. Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, and Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, received awards for good governance while the Managing Director, Standard Chartered Bank, Bola Adesola was named CEO of the year.
Speaking at the dinner, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Pan Atlantic University, Dr. Christopher Kolade described NBCC as a custodian of standards and values which he said must be sustained. He pleaded with the members of the chamber to ensure that things that drive standards, values, and good performance are not allow to desert them. He noted that celebrating 100 years of trade relations between the UK and Nigeria is a lot of history which goes with a lot responsibility.

Dr. Kolade who was the chairman of the event said: “what I see as the identity with which I want to associate my self with tonight is that NBCC is a community of people who can claim to be the one who are moving this economy along. You are not only adding value to this economy, but you are also doing same to the British economy as well, because it is about trade relations.”

In the corporate category, Jumia Nigeria won the Online Business of the Year, Guinness’s Orijin herbal drink bags Innovation in Business while SME Friendly Bank Award falls on Diamond Bank. Olam Nigeria smiles home with Exporter of the Year while Promasidor Nigeria wins most Outstanding British Business in Nigeria award.
Other awardees: Swift Oil, Private Business Growth Award; Lagos Business School, Leadership in Education and Training; PWC Nigeria, Leadership in Professional Service Delivery while the British High Commission Centenary Prize for the Company that contributed consistently to Anglo-Nigerian trade relations was received by Sifax group.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock  said the  award, which torches  both old and new companies, including UK companies operating in Nigeria  was a  reflection of the birth of the commercial relationship between the UK and Nigeria. He expressed optimisms that the next 100 years will see both nations’ economies growing from strength to strength.
Dr. Pocock who was represented by Director, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), Mike Purves  promised that  the UK will continue to partner with Nigeria for a mutual understanding in the development of the two nations.
The President of NBCC, Prince Adeyemi Adefulu in a remark described the relationship between the two nations as very special with a lot of investment in the people of the two countries in the past 100 years.  “I see us growing into the next level in terms of facilitating better trade relations for mutual benefits. I think the legacy is strong and I see us taking it into a more high level of partnership and collaboration, corporation and understanding,” Adefulu noted.

Mario, High Priest, others Excite Fun lovers at Pepsi co-sponsored Corporate Elite 2014

Mario and High Priest

There was no dull moment for fun lovers who kept vigil on Sunday at Eko Hotel and Suite to witness   the Corporate Elite 2014, one of the biggest concerts in Africa. The event which brought together the best of musical stars in Nigeria and other part of the world such as Mario, High Priest, Sound Sultan, Bankky W etc.  was supported by Pepsi.

Jeffry and Immaculate set the stage for Omoaki who stormed the stage with beautiful tunes such as Suretete and Talosobe. The audience were yet to recover from Omoaki when JJC, the true African artist took the stage by storm with his popular tune, "We Are African".

Lami Phillips, an African female song writer and singer, caught attention of everyone with her sparkling black net dress and white shoe the moment she stepped on stage. She lived up to expectation with beautiful presentations from her award winning album, Intuition.

Multitalented Nigerian artist, Sound Sultanwho is regarded as one of the pacesetters of modern hip hop music in Nigeria received a warm welcome by the audience; Sultan who was dressed in a smart suit with a cow boy cap on his head rocked the audience with his Mathematic among others. He left the stage by removing his Cow Boy cap as a sign of respect for the audience.

Sound sultan

Praise, one of Nigerian finest knew exactly what audience wanted when he mounted the stage in arches blazer suite and they got that in his highly motivating songs, Rich and Famous  and Mercy which they responded to by dancing and singing along. They were yet to recover from Praise when Bankky W stormed the stage to take the audience on another journey of fun and excitement with some of his best tune including Ma Jaye Orimi. The audience especially the ladies were not for once tired of him as they kept asking for more. 

Bankky W

Don Jazi, Praise and others took the event to the climax when they sang their popular Nigerian tune, Dorobushi and it was as if it should not end. But the New York artist, Freddie Jackson was good enough to maintain the temple. When Mario came on stage he immediately brought all the ladies to their feet who went on singing and dancing along with him.
Other artists: High Priest, Dudu, KCee and Sir China Peter where not left out in the event that will be remembered in the years to come.

Praiz

The Head of Marketing, Seven-Up Bottling Company, Norden Thurston described the event as one of the biggest concerts in Africa, with inflow of both local and international artists annually. He said Pepsi as a big brand will continue to support relevant events that are capable of igniting   the passions of its teeming consumers in the area of entertainment and sport.

L-R: Sound Sultan, CEO of Upfront and Personal, Paul Okoye, Tuface Innocent Idibia, Head of Marketing, Norden Thurston and Raul Sawhney, at the Pepsi co-sponsored Corporate Elite that took place on Sunday November 23, in Lagos.

  

WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT

                                                                               
Dickson is spending over N33 billion to build government house in Bayelsa. Fayemi spent N3.3 billion to build government house in Ekiti. Jonathan just commissioned Yero's government house in Kaduna for N9.6 billion. Governor Jang also splashed N9.6 billion on government house. Then I hear Ngozi-Okonjo Iweala saying they need $5billion to stabilize the economy. Are these people normal at all? Why not just go and buy stabilizer and chook am for the economy leg. When you see money you never worked for, you will waste it. They never worked for a kobo, that is why Nigerian leaders are so wasteful. You will never hear them spending the money on world-class hospitals with 3,000 beds for patients. Just senseless spending. Later they will be borrowing money from China. Akotileta gbogbo.
 From Nigeriacamera