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BATNF/NYSC Top Prize Winners Emerge
Joel Ajayi
Four Corps Members emerged overall winners of Farmers For the Future Grant Competition sponsored by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF).
The winners who went away with a total sum of Six Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira cash prizes were among the ten (10) finalists earlier selected out of over 20, 000 entrants for the competition.
The keenly contested grand finale showcased the skills of young agro-entrepreneurs in the ground-breaking initiative NYSC/BATNF partnership.
The competition essentially aims at promoting agro-entrepreneurial training, where Corps Members who emerge victorious from the competitive process, undergo training and mentoring in big farm establiments and are empowered with money, land, agricultural inputs and services.
According to the Executive Director, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), Ms Abimbola Okoya, the exercise is expected to encourage self-employment through agro-allied ventures.
She stated further that BATNF has contributed immensely to Nigeria’s sustainable development agenda, especially in the area of poverty reduction and improvement in the quality of life of Nigerians living in the rural areas.
She stated that as a participant in the Scheme, the Corps had prepared her adequately for the role she is playing today in the Foundation.
In his keynote address at the virtual Pitch Ceremony, the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim acknowledged the relevance of the initiative by BATNF which inspires youth- productivity and self employment, through agriculture.
He pledged the commitment of the NYSC to collaborate and nurture the initiative to optimal growth and sustainability.
Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of Three Million Naira to the overall winner of the competition; Chiamaka Mary Ikechukwu promoter of NuceoAgro Services, and Two Million Naira to Augustine Nwafor – Custonus Automative who emerged 2nd Position in contest. Juwon Ibitomi went away with One Million Naira as 3rd place cash prize, while John Eduga who emerged 4th Position won the Special Award category sponsored by Mr. Steve Okeleji; one of the five (5) Judges of the competition. He went home with the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira.
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CELEBRATING A CENTURY-OLD CIVIL AVIATION SECTOR TRAJECTORY IN NIGERIA
This week, millions of Nigerians and others across the globe will join the Ministry of Aviation and Space Development under the irrepressible leadership of the Honourable Minister, Festus Keyamo(SAN),and all the notable Aviation sector stakeholders in and outside the country,in celebrating a century of Nigeria’s civil aviation history.
There is no doubt that under the present leadership of the Honourable Minister and within the short spell of time in his stewardship,he has consciously and intentionally embarked on a “silent revolution” for the industry with very veritable and laudable landmarks that have consistently grown the industry.
Some of these spirited efforts for instance have consequently led to trust restoration amongst international lessors, financier,any global partners.Of note also is assidiously working for the full domestication and implementation of the “Cape Town Convention Agreement” ,which gives Airlines access to modern fleets of competitive rates as well as enforcement of IDERA(Irrevocable Deregulation and Export Request Authorization).
Having well applauded these vital contemporary initiatives,it will also be germane to cast our minds in retrospect by taking a peep into our history over several decades to recognise some of the notable forebears in the industry whose impressionabl efforts cannot be overlooked,as they took the impetuous initiatives of breaking the ice at the nascent stage.
It will aptly corroborate the truism which says that… ” a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step”.
The above is vividly captured from a tribute by the First Republic Minister of Aviation Chief Mbazulike Amaechi at the funeral of late Igwe of Oba,HRH Peter Ezenwa(MFR) in 2018.
It states inter alia…”One significant thing I will say many people didn’t know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as “STANDARD AIRLINE”.It was founded in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa from Oba,and had on board,John Nwankwu from Abagana,Edward Ebo from Ezinifitte,(all from Anambra state),John Anyaehie from Nkwerre in Imo state,and lastly my very self Mbazulike Amaechi.
The five of us later acquired two brand new aircrafts,and had four pilots,namely;Unachievable,John Emma Ngwu and Felix Offor,who was to be the General Manager of the airline.
But just about the time for the take-off the crisis of the military takeover erupted in the North as the planes were on their way for delivery to us.In fact the bank handling the transaction was to allow the planes to be flown from the USA,but the news of the war broke out in 1967,the insurance company cabled for the cancellation of the deal as they will not be able to cover the risk cost of aircrafts being flown into war zone.
So,we asked the manufacturers to take the two aircrafts back to their country and hold on for six months with the hope of that the war will end within the requested time frame,but the war didn’t end as thought.We consequently asked for refund and they deducted some money and refunded the balance which was deposited at the London branch of African Continental Bank(ACB).
When the government took over the operations of ACB,we still hoped for the refund but unfortunately were disappointed that the Federal government took over the whole money and we lost everything.”
Further in line with our historical perspective,it will also be pertinent some of the later years reformists in the likes of Engr Onyereri and Harold Demuren who advertently sponsored some far reaching regulations that eventually steered the industry towards greater autonomy with the passage of the 2005 Civil Aviation Act,which I was also a prime participant of in my capacity as an Aviation sub chair in then House of Representatives.
As we mark this great century milestone,and with the clear evidential pathway set out by the current managers of the industry under the indomitable leadership of Honourable Minister, I do not see the sky posing any limitations as they say,but rather availing new vistas of limitless growth opportunities.
CONGRATULATIONS.
Hon Chidi Nwogu
Former member House of Representatives & presently Governing Council member
,African Aviation and Aerospace University,Abuja.
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