GTB FASHION WEEKEND

Leading African bank, Guaranty Trust Bank plc, has announced the debut of the GTBank Fashion Weekend which will hold in Lagos on the 12th and 13th of November 2016. The two-day consumer focused event is themed “Promoting Enterprise” and is set to create an ultimate fashion experience, where the most promising and talented retail brands will showcase the latest fashion trends and products to a large and diverse audience of consumers, fashion aficionados & industry professionals. 

Positioned as a sequel to the GTBank Food and Drink Weekend, the GTBank Fashion Weekend is part of the Bank’s initiative to strengthen small businesses in key economic sectors through non-profit consumer-focused fairs and capacity building initiatives that serve to boost their expertise, exposure and business growth. 

The Weekend will be headlined by top fashion industry experts, trend setters as well as locally renowned designers and style authorities. Attendees will be treated to a series of fashion events such as Entrepreneurial and Fashion Master Classes and Retail Exhibitions.

At the heart of the GTBank Fashion weekend are the fashion Master classes facilitated by renowned local and international fashion experts. This year’s Master Classes will cover relevant topics addressing challenges and opportunities across the entire industry value chain including: Fashion Entrepreneurship; Perfecting Design; Brand Positioning, Growth & Profitability; Product Development; The e-Commerce Leap and several others. 

The Retail exhibition will showcase dozens of leading Small Businesses within the fashion and beauty industry, offering a diverse range of affordable and luxury apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty items, and much more. As part of the exhibition experience, there will be a craft section, featuring handcrafted indigenous garments and accessories. Culminating each day will be a series of Runway shows featuring collections by renowned Nigerian and African Fashion brands. 

Commenting on the GTBank Fashion Weekend, Mr Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, said; “We are thrilled to be the first in the Nigerian financial sector to pioneer an initiative that will assist in unlocking growth opportunities for businesses in the fashion industry. We believe we have a fundamental responsibility to ensure that our customers have all the necessary tools to achieve success within the global economy.  We will use our strength, global reach, expertise and relationships to make a positive impact for our customers and invariably our communities.  We are committed to growing SMEs in a sustainable manner that is not driven by profits but focused on empowering our customers and growing our economy collectively.” 

GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry. The GTBank brand is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation.

To find out more, please visit this link: Fashionweekend.gtbank.com

"I NEED GOALS" MOURINHO DARES ROONEY

Jose Mourinho was unequivocal when asked what he wanted from Wayne Rooney ahead of Manchester United’s EFL Cup tie at Northampton, midweek.
“Goals,” said Mourinho, with that familiar dead-pan delivery and death stare designed to underline the weight of his words. “Goals. I hope he scores goals.”
To say Rooney failed to fulfil his manager’s remit is an understatement. Rooney was so wretched, so out of sorts, so shot of confidence, that Mourinho now surely has to make the biggest call of his United tenure thus far and drop his skipper for the visit of champions Leicester to Old Trafford on Saturday.
There can be no other decision if Mourinho , who has endured a frustrating and unconvincing start to his time at United, is to retain credibility in the eyes of his club’s fans and the wider football public.
Sir Alex Ferguson was not afraid to drop Rooney, while David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were too in thrall to the England captain to spot the obvious signs of decline and bench him when necessary.

ECONOMIC RECESSION: MARITIME OPERATORS DIFFER

OPERATORS in the maritime industry are divided over the comment of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, that the economic recession in the country would be over before the end of the year.
While most of them expressed hope of government achieveing the feat at the said time, others questioned government’s plans to overcoming the recession. However, some others stressed that recovery from recession would not be of any benefit to the industry.
Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, Chairman of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, SOAN, while expressing hope that government will be able to get the economy out of the recession. However, said he could not comment on the claim since he does not know the basis on which the statement was made.
According to the SOAN chairman, “I am not competent to comment on the claim of the CBN governor because I do not know on what basis he said what he has said.
That is all I can say at the moment. I will hope that the economy can come round the bend so that it can bring respite to Nigerians.
“You are a Nigerian like me; if we are able to get the economy out of the woods in the shortest possible time, why will that not have a positive impact on you? It will definitely have positive impact on Nigerians and the economy in general. It will help every Nigerians to get out of the present economic hardship we are all going through.”
Former National President of the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association, NITOA, Margaret Orakwusi, said that it is heartwarming if government is able to get the economy out of the present situation but it would not have any effect on the maritime industry.
Orakwusi noted that investment in the industry is capital intensive and that the absence of single digit funding in the sector has been a problem, pointing out that even when the economy gets out of the recession it would not have any meaningful impact on the sector. “I know the main problem in the industry is funding, lack of cheap funding, we have interest rate at double digits. I can’t see any significant effect it will have on the maritime sector, the cost of funding is too high and investment in the maritime industry is capital intensive. There is nothing wrong in keeping hope alive, let’s be positive.
“We have a lot of human resources, we have natural resources and if properly harnessed we should be able to come out of the recession but then we have to build on our export.
If we do not build on our export by diversification of the economy and we are still relying on crude oil, then there is a problem.
“You can see how the prices are coming down, since we are spending more than we are earning, our income as a nation is in foreign currency, so we must pay attention to the things that we can earn foreign currency from. So right now we are spending more than we are earning and that is where the problem is.”

2018 W/Cup qualifier: Iheanacho to spearhead Eagles attack

Apart from the vocal Nigeria football fans, Rohr has of late come under intense pressure to drop Ighalo in favour of Iheanacho, even from within the Eagles technical crew. Atop assistant of the Franco-German tactician last week said, “I can’t categorically say it will happen but I can confirm to you that talks have been held and the prospect of Iheanacho leading the line against Zambia is a possibility.”

He further informed that “talks didn’t start because of his(Iheanacho’s) recent goal scoring form, not at all. It started since after the Tanzania game. Rohr is a big fan of his finishing abilities right from the training ground. He could lead the line ahead of Ighalo and Ideye in Ndola when we play Zambia in October,” he said.
On Thursday, Rohr released a list of 23 players invited for next month’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier clash between the Super Eagles and Zambia’s Chipolopolo in Ndola.
Conspicuously missing was Watford forward, Odion Ighalo, who will attend his father’s burial in Nigeria on Saturday, 8th October, the eve of the big match at the Levy Nwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
With this development, Kelechi Iheanacho becomes the natural choice for the top striker’s role, except Rohr decides to use Olympiacos of Greece forward, Brown Ideye for the role. However, between Iheanacho and Ideye, we gathered the Super Eagles technical crew will rather go for the Manchester City starlet whose rich vein of form has seen him net four goals in five matches for club and country.
“Iheanacho has earned his number one position in the Eagles set up,” a top official of the powerful NFF technical committee echoed, adding that Ighalo’s absence will be an opportunity for the goal monger to prove his mettle”.
Given the lad’s consistency and ability to take chances when they come his way, Iheanacho, it is believed will make a feast of the opportunity. “He is sure to make a meal of it,” our source said, adding, “with the support of another youthful player in Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi, Iheanacho is sure to utilise the opportunity beckoning on him.”
The Franco-German tactician retained belief in the squad that pipped Tanzania 1-0 in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Uyo on 3rd September, but has added Alanyaspor of Turkey defender Kenneth Omeruo, Belgium –based midfielder Anderson Esiti and English Premiership duo Isaac Success and Alex Iwob

AUN students build solar ovens, chicken tractors

These days when the in -thing is to go green and avoid contact with harmful chemicals as much as possible, some students of Yola, Adamawa State-based American University of Nigeria have devised a wood and electricity-free oven for rural dwellers who depend solely on firewood for cooking usually obtained by felling trees with its attendant consequences on the environment.
Instead of felling trees and encouraging desert encroachment, the students decided to make use of the abundant sun in the state. The oven and chicken tractor were fabricated using a design first developed at a Kenyan refugee camp. Talk about bringing something good out of a bad situation!
Solar oven: Living up to its billing as Africa’s first development university whose aim is to raise future leaders who will impact their communities and the continent positively, the students did not only learn the theories but applied what they learnt in their Community Development class, to make their community safer, more environment-friendly and better life foe the people.
Working under the supervision of AUN’s former Director of Sustainability, Professor Charles Reith, Mr Rotimi Ogundijo and Mr. Matthew Abedoh, all of the Sustainability Unit of the university, the students used recycled cardboard, masking tape, glue and aluminium foil to construct the solar ovens. Each oven took them about 45 minutes to construct and it cooks really fast.
Chicken tractors
The Chicken tractors were made from scrap metal and pieces of discarded chicken wire (poultry netting). A Chicken tractor is a screened-in box or portable bottomless cage or pen used by organic farmers to prepare soil for planting. The chickens are confined in the tractor and they eat all the weeds, bugs, scratch the soil and fertilize it with their guano
or faeces (which is a highly effective fertilizer due to its exceptionally high content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium essential for plant growth.) This is one of many ways organic growers fertilize their farms without using harmful and expensive chemicals.
The students distributed the solar ovens and chicken tractors to villagers in nearby communities as part of their contribution to human development

KANU DISTRAUGHT OVER MUM'S DEATH

Former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu has been speaking over the demise of his mother who gave up the ghost on September 7 in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The former Arsenal and Inter Milan forward has a reputation for frequently eulogising his now late mother, who is said to have told him that one day, he would make her proud with his football talent.
“The loss of Mama is hard to bear. She was a rock that stood by me and all my siblings,” Kanu said.
“She showed us equal love and affection, and always prayed for each and every one of us. Her support and prayers for me right from the beginning of my playing career till the end were invaluable.
“Her guidance also went a very long way into moulding me into the man I am today. She taught me to love, and to give. I will miss her, but God knows best.”
Burial arrangements are yet to be concluded, as the family is still getting to grips with the shock

"I NEED GOALS" MOURINHO DARES ROONEY

Jose Mourinho was unequivocal when asked what he wanted from Wayne Rooney ahead of Manchester United’s EFL Cup tie at Northampton, midweek.
“Goals,” said Mourinho, with that familiar dead-pan delivery and death stare designed to underline the weight of his words. “Goals. I hope he scores goals.”
To say Rooney failed to fulfil his manager’s remit is an understatement. Rooney was so wretched, so out of sorts, so shot of confidence, that Mourinho now surely has to make the biggest call of his United tenure thus far and drop his skipper for the visit of champions Leicester to Old Trafford on Saturday.
There can be no other decision if Mourinho , who has endured a frustrating and unconvincing start to his time at United, is to retain credibility in the eyes of his club’s fans and the wider football public.
Sir Alex Ferguson was not afraid to drop Rooney, while David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were too in thrall to the England captain to spot the obvious signs of decline and bench him when necessary.